Saturday 17 July 2010

Packing SOS

A cry went out on Twitter just now: "@workingorder Please Cassie do you have any helpful tips for @DirtyEnid who is packing for house move? #packing #fail #SOS"

Thinks rapidly. Quick Google. Few ideas. Hope helpful.
  • Label, label, label. An extra few seconds after sealing box up will save untold anxiety at the other end.
  • Don't overfill boxes with heavy stuff. You'll break your back trying to move them. More small boxes much better than fewer large ones.
  • If it's not already too late, be ruthless about chucking out stuff that you really don't need (my usual guideline being "if you lost it by mistake, would you [a la Katherine Tate] be bovvered?"). Or, in this case, "if you left it behind by mistake..." Charity shop / skip may be a better place for it than the removal van.
  • Group, group, group. Don't mix rooms. If you know that everything from one box will go in kitchen, saves a lot of wandering around.
  • Keep the kettle, milk, coffee, teabags (or whatever is vital to you) easily accessible. Do not lose sight of main items key to survival. Also include things like loo paper, headache pills, mobile phone.
  • If you have to dismantle flat-pack furniture, put screws/bolts etc. in plastic bag stuck firmly to part of construction ready for re-assembly.
  • Don't panic. Be systematic. Yes, I know it's easier said than done, but deep breath and count to ten may save some vital item from breakage.
  • Need help? If you could use some professional input, see if a local member of apdo-uk is available to help you - at one end of the process or the other. A professional declutterer / organiser can not only be an excellent extra pair of hands, but will be able to stop the red mist from descending when it all gets too much.
  • Found this item by thinking in advance? Check out HelpIAmMoving for a wealth of tips & advice.
If there's even one bright idea that has helped @DirtyEnid today, my work is done.

Friday 2 July 2010

What could make decluttering easier?

This is not my list. While these are policies and suggestions I use all the time, brevity is not one of my skills; this is an excellent little summary which turned up in one of the updates I get in my inbox from the wise and wonderful Nina Grunfeld of Life Clubs, and I thought it was well worth passing on.
  1. Find a timer and set it for 5 minutes of decluttering only. You’ve always got the option of ignoring it when it goes.
  2. Get help. Other people can be ruthless with your things.
  3. Don’t beat yourself up that you never went to that play or cooked that recipe. You did something else instead.
  4. Trust your intuition – you’ll know if you want to keep something. Any wavering, bin it.
  5. If you’re only keeping something to be tactful, get rid of it.
Any questions?