Our movers will come to do an inspection of our place next week. My husband casually mentioned that last night at dinner. I thought they were coming close to the actual pack date, but nope.
I have been doing my best to prepare for the move. I've been throwing stuff away left and right. There are so many donation piles upstairs that I'm starting to lose track of what goes where. I am determined to get rid of a lot of toys before we go.
Normally the movers handle the heavy lifting. Literally and figuratively. If I didn't want to do anything before they arrive it would be okay but the OCD in me just won't let them be great at their job. I want things organized the way I'd like to see them arrive in Washington. All kitchen items together. All DVDs together. All linens together... you see where I'm going with this.
Most of the time movers are okay with a little pre-packing if they can check out what's in your box/container. To make it easy I use transparent containers with lids. They're cheap, easy to carry and reusable.
So between now and our inspection my goal is to box up and organize toys, declutter, donate items and stay on top of laundry. We'll need about two weeks worth of clothes to make it while we're between houses. Not to mention that I want all the laundry to be clean before it is packed.
I have already done the boy's room. Savannah's room is up next. It's a disaster.
I asked her to go through her toys and find toys that she wants to give to another little girl and this was the aftermath of her giving heart...
The movers come and we move into our hotel in 16 days. I'll continue to document our experience. If you've done a big move with kids before please share some tips with me. What made it a smooth experience for you?
Here's what worked pretty good for me.
ReplyDeleteBag all toys together in groups. I put each toy bin in a clear trash bag together. Too many parts get lost it you don't. Unshelve the books and put the shelf holders in a plastic bag and tape it to the back of the book shelf. Pack as little clothes as possible to take with you. Carrying all that is a pain! Let the kids pick 2 or 3 books each and 1 toy to take with them.
I was wondering what the cut off should be for toys and books for our trip... That helps a lot and seems like a decent amount to keep them all entertained. And that is an EXCELLENT tips for the toy bins. I think I'll tape the drawers shut and bag them just like you've suggested.
DeleteYea I could never let someone come in and just figure it out. I would need my own system as well. One of the great parts about moving is decluttering. Good luck. Try to take it easy. lol
ReplyDeleteNot gonna lie... in the past before we had kids I def let them come in and just do it, LOL! Now that we have so much stuff I feel like I need to give them a road map. We'll see how it goes!
DeleteMoving is no fun, but it is definitely a good excuse to get you to really go through and declutter! Here's to the next adventure, right?
ReplyDeleteYes! I am so excited for this next journey! Preparing for the move is no fun but once it's over the fun can begin!
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