Moving Tips

As I seem to be moving with rather startling frequency, I thought it would be useful to put together some of the things which have made it easier. Moving companies all put together handy little lists telling you when to unplug your refrigerator and reminding you to eat breakfast, and so I'll spare you all of the simple stuff. These are the things I've learned by trial and error. And the errors come easily when 10 people arrive to pack up your house, and none of them speak English!

Tip #1:
The person who took the furniture apart will not be the person who puts it back together - unless that person is you.
I suppose a domestic move in the states may involve the same individuals packing and unpacking your boxes. An international move does not. The Shanghai crew did not travel with our boxes to Shenzhen, although they did take apart some of the furniture. If your furniture breaks down, do it yourself. Then place all small pieces in a Ziploc bag or an envelope, and tape it to the bottom of the furniture.

Tip #2:
Know where your tools are - including scissors, a Sharpie, and a box cutter.
Your toolbox, no matter how big or small, ought to be the last thing boxed up and in a well-marked container. You'll need the screwdrivers quickly upon unpacking. But don't even bother packing your scissors, Sharpies and box cutter. You'll want those while the movers pack the house, and again when you're unpacking alone.

Tip #3:
Label your boxes well by destination room. The packers will not.
To look at the labels on our boxes, you would think that we had an amazing amount of vases and stationary. You'd also think that we had one baby and no other children, as anything child related was labeled Baby Room. If you don't need an inventory of each box, at least peek in each one to confirm the destination room.

Tip #4:
Don't diet. Do exercise.
Now, don't act like a fool and gorge yourself on McDonald's and ice-cream. But remember that moving boxes, exploring a new neighborhood, and stress all burn loads of calories. And when moving internationally, the lack of ingredients at the grocery store as well as the crummy restaurant you happened upon will keep those meals low-cal for the first few weeks. Add in the diet and exercise routines as soon as possible (exercise will come much earlier than diet), but the regiment will be initially impossible and only add more stress.

Tip #5:
Smile at everyone who makes eye contact with you. Introduce yourself to everyone who smiles at you.
Soon you'll find that you know the names of everyone in your everyday routine, and that they all think you're friendly. Even if you don't have friends for quite some time, you'll have conversations with people every day. These conversations turn into friends quicker than you'd think.

Tip #6:
Use the phone.
Communicate with folks by phone whenever possible. Stay away from email and texting while you're getting to know people, if you can help it. Those spoken conversations give others the chance to ask how you're doing, or to invite you along to their morning plans.

Tip #7:
Do as many favors as you can, and take advantage of help when its offered.
Being a helper is a wonderful way to get to know someone. And you need help when you're moving. So does anyone else around you in the throes of the same. Take advantage of help and offer it as well. You'll build a community around yourself quickly, and set a lovely precedent for help later on... when you find your husband traveling for weeks at a time, or you need a doctor and someone to watch your kids immediately.

Tip #8:
If the economy allows it, hire help immediately.
In China, and in many other countries through the help, hired help is readily available and quite affordable. A housekeeper and nanny make a considerable difference when you've got a To Do List a mile long. A local housekeeper can be a lifesaver, as she already knows the good shopping and can communicate with any Fix-It-Men who'll try to help. But refer to Tip #7 for the actual hiring - a referral is always the best way to go.

It may not be neuroscience, but these little rules helped me through the last few months. At this point, I feel pretty comfortable here. Friends in Shanghai still feel closer, although pretty far away. But friends here do feel like honest friends, and I do feel that if I had an emergency I would have plenty of shoulders to lean on. Good, as my husband does seem to travel about 80% of the time right now.