MOVING RIFF
by Kris Paige, A.C.T.

Uh, oh. The dreaded words have been uttered.**We're moving to....** can rank right up there with **Susie Jones, report to the principal's office Immediately!** However, it doesn't have to.

As a veteran of 22 moves--and counting, here are some tips to help you survive. A word of caution, even though I've moved with the same driver and his trailer twice, and have (miraculously) shed some of the **stuff** generated by living in the current society, it never fits in the truck the same way twice. Also, the first and best thing to do is make sure that whatever moving company you choose has a great--not just a good-record with other customers.

If someone helping you pack makes you nervous, talk to the driver or supervisor. If the concern is serious, call the coordinator at the company. Do NOT be intimidated by movers named Bubba, or those who casually pick up your side-by-side refrigerator and walk out with it. Do NOT allow foul talk around you. Do NOT allow mistreatment of animals, your collection of bronzed dust bunnies, or small children. This last rule goes double for the crew packing and moving you.

That said, read on!

My **ideal** packing progression goes this way: (in reality, nobody can move the way the brochures say. Chaos is inherent to the situation. Accept that and relax.)

Drive to nearest large moving company, snaffle all the free **gently used** boxes I can haul. Stop at Sam's Club and buy 3 bulk packages of packing tape, and at least one tape gun. With a bright red marker, put my name on every box I bring home. With a black marker, blot out the name and contents of whoever had it last.

Double tape 5 box bottoms. Don't forget to do the side seams too. Put 1 box in the bathroom, 2 in the guest room, 2 in the bedroom.

Pack all linens, except 2 sets to use until moving day. Don't leave the extra towels out for **just in case**. That invites visitors like a picnic to ants. Same with extra sheets, blankets, etc. Label all boxes with things like **Twin bed linens, double bed linens, towels,** Do not be tempted to use these items as packing material. You'll never find them again. That took care of 2 or 3 boxes - one from the bath, and at least one from the guest room.

Now, take a book box, or maybe the next size up, and put a complete set of linens for the guest room bed, plus 2 sets of towels, in it. Don't forget the mattress pad! Tape the sucker shut. Label it **SURVIVAL BOX FOR GUEST ROOM.**

Take out one dresser drawer. Sit on floor, box beside you. Two piles: Stuff to keep goes into the box. Anything else goes into the **GOODWILL** pile. No **well, maybe** piles allowed! Continue this at a pace that will make progress, but not make you crazy. If you can't sort stuff out before you move, believe me, it's really easy to sort it when you unpack on the other end.

Got most of it stuffed into boxes? Great! Now: tape up one bedroom box, one kitchen box, one or two miscellaneous boxes, a critter box if you have critters, and a box for each human. Into these go the CLEAN bed linens for each bed, 3 days underwear and basic clothing **jeans, socks, T-shirts --no sequins, please!** The toaster, one fry pan, one medium pot, 2 sets of plates and cups, plus a box of paper napkins, 2 rolls of paper towels, and a bottle of white vinegar. Got the idea? Great! March these boxes out to YOUR CAR and lock them in the trunk. Don't whine. There's sanity behind the madness. When you get to the new place, and the truck doesn't come until 4 in the after- noon, have them set up the beds FIRST. Make the beds. Put towels from that survival box into the bathrooms. Ban movers from that bathroom.

When the movers quit on you at 5:30, you can still eat, wipe off countertops or nearly anything else **paper towels and white vinegar.** The white vinegar is cheap, and a great disinfectant/cleaner/window scum remover. It also, if left out in a little dish overnight, will absorb all the odor of that superduper chiliburger with double sauerkraut somebody left on the counter all day. Then, you can take a shower, and climb into FRESH SHEETS and sleep until the movers come back at 6 AM the next day. If you're a saint, you've packed the coffee pot, a 5 pound can of Sam's Club coffee, the dry creamer, sugar, and either plastic mugs from Mccy D's or foam ones and a couple trash bags.

Kris Paige, A.C.T, is a coach for adults with ADD. Graduate of OFI, and the School of Life, and on staff at OFI, she also raises llamas, spins, knits, weaves, rescues critters, and has been known to move her entire household 1500 miles in 10 days.
Kris can be found at http://www.ADDragonFlyCoaching.com or email her at kris@addragonflycoaching.com.