Packing
 

I bought a house and am in the process of packing. First priority is the sewing room. This is the second day of packing the sewing room. I actually have 2 rooms, one is a sorta half where my sit down is etc. am going to get everything in one room and this will be the first to leave and go to the new place. One doesn't really realize how much stuff one has until it's packing time.

I know what you mean. I moved in the spring and my sewing area was the first to be put in place. Good luck.

I was shocked at how much I had to pack in my sewing room when we moved too.

I totally understand what you mean by we don't realize how much stuff we have when we move. We moved to another town in the same state but moved from the house we lived for 30 years. WOW! Quite a bit of accumulation of just stuff. Some of the stuff we had forgotten about so guess we didn't really need it.

Best wishes for packing and your move. Are you moving your sewing stuff personally? Mark the boxes so you know the contents. Easy to UNpack later.

If movers, you can label with numbers and make a master sheet of contents in each one.

The local sewing dealer may have extra boxes if you need one (or 2 or 3) for your machine(s).

Good luck!

If you are packing yourself, please remember this - the heavier the item, the smaller the box. I was a professional packer for an international moving company and I learned so much. Fabric is heavy, use a smaller book box but line the boxes with clean newsprint (new, no print on). Then put newsprint on top also. If you have expensive sewing machines, you can move them yourself or make sure they are packed just so. Mark each box on top - say Fabric #1 of (blank). If you have 20 boxes, you will have a record. Take your jewelry with you and important papers. Hope you are not moving too far away. Have fun. If you need my help, pm me.

Good luck! And I hope you enjoy your new home.

The thought of moving after over 40 years in our home is overwhelming … and scary!

I’m sure moving can be difficult but hopefully this is a positive one for you...a new chapter in your life. Even though it is a lot of work, it might be a good time to purge some of your unwanted or unnecessary items. I wish you all the best in your new home.

I'm not moving, but have considered how much stuff I actually have and what I actually need.....therefore purging is currently going on. Selling some of it off on FB and donating others. Who needs this much stuff anyway??

I went thru that faze back in 2007. Put my housse on the market and decluttered the house to show so sewing room got packed up. Came out with over 50 large totes full of fabrics and sewing items. I put everything in plastic totes as I lived in Florida and with the humidity and bugs I wanted it kept safe. Supposedly I was paying for an A/C storage by a big name moving company but I have an idea from how my items came out of there that it wasn't what I paid for. Too late to get them for it now but at least my machines and fabrics came out okay.

Good luck on your boxing up and on your move.
I just recently did this and came out with over 100 boxes from my sewing room.
Then health issues and other factors entered into the picture so I changed my mind.
Now, as I unpack the boxes, I am really going through everything and have already filled a big box of items to "go away". It helps that 2 of my girlfriends are coming for the Houston Quilt Festival and can "shop" the box before we go to the show. I already have someplace to donate the fabric that they do not take. I am going to try moving again in about a year and hope to have reduced my stash and other projects by then so I have fewer boxes.
One thing for sure, I have bought a lot less fabric and other sewing items since I boxed everything up and saw just how much I had!

One of the reasons I hesitate to move is how much stuff I've accumulated. Twenty years ago, we moved to a house that was twice the size of the previous one. Lots of cupboards and closets and storage space. It was about half full when we got moved in. Fast forward 20 years. All the cupboards are full. We've just accumulated more stuff! I swore I was gonna die in this house just so I didn't have to move again and that may happen :D

My husband just moved his dad and stepmom into assisted living. He cleaned out there house (they did nothing before or after the move). Omg! He found a box with about 30 cell phones in it! Ever since he went thru that whenever I'm looking for something and see a bunch of junk in a closet, I pull it out and either put it in the donation box or throw it away.

OMG, I feel your pain. I moved with my Dad, career Marine and then my husband, career Marine. Now husband is retiring from civilian work and we are moving close to grandchildren. Luckily it will be a door to door move and I will be doing it over several months to get current house ready to sell. I have bought 5 laundry bask ets that fit in my car so I will be moving room by room and putting it away as I go. Furniture will be moved by moving company. I keep telling myself, it is like eating and elephant- one bite at a time.

Good luck packing and hope you get settled in your new place soon!

I moved from an apartment in my building to the two story house. I didn't even have to go outside, this place is huge, an old doctor's office. I named it Pickador.....you just walk up to it and pick a door.

The thing that helped me the most was my Brother P-touch labeler. Most things went into clear tubs with lids, but then I made a label and stuck that on the end of the tub. It's so much easier to look at the label rather than dig through the tub. It was separated into color, then size ( backing ), scrap, then theme; animal skins, wood grain, etc.

I am going through this now, and appreciate the tips I see. I am selling my house and moving to a different state, to be close to family. I won't have a job and will move in with family until I get re-established. Since my life will be up in the air for awhile I am getting rid of (almost) everything except my sewing stuff.....Since I don't know how long I'll be without a job or a place to live, I don't want to pay to store it for who knows how long....Change and uncertainty isn't easy!

It definitely isn't! We're getting close to retirement and I feel like we don't have enough saved/invested. Husband is oblivious. It's definitely adding a lot of stress to my life!

LOL that ladies (and gents) is why I don't ever want to move again. Let my daughter deal with it. Good luck. Although I"D LOVE to have a BIG sewing room where I could have everything - in one room (including my longarm).

We are starting to think about moving out of state in the next couple years. Should I down size my fabric and buy more at the other end or take with me so I don't have to pay the higher prices? Since most of the furniture is anywhere from 10 to 20+ years old, I would like to sell most and buy new at the other end. Time will tell if that happens.

I am still sorting and I moved in March.

I'm trying to minimize and can't get my husband on board. I'm afraid to wait until it's time to move and we'll have tons of stuff we don't use or want. I'm working on my stuff though............
I expect we will probably move in the next 5 years and we've been in our house 21 years. Things pile up!
We've never moved ourselves- it's always been a company move that was taken care of for us. Not so this time!
catsden- your cat looks exactly like our Carmello :)

Its much easier to buy new at the other end. However, good luck selling what you have now. I've seen whole suites of furniture sell for $100 - $200 here at garage sales. There's not much market for used furniture unless it's antiques and even those are not selling for as much as they did. I gave away the last 2 couches we've replaced. I told them "If you'll come and take it away, you can have it"

Patrice, my husband is the opposite of yours! For decades he didn't care about money but now that he's near retirement he's gotten really obsessed! Kinda funny because we seem to have changed places about this :) I used to worry about it but now I don't. Oh well........

That is so funny, Susie! Mine is now obsessed with his dad and stepmom having enough money (which they don't, but that's a whole other story), even though he's at the meetings with the financial guy, it never seems to sink in. I spend a lot of time trying not to stress over it.

Everyone here seems to think since my hubby died that I should move to town. I keep telling them why should I move? My place is paid for n I don’t have to worry over a lot of things, just my dogs need a place to go out n I’m not picking up their potty stuff either out here. It can fertilize the grass. Then I’d have to get downsized for 1 bedroom apt. then gave to pay rent n cable n no place to park the car. I’ll leave here in a box n let my youngest clean the rest out. They’ve done pretty good the last two summers of cleaning out my in laws stuff they saved that was broke n useless

Besides I’ve just redone my garage see —New sewing studio by me

And it’s a beautiful studio. Sounds like you’ve got plenty of good reasons to stay put.

Rob

Amyjo- my next door neighbor died and everyone asked his wife if/when she was moving. It seems people just expect that it's the next step. Her home is paid for, she loves the neighborhood and has no plans to move.
I'm glad too because she's a great neighbor.

Dilemma's we quilters have....

If/when you move, sell the old furniture. Starting fresh is liberating! Told DH that I wasn't going to let price stop me from purchasing what I like, as we always had in the past. Turns out I like 1930's furniture and found some really beautiful pieces for my home at very reasonable prices. Living room and bedroom furniture were purchased new (now 11 years old)and are still in great shape.

I didn't quilt before we moved, took that up after the move. However, I am no slacker with regard to buying fabric. De-stashing would be a good idea right now, but fabric is my one great vice, have always loved fabric and always will.

Interesting . . . I love my furniture and have moved most of it twice. I never think of selling it and buying something else. My furniture is mostly antiques. Some inherited, some I purchased. It's kind of like old friends who welcome me into whatever house they are in. I love them.

I also love 30's furniture. I bought several pieces over the years and still like them.

Most of our furniture are antiques (not beds or sofas) that were family pieces. They go where I go!
But I dread the day we decide to move. So much stuff! I keep downsizing but I'm only putting a dent in it.
We always had corporate moves so this will be a first for us doing it ourselves. Not looking forward to it!