Packing a house to move

[Bretta]

O.k. so I am really getting worried about this whole thing. I have 3 children, recently divorced and having to find a new place to live and be moved out of the house I have been living in for 6.5 years in 5 weeks. (Technically I have up to 60 days from 2-21 to close on the house, but the closing date will likely be much before 4-21. I am guessing the first part of April will be the actuall closing date)

Anyway, all I do know to do is to have a HUGE yard/garage sale, but I want to have the majority of the house packed when I do that. Aside from that, where do I begin? What should I *really* consider selling? (besides stuff I really won't have the room for and stuff that *we* bought together that I don't need/want to keep?)

Another thing I am having a hard time with is the kids toys. I do have 3 girls, so a lot of things were passed down, but in the grand scheme of things they don't play with a lot of their toys. How should I go about, limiting the amount of toys we bring with us to our new place?

[schwanda]

I totally feel for you! We're getting ready to put our house on the market so we've been dealing with this a bit.
This has been my approach: 15 minutes at a time of throwing things in the garbage. Alot of things. I keep an "active" big trash bag around at all times. Anything that isn't used regularly, goes out. We've also started packing non-essentials already. In our case we rented a storage space to keep boxes so our house doesn't look so cluttered. It can be hard to decide what to keep but I would tend towards being a minimalist!
Good luck!

Amanda

[Alyson]

I feel for you too! Although, I know that it must be much harder for you, having 3 kids!!! We are moving on April 1st... and we have to move out (luckily we only live in a 2 bdrm apt) all that day!! So, I've been making myself pack at least 2 boxes a day! I've done alot more than that some days. So far I've gotten alot of the dishes, holiday decor, and some random things packed, things that we don't use on a regular basis. As well as stuff off of the shelves in all of our rooms, dvds, cds, some old vhs movies and all of our books. I've still got a ton more to do though. Luckily some friends of ours just moved so as they're unpacking they're bringing over boxes and wrapping stuff!
Good luck!!:)

[Melissa]

I suggest organizing as you pack. Have a moving box ready, a trashbag (one of those huge ones), a box for donations, a box for tag sale, and a box of stuff that really belongs somewhere else. Start on one side of the room and work your way around the room tossing things in each box as you go.

We did this before our move to Virginia and ended up throwing out 13 bags of true garbage, earning $200 in a tag sale and then donating around $300 to goodwill.

[Karri]

I agree w/ Melissa. That's the way they do it on Clean Sweep. And you just need to ask yourself: "do i need this?" and answer yourself truthfully.

For the toys, I would keep the ones that they've played with in the last 2 months or so. And that's all.

[Bretta]

Good ideas, keep em coming. Thank You!!!

I will keep you posted on the moving process. I honestly look forward to decluttering, that is the BEST part of moving :nod:

[Alyson]

Ahh.. I forgot about that show. Thanks for bringing that up Karri. I'll have to keep that in mind. Another thing I've been doing is I bought a bunch of clear rubbermaid boxes for things like holiday decorations, books we need to store, etc so that I can have them stored but still see whats in there!

[Melissa]

I agree w/ Melissa. That's the way they do it on Clean Sweep. And you just need to ask yourself: "do i need this?" and answer yourself truthfully.
:nod: This is why DH wanted to shut off our cable, too many ideas from Clean Sweep and Mission Organization. :lol:

[Kristen]

Clean Sweep made its debut while I was pregnant and nesting. My husband DREADED that show! heheh

[Bretta]

I need to get back into that show :lol:

[Jayne]

DO you know where you will be moving yet. Maybe that would help you decide what larger pieces to keep and how much you need to get rid of as to how much space you have.

I am decluttering like clean sweep has taught this weekend :lol:

[Bretta]

No clue where I am moving too. Awful I know, but things are so seriously screwed up for me it is insane.

[Hannabanana]

:hug99: Bretta.

[MamaGoofy]

:hug99: Bretta. I am so sorry. Call me if there is anything I can do to help out.

[Bretta]

:hug99: Bretta. I am so sorry. Call me if there is anything I can do to help out.

Can we move in with you? :woot: :hide:

Or wanna come help me find a place to live, pack my house, sell a bunch of stuff, then when I find a place to live help me unpack?

:violin: Like my little pitty party. Today has really sucked. :badmood:


:panic: This will be me soon, trying to find a place to live.

I guess I am going to have to open a journal or something to put all my crazy thoughts down in......

[MamaGoofy]

Can we move in with you? :woot: :hide:

Or wanna come help me find a place to live, pack my house, sell a bunch of stuff, then when I find a place to live help me unpack?

:violin: Like my little pitty party. Today has really sucked. :badmood:


:panic: This will be me soon, trying to find a place to live.

I guess I am going to have to open a journal or something to put all my crazy thoughts down in......

Trust me if we had the room I would say yes in a heart beat!!! I can schedule some time off to come up and help you find somewhere to live and help you move...let me know. I am so sorry that you had a rough day. Hopefully today will be better.

[Bretta]

I was able to finish up Ashley's room today except for her clothes and bedding :woo:

I did get M&S's room and toy room cleaned, but not really anything packed. But there really isn't muc to pack since all of their toys are already in plastic containers and it is just clothes in their room/closet.

I had 5 bags of garbage :faint: 3 HUGE bags of toys to sell, plus a bag of just shoes they have outgrown. :lol: I packed 3 boxes of just books and box of their *baby stuff*. Oh and a bag of baby things that I will give to the girl at work who is expecting a baby girl any day now. (I also got the bassenett and bedding from the attic to pass on to her as well)

[Jeni]

Good luck, I know how much it sucks to pack. I will say though that I left D so much when I left, and I really regret it. Are you leaving anything for A? or are you taking everything of the girls? I wish I could come help you. You can come here, Mike will be gone for the next month :lol:

[Bretta]

Everything that is left in the house is MINE. He gets NOTHING!!!! Well I say nothing, but he got the office furniture and the 65" television and his personal stuff, but everything else is mine. Because I have custody of the girls, i get everything that belongs to them ~ he asked for half and I refused. Well he gets the Barbie Jeep (that they have outgrown) and the trampoline, but I didn't care to have them anyway.

Now that I have a date (much closer than I would like, but I can't help that) I am working harder to get the house packed. I have 2 weeks to get most everything done ~ based on when I want to have a garage sale. Then I have about 2 weeks after that.

Thanks for the offer, I appreciate it. I think we would freeze though, we are already pulling out the spring clothes. ;)

[Jayne]

Have you done any house hunting yet? I think the hardest about packing would be not knowing where to next. :hug99: I am glad your getting so much done and that you were able to keep pretty much everything. At least you don't have to worry about furnishing a new place!

[Bretta]

Yeah I have been searching a LOT. The biggest problem is A has destroyed my credit score since he took over paying the bills :( That was in July and I just found out a week or so ago that he hasn't made one on time payment on the mortgage since then AND has had 2 checks returned :furious: It makes it really difficult for me to get a place to live on my own. That and I don't make enough money to qualify without child support and I am NOT getting that either. Needless to say I am pretty much screwed, right now.

[Melissa]

:hug99: I'm so sorry about the credit and everything Bretta! What an :asshat:

:woo: on getting all of that decluttered!!!! Great job!

[Jayne]

I am so sorry Bretta :hug99:

[Bretta]

Well, I have gotten part of my closet packed now. :woo:

I am going to get some plastic containers for the kids clothes and sort through them tomorrow. I think it is safe to pack away the winter clothes now. I will keep out long pants and a few long sleeve shirts, but the sweaters and warmer clothes we are done with. Then all of those containers will go to my Mom's for storage.

I have been offered to live with a dear friend ~ she has 3 extra bedrooms, lives in the same school district so I *should* be able to keep Ashley in the same school for the last 7 weeks of school, she is about 1 mile away from where I am working now, but about 15-20 min away from the kids schools. (no biggies though) She has a fenced in back yard ~ though I am still looking for a foster parent for Maizy, but it will be good for the girls. Oh and she won't let me pay her for rent, so I can pay for a new attorney. I will help pay for monthly bills though since they will go up with 4 additional ppl living there.

She will also be coming over next week to help me finish up the packing, mostly the kitchen and closets and storage if we have time.

[Jeni]

That's GREAT to have a good friend in times like this :bighug: I'm thinking of you

[Hannabanana]

What an amazing friend!!! Thinking of you too :bighug:

[Melissa]

I'm glad you have such an awesome friend!!! :hug99:

[minniemom]

HI,
I am new to this board and thought I was reading my own post.

I am closing on my house in april and have to pack it all up myself. We have three kids also and packing is sooo hard with the kids. Knowing what they will want to play with in the next 5 weeks, what they will need to wear, what will I need to use, ect...

I have been doing most of my packing at night :yawn: when they are asleep. I really can't get rid of too much because I am not sure if I am done having kids or not - my oldest is 5 and my youngest is 9 mos.

My husband had to relocate before us for his job, leaving me with the brunt, so I can totally relate.

Good luck to you!

[Bretta]

Good luck to you as well.

Well, the BIG garage/yard sale is 2 days away and I am *almost* done :woo: I have gotten through ALL of the kids clothes and managed to weed out the yard sale worthy ones in sizes from 6-9 months to 7. :faint:

My kitchen is nearly packed as well, only have the pots and pans left to pack up.

My bedroom is clear of the bedding A and I bought together so I can sell that.

The storage is cleared out as far as everything that can be sold, just xmas decorations are left.

My dining room is all packed as well.

I have had my friends Mom here 2 days this week and she has been a HUGE help in packing up the kitchen and helping in other places. Hopefully the rest will go quickly. :crossfing

[MamaGoofy]

Bretta I am so glad that things are coming together for you. Thinking of you and the girls. :hug99:

[~Jenn]

Can we move in with you? :woot:

:secret: Come here! Come here!

My one tip, once you're in your new place - only unpack what you truly, truly need. I did kitchen and bedrooms, and the rest just kind of came together. I was commenting the other day that there are *still* (full, packed) boxes that haven't even been opened...obviously, we haven't missed that stuff, and I'm not even going to bother with it.

Sometimes a short timeframe is a blessing...you just have to do it. I know that the circumstances aren't good, but you'll be so glad to get rid of so much *stuff* that you really just don't need/use/care to look at anymore.

[Bretta]

Sometimes a short timeframe is a blessing...you just have to do it. I know that the circumstances aren't good, but you'll be so glad to get rid of so much *stuff* that you really just don't need/use/care to look at anymore.

You should see the amount of stuff I have in the garage right now to sell :faint: I can't beleive I truly have that much crap in this house. I just hope the sale is good this weekend considering the weather isn't suppose to be that great.

I actually found the ugliest baby diaper bag and I remember liking it :lol: It was pure plastic with teddy bears. :lol2:

Jenn, I too have found boxes from when we moved from Atlanta to B'ham that I had NO clue what was in it and honestly didn't think I missed, but I am glad I opened the box beause my baby book and some $$$ was in it :eek:

[Bretta]

O.k. so I made about $250 today from the garage sale. The turn out wasn't great, but it was freezing cold today. (really about 35 whenI started placing stuff outside and a high of 60)

We may be planning for another sale next weekend as well. :dunno:

[Melissa]

Bretta that's great!!! Around here it is supposed to be a much nicer weekend next weekend, hopefully the weather will help you too!

You can also look into a local flea market if you have enough left over. My MIL did that and made a good amount.

[Karin]

Bretta,
Glad to hear you made out well with your sale and that things are progressing for you. We're moving in May and I feel the same stress that you did/do! :hug99: What a huge relief it will be for you when all the moving is over!

[Isaiah's Momma]

:wavey: Glad to see your back Bretta. I hope moving goes well for you. We just moved all the way across the country from Arizona to North Carolina and I can tell you we got rid of a TON of stuff both before and after we moved. I agree, you need to start an new journal :)