We are moving!!

[camracrazy]

We are getting ready to move to a new house. The thought of packing up all this stuff is overwhelming! I am going to be donating, selling, or giving away what I can, because clutter is NOT going to follow us to the new place.

Any tips, ideas, etc for packing and organizing?

[wish]

Here to join you, no real advice. We may be moving soon as well, waiting to hear on a job. If we do move it will be a quick one! I really stress getting the house ready to be on the market. Since our move would be across the country, we really shouldn't take unnecessary stuff with us. I want to avoid getting a storage unit. If I can't find a place to put it in the house right now, then we don't need it.  Someone just posted an awesome decluttering list. I'm going to use that as a good guideline. Good Luck!

[camracrazy]

Good luck with your move if it happens! Luckily we aren't even going out of state.

I made a vow that anything that isn't absolutely LOVED and/or NEEDED are not making their way to the new house. We have a lot of what I call habitual clutter. Meaning, it's just kind of there and you have no real use for it but it's become such a habit to see it somewhere you don't notice it anymore. Then there is the clutter with sentiment behind it. One example: we have a bunch of books that belonged to DH's grandma. They have her name in them. They aren't books that we would likely ever read, but I feel bad for dumping Grandma's books. She died before DH and I started dating so I don't know her spin on the situation. Maybe she would say, "Oh my you still have those old things??" LOL I know it may sound weird but I like to do genealogy so I have a ton of papers, old photos, and other stuff mainly relating to MY family so I feel like "How can I dump stuff from DH's family when I have so much from mine?". I guess books really shouldn't count though, unless they were some kind of special book like a family album or family history. There are bibles of hers I think so maybe keep the bibles and donate the rest?

[Brees_Mama]

This link is really helpful imo and can aid you in de-cluttering before the move http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/thread/1296641/old-get-rid-of-decluttering-list  GL and I hope the move goes smoothly for you. :)

[justmeandmybrood]

I can also commiserate!  We are moving ourselves locally - just rec'd the keys a little early a couple of days ago and will be in the new house completely by 5 March.  We are military, and have moved ourselves or have had movers do it for us every 1-3 yrs for 12 yrs now, yet we still keep to collect clutter with each home (and having 3 children now is not helping  lol!).  I am going at it room-by-room and now that I am working on the bathroom (and going from a spacious bathroom to one with very little storage space), I am working on reducing the "stuff" in there by minimizing items, switching to simpler, more natural options our entire family can use, etc.  

I am also decluttering other rooms - junkie little toys of the kids' (they are old enough to realize and to do it w/me at ages 5 and 8), going through everyone's clothes to purge the things that do not fit, going through books and DVDs, etc.  Breaking it down room-by-room has helped tremendously.  Also, purging items not worn, used, displayed for a year or more is helpful...as well as excessive holiday decorations (we have a ton!).

I hope your move is as stress-free as possible for you!

[Earthmamajen]

Good luck ladies...I'm moving in less than two weeks and my problem is motivation....I'm 7weeks preg and have nausea...and today a low grade fever virus that my son lovingly shared with me, lol. I know what I need to do, just having a hard time getting up and making it happen. Your post are inspiring though thank you..maybe I'll get moving here....