Hi all!! I'm back from my semi-hiatus, and I'm glad to announce that even though I wasn't as active as I usually am, I still kept up with all your posts!! Like, even when we were at the airport the day of our move (it was a Saturday) I was scrolling through my inbox and was like, "why are there no notifications!? It's SATURDAY!" and then I realised, "oh yeah, it's like 5 am". *rolls eyes* Anyway! In honor of our move, I'm writing a post about how to survive such a big project. No, cross that out. No one can survive unscathed. Let's say rather, how to make survival less daunting. So now, let's begin --
Those of you who love making lists can rejoice now! :) Because listing all the ideas, random concerns, plus making your own catalogues can save you so. much. pain. List what you need to keep, what you need to throw out, who you need to visit, what you have to do every day, all the last minute items you need to take care of. Write down your concerns -- e.g. keep a panic pad near you where, whenever you worry you'll forget something like the nails in the walls, you jot it down. You need those reminders. Create checklists. Keep a record of every box and suitcase and what's in it and how much they weigh and even number them! Someday in the future when you aren't sure where you put your nail clippers you'll be grateful. This makes unpacking infinitely easier ... and you'll be so much more organised.
This is key. You imagine you need only three boxes to pack your things? Wrong. You need six. You think you can get it all done in two weeks? Hahahaha. You need four, weeks, my friend. If you value your sanity that is. And sanity is important, because if you lose it chances are you'll start fighting with someone else and that just doesn't help. So, what ever you think you estimate correctly ... you need to double that number. Like, you are sure the whole move will be over in one month. Excuse me, may I remind you there's this thing called settling in??? Which will definitely take a month on its own. So there.
You need to clean your house before you leave, don't you? Even the tops of the doors?? Yes? No worries; blast some fast, energetic music through your headphones, and you'll literally dance through every chore. In fact, I highly recommend this for regular work/chores as well. Music inspires you. It'll make you want to move, and in this case you need to move -- as you dust, and mop, and vacuum (ok so don't blow your eardrums if you try to listen to something while vacuuming). And then when you are done and are exhausted from your exercising spree ... change the music to something calm and relaxing. :)
This doesn't mean not thinking about what you'll wear during your move and therefore not packing any clean shirts for yourself!! Nah. It means enjoying your old place to the very last minute while you're still there. Don't dream about your future home like it will be fairy island. IT WON"T BE. You'll still encounter problems -- probably one for every thing you left behind (or were running away from in the first place, hahahaha). But. If you learn to breathe in the now and love it you'll be good. You'll be able to say you lived every minute of your last days (in your old town) to the fullest and you have #noregrets.
Chances are half of your last week will be taken up with visiting. Sometimes people you never went to see before will have you over. It's true. SO LEAVE SPACE ON YOUR SCHEDULE FOR THIS. And hey, it's okay to take a break to see all your friends. Even multiple times over the last few days. Because you won't see them for a while anymore. And before you start thinking all this visiting/having people over is a another chore -- it isn't. It's a pleasure, because most likely these awesome friends are the one of the biggest reasons you WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT. Another important note: DO NOT PACK AWAY ALL YOUR THANK YOU CARDS. You'll need them and regret, like I did, that you don't have them.
People ask, "do you miss this place?" as if you shouldn't. As if it's a sad thing. And huh, yes, of course it's a sad thing! It hurts to leave people and places and things behind. But it's actually a good thing to miss them! It means you had a good experience there; that they meant a lot to you; that you loved them. And people missing you? And wanting to chain you forever with irons in a dungeon twenty feet underground? THEY LOVED YOU TOO. You were good to them. You were their friend. You left a mark. (just make sure you escape while they aren't looking, ok?)
So randomly: DID YOU MISS ME???
Like did I actually need my first grade spelling tests to survive? NO. Big surprise, right? did I miss them? Yes (haha, okay, not really). But stuff you think you should keep -- chances are you're being overly sentimental and YOU SHOULD JUST THROW THEM AWAY. Even some of the important things -- like my laptop broke down during the last few days at our old place and did I die with it? (Almost) NO I DIDN'T. (For the record it's still broken and I can't fix it, so ...) HEY I LEARNED SOMETHING. My life doesn't depend on my computer (nah, it depends on wifi ... just kidding).
As I said before IT'S OKAY TO RELAX TOO. You don't have a bed anymore? Well LIE ON THE FLOOR, right? Like maybe you feel bad you aren't spending twelve hours of your last day cleaning the windows (!!!),but you have to take care of yourself when you can because chances are that on your moving day you won't even have breakfast! You need your energy. You'll do better after a break. So this is why I just want to say a huge THANKS to all of you who told me in my last recap post to take some time off to relax amid my busy life :)
Anyone ever feel like writing journal entries takes too long when your days are activity packed dawn till dusk (and when you actually promised friends you'd finish your novel that month too?)? (This is probably because you're also recording the color of everyone's shoes too but shh.) So DON'T WRITE THEN. TALK >> it's easier. It's faster. You can actually do it while working!! (Like cutting vegetables, not vacuuming). Just use the voice recorder on your phone (or if you don't have a phone borrow someone else's or buy a recorder). You can always transcribe later. SEE? PROBLEM SOLVED. Also you might actually learn to speak without sounding awkward ...
Chances are you'll feel a stab of regret when leaving. When you meet randomly awesome people; when you realise that some acquaintances whom you finally invited over could have been such amazing friends. Ouch. When you realised you missed going to some of those great places and seeing those sights in your town. When you discover you've been hoarding junk for three years which was useless. It's a lesson for the next time. Live like you'll leave tomorrow. Go see those people. Sort your things regularly. Don't stay cooped up indoors. Make the most of where you are while you are there.
I hope that post wasn't too monstrous but hey -- I AM SO HAPPY TO BE BACK. I missed blogging! Hopefully I'll get back on schedule soon. This break allowed me to plan every single one of my posts until January!! But. I doubt I'll stick to plans because I get new ideas all the time!!
WHAT'S BEEN UP WITH YOU LATELY?
HAVE YOU MOVED RECENTLY?
HOW MANY TIMES IN YOUR LIFE?
