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Post by yearning4order on Jun 17, 2010 0:29:20 GMT -5
Hi All,
I'm fortunate enough to be able to move in about 3 weeks or so--found a place cheaper than what I have now, will see a reduction in utilities, and is 2 blocks from daughter's new school. We will be going from 1500 to 1100 sq feet, so I will have to get rid of some things.
This is the first time I've ever moved as a single mama, and while I got rid of many things during last year's desqualor, there is still more to go, plus downsizing to deal with the loss of square footage.
Essentially we are losing a big rec room and 1/2 bathroom, and losing a full dishwasher (will have a half dishwasher). The good news is that we will have an enclosed garage with a storage space, so it's my hope that I won't have to pay for any off site storage. I'm grateful that the desqualor of my kitchen was done with *handwashing*, since my dishwasher was broken at the time.
I used to be really good at packing to move, and will confess I'm feeling scared, even though this is a *good move*. This will be the ending of the old portion of my life, leaving the house I lived in for years with my ex, and the house my daughter really grew out of childhood.
The hardest part is knowing where to start. Of course I'm scared about money, going to have to do some hiring to help with this. I've already had someone haul off a ton of stuff from the backyard. But mostly it's the day to day making use of the time, still working during the packing phase, and getting everything dealt with by myself.
All suggestions are welcome. The change is good--we were crazy lucky enough to find a rental I can afford in a "good" part of town. I'm just not terribly good dealing with these kinds of things.
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Post by notsomessyshell on Jun 17, 2010 0:40:42 GMT -5
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Post by lizzie on Jun 17, 2010 3:32:09 GMT -5
Hey, that is an exciting change for you!
I recommend that you write on every box what is inside it, and that you try to pack like with like. I just helped a friend unpack stuff from storage after 2 years overseas, her husband had packed some weird combinations - eg 'kitchen glassware and cameras', 'computer parts and quilts' etc. Some of these combinations were because he was wrapping fragile stuff in towels etc. But it did mean dragging a lot of stuff from room to room, it would have been easier if all the kitchenware was in boxes JUST with kitchenware in etc. So if you can, try to put things together that will go together in their new room... and remember that the packing part is just a short term thing, just for moving things to your new home, so rough and ready packing is often good enough!
and well done for being 'lucky' and finding a good place at a good rental! Regards, Lizzie
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Post by dtesposito on Jun 17, 2010 7:33:14 GMT -5
Hi Y4O, what is currently in your rec room? If you used it for storage of anything that you are keeping "just in case", these would be things to think about getting rid of since you won't be able to keep as much in the new place. I guess even if you have normal rec room things in it, you'd have to decide if there will be a place for them, since you won't have one now.
Since you have 3 weeks, I'd take at least a few days to go through and see what else you can get rid of now, because it's really hard to move everything and do the sorting later--it's possible, but SO much easier never to take stuff with you in the first place.
Sounds like a nice new start, good luck with your packing!
Diane
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Post by yearning4order on Jun 17, 2010 9:29:24 GMT -5
Thanks everyone for suggestions. Lizzie, thanks for the reminder--I have historically been good at labeling, and packing like with like. The real exception is that I tend to use cloth items like blankets, towels, etc as my packing material, so yes I have had a tshirt drawer packed with fragile items before, but at least there is a bit of rhyme and reason to it!  Dt, good question: and yes it makes sense to make the first few days about getting rid of stuff. The rec room used to be an exclusive play space for my daughter. Now it's transitioned to part play room, part craft room. I do have a shelving unit I'm pretty sure I can't take with me, wasn't sure if it would have utility in the garage or not. Good idea to begin getting rid of more things now. The real just in case things are my clothes--I had the next size down clothes saved because I've up until now been doing very well with exercising and correcting my diet. But once this all got set in motion, I've been doing more comfort eating than I really should quite frankly. I'm tending to think I should save the clothes mostly because where we are going we will now have *sidewalks* and there are lots of hills around. I love walking hills and am so excited to have proper sidewalks to walk on again!!!!!! (I walk where we currently are, but my route includes a muddy path and a muddy field to slog across--when it's raining.) |
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Post by Chris on Jun 17, 2010 9:53:18 GMT -5
 I'm so happy for you that you found an affordable nice place to move to! I vote for saving clothing the next size down but only the things you really really love. If it doesn't sing to you - and you don't feel you'd truly LOVE to wear it then it can go. When it gets right down to it even when money is tight we usually only wear our favorite things so when the weight comes off you'll have some things you LOVE in that next smaller size. Just my opinion. Good luck with all your preparations! As far as getting rid of some things in order to fit in the little bit smaller place -- I'd say go at it from the opposite end = ask yourself what do I LOVE and want to KEEP. That will begin to show you from the positive side which things you really want to make room for in the new place. Maybe some sketching of where things may go in the new place would be helpful/fun. 
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Post by shopgirl on Jun 17, 2010 11:28:08 GMT -5
Here is what helped me the most when we downsized from 2500 to 1200 square feet: Take measurements of each room in the new place and sketch a floorplan. Then measure the footprint of your furniture items and make little cut-outs of them that you can move around. Graph paper really helps in this. That way, you know what will fit in the room for sure, and donate or sell the furniture that won't fit. Much, much easier to move little pieces of paper on a graph-paper floorplan than moving actual furniture.
I did my graph-paper floorplans in Virginia, of the apartment we were moving to in California! I saw that none of my big 1980s leather living room furniture would fit in the new petite living room, and only 2 of my 3 bookcases would fit in the new office. I found friends who needed the furniture (lucky me, everyone I work with is in their 20s and just starting out) and donated other stuff, like all the books from the big bookcase that I got rid of.
Another bonus to the graph-paper floorplans was that I taped them up in each room of the new place, the movers knew exactly where to place furniture.
I love moving and packing. It's a chance to go through everything I have, organize it, pack it in some kind of order, and it plays into my OCD very well.
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Post by bigtimetroubles on Jun 17, 2010 14:45:26 GMT -5
we are kind of in same boat...but not by my choice....so good luck to us both...hugs btt
I still need to find a place but business is booming and I am socking away cash for the moving....but no time to go look at places really....hugs
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Post by success19 on Jun 17, 2010 19:50:47 GMT -5
If your dd has outgrown clothing, toys, games, books - see if you can take them to a consignment shop next week - spend the weekend getting it all together and just take them there fast = you will make money off of those things - and some shops take womens clothing and other things too. Try to downsize the kitchen stuff - you probably don't use all those things either - and the more dishes you have the more likely you are to let them sit in the sink and pile up. Its a chance to really get rid of things - sometimes it costs more to move it than it is worth! Even if it is a short distance. Maybe some strong men from you church have trucks to help you move too - and you can barter by babysitting to save the money on the move. It is great to live near the kids school - sure makes life easier.
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