Moving is the adult equal of high school—everyone is very zealous about the prospect, but it is only the people with sensible expectations who end up having a smooth move. Yes, it's a new house, a new beginning, and the prospect of a wonderful new life--but once that last empty truck leaves and you are standing there in the middle of your boxes, you've still got to do the hard work.
Managing your move with realistic expectations is fundamental to beginning that new life on a positive note--and that means not only acknowledging the fact that a new abode will not wondrously suck up the thirty pounds you keep meaning to lose, but that moving is emotionally exhausting even in good circumstances and you and your family should allow the time and space to accept that.
One of the odd things about a local move--new house, neighborhoods, schools--is that can be harder on the children than a long-distance relocation. A new house across the country takes away the non-stop requests to go see their friends in the old neighborhood, and it is easier to welcome a new life and new friends when your old ones are in a different time zone.
But back to the topic. There are three Ps when it comes to managing your move to or in Killeen--Purge, Pack, and Pay. What you don't purge will need to be packed, and the more you pack, the more you will pay. Expectation—I will go through old stuff and only keep what I love. Reality--you love a lot more than you think you do. No matter if you handle your own packing or hire professionals, you've got to select what is worth the time and money to move with you.
Purge
Purging is one of those odd phrases you don't hear all the time, at least in a affirmative way. However, releasing the old baggage is one of the smartest ways so that you can empower your new abode to grant your expectations of grandeur. There are hundreds of rules and suggestions to assist you in figuring out the best methods to get rid of your old possessions, from pragmatic--"if you haven't used/worn it in a year get rid of it"; to a tad off-the-wall--"toss all your negative energy out with the old towels". At its basic level, purging is simply picking through all the cabinets, closets and drawers and constructing three piles: hang on to, get rid of, donate. Or you may have four piles if you have got some very gently used items that you do not use anymore, and consign those items.
A troublesome thing about purging is retaining the detachment it requires to be cutthroat about tossing things. If you saved all those pre-school drawings, how can you throw them away and be a great parent? Here is how—appoint a friend to help you go through items and talk you through why you are saving things that are really best thrown away. Having a friend ask you out loud why you want to hang on to the 1980s cassette tapes does put things in focus and you'll have a pain-free time growing the throw away pile if you've got someone to support your decisions.
If your spouse is the one with the pack rat tendencies, here is a suggestion for assisting an unenthusiastic participant part with their treasures. Think small, and begin with the kitchen junk drawers, try to limit handling of old matchbooks and old crayons to one time only and steadily get to bigger things, like collections (for example, pick out two or three porcelain bunnies and donate or consign the rest).
Catch us next time as we go over managing your move topics: Pack and Pay, in Part 2 of this blog series.
