Moving Tips- Part 2

Hi! It's Jilly. I am blown away by the response I've had to last week's post, Part 1 of the Moving Tips series! Thank you for the sweet comments!  When I was telling my husband about the post he said that I should have had tip #1 be "Don't. Just don't move if at all possible!". Ha ha!

Now, it's time to dive into Part 2. Last week I talked about lining your clothing boxes with garbage bags.

But, I forgot to mention another awesome thing about using bags inside your boxes! After you fill the bag inside the box gather the top of the bag in your hands,

squeeze all the air out while pushing the bag down,

then twist it closed

and tuck the 'tail' down into the box.

It's kind of like when you would make a balloon out of your empty sandwich bag in elementary school so you could pop it, only this time you are squeezing the air out rather than blowing air in. Does that make sense?! Hopefully the pictures will give enough guidance for you to pick up what I'm layin' down. ;) E-mail me if you need any more explanation.

So, for the awesome part...because you've squeezed so much air out and squooshed it down you can fit more clothes in the box than if you had just packed them in there without the bag! Woo hoo for DIY Space Bags! See Before...

And After!

Last week I also mentioned making a list of the things packed in your boxes in a notebook. I was thinking about it some more, and making a word document with that information would be even better! Then you would have a copy on your computer, which is less likely to get lost. And, you could e-mail a copy of the word doc to yourself so you can access it on your laptop or iThing if you haven't unpacked your PC yet. Actually, if you have a fancy phone there is probably an app for that kind of thing. But, I don't have a smartphone so I wouldn't know. :(  Here's the proof. Like my dinosaur?!

Sometimes when you are moving to a new place, especially one far away, it is intimidating meeting new people and making new friends. One thing you can do when preparing to move is do a Google search of your new area. Find out if there are any mothers groups, or a book club sponsored by the local library, or activities & classes at the community recreation center.

On a playdate at the park with a mothers of multiples group

 Explore the websites of nearby museums, parks, zoos, and other fun places. See if you can connect with a local church of your preferred denomination and find out about their upcoming activities.Try to "friend" a member or two on Facebook before you arrive. Getting a feel for some of the people and places ahead of time can help make the transition easier!

Those are all my tips for this week. I hope they are helpful! Next week we tackle the kitchen. Follow me here on the blog, on Facebook or on Pinterest to be sure you catch Part 3!

I'm linking to THESE parties! :)

Check out the rest of the series:

 

Moving Tips- Part 1

Hi! It's Jilly. We have been super super busy getting our house ready to sell and packing for our big move. My hubby's parents are in town helping, which is awesome. But, my house is a disaster! Half packed boxes everywhere...tools and other construction-y things laying all over...suitcases from our trip begging to be emptied...you get the idea.

In the midst of all the chaos I thought I'd share with you some great tips if you are planning a move. Some advice I've gotten from my mother-in-law, some from friends, and some from my own experience. I hope you will find something helpful to you so that YOUR moving chaos will be less chaotic!

Today I was tackling the mountain of laundry on my couch waiting to be folded. Yes, I am showing you a picture of my laundry pile. I hate to admit it, but this one is a mini-mountain. There have been many, many occasions when the pile is at least three times this big. Yikes!

When preparing for a move a great thing to do is pack a week's worth of clothes for each family member in a suitcase or duffel bag, then box up the rest! Pretend like you are going on a vacation. Be sure to leave out a few 'normal' outfits, a couple sets of play clothes, and a couple sets of church/dressy clothes. This is also a great time to weed out any clothes that no longer fit, are stained up, or you never wear.

Oh! When boxing up clothes, line the box with a plastic garbage bag. Cardboard can stain up clothes, especially if the box gets wet, and when you're moving you never know what's going to happen!

Then, label your box with what room it belongs in and what's in the box. A friend of mine gave me some great advice. Number the boxes as you go, then write down the contents of the box in a notebook. Then, when you need something you can reference your list and know exactly which box the thing you are looking for is in. Pretty clever, eh?! Just make sure you don't lose the "master notebook". ;)

Those are my tips for today. Stay tuned next week for more great moving tips!

Want to make sure you don't miss Part Two?! Then become a follower of "Hi! It's Jilly", "like" me on Facebook, or follow me on Pinterest! :)

I'm linking up HERE.

Check out the rest of the series!

Disney or Bust!

No new project post this week because we are gone all this week to DISNEYLAND! But, I have several projects to share when we get back. I made a couple of shirts for the kids to wear, as well as some other things. I can't wait to show them to you! See you next week. :)

Dear Mom...

Hi! It's Jilly. My friend Angie wrote an awesome post addressed to her Mom, and invited everyone to write one to their Moms (or Jessica Simpson?! Lol!) and link up. I thought it was a great idea, with Mother's Day coming up and all. So, here it goes.

 

Dear Mom,

How are you doing?! I haven't seen you in a long time, and I'm excited that you will be here in FOUR DAYS!! I'm glad that you are able to go on this trip to Disneyland with us. I know we will have a great time. It's sad to think that after this trip we might not see you again for a few years. But, that's the way life goes sometimes, I guess. We will be able to create some great memories to help us get through, though.

You are a strong woman. Sometimes, especially when I was younger, I would think to myself, "Why wasn't I taught this?!" or "Why didn't my Mom do that?!". But, having kids is hard work! There is so much to teach and so much to do. I know I myself feel like I am failing miserably half the time, at least. And you had more than twice the number of kids I have! That is a lot on one's plate! As Mother's Day approaches I just want to thank you for all the things you did for us growing up. Except for a few years when Dad was in Pharmacy school, you were home with us. If we were sick, you were there. If we forgot something for school, or needed help with a project, you were there. Not all kids are afforded that luxury.

I remember you staying up with me one night until 2 or 3 working on a big project for my art class in 7th grade. I'm sure it looked horrendous, 'cause I'm not nearly as good at drawing as you are, but you stuck it out with me. Whenever I wanted to try something, you and Dad gave me a chance and believed in me. You paid for piano and voice lessons, and choir trips, and helped with tuition. I wouldn't be where I am today without you.

There were definitely times I felt frustrated growing up, like when you guys left halfway through my high school graduation, or when different things would happen with my siblings, or when we moved to Wisconsin my junior year of high school, but things happen sometimes. It's okay. I know you guys were doing your best. Everything happens for a reason, and those experiences were good for me.

I know were used to talk a lot more when I was in high school and college. I would tell you all about the boy I was currently "in love" with. Sometimes I really miss that. I guess after I got married I didn't have as many stories to tell, and I would tell my new hubby a lot of the things I used to tell you. I know we are both very busy with life. I think we need to make- I need to make- a greater effort to build that relationship. After all, you only have one Mother.

The last few years have not been the easiest on you. A lot was thrown at you after Dad passed away. I know you are trying hard to do what's best, and that life is difficult. Like I said at the beginning, you are a strong woman and you can do it! Stay close to the Lord, rely on Him, and everything will be okay.

I'm going to wrap this letter up now. I have a lot to do to get ready for the move, selling the house, and our trip to California! Know that I love you very much, and the kids do, too. They are very excited to see you. Girl B keeps dragging out all the crafting supplies I haven't packed yet to make you a present for your arrival. Ha ha! Well, see you soon!

Love,
Jillian


*Did you think that was fun? Want to write a letter to your Mom? Join us at Angie in the Thick of It and link up your letter! Everybody's doing it...

I also like to link up with THESE parties. 

PS- If you want to follow me, click the button on the side bar over there. I'm just sayin'. ;)