It's two days before our move, and you may imagine that I would be surrounded by boxes and chaos.
But actually, I'm not.
We've taken a radically different approach to this move than the moves we've made in the past. We may come to regret it on Saturday at 3am, but hopefully, it will work out fine.
We've waited to start packing until five days before our move...with the majority of the packing happening Thursday and Friday. Yep, just two days.
I almost started the packing a couple of months ago, when a move began to look likely. But as I prepared the first box, a thought came to me:
"Do I really want to spend the next two months surrounded by boxes? Is this the best use of my time and physical/mental energy?"
I chose to focus my efforts elsewhere, and it was the best choice I could have made.
Most people make two mistakes when they begin packing for a move--they start too early, and they throw everything in boxes because it's easier than making decisions about their stuff.
Instead, I decided I would not pack or move anything that we didn't either use regularly or love dearly. I've written before about my method of decluttering, and the progress I had made by doing so monthly now enables this move to come together with such ease.
When we found out we'd be moving, I carried on with more of the same--giving a quick glance around each room, finding more stuff to give away.
I'm now on a first name basis with everyone at our local Goodwill.
As a result, our home is looking better than ever--and we're able to pack up a four bedroom house in less than five days.
I wholeheartedly agree with my friend Rachel, that it is far easier to simplify than it is to organize. The time I've invested has paid back in dividends already: in a (mostly) stress free atmosphere before our move, less stuff to pack and take along, and a quicker unpack when we reach our destination.
