I need some help- moving tips and garage sale suggestions.

[Faery-Wings]

OK, if any of you doubted my sanity, I have the final bits of proof I have none! After talking about moving/building an addition/ripping down and building a modular home, hubby and I have decided it best to move. Well, he decided. I swore after moving 7 years ago, I was *never* going to do that again. But since we are basically busting out of the seams of this house, I guess I have no choice. ;)

We went to a bunch of open houses over the weekend and found one we loved and a few we liked a lot. We are having a market analysis done on this home tomorrow and hope to have the house on the market asap. *breathe in through the nose, out through the mouth*

First of all, I need to get it out how hard this is emotionally for me. My hubby doesn't understand this although he is being really sweet about trying to. But my whole existence is tied to this house. (Heh, I am a Cancer sun *and* moon! Go figure!!) I've been a SAHM for over 6 years here, both my babies came home to this house. I get really linked to the *things* here. So since yesterday, trying to pack extra stuff away, getting other things ready for garage sales...I have been bawling my eyes out. Hubby on the other hand, thinks this is the best thing ever, He would move every year if we could afford it. I keep telling him he should get into real estate. He'd be great. Back to my wacky emotional problem... how do I get over this!?

I am sad that I have to pack away my altar too. And most of my books and tools. I'll find some where out of site but accessible if I can. Goddess knows I will need it! I have been parying to Hestia (one of my Goddesses I identify with ) to help me find a home that has the same heart and hearth in it that this one has.

And then on the the easier part...I need as many tips and ideas for easy moving, packing, showing the house as I can get. When you look at houses, what kinds of things stick out as good selling points? Would it bother you to see a kids' bedroom with toys out on the floor? How neat do I have to have this place all the time? :eek: Should I repaint the house, will that make a difference? I also have to have the gargage sale the first weekend in Oct. Will it look bad if I am showing the house and I have neatly stacked boxes out?

AAAAARRRRRRHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Man I need help, in so many ways.....

Can any of you help me out?

Blessings!

An insane, emotionally wrecked Chris

:crylaugh:

[Yvonne Belisle]

I am essentually a gypsy at heart we have moved so many times my kids have threatened to run away if I do it again! First off start weeding threw your things. If you haven't used it in three years get rid of it. This is a great time to get rid of the stuff people give you that you can't stand but don't know how to tell them. When they don't see it in the new house tell them how you were so upset it didn't survive the move. They don't need to know it was culled. Don't buy more food than you have to have now isn't the time to stock up no matter how good a bargain it is. Make sure that as you pack the boxes try to keep a master list as well as write what is in them on it. This will save you time if you need something fast. Start with the things you don't use everyday. Get yourselves down to just the dishes you have to have. Pack all the others. Buy paper plates and cups it can be a great thing not to deal with a ton of dirty dishes when someone calls and asks if they can see the house in an hour. You can make it fun for kids too by making it a pretend vacation. Put the clothes you know they need into suitcases. Pack all the rest they can pretend they are at someone elses house and that they have taken a trip.

If you can paint the interior that is often a good thing for people it makes it appear cleaner than it is. Have a box ready for toys so when people are coming toss them in the box and shut it. Another great way to store toys is in a pillowcase you have put a drawstring into then hang it on the closet doornob. Picking toys up into a bag is so quick too! Magizines like Better Homes and Gardens or Metropolitin Homes are nice to have on the coffee table too and oil scents in the outlets help. It gives it a homey sort of feel. If you can bake try cookies when you know they are coming the smell makes houses more appealing too.

I think somewhere I have garage sale tips and moving tips I will look if I find them I will post them for you.
Good Luck

[Old Witch]

Oh! How I feel for you.....I get too attached to "things" too............I have lived in my house for 24 yrs. and my heart would break If I left.............PM me if you need to talk to someone who truly understands...............:heartthro

[Semele]

((((((Chris))))))),

Your new home, no matter what it looks like will feel like home very soon with your family around you. Just as you would grow to hate your current home without your family, you will soon love any place where you are all together. Family is home.

As far as showing the house, I can tell you that when we looked at this house and I saw the kids rooms I felt the warm family feeling that they felt here. They were neat, for kids rooms, but they had pet birds in one room with totally hideous green paint on the walls...but you could tell the kid had chosen it herself and it was great. That became Trey's room and we repainted it for him. A realestate agent may tell you to paint and decorate and what not to increase selling power, but I wouldn't go overboard...keep it neutral because the new owners are going to have their own tastes. We really liked much of the decor in this house, but the first week we were here I ripped the wallpaper out of our bathroom and totally transformed it into a beautiful celestial haven!! The previous owner would probably hate it, but we love it!

I say, keep dishes and stuff done, but don't worry about normal day to day clutter...it makes a house look and feel lived in and will convey the warm family feeling to potential buyers. That's my opinion anyway.

As for packing, my only tip is to keep your husband as far away from breakable items and centimental stuff as possible. Men will throw away things that we would never consider...like baby books etc!

Good luck and I do not envy you a bit!!

[Witchy Cowgirl]

We have moved so many times it's hard to count.
Instead of looking at it through sad eyes think of it as a time that you get to clean out and start over!
So many good tips have already been stated. The two most important things I think that have already been stated is get rid of the unused stuff. Like Yvonne said, if it's not been used in the past 3 years it's time to part with it. And her other tip of writing the contents on the box is great!
My mama-in-law is considering selling her house and she wants to paint and all that stuff. Painting to give a clean fresh look is one thing but she's doing all that decorating stuff. I think that's useless cause wouldn't you want to put that time, energy and money into your new home?
Hopefully Wanderer will see this thread cause she just got done with a yard sale. Since it's fresh on her mind she could probably give ya some GREAT tips.
And as Semele said, your connection is really with your family! Not your house.
Even with words of encouragement and comfort I know it will be hard and my heart goes out to you. I'll keep you in my prayers.
((((Chryssi))))

[Faery-Wings]

Your new home, no matter what it looks like will feel like home very soon with your family around you. Just as you would grow to hate your current home without your family, you will soon love any place where you are all together. Family is home.

I need to have this tattooed onto my forehead!

You are very right, and that is one thing I needed to hear. :)

I did a lot of boxing up yesterday, several for a garage sale, a several to get put away until we move, and a few bags for the garbage. The kids are as bad as me at not wanting to throw anything out. Scott said about this broken wooden excavator we got him from the dollar store: "I can't throw it away, Dadddy got it for me!" *giggle* My son!

Thanks for the support, I started crying allover again today. *sigh*

(I need WtchyChick to find me a smilie of a cookoo sign, you know smilie twirling a finger by the ear. :D)

Chris *insert cookoo smilie here*

[Faery-Wings]

Well, wouldn't you know.:rolleyes:


My uncle/real estate agent came over last night. Our house is not as high a value as we hoped. We really can't afford to move. The equity we have here is decent but home prices are through the roof in north Jersey. So we would be be paying more for only a slightly bigger home. We are thinking it might not be worth it.

What my uncle suggested is to put on an addition or do a modular on this lot. I don't think we could afford a modular either and our septic probably couldn't take on more that three bedrooms, legally. So we are back to thinking of putting on an addition.

So back to square one.

Has anyone added on and has advice?

[Tammy Sullivan]

Originally posted by chryssi1


And then on the the easier part...I need as many tips and ideas for easy moving, packing, showing the house as I can get. When you look at houses, what kinds of things stick out as good selling points?
Flooring, woodwork, lighting, fixture grade, foundation and plumbing and wiring

Would it bother you to see a kids' bedroom with toys out on the floor?
Not if the room was clean. Carpets edged, baseboards dusted, no bugs in light fixture, the whole 9 yards.

How neat do I have to have this place all the time?
see above


:eek: Should I repaint the house, will that make a difference?
yes actually but you can slide by without it and the new homeowner can choose thier own color

I also have to have the gargage sale the first weekend in Oct. Will it look bad if I am showing the house and I have neatly stacked boxes out?
nah, cleanliness and features are the main things.

[Faery-Wings]

*holds head to keep it from spinning a la Linda Blair*

Okay, in the last two weeks, we have discussed moving, addition, modular, moving addition, modular, moving, addition, modular, moving addition, modular, moving, addition, modular, moving addition, modular, moving, addition, modular, moving addition, modular.......

We're still considering all three options, but seem to be focusing on the modular option mostly. It will cost us the same amount of money that it would to move into a different house ($$$$$!! :eek: ) but at least we would be in a brand new house. To move we would spend all of our money, then not have any money to fix up anything that is wrong. Or icky. I have this *thing* about other people's dirt. Like it took me a year to walk on the carpet in this house without my shoes on. Oh yeah, after a year, we recarpeted. :p

We have been prequalified for a building loan/mortgage and have gotten a verbal ok form the town to rebuild based on variance and septic codes. *sigh of relief* Next step is another visit to the builder on Saturday to get a real price, not an estimate. If we can swing it, I think this is what we are going to do.

Oh and my parents said we could live with them while the house is being built. I love my parents!!

Anyone here know anything about building a home that we should know?

[Old Witch]

I would go to bed with a headache and not get up again until the house is built!!!!!:eek:

[Faery-Wings]

Believe me..I am tempted!!!

:woah: :T

[Semele]

WOW!!! You are making me dizzy! Building a new home would be very cool. I always wanted to do that. Just think of how much fun it will be to plan everything exactly like you want it, and no other folks dirt to clean!! Just be sure to find a good spot for the special wall painting that has to go in the new place!

[WandererInGray]

*smiles*

Advertize, advertize, advertize!
Big colorful signs at four different "major" streets around your house...lots of littler signs and arrows pointing people in the right direction. (and be sure to run around and check the signs after the next day of the sale to make sure they're still up, have extras to replace anything)

Check around town and see when most people have their sales. I had mine on a Saturday and Sunday (start EARLY!!), but probably would have done better with a Friday and Saturday since I didn't sell much on Sunday.

If I'd had the time and inclination I would have done it two weekend in a row.

Have everything marked clearly with a price...and always be ready to bargin with people.

Everything should be clean and neat....and if something is broken or needs a slight repair, be sure to mention it on the item somewhere. People will still buy it, it's just good business to let them know the condition.

*smiles* As for moving, since I've done that too....I was pretty vicious about throwing things away...anything and everything that I thought about tossing went into one of three piles: good will, trash, or "think about it". Then I went through the "think" pile and either tossed stuff or kept it.
And I'm *still* getting rid of things...but at least I didn't have to move a great deal of stuff I didn't need.

Someone mentioned the food....but I'll say it again....once of the BEST things we did was eat everything we could out of the pantry and fridge before moving.
We moved a couple of boxes of cooking supplies/spices/canned goods.....but only a box of stuff from the fridge, which I was really happy about.

[Witchy Cowgirl]

:(I haven't gotten any notifications that anyone had replied to this thread.) BOO!

Now that I've read through this let me say.
Chryssi, I'm so happy for you!
How excited you must be not to have to leave the place that you are so attached to.
The energies that you and your family have built in the old house can remain and help bless and protect the new home (or addition) after it is all built.:boing: