~Bona Vita~

Now that summer is upon us, many find themselves either planning or in the midst of a move.  As disconcerting and disruptive as this may be, moving can be an uplifting experience.  The act of moving your household has obvious and hidden benefits: a change of scenery, a new home,  new relationships, and a fresh start.

First, you must overcome the mental obstacle of packing every material possession you and your family have collected for the last umpteen years.  This is where you must make the decision to “clean house”.  Do not miss this fabulous opportunity to pare down your possessions.  Relentlessly attack every room, closet, cupboard and garage.  Make an effort to  rid your family of items that you know you will never miss (and even a few that you might miss momentarily!).  This should be a family project.  It will be painful and yet, in the end,  quite beneficial.

Now, you can begin the packing process.

Gather the nescessary materials:

• Boxes – I  prefer to use actual packing boxes as opposed to banana boxes from the grocery store.  They seal appropriately and stack in an efficient manner.  Moving companies sell used boxes at a  discount.  Check with friends;  they just might be storing boxes in their atic.
• Packing material - I do not like to use printed newspaper, as the print has a messy component to it.  You can purchase used packing materials at moving companies.  I utilize towels and sheets to wrap and cushion large breakable items such as lamps, pictures and mirrors.
• Tape – Utilize high-quality tape and a tape runner, both of which can be purchased at Sam’s Club.  Do not over-tape your boxes.  This is wasteful and unnecessary if you are using proper packaging tape.
• Pad of paper – You need to maintain a list of the boxes’ items.  This is a little time consuming on the packing end, but it will save you time when you are unpacking or when you need something that you packed too early.
• Permanent Marker – Number your boxes and label each box with a short description of its contents.  You may simply note the room it came from, i.e. “kitchen”.

Once you actually begin to pack your belongings, try to stay focused and organized.  Pack those rooms and items that are least necessary for your immediate needs first.

Use an efficient labeling system.  As you number your boxes, immediately write the number on a tablet.  Then, keep a list of the contents of each box (next to each box number) on the tablet as well.  You can not be too detailed here. Note specific items, i.e., “knife sharpener,” “measuring cups,” “mixer parts,” “children’s markers,” etc.  In the end, you will have a wonderful account of the contents of your house.  The time you spend here will be saved many times over when you unpack.

Clean the home you are leaving as you pack.   Remember, as you do this,  your home is a reflection of your family.  The new owners/tenents will experience you and your family through your home.  Take a little extra time and effort to leave a clean and lovely home for the new residents.  This is a great example for your children.

This can be a stressful period in your family’s lives.  Remember to keep everything in perspective.  It is only temporary.  There are many blessings to be found in adversity.  Memories will be made and you will look upon this time fondly at some point. Also, keep in mind that your children mirror your behavior and attitudes.  If you have a positive and thankful outlook on your situation, so will your children.

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ” – II Corinthians 4:16-17

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 26th, 2008 at 10:03 am and is filed under Cleaning and Organizing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.