Read Charlotte Canelli's column in the June 15, 2012 edition of the Norwood Transcript and Bulletin or listen to the podcast on SoundCloud. Podcasts are archived on the Voices from the Library page of the library website.
From the Library - Moving Day
My husband, Gerry, is the epitome of stability. One of examples of this is that he has worked 40 years for the same company while the 'company' has changed names and entities several times. He often describes a colleague and begins with something like this: “When we worked together in Medfield in 1976.”
Another testament is that he lived in the same house in Framingham through all the years of his childhood – from birth until he left home on his wedding day. Gerry moved from his parents’ home into an apartment, into his first home and then a second more than 28 years ago. And there he lives today.
I am simply amazed because I have moved about 26 times in my life and have lived in five states and two countries. The longest I lived anywhere was a whopping eleven years while my children were in elementary school. The shortest duration was four months.
One of the complications of living somewhere too long is the accumulation of stuff in the same place and Gerry is here to prove it. Now don’t get me wrong. I have things, too. They are just spread over several locations and much of sits in boxes.
And so, while Gerry cannot comprehend a nomadic lifestyle, we are moving. In the coming weeks we’ll move out of our current home in Norfolk to a new home in Norwood. This is the home where we combined households over five years ago and proceeded to stuff the attic, basement and garages to capacity.
We simply decided it was time to choose a new home together and start anew. With most of our old stuff, of course.
Moving can be traumatic, and I am the first one to admit it, having accomplished it successfully over and over again for half a century. However, I took to it fairly well and actually became quite an expert. Some anecdotal stories shared by friends include accounts of coming to my new home expecting to help me unpack and sitting down to a six-course dinner instead.
Convincing Gerry of my expertise, however, has been a daunting task. I think he is just downright lost and overwhelmed with the whole idea!
In any event, there are many books in our library catalog that focus on moving and they can help anyone make it less traumatic. “How to Move Without Losing Your Mind … or Your Remote Control” by Kathryn Trainor (2008) is an inside look at the Trainor family and their twelve moves between five states and ten cities all within fifteen years. “The Moving Survival Guide: All You Need to Know to Make Your Move Go Smoothly” (2005) by Martha Poage includes helpful tips on finding a real estate agent. She also adds advice on when to transfer medical records, register a vehicle, etc. “How to Survive A Move: by Hundreds of Happy People Who Did and Some Things to Avoid, From a Few Who Haven't Unpacked Yet” (2005) by Jamie Allen and Kazz Regelman has loads of personal stories, some of them from people who have moved over a dozen times. Did you know that over forty million Americans move each year?
A practical book that includes color illustrations for packing and protecting is “Moving 1-2-3: Expert Advice from the Home Depot” (2006) by Home Depot. Home Depot actually sells all kinds of moving supplies like wardrobe boxes and the like.
“Will This Place Ever Feel Like Home?: Simple Advice for Settling In after You Move” (2002) by Leslie Levine includes valuable hints for helping pets and children adjust and meeting new friends. “Moving Gracefully: A Guide to Relocating Yourself and Your Family” (2010) by Carol Miller Fradkin begins with tips on how to make your home sell quickly and to find the perfect home in the new location. She also includes counsel on what not to trust to the moving van. Speaking of moving vans, “Moving? Don’t Let a Moving Company Take You for an Expensive Ride” (2009) by Henry P. Costantino helps you manage your costs with suggestions for checklists and self-packing.
If you are helping to move a family member, especially a senior citizen, it would be wise to read “Don’t Toss My Memories in the Trash: A Step-by-Step Guide to Helping Seniors Downsize, Organize, and Move” (2007) by Vickie Dellaquila. Seniors have physical and emotional worries that accompany any relocation that no one should ignore.
Perhaps you didn’t have time to organize before the move. No need to despair. “200 Tips for De-cluttering: Room by Room, Including Outdoor Spaces and Eco Tips” (2010) Daniela Santos Quartino addresses new storage ideas. “The Joy of Less: A Minimalist Living Guide – How to Declutter, Organize and Simplify Your Life” (2010) by Francine Jay will rid you of a secret wish for a tornado to do the work for you. “Unstuff Your Life!: Kick the Clutter Habit and Completely Organize Your Life for Good” (2010) by Andrew J. Mellen will help you move forward – stuff, Mellen postulates, holds us back from moving on in life.
If you have some time after the move, read “One Year to an Organized Life: From Your Closets to Your Finances, the Week-by-Week Guide to Getting Completely Organized for Good” (2008) by Regina Leeds. This book will help you stop the habitual cluttering practices that besiege us.
I think I’ll check it out as soon as I settle in.
If you anticipate a move in your life, make sure you plan ahead and reserve any of these titles by calling the Reference or Information desks of the library, 781-769-0200, or reserving them in the Minuteman Library catalog.
