Let’s be honest, moving can be the most incredibly exciting thing but it can also be the most incredibly irritating and horrible thing. Suddenly you are faced with packing every single tiny little thing you own into a box, shift it locations and unwrap it while reliving the memories, emotion and trying to decided why the f#ck you still have so much shit from your childhood!
I consider myself a “well moved individual”. I have moved so many times I’ve pretty much lost count and here I go again, making the move. Every time I’m faced with moving I have some internal conversation about how I will definitely cut out stuff and in the next house I am not going to hoard stuff and I really will get round to throwing half my crap out…..let’s be honest it aint going to happen! Instead I need to just suck it up and accept the fact that everything’s gotta go and the sooner the better!
So from one seasoned packer to another here are a few tips:
START EARLY! This is key to taking the stress out of packing. The more time you have the easier your packing process will be. If you are buying a new house or you are renting usually you have a fair bit of notice…use it! Trust me packing up a whole house in a weekend is funny to a point but it’s exhausting so start early chip away and store your packed boxes in one area of your house and before you know it you’re done.
PLAN YOUR PACKING! Organisation is key to packing. Before you start take a tour of your house and work backwards. What are the things you use every day and can’t be without? Kettles, a saucepan, daily plates, current clothes and towels are all things I leave for the last minute pack. I tend to start with the kitchen and pack all the things I don’t need in the next few weeks. I know I wont be entertaining so all platters, nice glasses and bits and pieces can be packed! Extra linen and the contents of laundry and linen cupbaords can be packed early plus all your out of season clothes!
GET YOUR STUFF! Nothing is worse than running to the finish line and realising you have nothing you need! Get in early. Hit up local stores for spare boxes, newsagents for paper to wrap and plenty of tape. Once you get in the zone you don’t want to run out!!! If you are struggling with boxes you can buy them through suppliers or on line or head to a local buy, swap, sell Facebook page and ask for some, you never know someone may have just moved in and are wanting to get rid of them.
LABEL, LABEL, LABEL!! What every you do, do NOT be lazy on this one it will make a huge difference on the other end! Label all your boxes with the room they are destined for PLUS as much detail as possible on the contents! That way you’ll find the kettle easier at the other end and you can leave unpacking your serving platters until the end!
WINE! And I don’t mean pack it…I mean drink it baby! packing is so much easier when you have nice glass of vino in hand and if possible with a few friends to help along the way! Of course if you are starting early you may need to hold off the vino until an appropriate hour but remember it’s after 5 somewhere in the world!
Finally…THE MOVE. When it comes to the day if possible sort your boxes at the other end into rooms and it will seem less overwhelming! I find I put the “crap” and “to be dealt with later” boxes away in the laundry or shed for a while and focus on sorting out the important stuff first!
Whatever you do….don’t decide to move with 10 month old twins! #justsaying!!
xx Nix
nickyainley 