Seattle, WashingtonMonday, August 3, 2009
When that job offer in Mongolia comes through, here’s the list you’ll need to make it onto the airplane…
- Get a roll of accounting tape: you’re going to need it for all the lists you’ll make
- Write down EVERY moving-related task that occurs to you--otherwise you’ll keep waking up in the middle of the night wondering about the same stuff
- Indulge your mother’s penchant & skill for on-line shopping. (Despite the “wonders of the Web”, shopping in July for -25 Celcius weather is not a straightforward task.)
- Craigslist is your new best friend (great for finding renters, selling cars, and giving away stuff)
- Find renters you trust AND like—it’s a great relief
- Accept moving and cleaning help from friends and family: you’re going to need it
- Accept your mother and step-father’s generous offer to move into their house for the last week before you go. Otherwise, you may never get the house cleared out…
- Start a mental inventory of everything in your house. There are six possible categories: Stuff to take, Stuff to ship (that you won’t need right away), Stuff to give away, Stuff to throw away, Stuff to store for your return, and Undecided
- When the “Undecided” stuff is finally down to a smallish pile, toss it all in a box and stash somewhere--you are free at last...
- Thank all those who helped profusely—you couldn’t have done it without them!
