A Cry For Help

Monday, June 21, 2010

Moving is pretty low on my fun-o-meter. To put it into perspective, it's a bit like receiving a pap smear during the worst hangover of life while Kid Rock plays in the background and the room is full of seagulls. So basically, if you extend that experience for the duration of packing/cleaning the apartment/inspection/load the truck/clean the house/unload the truck/unpack/set up the house, that's essentially what I am looking forward to in about a month. Plus painting some rooms. Oh, and it's hot and muggy as balls here now, which adds to the excitement!

I don't know if there's any way to make moving less horrible. Any seasoned movers and packers out there? Does anyone have any tips they can share on how to not spend the next four-five weeks sobbing in the corner and scratching myself with paper clips?

I have a rough little timeline drafted up, which goes something like this:

June 21-30: Throw out as much stuff as I can bear to part with. The less stuff we have, the less we have to move! Update our address for all mail/magazines/bills. Get utilities switched over for July 19.

July 1-8: Start packing up non-essential stuff and labeling the boxes.

July 9-16: Packing continues...everything but the essentials

July 19: Get the keys!

July 20-22: Clean the new house top to bottom; pick up additional stuff we need (lawnmower, ladder, table and chairs, BBQ)

July 23-25: Paint; pack the rest of our stuff; start moving boxes

July 26: Moving Day AKA Armageddon

July 27-29: Clean old apartment; set up new house; return apartment keys

OH! And during all this, I'll also be working Monday-Friday each week. And planning and attending a bachelorette party. And getting ready for my sister's wedding July 31.

So if anyone has any advice to keep us from losing it, now is the time to speak up. What works for you? Concentrate on one room at a time? Beg people for help? Just throw crap into boxes and hope for the best?

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8 comments

  1. Ahh so much going on at once! But you'll make it through. My advice would be to leave the "not 100% TOTALLY NECESSARY" stuff for dead last - like after your sister's wedding (BBQ, table and chairs, etc). I know that's fun and seems necessary, but to keep stress at a minimum, I'd only focus on the time-sensitive items for now, and leave that stuff for later. It'll be more fun to pick that stuff out after all the garbage is done, anyway! Good luck little lady.

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  2. LOVE your description of moving. Couldn't be more accurate :)
    I'm a big fan of throwing crap into boxes and hoping for the best!

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  3. I pack with the goal of making the unpacking dead simple. It requires more thought up front, but trust me, with eight moves in 6 years under my belt I like to believe i have a pretty tight system. (Or, i'm just really anal...)

    Anyway, i suggest a spreadsheet that details what you pack into each box. Pack things in boxes related to the future room that it will belong in, and make sure that the spreadsheet matches the boxes. Along the way, chuck out anything and everthing that you do not need to move to the next location.

    At the very least, your upfront effort should pay off in the end - on move in day, you can place boxes in the right rooms, and work through them in order of priority.

    Good luck!

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  4. im sure you've already thought of this-- but i labeled every single box that was packed... not what was in the box, but what room is was going to. that way, the kind and considerate people who were (already pissing me off by not being careful w/ my shit) ahem, helping me move didn't have to ask me where i wanted this or that box to go... and it wasn't all piled in a corner.

    from there, focus on one room at a time- it's easier to see the progress and feel much less overwhelmed about the whole thing.

    oh- and alcohol helps.

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  5. Packing is high on my crap-o-meter. One of the last times I moved I just ended up throwing out a bunch of random crap. I lived in a small apartment too and you wouldn't even fathom how much I still had.

    I really like the idea that heischic gave. Even though I love when people help, it's nice to make it as easy as possible for everyone involved. I used this link the last time I moved, and although some of it didn't apply to me, it really helped me not want to set my belongings on fire.

    http://bit.ly/ahgcL9

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  6. These are all great suggestions above! I would definitely label all boxes with what room they are to go in, then when ppl are moving them in for you, they know where to put them and they're not bugging you about that or laying them randomly down and you have to go searching later (I would also suggest taping a piece of paper to the door or doorframe of each room identifying it, just in case (not everyone will know whether something is the living room or office, etc). I would also suggest getting help but not TOO much. This may sound dumb, but when I moved last, we actually had TOO many ppl helping, more specifically a couple of very opinionated people who felt they knew the best system for unloading. You don't need extra stress. Or if you have ppl helping it might be good to delegate ahead of time, i.e. have certain people carrying things/taking direction, and have one or two (one of those should probably be you or your hubby) directing/monitoring, otherwise there could be chaos. Lists and charts are always good - helps to write things down and have them right in front of you. Sorry to blab on, there's just so many things to suggest! Though everyone's experience is different of course. Good luck!!

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  7. Oh! And get rid of as much as you can - that will make things SO much easier for you. Moving is actually a good excuse to purge a whole bunch of crap that you never use anymore.

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  8. Thanks everybody! There are some good tips here :)
    Alcohol will be a definite necessity. I'm looking forward to the purging of stuff too.

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