I feel like packing it in. But soon I need to pack it out :)

We have moved out of the old house, but are not in the new house yet. So far, this has not been our smoothest move. We've always had reasonably good experiences before, so I really am sorry that one of my first posts is so whiny! The packing guys we had were lovely, but the uplift guys were terrible. They didn't like each other, so there was lots of very unprofessional swearing at each other and snide remarks. The supervisor has also previously had a run in with our Toll Transitions agent, so they had 'words'. And then the Toll representative took it out on my poor husband with some screeching that the neighbours heard! I had taken our girls out to lunch with friends, and am wondering if I'd been there with them (like I always have been before), they might have all felt they should be on better behaviour in front of children. 

I'm hoping we get a more professional team for our downlift next week, and that everything turns up in good condition. Once again, they underestimated the container size/amount (I'm beginning to suspect they do that on purpose when seeking tenders), so our things are in two containers and two separate off load trucks :( We do not have a separate inventory for the off load items as we have always had before, which my husband questioned to the point of speaking to the removal company manager. He assured us it was not necessary - I hope he's right! 

Anyway, nothing can be done about all that now, so we'll just wait until next Thursday and cross our fingers! My intention for this post was not to whinge, but to share my packing system :)

I'm trialling a new packing system this move. We are lucky in that we do have contracted packers and removalists, but because they are just getting everything into boxes as fast as possible, they don't exactly pack things very logically, and box labelling leaves a lot to be desired. So at the other end, I usually have to pretty much unpack every box as soon as we move in so that I can find everything. Also, as much as you ask them to put the boxes in front of the windows so you can still move the furniture around, chances are you won't be able to get to your bookcases or drawers to put things away without having to move a heap of boxes to another room first. Argh!

This move, I organised a lot more before the packers came. It might have meant more work then, but hopefully less at the new house. Considering we don't move in until 3 days before the kids start school and hubby his new job, I think the easier I make things for the first few days, the better.

I bought some red and white tape (that was the only cheap tape I could find that didn't have writing on it), and the idea was that as they packed the boxes, I put the tape on the ones I want brought into the house and unpacked at the other end - the bedding/towels we will be using straight away, electricals, kitchen stuff, and other breakables. The rest of the boxes will be simply stored in the garage until I can bring them in one by one and unpack them where they will go. I'm hoping this will be a more effective system than relying on the removalists to read a label on the box - I find as the day goes on and they get tired, they completely ignore which room a box says it is destined for. 

We asked our removal company to supply us with extra boxes to pack ourselves, and they were happy to oblige (they aren't always, so we were lucky). I packed a lot of our unbreakable things into very clearly labelled boxes. For some reason, one of the removal blokes this time had a problem with so many PBO (Packed by Owner) boxes, and said they wouldn't be added to the inventory list! Not quite sure where he got that crazy idea from! I understand that the removal company is not responsible for the contents of any PBO box  - unless of course there is obvious crush or water damage to the box from the outside. But they are responsible for making sure it turns up! 

I also purchased a lot of plastic Shoe Boxes from Target - they come in packs of six, on sale for $16.25. I mean a LOT, I think I have about 40! I have found they are the perfect size for storing almost everything, and they fit perfectly into our cupboards and stack well. I used them for toys, as well as lots of things from our linen and laundry cupboard, and birthday party supplies etc. I intend on leaving things in these  boxes in the new house, and labelling them. Hopefully this will also make it a lot easier to unpack :) 

I then made the pleasant discovery that the Skubb Drawer Organisers from IKEA like these:

Fit fairly neatly into standard packing cartons :) So another reason to have my clothes (and in this case cloth nappy) drawers organised is that they can stay organised when we move! 

As you will have noticed by now, this will not be one of those blogs where every picture is perfectly photographed. Some will be just dodgy phone ones like this - I'm not dragging my tripod out for a photo of nappies in a box lol!

One final tip/note: remember to organise your uplift for the day after your bins get emptied! We usually do this, but because our move date had to change this time, we weren't able to and it turned out to be really annoying (especially as tip fees where we live are $25!). 

Will be able to let you know how well this system works next Thursday :) 

New Year, New Blog, New House, New ME :)

I am sitting in a sea of half-packed boxes, getting ready for another interstate move in 9 days. Over on the Decorating Forum (my new home away from home lol), we were asked to share our New Year's Resolutions. My first one is to start this blog! I've been writing little post snippets for a few months actually, using it as a space to collect ideas about decorating our next rental home. Now that we are almost in that home, it's probably about time that I start actually publishing my posts so I can get some feedback and advice on my decorating dilemmas, and show off my successes and failures/lessons learned :)

Before I get to that though, I decided instead of the same resolutions I make every year - like getting more organised, losing weight, and finishing things I start - I'd try to be more consciously influenced by a few quotes I have collected recently (you can link to the sources via my Pinterest board). Of course there are many inspirational quotes around, but these in particular really speak to me, and remind me of how I want to be living my life in 2013 and beyond. 

Those two pretty much speak for themselves, and for the way I want to be. The next 3 relate to how I am often nervous around new people, afraid they are judging me, wondering if they like me, and sometimes feeling 'used'. I am resolved to stop thinking that way. 

I also need to find more motivation. To stop just dreaming of doing things, and actually DO them. To finish what I start (this blog, for example!).

Finally, in relation to my parenting, there are so many things I want to work on and be better at. SO many poems and passages out there about how better to be with, enjoy, and teach our children. I have chosen these two to focus on. 

I think that is enough inspiration for me for the first day of the year :) Plenty more days to come!