Behind the Scenes at ActiveRain

Last week, I did a segment of my Moving series about The Leadup - the two-to-three months before your move, with a list of helpful tips to do to help prep for the month before the big move.  The idea is that those little things you can do in less than five minutes will go a long way when it's crunch time.

Today, I'd like to discuss the month prior to your move.  This is a stressful time for many because it's hard to determine what to pack and when, without needing it in the ginormous amount of time that you have before the Big Day.

Trying Not to Get Overwhelmed (1 Month Prior to the BIG DAY):  You're looking down the road and have figured out that you're moving.  The problem now is getting everything in order so that it all falls together by moving day.  This month, I want you to start your FIRST NIGHT list.  It's a list of things you'll need immediately when you get to your new home.  We'll discuss it in more detail in my next installment (Panic Time: One week to go!).  For now, just get out a piece of paper and jot things down as we go.

Here's what needs to happen in this month:

1.  In the Kitchen:
     a.  Go through your fridge and freezer and do a COMPLETE inventory, by category (fruits, meats, dry goods), of what you have.  You're going to want to spend this month eating down your stockpile of goods, and since you culled everything during the last installment, it should be no issue to do a quick inventory.
     b.  Consider planning a few meals to use up the heaviest or messy items in your pantry - ie. Canned goods, frozen meats and veggies, bottles of juice, etc.  If you eat the heavy items first, you'll have less of a backache during the Big Day.
     c.  Decide whether you really want to move your linens or dinnerware.  Do you love it still?  Do you have the budget to replace it once you move?  If not, make a note on your calendar for the week before your move to make a donation run with your dinnerware (to the soup kitchens if it's incomplete, to the thrift store if it's complete) and linens (to the shelter for the doggies).
     d.  In the dining room, think really hard about your needs.  Is your family a kitchenette family or a board game family?  Do your dining table and chairs suit your needs?  This is mostly a mental note for you; you get to decide whether your kitchen table and chairs are really something you want to move or not.  If you USE IT and LOVE IT, KEEP IT.
     e.  Let's not forget our furry friends.  The next time you go shopping, pick up enough food for this month and then TWO WEEKS after your move.  Yes, it's going to be heavy - sorry.  But no one likes to go hungry.  If you have a kitty, get a bucket of cat litter instead of a bag.  Put your pet supplies on your FIRST NIGHT list.
     f.  Wipe down the insides and outsides of your fridge, freezer, and cabinets.  Don't bother taking anything out at this point; don't waste your time.  Just wipe around it.  Wipe the fingerprints off the doors and windows.

2.  In the Laundry Room:
     a.  This month, you really, really want to keep up on your laundry.  Do it regularly. 
     b.  Start packing away warm weather clothes (if it's winter) or cool weather clothes (if it's summer).
     c.  At this time, you should start a box for each member of your family, marked "Daisy - Winter Clothes" or "Bobby - Summer Clothes".  A useful thing to do at this point is also note the current sizes on the clothing.  Don't waste a lot of time on this; if Bobby's clothing are mostly sevens, then mark "7" on the box after Bobby's name.  (Bobby 7 - Summer Clothes)
     d.  Start collecting hangers.  If you have wire hangers, do yourself a favor and THROW THEM AWAY.  Wire hangers ruin your clothes.  Make a mental note to invest in better hangers after the move.  If you already have nice hangers, start stowing them away as you find them empty in closets, in the laundry room, or in the basement.
     e.  This may sound stupid, but familiarize yourself with the hot/cold water shut-offs.  When it's time to move, you'll want to shut them down, and you want it to be a no-brainer so that you don't waste two hours trying to figure out how to do it.

3.  In the Bathroom:
     a.  USE IT UP.  That's the rule this month.  We are NOT moving eighth-inch-full shampoo bottles.  We are NOT taking that mostly-gone eyeshadow compact with us.  We are NOT DEFINITELY NOT going to take a quarter-full TP roll with us.  Use it up!
     b.  Add the following items to your FIRST NIGHT list: Toothbrush, Toothpaste, TP, makeup, shampoo, soap, hairdryer, prescriptions.
     c.  Do a FULL scrub down of your bathroom.  Get it as clean as you can possibly get it, somewhere around T-minus Two Weeks until the Big Day.  Wipe the drips off the wall, clean up the fingerprints on the doorjamb, and definitely scrub out the bath and shower until it sparkles.  Why? Because it's easier to do a quick clean than a deep clean when you're that close to moving and stressed out.

4.  In the Bedroom: 
     a.  Commit to one set of sheets and put them on your bed.  You'll wash these and put them right back on again as many times as you like before the Big Day.  Pack up all the rest of your sheets.  If it's summer, consider also packing up your heavy blankets.  Bundle your throw pillows up and set them with your packed linens. 
     b.  Walk around the room and pick up all the dust-collectors.  If you LOVE them, wrap them up as though they were the most precious piece of china you own and pack them safely in a sturdy box.
     c.  Pair up your socks.  It's silly, yes, I know, but make sure everyone's got a mate.  If you have any stragglers, take them to the laundry room and set them on the dryer.  From now on, only paired socks go in your drawers.  At the end of the month, you'll use any extras to take care of stains in the carpet.
     d.  Pull EVERYTHING out of your closet (except hanging clothes).  Closets are often a black hole of things you never knew you had.  Make sure everything in there is something you LOVE and USE.  Pile these items along ONE wall, preferably furthest from the door.  Be safe! Don't put them against a baseboard heater.
     e.  Go through your hanging clothes and decide if they're all something you wear semi-regularly.  I realize that a bunch of people love keeping their wedding dresses or their First Communion outfit, but I'm here to tell you that a picture of those gorgeous dresses will give you the same memories you get by seeing them in the closet.  Plus, that extra $600 you get from selling them will help bring new memories to your household after you move.

4.  In the Living Room:
    a.  Just like you did in the bedroom, bundle up your throw pillows and pack up the extras that you LOVE.
    b.  This is not just for the living room, but at this point, you should walk around the house and collect any pictures that were on the walls.  Decide which pieces of art you want to keep; it's okay to let something go that's no longer your style.  If you dislike a frame or matting of a certain picture, make a note, and pack them up.  The safest way to store pictures is upright (as they would hang), putting two pictures back to back and two more front to front, being sure to put cardboard between the face to face parts to keep the frames from scratching and leaning the whole pile against a solid, sturdy wall.  If you're moving a long distance, you may want to look into getting some framing boxes from your local frame supply store.
    c.  Go through your book collection again.  I can't stress this enough: Books are heavy!  Are you SURE you need all of the ones you decided to keep?  Do you still have books you put on Swaptree three months ago?  Take any extra to your local book exchange.
    d.  Do you have any furniture that didn't sell on Craigslist?  Invite Goodwill in to take it for you; often, they'll send a truck.  This is a good time to send your dishes from above or any art you decided not to keep.
    e.  As to that office in your living room, you've tackled the paper monster.  This time, I want you to take a good, hard look at your cords.  Does every peripheral have its proper cord?  Do you have extras?  For now, put the extras in a separate bin and set it on the top shelf.  If they aren't used in the next month, it's probably okay to toss them.
    f.  Also in the office, decide whether your desk serves your needs.  If not, get rid of it!  You can get a new one on the other end or work on the dining room table for a while until you find the RIGHT one.  You might find that you don't need a desk at all.
   g.  Finally, get a file box for the files you have to transfer.  Before loading up the whole thing with all those files, take each file out individually, open it, and decide if it's still a necessary file.  ONLY pack the ones that are necessary!  Often, we forget that we have certain files or re-purpose others to include an additional item that already had its own folder.  Don't be afraid to purge!

Again, this may look like a huge list of things to do, but I promise, none of these things take longer than fifteen minutes.  If you do a  little every day, you'll be okay!  Overall, follow these rules:

Rule #4:  Does it serve your needs?  If not, then out it goes!
Rule #5:  If it has no other purpose than to remind you of something, take a picture! Out the item goes!
Rule #6:  Make a 1st Night Box for your family, so that you don't have to go scrambling for toothpaste or TP on your first night at your new home.

Try not to get overwhelmed!  You have plenty of time between now and the Big Day.  Take your time and do things at your own pace.  Enlist help if you need to.  Don't be afraid to edit your collection of household goods and furniture.  If you don't use it or love it, let it go!

We're in real estate.  We're in the business of selling homes to people who 99.99999% of the time are already living in a home they've made for a year or more, meaning that at some point, they're going to have to pack their lives into boxes, load a truck, and move to their new nest.  Many Realtors believe that the real estate process ends when the Escrow company closes the books, pays out the taxes and commissions, and gets the deed on title.  There are a few quite awesome realtors, however, who pitch in with their buyers and sellers and help them when it's time to go. 

Take it from me - I've moved nine times in the last ten years - moving is no picnic, and every hand helping is a hand that you are sincerely greatful for, whether you're putting cash into that hand at the end of the night or a Hefe.  As I'm in the middle of my tenth (yes, tenth) move right now, and since we're ramping up to moving season here in the great Northwest as schools let out and summer chases the spring showers away, I thought I might give some well-practiced advice on the art of DIY Moving.

Please feel free to add your own tips below!

The lead-up (2-3 Months Before the BIG DAY):  Although not everyone has the luxury of having two to three months before they know they're moving to get prepped, if one DOES have this blessing, he or she has a leg up that is priceless.  During the lead-up, and separate from the real estate process (I can't go on about all of that - that's your jobs!), here are some items that need to happen:

1.  In the Kitchen:

     a.  Go through the pantry, fridge and freezer and cull anything that's expired, freezer-burned items, sour or spoiled items, duplicate condiments, dressings or jars that you have NO IDEA when you opened them and can't remember using them last, and any definitely dead spices.
     b.  Donate any foods that are not expired yet but that you will not have time to finish before they expire.
     c.  Go through your dishtowels and toss the tattered ones into a bag marked "towels".  More about this later.
     d.  Pack away your "good" china, any servingware that you will not use before the Big Day, and any linens that really won't see use til' the holiday season.  This is a good habit to get into any time of the year.
     e.  If you find you have too many dishes, too many utensils, too many glasses, or too many mugs, put them in a separate donation box for now.  These items, however mismatched or dwindling, can be used and very much appreciated at any soup kitchen in the city.

2.  In the Laundry Room:

     a.  Cull any tattered or worn blankets and towels.  Stuff them into the same bag above with your dishtowels.  Take this whole bag down to your nearest animal shelter.
     b.  If you have multiples of bleach, detergent, softener or etc., that won't be used before the Big Day, pack 'em up.  The idea is to have one open box in each room as you work so that as things get freed up to pack, you can simply tuck them into your box.
     c.  As you take things out of the dryer to fold, consider the wear on the garment that you're folding.  If it's tattered, consider tearing it up for car rags or patches.  If it's in need of repair or tailoring, put it on a hanger and hang it somewhere where you'll see it (to remind you to take it to the tailor).  If it's just plain out of style or does not fit anymore, donate it.

3.  In the Bathroom:

     a.  Go through the medicine cabinet and cull anything that's empty, unusuable, or expired.  On the note of prescription pills: the old method of disposal (ie, flushing them) has proven to hurt the environment in many parts of the country.  Instead of dumping them down the drain, take them back to the pharmacy on your next shopping trip for proper disposal.
     b.  Pack up multiples that won't be used until after the move, including feminine hygiene products, cotton balls, shampoo, soap, etc.
     c.  Be sure to look under the sink for these items, too! We often forget the items that are out of sight, and take it from a girl who has left some very important things behind: You never want to be caught without toilet paper in the new house. 

4.  In the Bedroom:

     a.  Go through your wardrobe and shoes and cull anything that falls within the lines of the laundry above - anything tattered, in need of repair, or just plain ugly on you. 
     b.  Go through the linen closet and pull any mismatched sheet sets, random pillow cases, and lost throw pillows.  Donate them all.  Just...do it.
     c.  In the linen closet, take ONE pillow case from a matched set and tuck the rest of the set inside it for easy transport.  This is a good habit to get into year round, and it makes sure nothing gets lost.
     d.  Consider the shape of your sleeping pillows.  If your feathers are flat or your cotton isn't up to snuff any longer, make a note to replace them as you move from one house to the other.  There's nothing worse than flat pillows when you're getting used to a new house's night sounds.

5.  In the Living Room:

     a.  Otherwise known as the Abyss, this is where we spend the most time.  Pick it up.  As you're finding homes for the items that have wandered there from other rooms, consider EACH object and ask yourself, "Do I use this regularly?  Do I love it?"  If the answer is no and no, you need to get rid of that item.
     b.  Look around at your furniture and decide which pieces you REALLY want to take with you.  This is a good time to make a shopping list for new furniture, too.  If Gramma's rocker no longer suits your lifestyle and no one sits in it anymore, Craigslist is your friend.  You need all of the items you don't want to take with you out a month prior to the Big Day.
     c.  Consider culling your media and electronics.  Do you need three DVD players?  Have you watched ALL of those movies recently?  Do you love them all?  Try looking at services like Swaptree.com and Half Price Books to get rid of the ones you don't love.  Remember: Books are heavy! Part with what you'll never read again.
     d.  Many of us have our offices in the living room.  Shred whatever paper you don't need and that isn't important.  If you have scanning abilities, digitize some of that paper!  Purge, purge, purge!

This may look like a lot of things to do, but remember, you have two to three months to get it done, and most of these little things only take a few minutes as you do them.  In the long run, you'll make your move a much more happy process if you follow three simple rules:

Rule #1: If you don't use it regularly or love it, it needs to go.
Rule #2: If it gives you bad memories, it needs to go.
Rule #3: If it's in disrepair or it's begging you to let it go, it needs to go.

Other than that, you have plenty of time, so don't stress out!  Moving is actually quite easy if you don't box yourself into it by procrastinating.

(Tune in for Part 2: Getting it Together (and Enlisting Help!) )

If you all know me by now, you know that I care a great deal about the community I live in, and that I love my kitties, who were both rescued from shelters.

The Seattle Animal Shelter recently had a huge dryer fire at their facilities on 15th Avenue, causing them to lose a lot of their stock of textiles to help comfort and pad the temporary homes of the cats and dogs there. I realize no one may be able to donate a new commercial dryer to them, but they are asking (nigh, begging, pleading, with scores of big, sad puppies with big, sad puppy-dog eyes) for donations of towels and blankets to the shelter to restock.

Luckily, they didn't lose any actual animals during the fire, but some had to be relocated to foster homes for the time being, due to lost space and cleanup.

If you are in the Seattle Area and you can send (by post) or drop off donations, please do! Here's the info:

Address: 2061 15th Ave West, Seattle, WA 98119
Shelter Hours: Monday-Sunday, 12:00-6:00pm, Closed for Holidays
Telephone: (206) 386-PETS (7387) main / (206) 386-4285 fax

I'll be taking a load over there myself - my towels have seen better days, but I'm sure there's a puppy out there who would rather lay on it instead of a bare kennel.