I used to think that moving was what you were forced to do in hell, if you were unlucky enough to go there. You basically spend all of eternity packing your things into boxes, moving those boxes by yourself to a new location, and then unpacking those things - again and again, without a hiatus in between.
We've moved numerous times in the last decade. Each time, it was a total debacle. We blew deadlines, and often had to frantically donate a beloved piece of furniture or pull an all-nighter or two to get ourselves out in time. Admittedly, these moves were usually mid-semester, during exams, or even done in our absence with a trusted family member subbing in for us at the last minute. During one, the old mildewed mop that I had been meaning to throw out for months even got packed up!
This time, with much notice and planning, we've begun parting with our clutter well before it is time to pack our things. I've also created a mental schedule to follow to get each room decluttered and organized prior to packing time so that the house shows better and we don't have to try to do all of this as we're packing up or unpacking boxes into the new house. Hopefully, we'll have a few less boxes to pack and unpack, and a few more hours of sleep each night during the move thanks to this advance preparation.
