more moving questions About This Page:

[Starbright]

I have few more questions for all you that have moved.

1) Does it always seem like there is so much to do??? i feel overwhelmed at times even with my lists. I am just amazed how long one cupboard can take to unload. Is this normal??? i want to feel over joyed right now, but but I find the stuff to pack is taking over the anticipation of it.

2) I get lonely doing it. I know it sounds crazy but I feel lonely. I don't like doing it alone and yet having the kids around causes problems too.

3) Did anyone find that people weren't over joyed when you moved? We are having such problems with dh mother. She doesn't want us to move and is having problems with it. I feel as though she was lying to us all this time when we told her that we wanted to move and she appeared to support us.

4) My body hurts. I work out and yet my body hurts in places I didn't think it should. I try to keep working out but I find it is too much of a strain on those muscles that are already sore.

Can someone tell me "congratulations". We haven't had that from many people and I am licking my wounds. I am scared but excited. So many emotions. I am so thankful for this opportunity to move. I am thrilled, but still somewhat stressed.

Thanks everyone!!!!

[GingerJ]

Congratulations! You'll have fun putting together your new house, whenever that will be, and discovering the new restaurants, parks, and attractions nearby.

It is a lot of work, and harder than it looks. Try to stay organized and be methodical--that may help some.

For the loneliness...that is a Catch 22, the kids can't help but you want someone around. Can you turn on some dance music nice and loud and boogie a little while you work? Can someone else come over and help, or talk with you over a speaker?

Try to think of your MIL's attitude as anticipating missing you and the family...that's natural and loving, even when she's excited about whatever opportunities await you.

For the muscle aches: look for the Thermacare patches (and CVS has its own brand, cheaper and okay). They're like cordless heating pads that sit right on the sore muscles and go around with you all day, either 8 or 12 hours, depending on the kind you get.

Good luck! And maybe try visualizing each piece in your new house as you go!

Ginger

PS: Have some boxes or bags standing by to put in things you don't need to keep and that you can send to a thrift store! If they're close, you're more likely to use them. What a pain it is (I know!) to unpack things you should've given away and now have no room for. Again, good luck.

[Starbright]

Oh, Ginger thankyou so much!!!!! In some ways, this decluttering is great. But it also stirs a lot of emotions too. I never knew that I had so many photos. Oh, my gosh, I keep finding them everywhere. It doesn't seem like you are packing much because the stuff is out of the cupboards and the house becomes more chaotic too which makes me frustrated that I can't keep my house clean when I do this. I keep wondering when I am going to see a clean house again. I actually forgot to make lunch one day until it was 11:30 a.m
On top of all of this, I have company coming over Sat for ds birthday and I have to hide the packing from the little girls (the mom knows) because we don't want them saying anything at school. So, I have to clean my house up again for this day.
I have 11 more days til we move.
Thanks for listening. I haven't told many people, so I am just holding all this in. Thankyou for listening and telling me that this is normal
Oh, and we don't know where we are moving to for sure. We have ideas but no set area. I am such a control freak that this is unraveling to me as well. But exciting too. What a great adventure we are going on.
Many many many thanks for listening to me

[Pris]

Have you thought about doing DS's birthday gathering away from the house? It would cost a bit more, but would relieve a lot of stress on having the house clean for that day. There's no way your house will be totally clean while you are packing. Take a deep breath and let that go for now. Good luck with everything.

[GingerJ]

Starbright,
I'm glad I'm able to help some.

Another couple of pieces of advice, which may or may not help:
-11 days isn't a huge amount of time, especially if you have to hide all your work in a few days--can you just go to Chuck E. Cheese's or somewhere? That's too much work!!!
-Also, you absolutely do not have time to sort through your things, so don't even try! You can make a box for those photos that show up, remember to mark it so it doesn't go into storage, and then you can sort them to your heart's content in your temporary home. Same for papers (just don't put them in storage!). That way you'll be able to make some progress on those days when you can't do house-hunting or job-hunting, and will give you a nice feeling of accomplishment....as long as you remember to bring folders or something to put them in once sorted.

Again, good luck and congrats.

Ginger

[Teresa]

I second or third the suggestion you have the party elsewhere! Maybe just a local park? That way, the kids have lots to play with, you don't have near as much prep, and you don't have to hide anything.
Your mother-in-law: I'm going to be blunt. If my son, DiL, and grandkids were packing up their lives with no idea of where they were going, and were hiding it from everyone else, I'd be a little unsupportive too. Alright, I'd be a LOT unsupportive. Right now, Grandma is close by and can visit/see the kids and her DS whenever it takes her fancy to. Doesn't matter if it's only once a year, it's convenient and it's at her discretion. In just 11 short days, she's not going to have that. She doesn't know where you'll be, or when she'll next see her son and grandkids. I'd be ticky too.
You're under a lot of stress right now, and I know you're doing what you and your DH feel is best for your family, but try to see it her way: your babies never truly cease being your babies.
Assure her you're doing what you can to make things easier for the kids, and you will ALWAYS take their needs (including the need to have a grandma active in their lives) into consideration.

And yes, there is always more in that cabinet than you EVER put into it!!

[chezp]

I can only really help with the first question and it takes far longer than you ever expect it to. It doesn't matter when you start it, you'll suddenly find yourself pressed for time as the day nears. And I hear you about how long it takes to empty a cupboard. That's why we'll be celebrating 10 years here at the end of August.

[Starbright]

Thanks everyone I am speed packing today. Kitchen is almost done except for the stuff I am leaving here or might need throughout the wk.
Grandma doesn't come over much for the kids. She compares them to other grandchildren etc etc. She isn't interested in them til now. We told them a wk after we found out. LOTS of family stuff going on. This just happened to be a fast move even though they knew that we have been trying to sell for 8 loooong yrs. So complicated. I can't wait til it is over. Dh is looking forward to it too. It may have only been 2 wks but it feels like it has been months.
I am going to try those bags that you suck the air out of for clothing.
No Chuck and Cheese. I am out in the country. Just bbqing. I hope to get enough done today that I can put away lots. I want to be a head of things if that is possible.
Thanks everyone!!!! 9-10 days left.