2010
Snail Mail Tedium
Posted in 2010, November 2010 on November 21st, 2010 by Susana Enriquez – Be the first to comment
One of the most tedious things about moving (besides packing, unpacking, transporting your things, and well, everything else) is changing your address.
Having organized files makes the task less tedious. Nonetheless, it’s still time consuming. From AAA (auto club membership) to Wells Fargo, I moved from file to file, either calling a toll-free number and holding for a representative or logging on to Web sites and changing the information there.
I lost track of how much time had passed. But it’s fair to say that several hours later, I was finished – at least that’s what I thought. As the mail is rerouted from my previous address, it’s obvious that either I neglected to contact several companies about my address change or the change has yet to be processed. When that happens, I contact the companies that need to be contacted and grumble about the companies that have yet to process the change (Aveda, can you hear me?).
If you have an upcoming move and the state of your files makes you worry that you won’t know what number to call or what Web site to visit to make the address change, fret not. You can fill out an “Official Change of Address Form” form at your nearest post office or online: https://moversguide.usps.com/icoa/flow.do?_flowExecutionKey=_c3C7A4444-B686-C8EA-76A3-0CA41CCB4674_k9304DECB-0A42-1E8F-CC8A-473492911C2E.
Most of your mail will be forwarded for one year. That’s enough time to get your filing system in order.
What to choose for my shoes?
Posted in 2010, November 2010 on November 15th, 2010 by Susana Enriquez – Be the first to comment
I had always kept my shoes in the boxes they came in. The different sizes bugged me – as well as their tendency to topple over whenever you reached for the box on the bottom of the heap – but I kept them anyway because I liked how they protected my shoes from dust.
So when I moved into a home that had shoe shelves in the closets, my instinct was to continue to protect my shoes from dust bunnies by keeping them in boxes. But as soon as I realized that doing that made no sense, my shoes were set free.
Now that I’m living in a new home without shoe shelves, my shoes are on the verge of losing their freedom. Since I moved, my shoes have been living in a large blue tote from Ikea.
I can’t bring myself to line them up in the closet because: A) It would take up too much space and B) It wouldn’t feel organized to me.
I think individual storage boxes are the way to go (as opposed to shoe shelves or over-the-door shoe organizers), but I haven’t settled on a style. These are the boxes I’m considering:
From Target:
This box presents the same problem as your store-issued shoebox: a lid. But the price is right: $19.99 for a set of 12.
I love that the front of this shoe box opens. And that it’s clear. But at $44.99 for 6, I could get a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes with the money I would spend on boxes to house all of my shoes.
From Amazon:
A less expensive cardboard alternative to the box above from Target. $27.99 for 8.
From Ikea:
The least expensive of the boxes with the front opening at $9.99 for 4. I like these, but I would first have to verify that they are sturdy enough to be piled one on top of another about five high.
I have a tough decision ahead of me. Stay tuned.
What I Know For Sure
Posted in 2010, November 2010 on November 6th, 2010 by Susana Enriquez – Be the first to comment
In terms of getting organized after a move – or anytime, really – I know that you should begin with what you deem most important and go from there.
My priority is, and always has been, my closet. Shocking, I know.
Because I took out the clothes that were hanging in my old closet and just piled them on the back seat of my car, it was easy to take them out after the 30-minute drive to my new home and hang them up in my new closet.
Well, mostly easy. Not everything fit. I had to hang up my pants and coats in another closet.
And after filling four drawers in two night stands with my undergarments, socks and sleepwear – and another three drawers in an armoire with shirts, workout clothes and beachwear – I ran out of room again. I still needed space for my sweaters, sweatshirts and jeans.
Enter the five-compartment Skubb organizer from Ikea:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50188957
I’ve had two of these (in gray, which no longer seem to be available) that have managed to survive through my many moves. I hung them in the other room next to my pants and coats and filled them up.
One other thing I know for sure: New clothes are not in my near future. I don’t have anywhere to put them.
Go minimalism!
Posted in 2010, October 2010 on October 26th, 2010 by Susana Enriquez – 1 Comment
I have never felt more like adopting a minimalist lifestyle than when I’ve had to pack up all of my belongings and carry them down a flight (or more) of stairs away from the place that I had called home and into a new place.
And in the last six years, I’ve felt that way eight times (four of those moves happened in one year!).
For someone who doesn’t think she has a lot of stuff, by the time I empty the closets, cabinets, shelves and drawers, I always end up with more than I ever imagined. I’m talking clothes, shoes, bags, linens, decorations, office supplies, dishes – even a 20-year-old Nintendo Entertainment System.
So what happens when you don’t have weeks to evaluate each item and make decisions about whether to take something with you or get rid of it – or even enough time to pack it away nicely? You end up like I did – with a mess.
I’m now living in a smaller space with too much stuff. My challenge is not only to make it all fit (well, most of it), but to get everything organized and accessible. And because people hire me to help them downsize and get organized, I’ll share my journey to do the same after my latest move.
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