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September 2012 Moms
LILBIT1221
member
Where do you even begin when it comes to packing a house?
LILBIT1221
member
I am SO overwhelmed right now.
Yes, we have almost a month before we move, but there is also a lot going on in that time. You know baby dropping & all that jazz. I am nesting like WHOA, so I thought this was a good time to start clearing out stuff we don't use on a daily basis. I got halfway through one room & cried. Big.fat.ugly tears.
Has anyone moved recently? Tips? We have been in the same house for almost 8 years. When we moved in, we had a lot less crap & a lot less kids.
HELLLLLP!!!!!
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Re: Where do you even begin when it comes to packing a house?
Take it one room at a time. And, one group of items at a time. Like, in the living room pack up all te dvd's. Then move onto the pictures, etc. Packing is such a pita. good luck!!
I usually start by procrastinating, then crying ... that all goes on for a while and then finally I just seem to get in a zone. I try to focus on one space at a time (a set of shelves, all the hanging pictures in a room, etc) and not think about the thing as a whole. Of course like I said, my "method" still involves the ugly cry.
I hate moving. We have to do it, too, by the end of the month.
Got boxes yet? I would say knock out the kitchen and garage first. Those were the most annoying to me.
Dexter 08/31/2012~Summer 07/25/2011~Jack 10/21/2008~Aaron 08/12/2007
Yeah, I'm planning to gradually pack since I get tired/sore/Braxton-Hicks with a lot of activity. There's work happening in our new place, but we'll actually be able to move things over gradually. I plan on packing all of the non-essentials and then living like we're on vacation for those last few days! Packing always takes longer than I think it will so starting early is smart IMO!
+1 we are buying almost all new furniture
-1 it's the small crap that is more annoying to pack.
ugh. I can't even drink.
I'm the same way.
I'm a Marine brat so we moved constantly growing up, and it's habit for me now to use moving as a fresh start. I thin out everything, getting rid of so much crap. It feels therapeutic sorta.
I agree with PPs who said start with one room at a time.
partial molar pregnancy : bfp 6.28.10, d/c 8.17.10, 7 rounds methotrexate, cleared 7.1.11
alexander patrick : bfp 1.16.12, born 9.20.12 @ 39w1d, 7 lbs./11 oz./22 in.
scarlett irene elizabeth : bfp 5.24.13, born 2.3.14 @ 41w2d, 7 lbs./13 oz./19 in.
Everything goes in a box. I moved from 1 apartment to another within the same complex and all my clothes went onto one of those hanging boxes. It is so much easier to move boxes than anything else.
I always started with books, games, and dvds. They take up so much space and are the quickest win. Then I tackle one room at a time. I usually have a pack and a goodwill pile. I usually leave the kitchen until last, but I try to eat down my pantry so I have less to move. Good luck!
Kid #1 - 09/03/12
Hysteroscopy #10 - scar tissue grew back reblocking my right tube
#11 or IVF with scarring still inside?
1 lone embryo from September 2016 retreival, dx with Trisomy 16, starting fresh
First, I bought a bunch of boxes on CL. We went to Uhaul and bought special boxes for our dishes and glasses along with the good packing stuff. I packed up a box or two every night of just stuff that we don't use and decorations. We had a large area in the formal living room cleared out to put the packed boxes. Looking back, we should have gotten rid of a bunch of stuff but instead we decided just to move everything. Luckily, everything in the attic was already boxed and we just had the movers go up there and get it. A couple of weekends, I had grandparents come and hang with James while I did the serious packing (kitchen, closets). Matt had to do the garage.
If you have the money, just pay the movers to pack for you. Matt's company gave us a moving allowance but that only covered the amount it costs to move out of state so we did all the packing. It totally sucks, I feel for you.
When we moved 20 min away, into the first house we bought, I did that with our clothes. I put a flat sheet on the bed, laid the clothes still on the hanger on the sheet, then wrapped up the sheet. I just threw it over my shoulder and put it in the back of the car. It was like carrying a body bag, but it was really easy way to do hanging clothes.
Honestly, I would also be calling movers and getting quotes. Decide what it's worth to you to have them do some of this work, especially post baby! We didn't have our movers do it because I didn't even know it was an option, but I would definitely consider it for the kitchen, etc. next time.
I think the ladies gave very good advice, though. We actually got a storage unit and started moving stuff to that about a month or two before the actual move because it made us feel better (and we were renting out our old house, so it allowed me to clean gradually as well).
What would I do with out you all?
LOL @ bodybag. Nice.
I can't imagine moving right now.. I would be so eemotional and stressed out
Just wanted to say good luck and I hope it goes smooth! I always start at one place at a time and don't go to the next until I am fully finished with that one room. GL!
Liam Dean | 09.11.12 | 6lbs 13oz
Oh I am right there with you (i mean it... we move Sept 15) and i got told i was crazy bc I am almost done packing!!!
1. Got all baby stuff done... have a pack n' play incase she comes early and in it is:
-my hospital bag
-anything needed for feeding, diapers and a weeks worth of clothes...
-any other basics she may need!
2. Color code boxes like PP said... each room has a color dot and there is a master sheet of paper with all the colors and the floor plan of the house so where each color goes!
3. Pack anything and everything you can live without for the next month and tell H to deal with living with the basics!!!
GL and I hope that helps its only a month! It will fly by!
create an animated gif
: thanks! Since i can't decorate the nursery or nest i guess this is what i have to work with! I just don't want to have to stress or God forbid go into labor while moving so I figured this is the only way i don't have to yell at anyone and it all get in the correct place!
create an animated gif
I'm right there with you LB...our closing date is the 28th. I get overwhelmed even thinking about it. Luckily we dont have to be out of our house for awhile after that, but who the fluck decides to move when 8 and a half months pregnant?
You win though...you have your small tribe of children to also pack up.
We moved a couple weeks ago, started packing about a month out. I found that smaller boxes were much easier to pack due to my size and then also for DH to move/carry since I was 0 help in that department.
We started with small stuff we don't use as much and went from there. Little by little.
Don't forget it's ok to get frustrated... There were a lot of tears involved in packing and moving pregnant not to mention the extra trips to the chiropractor.
I've had 3 big moves in the past 4 years and we moved cross-country at the end of April. Moving is such a PITA! I always start packing 4-5 weeks out and I start with the decorative stuff and photographs--I collect it from all over the house and put it all together (then in the new place it's all together and I can mix it up and do different things for different rooms based on how the new and old homes are different). For me, once the personal stuff is put away it feels like I'm moving and I'm motivated to work through things.
After I get that done I look for the easy targets--stuff you need to keep but don't access often. I do that room by room and tackle the kitchen as early as makes sense as it's the most overwhelming to me and I feel like I'm making good progress when it's done. I can't even imagine the process with kiddos--that I've never had to do!
I agree with super labeling--the color code system as well as writing on the box what you put in there. Also set up a space where you're stacking boxes as you pack them so they're out of your way. After 8 years you'll also want to set up a space where you're putting donations. When I moved after being in the same house for almost 7 years my garage was pretty much FULL of stuff I got rid of. Purging will feel good!
Final advice--if you can swing it, hire someone to do the packing for you. You'll still have a lot to do if you want to go through and purge, but at this stage in the game having someone else do the heavy lifting (literally and figuratively) may well be worth the investment.
Good luck!!
Married my love 6/11/11 | MMC 10/11/11 | Eliza Frances born 9/18/12 | Rhett Garland born 2/24/14