Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

My heart goes out to you! We just did a move, not quite done... Hubby still has some remaining in the garage at the old place. (we still need to sell it)

We moved out of hubby's childhood home. We took care of his elderly mother until she passed away. So we had some 50 years or more of accumulation to deal with. Crazy.

With a little hired help and a garage sale we made the move and are now in the new place. Most all dealt with... or still in boxes in the garage.

This all sent me into a different place healthwise than I have ever been. Too tired to go and see the doctors. But will soon need to go. Bless you Susan and good luck

Moving is never fun. I hope you have lots of help! A hot shower or bath before bed might help.

Thanks you guys:) I have been packing myself, but my sons and friends are helping next Sunday...rented a 17' u-haul so we should be able to get alot of it in there. I don't know what I would do without my kiddos!!:)

I moved about a year ago, and I swear the only way I made it was that I hired people to both pack and move all my stuff. I'm never doing it any other way after that - it saved me so much stress and physical exhaustion, though it did hit me pretty hard in the wallet.

Oh Susan, I can relate!! We just moved one week ago today and it took a month to downsize (over 3000 sq. ft down to 1600 )and pack due to my RA. I am still learning to pace myself and only do a little bit each day but that is so hard!! I look around and see all these boxes to unpack, things to fix (we bought a 60 years + home), etc. Thanks to the tremendous efforts of my family and friends, the move happened. I hope everything goes smoothly and you will get settled in your next home quickly!! Blessings to you!

My husband and I helped his brother, and wife move onto an Island.. We greatly enjoyed the ferry ride! But these are the easiest people to move in the world, I think. They moved out of a 900 sq ft house, into a little bit bigger basement apartment. It is a cute little place. The windows in the back may be tiney, but they made up for it with the living room, which has two walls of tall windows, starting about two feet off the floor and just about going to the ceiling. They had some stuff that they were getting rid of, but there simply isn't anyway to have much in 900 sq feet! Knowing that it would be a long day, and a long car ride (which I have trouble with), I did almost nothing in the actual moving.
We have helped numereous people move, and I used to be much more help. But that's how it goes!

I am glad you have kids that can help, and neighbors as well. When we moved, I was 11 years from diagnosis, and had spent weeks slowly boxing and labeling everything as to contents, and where to put box, once at new home. If we moved now.....it would be awful!!!!

So you have all my sympathies, and hopes that things will go well, and your help will keep your from getting too tired!

Just a note that may help...

We purchased colored duct tape which indicated which floor (or garage) of the new home was the destination. Then the boxes were marked according to priority. Antique dishes clearly were marked #3 and things like everyday flatware and dishes, pots and pans marked priority #1. Also marked with which room they should go to. Seems we spent a fortune for tape and markers!!! But so worth it. We saved by raiding Walmart unpacking workers after midnight and got free boxes of many sizes.

What I did not count on was that I was actually downsizing my kitchen and pantry space. We did do a garage sale before moving, but in hindsight, there was so much more that I should have sold!

Good luck and if you possibly can, hire help!

Giving you hugs. Yes, packing and moving sucks. My air conditioner failed the day of my move. Fans everywhere because it was l04 degrees that day!

Hi Susan, packing and moving can be a tedious task even without having RA. Take frequent breaks, if you can maybe take a pain pill before you start. If you can get some help from perhaps teenagers or young folks in the neighborhood that would help you. Good luck with the move and try not to over do it.

Daizy,
That is a really good tip!
When we moved in here 8 years ago, my boxes were all clearly labeled, as were the ones that I had packed for my [now] husband.
However, my in-laws came up to "help" and just threw things in boxes, from various rooms . . . ugh. Finally, last summer, we got rid of all of those boxes, not to mention the crappy furniture that the previous owners had left in the attic!