Moving is the mature equal of high school—everybody is super excited about the thought, but it is only the people with reasonable expectations who end up having a trouble-free move. Yes, it's a new abode, a new start, and the possibility of a awesome new life--but once that last empty truck leaves and you're standing there amongst 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 the right foot--and that means not only accepting the fact that a new house won't magically suck up the fifteen pounds you keep meaning to lose, but that moving is emotionally exhausting even in the best circumstances and you and your family should set aside the time and space to accept that.
One of the stragne things about a local move--new house, neighborhoods, schools--is that can be harder on the children than a long-distance relocation. A new home hundreds of miles away removes the non-stop requests to go visit their friends in the old neighborhood, and it could be less difficult to embrace 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 when it comes to managing your move to or in Denver--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 keep what I love. Reality--you love a lot more than you believe you do. Whether you handle your own packing or hire a professional moving company, you've got to select what is worth the time and money to pack and move.
Purge
Purging is one of those odd words you do not hear a lot, at least in a good way. But really, letting go of the old baggage is one of the best ways that you can let your new residence to grant your expectations of greatness. There are lots and lots of directions and tips to help you figure out the best methods to go through your old possessions, from down-to-earth--"if you haven't used/worn it in a year get rid of it"; to a bit wacky--"toss all your negative energy out with the old towels". At its basic level, purging is basically picking through all the cabinets, closets and drawers and forming three piles: keep, get rid of, donate. Or you might have four piles if you've got a lot of next-to-new things that you do not use anymore, and consign those things.
A troublesome thing about purging is keeping up the neutrality it requires to be relentless about tossing items. If you kept all those pre-school drawings, how can you get rid of them and be a good parent? Here is a tip—have a friend help you go through things and talk you through why you're saving items that are really better out of the house. Having someone else ask you out loud why you want to save the 1980s cassette tapes does put things in perspective and you'll have a pain-free time growing the get-rid-of pile if you've got someone to support your decisions.
If your spouse is the one with the pack rat habits, here is a strategy for helping an unwilling significant other part with their treasures. Think small, and commence with the kitchen junk drawers, try to limit handling of old matchbooks and old crayons to one time only and steadily build to more important things, like collections (for instance, pick out two or three porcelain bunnies and donate or consign the rest).
Catch us next time as we discuss managing your move subjects: Pack and Pay, in Part 2 of this blog series.
