June 21, 2007
The Evolution of Packing
30 Days Until Moving Day:
Boxes are packed with a balance of light and heavy items, color-coded for the room they're from and stacked according to how soon you'll need them when you arrive at the new house. You have a clipboard inventory list and every item is cleaned carefully before packing.
10 Days Until Moving Day:
Boxes are packed with random items from all over the house -- whatever will fit in the empty space. The coffee maker is stuffed with Legos and the toothbrushes are wrapped in socks. You've abandononed your prioritized stacking in favor of one big pile. Sometimes you drop a box down on the pile and hear a sickening crunch... and you remember the box before last was glass vases. You have nine bruises on your shins from tripping over boxes.
The Night Before Moving Day:
Wilting plants, neighbor children and stray animals are being thrown into garbage bags tied with the single, lonely sock for which you never found a match. Every box has equal amounts of dust and items. You're googling frantically for instructions on how to pack a washing machine and you realize you packed all of the toilet paper 50 boxes ago and there's none in the new house.
Comments