Moving can almost be fun

You don't agree? Perhaps I can change your mind. After reading some tips from my own experience, as well as some I've gleaned from several pastors' wives, * maybe you too will come to believe that changing parsonages isn't so bad after all. It may not really be fun to pack up all your belongings and transport them and your family to a new location, but if you approach it with the right attitude and practice some tricks of the veteran mover it can be a challenge that is a/most enjoyable.

Actually, moving can be a real blessing if you have been living in one house for several years. I am the type of individual who believes in the theory "When in doubt, throw it out," so my family has not accumulated a lot of excess articles through the years. Having moved twenty-four times in thirty-two years, I have found that the fewer earthly possessions needing to go on the truck, the better.

Let's start with the basics of moving. As soon as you know your new address, pick up some change-of-address cards, at the post office, to send to the publishers of magazines and papers you are now receiving. Most publishers request that you notify them six weeks in advance.

Next, begin saving good sturdy boxes of various sizes. Or moving companies will sell you boxes that can be broken down and folded flat after each move. Fiber barrels are also good for packing; these usually can be obtained from factories, bakeries, or custodial suppliers. These sturdy barrels are especially good for packing dishes, pots and pans, lampshades, and other large or easily broken items. (They will also make fine lampstands in your new home when covered with fringed tablecloths.) Those who are moving overseas will want to pack in round metal drums that can be welded shut, thus protecting your valuables while in transit.

As you pack each box or barrel, label each as to which room in your new home it should go, including attic and basement. You may also wish to number each, and make a list of the contents—either on cards or in a notebook. It is especially important that you list the contents of each barrel when packing for an overseas move so that if anything is lost or stolen, you know exactly what is missing when filling out insurance claim forms. And no matter how far you move, an accurate list of the contents of each box or barrel will prove invaluable as you unpack.

Small boxes are best for books, since they are heavy when filled. Rather than list each book on your contents sheet, pack your books by category, and list only the subject area—history, preaching, children's stories, recipes, et cetera.

One couple decided that moving books would be much easier if they had a bookcase that was actually a set of wooden boxes with removable lids. They had a church member build such a bookcase, with each box, or shelf, increasingly larger than the one above it to provide a firm base and eliminate the possibility of the whole unit toppling over. They put handles in the ends to make carrying easier, and stack the boxes in order on the truck. When they reach their destination, they put the boxes back up, and the books are automatically in the same order as before, readily available when needed. Shelves such as these can be used as a room divider or may be placed against one wall.

There is no need for your house to look all torn up before moving day arrives. If you have chosen your boxes well they can be stacked out of sight, with their content labels on the ends. If you are in need of an item that you packed prematurely, it won't be hard to find.

I have found that using linens to pack dishes saves many hours of dishwashing. Newspaper may be a cheap packing agent, but the black print rubs off on the dishes. Tupperware can be used for packing kitchen utensils or packed inside itself to save space. Save time at the other end by slipping your silverware and utility trays into plastic bags and fastening them securely.

In fact, plastic bags can be used to pack many things, including houseplants— especially during a winter move. One family moving themselves towed their car behind the truck. In the car they placed their plants, nestled in shallow boxes with paper towels and newspapers as padding. They watered the plants, towels, and newspapers sufficiently before they left. The warmth of the car resulted in a greenhouse effect, with enough humidity to keep their plants perky until they arrived at their new home.

Plants often prove to be a problem when it comes time to move. One family had no room to take them at the time of their move, but left them with friends who planned to visit them later and who offered to bring the plants with them. Another family sold their plants and used the money to buy new ones. Small plants can some times be moved to your new home, but large ones should probably be sold or given away, as they break easily. The church you're leaving can usually use extra plants, and your friends would appreciate being remembered with something that you have cared for lovingly.

Drapes that do not need cleaning before packing can be left hanging until the last thing. Folding drapes with the pleats at the top as a guide will result in soft folds when you rehang them. After you have folded each drape, cut bands of paper from grocery bags and fasten them snugly at each end of the drape with tape. The drape can then be folded in half and packed in a suitable box. Using string to secure drapes tends to cause wrinkles. If you are selling your home, the drapes usually stay with the house. If you are moving from rented quarters, save your drapes, don't sell them at a garage sale. If you buy drapes and curtains in basic colors you may be able to use them again in another home.

When making arrangements for a moving van or a do-it-yourself truck or trailer, order plenty of packing blankets to protect your furniture. It is also wise to save the packing boxes or covers from end tables, mattresses, and other pieces of furniture. These can be used on moving day to protect these items.

Save yourself as much time and bother at the other end as possible. Small items such as pictures can be packed in dresser drawers with clothing. Linens and hanging clothes can also be folded and packed in dresser drawers. Take the drawers out of the dressers until the furniture is on the truck, and then put the drawers back in. This will save many hours of unpacking time at your new home.

Do not save cleaning the oven, washing windows and light fixtures, cleaning closets, and removing fingerprints and smudges until the last day. Do them ahead of time. The oven, if not self-cleaning, can be sprayed with Fuller Brush silicone spray. Spills and spots can then be wiped up in a hurry.

If possible, clean, paper, and paint your new home ahead of time. Then when the van is unloaded, unpacking can be done quickly and smoothly. Incidentally, if you are moving yourself, let me give you a hint about loading the truck. Boxes should go on first if at all possible, followed by furniture. Then when you get to your new home, the furniture will be unloaded first. If the truck is packed in such a way that the boxes must be unloaded first, have them put in the garage or some other unused part of the house until the furniture has been put in place.

Having blankets, bedspreads, throw rugs, curtains, and drapes clean before you move will aid in settling quickly. And when you arrive in your new home, making up beds and placing lamps will give a feeling of being settled in.

Another timesaving tip involves food. Before moving day arrives, make double batches of your favorite recipes, putting the extra in your freezer. When you are exhausted and the job seems insurmountable, a favorite casserole baking in the oven will lift your spirits tremendously. A slow cooker can also prove useful during moving days. A lentil-vegetable stew is easy to make, and served with bread and cold milk makes a nutritious and satisfying meal. Cook-ahead casseroles can be used during the packing time, and also when you first arrive in your new home. Such food, along with the vegetables and fruit you have frozen, can be put back in the freezer after it is loaded on the truck, and if you aren't moving too far will stay cold until you arrive in the new location. Your refrigerator is a good place to store cleaning rags, rolls of toilet paper and paper towels, sheets, and other light-weight things you will need upon your arrival.

Moving with children, especially small ones, can present special challenges. Probably someone will volunteer to keep your children while you pack, but you may find that it is better to keep them with you during the packing process. Older children can help, especially in packing their own things. Even a 5-year-old can help in many ways. A move is very hard for small children to understand; it is difficult for them to comprehend how their things are to get to their new home. So it is best if they help (or at least watch) you pack their things, see the boxes put on the truck, and then watch them being unloaded at their new home. It may take more time, but will help them adjust to their new home more easily. The book I'm Moving, by Martha W. Hickman (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1975), may also be helpful in explaining to small children that they will be moving to a new home.

It is a real challenge to pack up all of one's things, put them on a truck, move to another part of the country, and put a home back together. The things are important—they provide a feeling of home. But it is people that really make a home. No matter how many times you move, no matter how many boxes are lost or dishes broken, you will still have your family. And that, after all, is what a home is all about.