After way too many weeks of maintaining a pristine show home while going about our usual busy schedule with two active boys, we finally sold our home. It was then crunch time to declutter, pack and move in 30 days!
We are trying to simplify our lives and have gone from a sprawling bungalow with a sadly neglected huge yard to a 4 level townhouse with a tiny deck, which is almost brand new and absolutely gorgeous – dark hardwood, marble, granite, stainless steel, a gas fireplace and a huge master suite on the top floor. The interesting and rather unusual part about this move is we are renting. My husband is convinced that the real estate market here in Canada is overdue for a correction. Since we needed a new roof and a bunch of other work done on our bungalow, we decided it was time to move on. I will miss the serenity of our old location – it was on a dead end street across from a park yet close to transportation and shopping. We haven’t gone far though – the new place is literally a few blocks west.
Some of my best tips for packing include:
1. Use your towels and other linens to wrap glasses and other fragile items rather than buying bubble wrap or using newspaper that leaves a dark residue on everything – environmentally friendly and saves on boxes!
2. Get rid of as much unused and unloved stuff as you possibly can. My kids made a little cash by selling a bed and credenza on Craigslist and Kijiji. We decided to forgo a garage sale (no time and too much hassle) and instead give lots of usable things in good condition to charity. A little known fact is that Goodwill will also recycle fabric that is not in wearable condition (see my previous post http://laurelmcbrine.com/?p=294 on the subject for more information); I just sort the unusable clothing and pieces of fabric into a separate bag labeled “to recycle”. We also gave away some items through Freecycle. We had an unpleasant surprise when my husband took a load of furniture to Goodwill, as they were temporarily not accepting any large items. Here in Toronto, you can put items by the curb before garbage day and pretty much be guaranteed that someone else will adopt them before the day is through. If you can wait for their pickup date, there are also organizations that will come pick up your unwanted stuff, such as the Cerebral Palsy Association.
3. I like boxes from the liquor store for the cardboard dividers and strength – they are just about the right size for books in particular as a larger box would be unwieldy and too heavy. They are also free – always a good thing!
4. Start packing things you use less often first (like books) and leave your most used items to the end so you have what you need to function once you are in the new place. Right now, our home looks like an episode of Hoarders, since I have not had time to find homes for a lot of the stuff, but I CAN find the things I really need as they have been unpacked and put in place first. You definitely need towels, toilet paper, toothbrushes, bedding, essential toiletries, your kid’s favorite toys and some dishes and utensils. Having shelving units to throw things onto temporarily while you figure out where to put the stuff is also helpful.
5. Try to avoid this whole thing if you can – it is terribly disruptive, but if you do have to move, try to look at all the positives about your new digs and celebrate your fresh start! If nothing else, you are forced to take a critical look at your collection of things and declutter, which can open up wonderful new opportunities in your life!