If
you have enough time before you move, sort through your
belongings. You may be able to lighten your load. To help
you decide what to take and what to let go of try this Yes-No-Maybe
method. Sort things into three piles:
Pile #1 is for the 'absolutely yes' items
that you know, without question, are going to your new home.
Pile #2 is called 'absolutely no.' You
can let go of these things. Plan to give them away, sell
them at a garage sale or call the Goodwill.
The 3rd pile is 'maybe,' the undecided assortment.
The #3 group is really interesting. Sift through it again,
creating three piles. It will be more obvious this time
what is to stay and what can go. Do this one more time.
Anything remaining in the maybe pile can be packed in its
own box and labeled 'maybe.' In your new home you can reevaluate
the 'maybes' with a new perspective.
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A
shortcut many people take when packing is in the labeling
process. Harried and rushed, it seems a temptation
to jam things into boxes and mark only with destination labels-
'Kitchen', 'Family Room'. This will be good enough to help
the movers get the boxes out the door and into your new location.
But now comes the problem.
What if you have 30 boxes all marked 'kitchen'?
One of them holds the toaster, which you need desperately,
the dog food is God-knows where, you had counted on using
the big spaghetti pot to cook dinner tonight and you can't
even find the can opener. Save yourself an unpacking nightmare!
Take time at the beginning of your packing to set up a system
for cataloging and labeling your boxes.
Create a catalog list. Run a list of numbers
down the left side of a page, one number for each box. As
you pack, note on your list what is going into each box. Mark
the corresponding number on the box. List the contents on
the outside of the box. List the room destination on each
box so that the movers will know where everything goes. Put
bright red 'Fragile' stickers on things that truly are.
When you move, keep the catalog list handy.
Now comes the pay off for your time and care. As you begin
to unpack use your catalog list to locate the specific boxes
you need. You discover that your warm pajamas are in box #17.
Box #42 holds your socks, belts and scarves. Boxes #12 and
#57 hold guest room sheets and towels and don't have to be
unpacked till next week.
Cross the boxes off your catalog list as they are
opened and emptied. Maybe you never will get around
to unpacking #34 & #35 because they contain old jig-saw
puzzles and books on macrame. But you can easily locate your
computer software and 'Scrabble'. Now you and your family
can kick back, relax, and know that everything will be located
and opened in its own good time, without a frantic search.
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