Welcome to the Let Patty Do It News and Tips Newsletter issue
number 8.
Moving This Spring?
My family and I just moved and so I got the chance to practice what I preach--well sort of. It’s always easier to be objective about other peoples “stuff”, but I can be pretty ruthless after I’ve packed enough boxes!!
I color-coded all my boxes with the rooms they should go into. I got rid of lots of old potholders, kitchen utensils, clothes and linens. Packing is a great equalizer! Also, a new home deserves a new shower curtain and some new towels and utensils in the kitchen doesn’t it?
Unfortunately, the movers weren’t too keen on following my color codes. I found my kitchen box (fluorescent yellow) with the COFFEE in it, buried in the garage between the (blue) garage boxes and the (green) basement boxes. [TIP: Don’t hire colorblind movers or those who don’t read!] We are unable to start the day without freshly brewed coffee and we’re pretty snobby about what we drink--Kona from freshly ground beans. Running to the grocery store without that first cup was not a pretty sight!
What I realized is that you need one person supervising the loading and one or more people to do the packing of the last minute stuff.
Always have the kitchen and bedrooms loaded last so they come off first. Speak to your movers!! Don’t assume that they will naturally load that way! Movers do not follow the basic organizing tenet-Like things together! They move very quickly and will grab something from another room just because they can fit it on top of what they’re carrying! They fill the truck like a giant jigsaw puzzle so if it fits no matter what it is, that’s what they put there! Which is why we slept without a bed frame for 4 days!
Of course, our move was more chaotic because we had to be out of our old house the day after closing (always pay close attention to your contract!) and because we are having the basement finished so anything that belonged in the basement was put in the garage.
Here are some of the things I learned from our move:
Start sooner than later!
We have so many things we seldom use. Pack them up now. Leave out a few sets of sheets and towels and box up the rest. The same applies to the kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms. Label everything!!!
You can change most of your addresses online. The post office is the only place that charges you $1.00 to change your address online! What’s that about? You can pick up a change of address card at any post office.
Say yes to every charity that calls for a pickup. That will inspire you to get rid of more.
Label everything! When it was sitting in the old kitchen, you knew what it was, but now that it’s tucked back in spare bedroom-What was in that box?
So getting ready to move?
- Label everything
- Get rid of all those things that you’re pulling out of the back of closets and from the attic
- Give yourself enough time
- Have the things you need first put on the truck last
- If it’s valuable or fragile, carry it yourself
- Pack an overnight bag and take that with you, too
- Pick out pretty shelf paper
- Take your time putting things away. There are probably lots more things you could still stand to donate
One last tip
LABEL EVERYTHING
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Sometimes the best use of your time is to hire a professional! I would love to help you and I always welcome referrals for which I will give you one free hour of organizing for every referral that you send me that turns into an actual job!
If you have a group that might enjoy a short presentation about organizing, please call me. I would love to speak to your group! If it’s in the South Metro area, I will speak for free!
Have a clutter free Spring!
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Fun Moving Quotes
"I'm moving to Mars next week, so if you have any boxes".....--Steven Wright
"Moving all the time taught me how to adapt. "-- William Shockley
"If I'd known how much packing I'd have to do, I'd have run again."--Harry S. Truman
"Label everything"--Patty Salam
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