This is it!! Tomorrow the movers come in to pack up all our stuff and send it on a 6 week journey around the world!! Last night of (relative) peace and quiet at the Kulkarni household!! The moving company has estimated that 2 days will be needed - well, I'm not quite so sure about that - so keeping fingers crossed that they will finish by Wednesday!!
Most people think that moving with a relocating company is really easy - all you do is sit back, and they come in and pack everything for you, right?? Couldn't be further from the truth - as we have learnt, sometimes painfully!! There's a ocean of belongings that needs to be sifted through and sorted, to begin with!! Then there's the decisions - what do I need right away? Can this be put away for 2 months? What are the absolute essentials for the air-shipment? And so on...tons of second-guessing, and changing of minds - until finally, ready or not, it's time for the movers to come in!!
This last week, with Ajey in Japan, I had nothing else to do but get the house ready. This time, I'm just a little more jittery than usual. Two reasons. First, we are not working with Allied Relocations anymore - they have done all our previous moves, and it has always been a great experience. This new company - well, we're sort of the guinea pigs, our move the first they do for our company. I really don't know what to expect!! Second, as I said before, the 2 days really worries me. The problem is that the customs officials need Ajey's passport for a week after the last box leaves our house - and since our air tickets have already been booked for our onward journey, it would be a real problem if they don't finish on time!!
So where do you start?? I always like to bring all our knick-knacks, ornaments, decorative stuff together in 1 place. There's no reason for these to be be packed by room - they don't really have any designated spots as such!! All go in 1 box together - saves them from being accidentally packed with heavy things like books or lamps!! And then, when unpacking, it's so much fun to open this box - all the little frills and fancies to make your house a home!! So slowly, over the week, all these little bagatelles made their way down from various places in the house to the dining table!!
The air shipment - a lot of thought goes into this!! This is limited space, so prioritizing is of the utmost importance!! Starting with kitchen items, my most precious woks and vessels - well, actually the 2nd most precious - most precious are the pressure cooker and the polpat-latna which travel with me!! Add a few dishes, cutlery, glasses - for those few days in the new house. A TV, of course, and a DVD player - much to Manasi's disappointment, we ruled against the X-Box!! Clocks, chargers, a few tools. Since we're moving in winter - extra blankets, pillows, covers. And then the clothes, of course - right down to boots and extra coats! All put together in a little nook - ready to leave tomorrow!! Not too bad, is it?!!
The hardest to organize - the kitchen, a close second is clothes!! Especially things I put aside for the air shipment - I kept running up to fetch that 1 little thing I absolutely needed - it was maddening!! How can you estimate the number of spoons you need daily?? Or glasses??!! Aargh!! And clothes - what I need for the next 2 weeks, next 2 months, and thereafter - 3 sets!! Well, the sea shipment was easy - all summer clothes in there - easy-peasy!! But deciding between what to carry in suitcases, and what to send with the air shipment is incredibly hard!! Quite sure I haven't really done a good job on that - I just wanted to get it done!!
Personally, my least favorite part of any move is when the frames come off the walls. That, somehow, of all the other things, seems so very final! The bare walls, now with the odd tattoos of nails, are so sad to look at. I always leave this until the last moment - nothing depresses me more!! Although, it is a good idea to have all the frames in 1 place, I think - like the trinkets, they pack well together, and accidental damage is minimized!!
In the end, no matter how much work has been put in - moving days are inevitably chaotic and frenetic!! I usually lose my head about halfway through - the whole process is incredibly stressful - and a crying jag is certain to be on the schedule!! Still, as of now, D-day-minus-1, we're quite primed to go - down to having designated 'no-pack' zones on each floor, which the movers won't touch - although I'm absolutely sure there's still a ton of things we've forgotten!! Oh well, ready or not - here come the movers!!
Most people think that moving with a relocating company is really easy - all you do is sit back, and they come in and pack everything for you, right?? Couldn't be further from the truth - as we have learnt, sometimes painfully!! There's a ocean of belongings that needs to be sifted through and sorted, to begin with!! Then there's the decisions - what do I need right away? Can this be put away for 2 months? What are the absolute essentials for the air-shipment? And so on...tons of second-guessing, and changing of minds - until finally, ready or not, it's time for the movers to come in!!
This last week, with Ajey in Japan, I had nothing else to do but get the house ready. This time, I'm just a little more jittery than usual. Two reasons. First, we are not working with Allied Relocations anymore - they have done all our previous moves, and it has always been a great experience. This new company - well, we're sort of the guinea pigs, our move the first they do for our company. I really don't know what to expect!! Second, as I said before, the 2 days really worries me. The problem is that the customs officials need Ajey's passport for a week after the last box leaves our house - and since our air tickets have already been booked for our onward journey, it would be a real problem if they don't finish on time!!
So where do you start?? I always like to bring all our knick-knacks, ornaments, decorative stuff together in 1 place. There's no reason for these to be be packed by room - they don't really have any designated spots as such!! All go in 1 box together - saves them from being accidentally packed with heavy things like books or lamps!! And then, when unpacking, it's so much fun to open this box - all the little frills and fancies to make your house a home!! So slowly, over the week, all these little bagatelles made their way down from various places in the house to the dining table!!
The air shipment - a lot of thought goes into this!! This is limited space, so prioritizing is of the utmost importance!! Starting with kitchen items, my most precious woks and vessels - well, actually the 2nd most precious - most precious are the pressure cooker and the polpat-latna which travel with me!! Add a few dishes, cutlery, glasses - for those few days in the new house. A TV, of course, and a DVD player - much to Manasi's disappointment, we ruled against the X-Box!! Clocks, chargers, a few tools. Since we're moving in winter - extra blankets, pillows, covers. And then the clothes, of course - right down to boots and extra coats! All put together in a little nook - ready to leave tomorrow!! Not too bad, is it?!!
 |
| Air shipment |
The hardest to organize - the kitchen, a close second is clothes!! Especially things I put aside for the air shipment - I kept running up to fetch that 1 little thing I absolutely needed - it was maddening!! How can you estimate the number of spoons you need daily?? Or glasses??!! Aargh!! And clothes - what I need for the next 2 weeks, next 2 months, and thereafter - 3 sets!! Well, the sea shipment was easy - all summer clothes in there - easy-peasy!! But deciding between what to carry in suitcases, and what to send with the air shipment is incredibly hard!! Quite sure I haven't really done a good job on that - I just wanted to get it done!!
Personally, my least favorite part of any move is when the frames come off the walls. That, somehow, of all the other things, seems so very final! The bare walls, now with the odd tattoos of nails, are so sad to look at. I always leave this until the last moment - nothing depresses me more!! Although, it is a good idea to have all the frames in 1 place, I think - like the trinkets, they pack well together, and accidental damage is minimized!!
In the end, no matter how much work has been put in - moving days are inevitably chaotic and frenetic!! I usually lose my head about halfway through - the whole process is incredibly stressful - and a crying jag is certain to be on the schedule!! Still, as of now, D-day-minus-1, we're quite primed to go - down to having designated 'no-pack' zones on each floor, which the movers won't touch - although I'm absolutely sure there's still a ton of things we've forgotten!! Oh well, ready or not - here come the movers!!
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