How To Pack Things Neatly

So you have decided to move out of your place and look for another one. You can’t wait to pack because you can’t wait to move. If only some else would do it for you, life would be easier. You are as busy as bee, working 8 hours a day, traveling 4 hours a day. With that schedule, how can you start packing. Weekends are your only time to do your laundry and rest for a while. So now you are planning to take a leave from work but can you afford it?

Actually, you don’t have to take a leave, all you need to do is pack slowly. Basically there are three stages in pacing your things. The first being done weeks before your move out day. The second where you have to pack days or one week before the big day. The last stage which is hours before a truck pick your things.

Stage 1. As mentioned above, you have to do this weeks in advance. Pack things that have been sitting on your shelf and gathering dust. This are the things that you haven’t used for more than a month already. While you’re at it, look for things that feels good to give to somebody else or would look better in the trashcan. Things like books, old clothes, some of your bedsheets and blankets belongs to this stage. Other things like wall decorations, pictures frames, diplomas, your special wares also belongs here. If you are like me who already have kids, their toys (that they no longer use but still of good quality) should also be pack weeks ahead.

Stage 2. Things like your clothes (other than those that you will wear for a week) should be packed a week before you move out. Things that you use but you can last a week without them are included here. What are those things? Shoes, bags, accessories are the likes. Electronics that you can live without for a week is another thing.At this point you should have readied some boxes for stage 3 packing.

Stage 3. Hours or night before leaving is your last chance to do packing. These are things that you use everyday like the clothes you left from stage 2. Your laptop, your aircon or your fan. Your stoves and your wares. All the things that are left should now land on the box you already prepared from stage 2.

You have to keep in mind, before starting packing your things, that you have to LABEL each and every box you fill. For example, you have to put where in the house that box belongs and what are the contents. If you put wares on box, its label should be, KITCHEN, wares. Things for the bedroom should be named as such. Boxes where you put your clothes should also be labeled. It would be more helpful for you if your clothes are sorted out. Brassieres in one box or in a plastic, shirts are folded with each other, jeans are together and so on. Glass wares should be wrapped in newspaper to prevent damage.

Stage 1 can be done if you would spend about 30 minutes a day. Maybe you can try to sort your clothes first then the next day your bedsheets and the likes. The next week focus on your displays and your books and documents.Next, next, how about your kitchen. I tell you, you will love.

Moving Out

It’s time to pack! Not that good to hear eh? OK, you don’t like doing it? Actually when you learned how to do it right, you would love it. Packing should not be stressful. It’s a new beginning, a new start. Why would you pack? because you are leaving, you are moving out. Moving is not our favorite word right? Like moving on, moving out, we dreaded hearing those words, specially when you have to move out to a place you have been living for a long time.

When we moved out last 2003, it was a bit hard for the hubby. We are leaving a place where he was born, where he played, where he dreamed, where he thought he would never have to leave. My task is to make it easier for him. For some of us, a way to remind us of our old house is to take with us all the things that will serve as a reminder. It should not be the case, when packing, we must throw away all the things that is not worth keeping. In our case then, I have no choice since my MIL will be living with us. We take with us all the clutters that the truck can hold. It was a nightmare to me. OCDs hate clutters…

Moving on, I will post later some tips on how to make packing easier for you and your family and how to maximize it so when you unpack, you won’t curse*wink

Owning A House

Everybody home maker wants her own house. A place that she can call her own. I long for that day. We have been renting out for 6 years now. When you are renting a house , there is so much limitations. Aside from that, the design, the lay out of the house is not your idea. As I have said before, a little in me suffers OCD or obsessive compulsive disorder and when I think about owning my own house, my mind starts drafting a lay out that will serve my OCD. And though we still cannot buy our own this soon, I already got some idea on what I want or what I should consider when we start browsing for one.

Should you buy one or build one? That’s the most important question you have to answer. Financially it would be cheaper to build your own house. The best part about it is you can choose your design and customize it to your need. The thing about building your own house is the stress that builds with it. You have to find a good constructor, engineer, architect and workers. Some construction companies offers it all and all you need to do is pay and wait for your house. Another is you have to shed a bigger amount of money or in some cases you have to pay in cash. And lastly, you also provide and pay for the lot.

When you buy a house that is already built, you take away all the stress but the price tag is higher. The advantage of this set up is you can pay it lightly. Most home builders offers a paying program. Some offers up to 25 years term and some as fats as 5 years. It now depends on your capacity to pay.In this set up, you only have to pay a down payment and you can move in when you are ready. The thing about buying a house that is already built, you are not sure about the quality of the house. The designs and the lay out of the house is not customized to your wants and needs. And of course, in cases like this, other houses on that place looks exactly the same as yous.

If you have to ask me, I really prefer buying a lot and building my own house there, that is if you have a lot of money. If you don’t have that much, it is easier to acquire homes from home builders company and for us who don’t have, we can only dream.

First Time To Rent

When we moved out of my in laws house (no because they let us but because the real owner of the land booted us out), we have no choice but to rent a place. We looked for the most comfortable house for rent with the most affordable rent. The first thing we considered (aside form rent) is the location. At first we thought it would be practical to rent a place near my in laws, to serve my MIL’s desire. She would be living with us and it would be better for her if she would be near her other sons. Then again, hubby’s office is located in one of the business center here and it was 2 hours away from my MIL’s place (heavy traffic was a killer), so it would not be practical at all.

We have to look for another place that is nearer to hubby’s work. Another thing we considered was the fact that when emergency arises, it wold be hard for him to go home. Our first son was 6 months then and 4 hours travel a day would steal so much on their bonding moments. Yes, if you are looking for another place to live, one of the first thing you have to consider is its location. There are a lot of factor that can be included with the location. You have to decide why do you want in a place. Does it have to be near your work? Does it have to be near your family?

Obviously we want it to be near his work and so we set our eyes on one location and from there our hunting starts. Our first apartment was not that successful. Who would have thought then that aside from the location, there are other factors that we should consider. Accessibility and transportation for example. Schools and hospitals are another. But of course if not for those experiences, I wouldn’t have learned those things.

At Home Here And Everywhere

When my family moved to my grandmother’s house, we slept in the same room. Me, my parents and my four siblings. It was too much for me. I can’t breathe specially when they start disorganizing their things. I never know a thing about home making then but I knew I can’t live in room full of clutter. So I asked my grandmother if I can have the spare room, the one my aunts used when they visit the province. I think my grandmother already knew that I am good on decluttering so she allowed me to use it. And so, as early as a teen ager, I already got my kingdom, a small space that is mine, the first space that experienced my OCness and where I practiced my homemaking career.

I love doing the laundry. I love folding the clothes. And though I hate washing the dishes (thank goodness for dishwashers) I so love cooking. I love being at home and cleaning up. In fact I declutter my house every 3 months. I may not be your house making guru but I can give you some guides on how you can make you home making life easy.