moving the superhero fish - part 2

it's amazing how a new space defines your possessions as much as your possessions define a new space.

Alabaster takes a ride

you see, i had it all worked out - a four tier system for packing - and labeled the boxes with this system in mind. tier 1: the stuff i was going to unpack right away. tier 2: the stuff i was going to unpack if i had space. tier 3: semi-permanent storage and memories. tier 4: the stuff i no longer want and will part with as soon as i figure out how.

it didn't work.

the problem is that these turned out to be less rules than guidelines and only worked really well for my books. these i separated so well that i went from five double-stocked shelves to four single-stocked shelves with room to spare (new books!). most slid easily into tier 3 - these being books i've already read and don't need to see/reference regularly. i only pulled out five books to add to the, now dusty, books-for-used-bookstores bag.

some boxes became a hodgepodge of stuff i hadn't packed yet, didn't need to be immaculately packed because of the short trip and now that they're there, i don't know what to do with the stack that hasn't quite made it to the storage room because they're too poorly packed.

as for the tier 1 boxes, now that the majority of my stuff in at the new place, i realized that there is a postulate, two really, that supersedes all my attempts at an organized move: 1)all useful things should be packed separately or on top (so that you don't have to dig to find the scissors, screwdriver, measuring tape, etc used in unpacking. dishes also are especially important on this, though less when you're moving, like i am, into a fully furnished house). with this supposition i managed remarkably well: heavy metal, shown below, has been my constant companion during many moves and has not let me down yet.

heavy metal

also my brother has the most absolutely perfect kit for such endeavors and one which i will own just as soon as i go to my friendly neighborhood hardware store:

the perfect picture-hanging kit

plus a garage full of tools and a few rolls of duct-tape, so i was all set there as well.

the second axiom of moving is this: new space necessary dictates what you will unpack first - so only take out what you have found a place for. i had forgotten this fact nearly entirely while packing and thus feel a bit lost among my possessions.

i guess that is all for now, but more pictures are coming soon to a fish or a tourist near you.