whine whine whine

[verbicide]

Feeling a bit overwhelmed with all that's to come in the next two weeks. I have to start packing. Tonight. I can't put it off anymore and still get things done.

My apologies in advance for the whining bitchfest this journal is soon to become. Well, even more so than it already is.

Jeff is doing his persuasive best to convince me to kill the cookie box project this year. But because of the timing of the move, I already feel like some of my Christmas fun is limited. No tree, no decorative lights. Packing boxes instead of gift-wrapped boxes. (I know, boo hoo. I'm getting a condo, you'd think I could survive the lack of blinky lights for one stinking year.)

But I really love making cookies! And I finally got him to admit that as much as I over-extend and stress out, I'm always happy about it when it's over. So there's that.

And! This year I'll have two elves in my cookie workshop, both Emily and Sarah will be there with their boundless, youthful energy and love of making cookies. I think if I just plan things carefully, the execution will be fine. I also bought a decent hand-mixer (still too cheap for the Kitchen-Aid). I just have to plan more cautiously this time. Last year I ended up not making enough and having a second run after the first, and that's what was really tiring.

As grinchy as I feel about it, I also have reduced the number of boxes this year. And I can make less varieties of cookies, and pick slightly easier variations. Life will not end. And I don't have to entirely give it up. I still have two full weekends before I move. It's not like the move is next week. Okay, end rationalizations.

And NO! My decision to go ahead with the cookie project doesn't mean I don't get to whine, Jeff.

So back to whining about packing. Sarah has generously agreed to donate some of her time this Thursday, and I finally yelled at myself to suck-it-up and will get started tonight. Even if it's an easy start, like books and movies.

Five boxes a day isn't hard, and bit by bit, starting two weeks in advance, will make it more organized and less miserable. *chants this at self*

Anybody have any brilliant tips on packing/moving? Small details that have really saved you time and misery? Don't hold back!

In my fancy plan of "Whine Less, Do More" I called U-haul and reserved an in-town truck for Sunday the 18th at 10am. I've called Comcast and scheduled my disconnect for both tv and internet from my current flat and an install date for Monday, December 19th. Happily it's only a two-hour block, from 8am-10am. I can easily just go into work an hour or so late that morning. And maybe I can get the locksmith scheduled that morning, too. I'm a fan of multi-tasking.

Whee! I just called Bergman's Locksmith (highly recommended by Jeff) and they can, in fact, come out on Monday, December 19th between 8am-10am.

What else, what else, what else?

I finally scheduled a vet appt for Hobbsie and need to pick up his prescription of Prednisone. I should have done that weeks ago. Gah. But now it's done and so that's over with, too.

I got some boxes from work, and Jeanne says she can grab some really good ones from work.

My complex manager called and said someone would be looking at my flat on Thursday at 1. It feels creepy to know strangers are going to be trudging through my place. And I'll need to tidy it up.

I also need to:

- deposit the numerous checks from friends and escrow that do me no good uncashed
- call Qwest and inform them of the move as well, schedule a thingie for reconnect
- stop by JoAnn tonight and see if they have cheap Christmas cookie tins

And now I need to dart off to French. For which I am actually ready! Whee!

Comments

[greyaenigma.livejournal.com]

My best advice is to pack early, pack often. Also reserve reliable folks for the actual move. Nothing like being stuck the morning of the move frantically calling up people and shoving stuff in bags to up the stress level.

Also, cookies are good.

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

Wow, happily I have never had people back out on me. But Uhaul can certainly be an unreliable bitch.

*commences the packing*

[trtle.livejournal.com]

Don't stress about making us cookies..we certainly don't need them....but if you MUST, you can alsways forgo everything except the scones that aren't really scones ;)

As for packing tips..hrm..can't think of any offhand...nothing that you don't already know..label everything with contents and room destintion...

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

You are so cute, Amy. The scones, alas, are time consuming and painstaking. So I will just have to make you a special batch after the move. Will that be okay? :)

[trtle.livejournal.com]

That will be fine....although just looked at a possible fundraiser....cookie dough....creative cookie dough....at the risk of homering..mmmmmmm...cooie dough

[saavedra77.livejournal.com]

Hey, do you need a couple extra hands for actual moving part, Cat? If it's on a weekend, I can probably help.

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

Tony, that is so incredibly nice of you to offer! But happily, I don't have a lot of stuff and have a bunch of people lined up already. I'm hoping the actual moving part won't take very long...

[saavedra77.livejournal.com]

Just trying to build up my moving karma. :)

Anyway, glad you got it covered!

[coffeeinhell.livejournal.com]

My basic advice for moving is 1) remember that books are heavy, so don't fill up big boxes full of books and b) prepare for the worst -- meaning, even if you're just moving across town pack your breakables as if they were going cross country.

Label everything really well. In addition to writing "KITCHEN" or "BOOKS" on three sides of boxes with fat markers, I've been known to tape a packing list to every box listing every single thing inside. But I'm psychotic.

Also, it helps to put your bathroom and kitchen stuff in the car/truck last and take it out first, so you know exactly where that stuff is. Searching through half-unpacked boxes for a tea kettle or forks or blow dryer is a pain in the ass.

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

That is a great idea, actually. About the bathroom/immediate kitchen stuff. I shall do that.

I learned after my first move that filling giant boxes with heavy things wasn't bright. It was, however, a painful lesson. (I was young..)

I'm also going to try to do the packing list, but as the days grow shorter, I think that nicety will go bye-bye.

[coffeeinhell.livejournal.com]

Oh, and scout out decent take-out/delivery food before the day of the move, because you won't be even remotely ready to cook anything for yourself. Pizza delivery will be your friend.

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

Amen. Definitely need to have pizza on hand to 'pay' back my friend-ly laborers.

[brabble.livejournal.com]

omg pizza!

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

Your unfailing and earnest love for pizza is very endearing *grin*

[euphrasie.livejournal.com]

I usually stress out and bake every night for like two weeks. The idea of just doing it all at once is a good one. I should try that!

Also, hire packing help. You can get people for like $10 per hour on Craigslist who will save you a world of packing hell :)

[euphrasie.livejournal.com]

Oh, I also have the opposite advice from the person above me. I pack for the situation. No point in wasting time over-bundling things... and I've never broken anything.

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

That's awesome, and while I agree to pack for the situation, I have unfortunately broken things. But I think anything especially fragile is going to travel in the car, since it is a really short trip!

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

Man, that's tempting. And if I had a full-house like you did, I would. But between Christmas, and so many expenses on the way, I think I'm going to suck it up this time.

But someday... *daydreams*

And I find the Take No Prisoners method of cookie-baking works best for me. A couple of days of intense back-breaking baking and then FREEDOM!

[archaica.livejournal.com]

GUESS WHO LIKES COOKIES

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

*grin* Surely not MONKY!

[archaica.livejournal.com]

ESPECIALLY CHOCOLATE CHIP

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

Hee. Nice try monkey! (I can spell, really!)

[archaica.livejournal.com]

he is somewhat sneaky. You gotta watch out for that cheeky monkey.

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

Totally, I can see that.

[lietya.livejournal.com]

My one moving suggestion is to have boxes labeled "random crap." :) Seriously. I drove myself nuts trying to make sure that all the, say, obscure bits of silverware were packed together and alphabetized, and it was a waste of time. Try to keep stuff together that you *know* you'll need to find right away, and label those boxes helpfully, but don't be afraid to have boxes of "randomly flung shit I won't need until I'm finished unpacking the useful stuff." Then when you're *un*packing, you'll also know you can set those aside out of the way until you have the energy to deal with it (even if that's months later, not that I, um, still have a couple after four years).

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

That is an excellent idea. As much as I would like to have a packing slip neatly typed with an inventory of each item inside and a corresponding excel spreadsheet (seriously), I just don't have it in me. I try to label by room and by general theme. So I have boxes labeled "Non Urgent Desk Crap" vs. "Essential Desk Crap."

That and I loved Dawn's idea of having some of the super-immediate stuff, like bathroom crap and basic kitchen stuff in a separate box and stuffed in my car.

As much as I hate packing, I conversely LOVE unpacking. And so I do have that to look forward to!

[brabble.livejournal.com]

Make sure you can pick up the UHaul the night BEFORE you need it.

Otherwise they may magically not have any trucks in the day you want one. Gosh, so sorry! But there might be one in Alaska that is available right now, if you want to drive up there and pick it up.

I'm still bitter from last year.

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

You really have every right to be bitter. The fucktards.

We can kick the truck before I return it, okay? :)

[brabble.livejournal.com]

Good.

But you are picking it up the night before right? *worried*

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

Honestly, I wasn't going to. I know you had that awful experience, but even when they've fucked up, they've gotten me a truck. And I'm not moving across the country like you were.

That said, I will call them tomorrow and ask to pick it up on Saturday night, instead of Sunday morning. You're right--it's better to not risk it.

[staceymeimei.livejournal.com]

This is what I did for my ten thousand moves:
1) I packed an overnight bag...as if I'm going on a trip which includes all toiletries and quick access to underwear. Put in car.
2) also, in car... in your laundry bag/plastic thingie or trash can... basically something large but hard to pack: place a roll of toilet paper, all purpose cleaning solution, a rag, a roll of paper towels, and some tools. In the trunk... all hanging pictures and odd shaped things like lamps...make sure you have a working light bulb for the new place
3)save all bulky sweaters and towels to roll more delicate things in
4) label EVERY little thing on the outside of the box (given item number three...this meant kitchen and bedroom closet in the same box). This is especially important for lights and for extension cords.
5) I kept on one peice of paper a long list of phone numbers and account numbers... cable, telephone, DMV, credit cards, magazine subsriptions, car insurance, lights, water, and checked them off as I went to make sure everything was turned on and off or swtiched.
6) pack early but label label label... you'll be surprised how much you forget what you packed.
7) use the time to clean out old things and to reward yourself with buying new things for the new place. Also a good opportunity to reorganize yourself... but don't get bogged down in this...hence the need to start early.
8) when bribing movers... if there is pizza....there must be beer to go along with it... (this is also where the roll of paper towels placed in your car comes in handy...it's a napkin and a plate)
9) it's a lot about speed... unpack as fast as you can in the new place. I suggest the first place should be the bathroom... especially the box with the shower curtain in it. p.s. get a new shower liner
10) as for the cookie project... send cards with IOUs... then send cookies when you are settled. It'll make your place smell great.
11) if I think of more.. i'll write.... crazy that I'm on LJ isn't it?? Staceymeimei

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

It is crazy to see ya on here--but great tips! Thanks, Stace!