'Getting ready to move' Thread.

[Paxjourney]

I can't be the only one getting ready to move? We've moved 4 times in the last 2 yrs, relocating to a new area for DH's job. We are now at a position to buy a home and will be leaving this rental sometime after the holidays. We've been here 9mos (the longest we've been in one place in the last 2yrs) and we've settled in a bit. I need to carve out time above normal cleaning routine to go through things, purge items, maybe even pack up items that I won't need for the next 4-6mos. We homeschool and I really want to minimize the amount of time we have to take off due to packing.

[dayiscoming2006]

Sounds like a good plan. I will be moving in a month an a half or so. We recently moved to TX and don't really like living in an apartment so, we'll be looking for a house, side by side duplex or townhouse with a private fenced yard. We'll be renting again though. I owned a house for a bit and really hated it. I didn't have any friends where I was at and it was kind of scary being fully responsible and if you even got one month behind, your house would be thrown into foreclosure as I know from family and others experiences. Banks don't tend to be all that forgiving. I figure I may as well rent for now. If my family gets too big for renting (we're open to having more kids), then we may have to buy again. 

I'm going to start cleaning up and packing what we don't see ourselves needing before the move. Early preparation makes things SO much easier.

This will be the 12th time we've moved since we got married 7 years ago... LOL.

[~Adorkable~]

i moved this week but am already planning my next move because that is the big one for us. not sure when it be , could be 6 months, could be 18.  

But we will be moved by the military and will have a weight limit that we will have to pay out of pocket (at $2/pound!) if we go over and right now i know for a fact that we are over!

So the purging has to be good.

[Ruthiegirl]

Me too!  

Dh go a big job offer and we are moving cross country in 5 months.  I am so over-the-moon happy and excited and completely flipping out -- we have 4 kids, one is a baby, we homeschool, my mom is ill and I care for her and I need to clean and pack the house.  

Dh works long, long hours, so he has not been much help.  I have some time, but I need to get my act together and get started.  

So, what has me stumped is looking at all of my old, old tatty dishes and furniture and sheets and towels.  DH and I have been married 14 years and things we bought second hand years ago are so blisteringly worn out that is just doesn't seem worth it to pack up and take with us.  Do I really bother taking my ragged bath towels?  The saggy, thread-bare couch?  The chipped, miss-matched dishes?  

I guess it depends on whether our house sells.  If we leave with a bit of cash, I would like to replace some of the most worn out household goods.  On the other hand, we may lose money on the sale and then we will live with all of this ratty stuff for another decade!  

So, I guess I pack it up and take it with us and see what happens.  The university is paying for the move, so it will not cost me anything to take it all with us.  Except for the couch.  That beast stays here!

[Ruthiegirl]

I have a to-do list to get me started:

freecycle lumber in attic 

sort through kids' books

put air conditioners in attic

freecycle humidifier

clean out window seat (I dread this job!)

And the real awful job:  level back garden space and seed with grass

Edited by Ruthiegirl - 10/18/12 at 6:11pm

[Ruthiegirl]

Posting on this thread yesterday was motivating.  I got the lumber freecycled and have someone coming this weekend to pick up the big humidifier.  I took all of the a/c's out of the windows and moved 2 of them to the attic.  The other 2 are too heavy for me to move by myself and I will have to get dh to help me.  

I put up a coat of paint in the bathroom, still needs another coat.  I want to get the bathroom done and then move to the hallway for more painting.  

freecycle lumber in attic 

sort through kids' books 

put air conditioners in attic -- 2 done, 2 to go

freecycle humidifier -- pick up this weekend

clean out window seat (I dread this job!)

paint bathroom -- started

burn up last of the wood pile

And the real awful job:  level back garden space and seed with grass

 

[~Adorkable~]

ok you motivated me to have a running list to come back and check off, im going to do it in stages, so focusing now on things i can do as i unpack from this "emergency move" that will make the Big Move, the "Big Easy"

1. Pair up all electrical cords with what they power, keep only minimal spare universal cords, place all orphan cords in a box in case i find the item as i unpack, box will not get moved again.
2. Purge all old tech toys
3. Sort office papers
4. Purge clothing as i unpack and hang
5. When repacking decoration of each holiday, purge anything i didnt love and use
6. Sort sets of tools and get rid of broken missing or duplicate tools
7. purge old hobbies that i wont do again
8. sort resale in spring all baby gear
9. be honest and give away any orchids that aren't worth the work or space in my greenhouse, i have plenty that are worth it!

looking forward to next phase after i settle:

1. Scan all random pictures, toss hard copy of anything younger than my baby pictures
2. Recreate large set of childhood albums into lightweight printed photobook versions.

[Paxjourney]

A list! Fantastic idea.

Sort through homeschooling textbooks/workbooks not being used for this year, sell ones I don't plan on using. Organize, label and pack ones for next year.

Sort through childrens closets, donate/consign out of size clothing, pack away clothing for the summer.

Go through yarn and sell/swap yarn I don't like/I'm not going to use.

Pack up yarn and craft items I will not be crafting over the next 6 mos.

Go through bedding, get rid of items we don't use (like crib sheets, and We don't have a baby) Pack up sheets with the exception of 2 sheets per bed.

Go through towels and get rid of overly ratty towels,

Pack up curtains not currently hung on windows.

Go through bookcase and pack up my personal books with the exception of books I will actually get a chance to read between now and our move.

[Ruthiegirl]

Okay, making progress.  

Second coat done in bathroom, still need to do ceiling.  Once the paint is done, we can put the toilet back and install the new sink.  

A real estate agent is coming in a few hours to have a look at the place.  Fingers crossed that it goes well.  

Finally got dh to help move the air conditioners to the attic.  That is the last time we will have to do that.  We are moving to a much cooler climate and have made a pact that we will never, ever buy a three story house again -- so many stairs!  This has been a lovely house, but goodness it is old and tall.  

freecycle lumber in attic 

sort through kids' books 

put air conditioners in attic

freecycle humidifier -- emailed another person since the first pick up never happened

clean out window seat (I dread this job!)

paint bathroom -- getting close 

install toilet

install sink

burn up last of the wood pile

And the real awful job:  level back garden space and seed with grass

 

[JamieCatheryn]

We moved to an apt in PA and are selling our old house in KY and buying another here. Decluttered somewhat and jammed everything we kept into this tiny place. I put off the start of the homeschool year until we got most of it packed (early), started right after Labor Day. DH moved before us and now we have a friend living in the old house and caring for our dog so I left the old dishes and such for him to use and bought new ones out here. Just trying to hang in there 5 more weeks with most everything in boxes and little room to walk or sit or play. At least my kitchen here is ok to move around in, little cabinets though.

I leveled my backyard which used to be garden and reseeded last spring, I used a mid tine tiller and it gave me a kinda sore back but worked pretty nicely and quickly.

[Ruthiegirl]

Originally Posted by JamieCatheryn 

I leveled my backyard which used to be garden and reseeded last spring, I used a mid tine tiller and it gave me a kinda sore back but worked pretty nicely and quickly.

This is good to know.  The local hardware store rents tillers.  I have never used one, but they must be faster than the aching back/shovel method I am using right now.  I'll wait a week though -- a wreck of a hurricane is headed my way, so not a good time to churn up my back yard.  Of course, if the hurricane is bad enough, I may not have to!  

Had a decent meeting with the real estate agent.  Our house is worth about what I expected.  If we can sell close to asking price, we won't lose money.  A big IF in that statement.  We'll see how it goes.  The other thing we learned is that we have to do a few more projects -- more painting which we knew about and a window that needs to be replaced which I didn't think was important.  She seemed to think it is.  If I can get it done under $400, we'll go for it.  For now I am removing the truly awful wallpaper and doing prep work to paint the hallway.   She was right in telling us the front hallway should be really light and clean, but it doesn't make the work any easier.  

The bathroom is almost done.  Painting is done and dh and I installed the toilet.  We have two functioning toilets!!!!!    So nice with four kids.  No more hopping around waiting for the bathroom.  We have a repair to make on the sink pipes and then will install the new cabinet and sink.  Getting so close!  

freecycle lumber in attic 

sort through kids' books 

put air conditioners in attic

freecycle humidifier

clean out window seat (I dread this job!)

paint bathroom

install toilet

install sink

burn up last of the wood pile

finish removing wallpaper

remove carpet

paint hallway

paint kitchen

And the real awful job:  level back garden space and seed with grass

 

[Ruthiegirl]

How is everyone doing?  

We hope to have the house on the market in about 10 days.  Ack!!!!!

Still so much painting to do.  I put a second coat in the kitchen this morning and hope to do the trim this afternoon before trick or treating gets underway.  We have had so little time to do much for the kids this year.  We made my dd a costume, but the boys got store bought.  I usually do up Halloween with lights and decorations, but it just didn't happen this year.  I picked up a big box of candy (we get 200+ kids at our door) and that's all that is going to get done.  Ah well.  

So, more painting this afternoon.  My MIL comes tomorrow and she is going to help me pick up some things to accessorize the mantle.  Our real estate agent said that our house is simply too lean -- we decluttered too much for her taste!  She said it was the first time she has every had to say that.  Normally, she has to beg people to clear stuff out of their houses.    I don't think it is so lean, we have what we need.  I guess I am not big into decorating and I really can't stand having stuff around that needs to be dusted.  And honestly, we have four kids.  Anything that used to be displayed has been broken.  Not that my kids are especially rough, just normal kids.

Dh got the sink installed!  A fully functioning bathroom and it looks lovely.  So happy.  Their is a bit of ceiling to touch up and then I can hang the light up.  So, checking things off the list!  

Updated list:

freecycle lumber in attic 

sort through kids' books 

put air conditioners in attic

freecycle humidifier

clean out window seat (I dread this job!)

paint bathroom

install toilet

install sink

burn up last of the wood pile

finish removing wallpaper

remove carpet

paint hallway

paint kitchen -- almost done

install trim in kitchen

And the real awful job:  level back garden space and seed with grass

[Paxjourney]

I went through my personal books this weekend and packed up 3 boxes. I purged through about 100 books that I nolonger need/want and plan to trade them in at a local book store that sells Homeschool books and then use the credit to buy some books for the girls next school year. I also packed away 1 box of yarn.

My goal today is to pack up our oil lamp collection and to pack up extra sheets.

Orginally I had started packing because DH and I planned to purchase a home in our current town. However Dh's company has rumors of a 10% reduction of force and there is a chance (though DH thinks slim) that he might be part of it. So we've decided to wait until the new year to purchase a house just to have flexibility.

[Ruthiegirl]

Anyone still active here?  

Checking in.   We have the house on the market!  It has been an exhausting ride.  I can't believe all the work we needed to do on the house to get it ready.  But it is done.  We spent the weekend rototilling under the garden which was very sad a weepy for me.  I love my garden and will miss it terribly.  We can build again, I know, and this move is good for us for so many reasons, so I am keeping my chin up and keeping on.  

We have cleared out a lot of our things -- donated stuff at the local Goodwill shops and freecycled a lot and just trashed some awful crap.  Still to do -- clear out the garage and vacuum the basement.  I am hoping to get the basement clean today and dh and I are going to work on the garage as we can.  It is not that bad really, jut disorganized.  

On the other side, we have no where to live yet after the move.  The rental situation is tight and expensive.  We will be leaving this house with very little cash for a down payment on our next place (recession and all) and we need something super cheap so we can aggressively save for a year.  Looking into a mobile home park with a couple of super cheap rentals.

Old list

freecycle lumber in attic 

sort through kids' books 

put air conditioners in attic

freecycle humidifier

clean out window seat

paint bathroom

install toilet

install sink

burn up last of the wood pile

finish removing wallpaper

remove carpet

paint hallway

paint kitchen

install trim in kitchen

level back garden space and seed with grass 

New list:

clean up garage

vacuum basement

touch up trim in boy's room

touch up trim in living room

[~Adorkable~]

im still here, our short term move is done, now the unpacking and big work starts.  im not sure when we will move again, but it may be kinda short notice and we will have a weight limit on what they pay for that i know we are over limit on it currently.  

• So my job now is unpack boxes and sort each one and do a major purge!
• repack in uniform boxes and label anything that is not going to be used in this home (my workshop, super nice dishes, mementoes that are saved for craft project displays)
• sort and prep all kid items they have outgrown, being sold at March consignment sale

[LilyKay]

Hi, I'd like to join you guys . We're going to move sometime in March/April 2013 and I am determined not to take anything with me that I don't love or use. Right now I am laughing at myself from 3 months ago who thought she's going to be done in a couple of weeks . Yeah right.

We've sold so much on Ebay.  I was getting ready to throw away a bunch of stuff that I was sure no one wanted until DP stopped me in my tracks and said "try to sell it on Ebay." Made some good money there (some one paid us 140€ for a broken laptop, the main board was broken and it had no hard drive... ).  What sold best were electronics and old perfume bottles.

I've been ruthless with toys and kitchen stuff. Already donated so much.

Here's what remains on my list:

Sell handbags/shoes/other items on ebay.

Go through my closet and eliminate as much as possible (dreading this one).

Go through baby clothes and pick only the best to keep for a possible second baby.

Sort/declutter the hallway closet (tons of shoes)

Sort declutter the tools (dreading this one too)

Go through filed papers/documents and remove anything that is no longer useful

Sort through several drawers filled with misc papers/cards/items.

Start going through the basement...

[PeacefulSeams]

We have been together for 5 years and we have moves every year, lived in 4 different states and I am so tired of it. We are planning on moving 1800 miles from Iowa to WA state sometime next summer. We are only taking what we can pack into our van so needless to say, I have a lot of stuff to purge.

*Sell ALL furniture

*purge kids clothes

*go through the book collection

*go through baby items

*see what I can sell/donate

my small list for now.

[mamapigeon]

Hmm, I need to get on board with this. We're moving in March or April and I just found out I'm pregnant. I do not want to be decluttering and packing when I have less energy. I guess I'll post a list later when I've looked over everything.

[accountclosed15]

Good job!!!

I would say keep your old towels/sheets for wrapping items up and then recycle them to an animal shelter once you get to your destination.

I have move 10x in 8 years. I also kept 1 large bins that was loaded last onto the truck, so it was the first to come off. They contained bedding, enough dishes for your first morning (Lord help me if I can't have coffee) coffee pot, clothing, hygiene essentials, medications, paperwork, toys, animal bowls/food, snacks, laptop w/movies and a candle. I always light the candle and say a prayer in our new home.

As far as planning for a move, I go through and just purge each room wtihout trying to put it back together or pack it until I was sure I had EVERYTHING out that I no longer needed or wanted. You will be suprised once you see everything pulled out how much easier it is to purge.

Over the years, owning less and becoming experts at moving has made me realize what is truly important in my life. I take 1 week to pack. I make a to do list such as pictures/clothing one day, bedding/storage closets next, food/kitchen next, garage next, toys/bathrooms/animals next...something like that. And I continue to purge as  I go. It always amazes me with as little as I have owned what gets tucked away and forgotten about.

Then I leave myself 1 week for repairs/cleaning/freshening up of the space I am leaving. Obviously if you have to do a whole paint job, you need more time. But for the most part, we have rented, so deep clean, steam the rugs, mop down really good, clean the outside of the house with a hose, etc. I start with the rooms we are not using and throuroughly clean them and close the door. It makes life so much easier.

Good luck!!!

[EllyBell]

I am preparing for a move also :)  

We are not taking ANY furniture with us, so it will be interesting.  I figured it would be cheaper to buy some secondhand once we get there than to move it.  Right now I'm trying to decide if we should rent a little pull behind uhaul or a trailer.  My kitchen is the biggest room packing-wise because of all my small appliances & cooking gear.  Then my children would like to bring ALL of their toys, they are not minimalists like mama ;)