Moving house in 8 days!

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(8 posts) (6 voices)

Started 2 years ago by HelofaMess
Latest reply from Laetitia in Australia
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HelofaMess
Member

Hi All,

There's nothing quite like seeing the whites of their eyes before starting a major project...

For various reasons our move date has just been switched from 31st to the 19th. We're lucky enough to be upsizing but my biggest issue is that I refuse to cart along boxes full of junk. The apartment is a bit of a bomb site at the moment and looked a tip for 2 years so there is a lot to go.

Luckily I don't have to pack anything as the movers will do it all for us (including unpacking) as we live in China and packing is standard.

I know I'll get through it all but I'm trying not to let myself get overwhelmed or procrastinate.

What's really important to me is moving into an uncluttered house that feels like a home - the opposite of how I live now where my apartment just seems to be a dumping ground for stuff and a place to sleep. I've learned a lot on this website though!

Wish me luck and any suggestions would be appreciated.

Hel

Posted 2 years ago #
klutzgrrl
Member

At this point my numero-uno tip would be LABEL THE BOXES in really BIG letters. On two sides. Our last move, our (very awful) removalists' whirlwind version of an unpack saw boxes of stuff tipped out on kids beds, bonsai pots from the garage on my kitchen table and boxes of clothing in the back of the shed. Nightmare!

With such a short timeframe you may end up with some junk that you have to ditch at the other end. The main thing is to make sure that nothing important goes missing or damaged. Try to separate out the 'essentials' - current-season clothing, bedding, any items you will need immediately (in my case, computer and kettle) - and make sure those are marked as priority boxes and put in an easy-to-get-to place.

I don't know what your standard of packers will be like, hopefully better than here. My experience is that anything that might leak, will. They aren't supposed to take open containers, flammables etc, but if they do and there's damage, your insurance could be void so make sure that any of those items - cleaning products, lighter fuel etc - are put away in a 'DO NOT PACK' box. Ditto things like rags, sponges and items you'll want for last-minute cleaning of the flat, and anything that might be still damp (damp mop in hot shipping container for a week: not nice!) It can be quite bizarre the things that packers will just toss in a box.

Obviously having a ruthless declutter now would be a good idea, but do have a spare removals box handy for the 'not sure' items to avoid tears later on!

Posted 2 years ago #
Claycat
Member

Take lots of deep breaths, helofaMess! You can do it. Think of it as a moving marathon. I'm sure glad you have help packing!

Klutzgrrl, computer and kettle just about sum it up for me, too! Looking at what you wrote brought these two words to mind. "Think Tree!"

Posted 2 years ago #
trillie
Member

The DO NOT PACK box and having priority boxes is a great suggestion. Also, make sure that you have everything you need during that day (dog leash, diapers, cell phone, keys for the new place, soap, toilet paper, you get the idea) packed in one bag, also put a DO NOT PACK tag on it, and don't lose sight of it!

I so understand the idea of not moving junk and stuff you will declutter anyway to the new home! It is great to leave the stuff you won't need behind and have a fresh start in a new place. Still, moving is very stressful, and sometimes we make hasty decisions in the rush. So maybe consider it your priority to make this move as smooth as possible for everyone, and declutter only as a side effect while packing. You could also label the boxes that hold items you're not sure about with "declutter me", unpack them last, and let your future self make a conscious, un-rushed decision whether the contents will make it out of the box into your new home or not.

Good luck, and have fun preparing the move! :o)

Posted 2 years ago #
trillie
Member

Oh, one more thing: I just remembered my uncle's move a few years back, where we looked through ALL of their boxes searching for the little connection thingy (note the excellent technical term!) that hooks up the tap to the hose that fills the water bed... So do make sure you tape things together before you move, like the remote to the TV, screws to their shelves, sound cable to the CD player, and little connection thingies to the ominous things they connect to ;o)

Posted 2 years ago #
HelofaMess
Member

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for all of your suggestions. Last night, after I wrote the original post, I sat in bed and wrote a list of all the things that we'll be taking ourselves and it's pretty much as you said... passports, phone chargers, important documents, etc... that I'm going to box up the night before and stick in my friends flat (she lives downstairs) whilst the move happens.

The move itself will be pretty stress free. The movers here are great so all I'll be left with is re arranging things as I want them (spices in the spice rack, not just all under the counters etc) and maybe one or two boxes that stump them for a location.

My real problem has been the de junk. I'll give my spare room as an example... a book case, a cupboard, a bed, and a desk... and there's not one inch of space on top of ANY of them. ugh ugh ugh! This is the clutter I refuse to take to the new house. I can't wait to have that sense of peace that comes from a tidy house and I'm hoping that I can go on as I start (if that makes sense!) by not taking anything with me.

I'm proud of what I've done today. The bedroom has been cleared out and I took 2 suitcases of clothes to the migrant worker clothing drive. I've binned what I could but I still have a large pile on the balcony to sort and the box room and spare room - the two worst rooms!

Thanks again for your input!

Hel

Posted 2 years ago #
bandicoot
Member

what bliss and luxury not to have to pack or unpack!
this will free you up to declutter quite a lot in the next few days.
i found that the process really got momentum as i went along....the vital thing was to begin.
good luck with your move!

Posted 2 years ago #
Laetitia in Australia
Member

Since the movers are doing the pack and unpack, put all items that belong in a room, in that room for them - that way they can label them Kitchen 1, Kitchen 2...and have an idea as to the correct room at the other end.

Posted 2 years ago #

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