Moving is the grown-up equivalent of elementary school—everyone is super gungho about the prospect, but it's only the people with down-to-earth expectations who end up having a good time. Sure, it is a new house, a new beginning, and the possibility of a awesome new life--but once that last empty moving truck heads down the road and you're standing there amidst your boxes, you've still got to do the actual work.
Managing your move with realistic expectations is fundamental to starting that new life on a positive note--and that means not only acknowledging the fact that a new home will not magically suck up the thirty pounds you have good intentions to lose, but that moving is emotionally exhausting even in good circumstances and you and your family should set aside the time and space to accept that.
One of the odd things about a local move--new house, neighborhoods, schools--is that can be tougher on the kids than a long-distance relocation. A new home hundreds of miles away removes the non-stop requests to go see their friends in the old neighborhood, and it could be less difficult to adopt a new life and new friends when your old ones are in a different time zone.
But back to the main point. There are three Ps to think about when managing your move to or in Wichita Falls--Purge, Pack, and Pay. What you do not purge must be packed, and the more you pack, the more you will pay. Expectation—I will go through old stuff and only hang on to what I love. Reality--you love lots more than you think you do. Whether you do your own packing or appoint professional movers, you've got to choose what is worth the time and money to take with you.
Purge
Purging is one of those odd phrases you do not hear very often, at least in a positive implication. However, letting go of the old baggage is one of the best ways so that you can allow your new abode to bestow your expectations of greatness. There are hundreds of directions and pointers to assist you in figuring out the best methods to sort through your old stuff, from down-to-earth--"if you haven't used/worn it in a year get rid of it"; to a little less traditional--"toss all your negative energy out with the old towels". At its simplest level, purging is basically picking through all the cupboards, closets and drawers and constructing three piles: take with you, throw away, donate. Or you may have four piles if you have got a lot of very gently used things that you don't want anymore, and consign those items.
A troublesome thing about purging is maintaining the detachment you need to be relentless about tossing things. If you stored all those pre-school paintings, how can you throw them away and be a great parent? Here's how—appoint a friend to help you sort through items and talk you through why you are saving items that are really better to be gotten rid of. Having someone ask you out loud why you want to hang on to the 1980s cassette tapes does put things in perspective and you'll have a pain-free time growing the throw away pile if you've got someone to support your decisions.
If your significant other is the one with the pack rat inclinations, here is a tip for assisting a reluctant partner part with their treasures. Think small, and start with the kitchen junk drawers, try to limit handling of old matchbooks and out-of-ink pens to one time only and progressively make your way to larger possessions, like collections (for example, choose two or three porcelain bunnies and donate or consign the rest).
Catch up us next time as we go over managing your move topics: Pack and Pay, in Part 2 of this blog series.
