As Moving Day creeps
closer (8 days and counting), I find myself full of reflection on a vast
multitude of subjects within my head. One of which is how moving has become
less of a physically stressful thing and more of an emotional one. Less am I
worried about what goes in what box or if I have enough tape on hand or even
who is going to help me move. Now I find myself increasingly more aware of how
moving house feels much like I am a tree uprooting myself from the earth in
order to try and re-grow somewhere else. It’s a bit painful. A bit exhausting.
A bit as though I actually have to say “Goodbye” to a chapter in my life I am
not quite sure I am finished writing. And this time I am simply moving a couple
blocks away.
Through all my moving
experiences, I have definitely honed my skills to a point where my I have
learned a few things on what to do and what not to do.
- You can never start packing early enough. If you don’t need it in the next week or two – pack it. One less thing to worry about closer to the day.
- No matter how much moving supplies you think you need (boxes, bags, tape, etc), double it. It’s amazing how things seem to grow and multiple once you move them off the shelves and out of the cupboards.
- Do not pack all books in one box. Unless, of course, the boxes are really, really small. You will hate yourself on moving day when you have 20 of them to haul.
- Skip the newspapers and use your clothes and linen to protect items. I do this for a few reasons – one, you avoid the ridiculously annoying pile of crumpled newspaper at the end of moving day that has no place to go. Two, you actually use less boxes as the newspaper isn’t taking up room and three, I’ve never liked getting newspaper ink all over my hands.
- Save a bag to use as an “overnight” bag. Pack it last with what you would if you were going somewhere overnight. This saves the hassle of trying to find your toothbrush the night of moving day when you are so tired you can’t see straight.
- Hiring movers is more efficient than doing it yourself. They’re getting paid to haul your 20 boxes of books – save your arms the trouble and get the pros to do it. Plus, it avoids you having to drag your two friends over on their day off to help you with promises of pizza afterwards (during the time you really just want to kick everyone out and curl up in a ball in the corner and sleep for the next 2 days).
- It’s easier to start changing your address before you move than after. Avoid the missed mail or redirection fees from the post shop.
Anyway – that’s me. In
these last few days of packing a few boxes every couple of days, I had the
epiphany that it never really seems real until I take down pictures from the
wall and take out the nails that held them up. There’s something about seeing
the chipped paint and dark hole through the drywall that seems so final. So
bare. So empty.
Those small holes are
what bring back memories for me. They were the places I chose to hang things
important to me. They were the last thing I did when I moved in – when all
boxes were unpacked and it was time to officially put my stamp on my new home.
The holes represented me making my mark – creating the environment I wanted
with photos, mirrors, hooks and whatever else helped me personalize the space.
To take the pictures off their hooks and nails out of the wall makes everything
look naked and void. This place is no longer mine and never will be. It is time
to say “Goodbye.”
