Moving & Shaking

As I'm sure you've gathered - & I so adeptly avoided blogging about - my beau has moved to SW Florida.  I'm beginning to adjust to the new "visitation" schedule but the moving process has been quite the headache, even for me.

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His promotion and departure from Northern Virginia all took place VERY quickly.  Packing, organizing, storing, and trashing did not get the same attention they normally would during a move.  I am anal retentive to say the least.  I like the idea of labeling boxes, packing all "like" items together, clearing and cleaning out in the process.  When I moved into my townhouse each box had a label that included the floor, the room, and the contents of each box.  I was completely moved in and unpack in a matter of hours.

Due to Beau's frequent travel back and forth from Florida, our packing schedule has been limited to Fridays at 10 pm to Sundays at 5 pm.  Within those 43 hours we not only have to pack but also prepare the house for selling, see friends and family, attend prior commitments, spend time with one another, and oh yeah - sleep.

This past weekend we were particularly productive.  We changed all the knobs in the kitchen and baths, packed the majority of the dishes, met with a Realtor, scheduled for the carpet to be replaced, bought new ceiling fans and light fixtures, & surprised our friends with a visit.  Next weekend we have more of the same planned.

What tips do you have for moving & packing, especially on short notice?
I'm hoping to put together the best tips and tricks for moving - available early August.