Okay, one more week and we’ll be leaving this house. Although located in an ideal location and an enviable neighbourhood,  it proved to be more an in-between station for me and less of a home.We knew we were going to move on eventually and I never managed to accept it as more than what it was, a temporary stop.

I also found the transition from having our own home to renting especially tough since I come from a family that never rented. It’s a Romanian thing, a legacy from the Communist times when everybody had to have a job and an apartment they would have usually payed during their working years. That goes to show you that ideas we were raised with and that were drummed into us as children stay with us for a lifetime and influence our happiness.

It’s been some very interesting eight months with loads of ups and downs and many epiphanies. We lost what we both held dearest on the day we moved: my home and hubby’s successful business. We moaned and mourned together but not before we stripped down our relationship of all civility(at times) and nonsense. We made up in a state of nakedness of spirit because there was nothing to hide behind anymore. And we  discussed repeatedly and in depth about where we should be moving next. It was a lengthy and tedious process because we had to consider not only our own preferences but each other’s and Emma’s. Finances. Economical and political circumstances. Churches we could integrate into and places where we BOTH had memories, connections, family, friends. Places where we could shape a future for Emma and for ourselves.

Anyway, it’s time I packed once again. Here is what I learned from moving four times in the last ten years:

1. Start early and stay organised. Don’t leave anything for the week before you move. We did it once and we ended up with things thrown in black bags because there was no time to pack into boxes.

2. Throw away what you don’t use/don’t need anymore! Had to do this for my mum and dad when they moved as I found things from when we were babies. They kept them “just in case we’ll need them again.” Seriously, baby clothes?!?

3. Keep what has sentimental value or you have paid a lot of money for. I have kept some of Emma’s baby clothes and shoes and the toys I paid a lot for. Just in case I’ll have another wee one…

4. We have found that packing into clear boxes keep everything tidy and easy to find when you unpack. Keep everything into room boxes, clearly labeled so that if you use a removal company the boxes end up in the right room.

5. Use a removal company!!It’s £50/hour but if you’re organised they’re finished in a few hours and your house is ready to move in almost instantly.

6. Wrap up your kitchen things in bubble wrap or similar material. Pack tightly so nothing moves during the move and gets broken.

7. Keep packaging when you buy T.V.s, kids’ toys, printers…etc. It’s easier and safer to move loose or big items in their initial packaging than in random boxes.

8. Recruit help if have a lot of stuff or are not particularly organised.

9. Be mindful of things you use till the last moment(bed linen, cutlery and toiletries); they account for last minute delays and frustration. Leave room in your car for them(if you move near) or an extra box(if you move far from your last location).

10. If you hate the process, just remember, it will all pass, just like anything else 🙂

I will share some of my “packing” photos, just to show you what I mean.

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