Moving your residence

[Traci H]

In the coming weeks, my wife and I will be moving after 23 years at our present home. I have several large tubs of my stuff stashed away, and of course can?t let it go. My wife is aware of its presence and advises me to trash it. No way! I do hope to cull it down, but I am finding that hard to do. As I go through the dresses and skirts, etc, I find I can hardly part with any of them.

The issue is moving them to the new house. So far I have packed up some in cardboard boxes like other things here in process. I marked them for the workshop or garage, as if the are part of that collection. The boxes are all taped up quite well. In theory those should just be placed there for my unpacking later at the time of my choosing. I think that?s how it did it on our last move, so long ago. Of course I have more now.

Any tips on handling a collection in a hybrid DADT situation would be appreciated. It took me quite a while to collect those things that fit well, and I don?t want to lose them. I don?t get to dress often, but just having them available gives me some pleasure.

Thanks,
Traci

[bridget thronton]

Downsizing is always tough. I am forcing myself to donate the dresses that do not fit well and I do not wear any more. I wish you well in your move.

[Helen_Highwater]

Traci,

Sounds to me like you have it covered. The one thing you don't mention is if you have a new place singled out to put all your things.

[Jane G]

Feeling your angst. I still have the first bra I ever bought. Not worn it for 20 years, but I simply can't let it go. When we eventually downsize, I will be looking for closet space.

[amberhurley]

You can rent a storage locker (cubesmart, Life Storage, etc). They have small units and monthly rates.

[Sometimes Steffi]

That's what I was going to suggest. We had some major remodeling done some years back and most of Steffi's stuff moved to a storage locker. I still have a lot of Steffi's stuff in a storage locker. It's nicely set up with crude shelves that I made to hold the boxes I was using. It also has a small closet oh wheels and a cheap K-Mart put together dresser.

[CarlaWestin]

Haven't had a major move yet that didn't involve one load of personal stuff in the car/truck. Since you're in a hybrid DADT situation, you probably don't have to do a deep hide.
You could always fold your girl stuff inside the drab stuff.

[Stephanie47]

One of the reasons I am never going to move with the exception of meeting my maker is the sheer number of Xerox boxes (24+) and other boxes of my "stuff." It's got to the point I don't even know how I can off-load the wardrobe if I wanted. My recommendation or concurrence is to rent a small storage locker until the dust settles from the move.

[CharlotteCD]

No help for your situation, but I've reached a "IDGAF" stage with my clothes and makeup. I've actually moved 90% of it out already and it's all in a drawer at my girlfriend's place. The 10% that stays at my place isn't exactly hidden these days.

I need to move at some point in the next 2-3 months. At that point I'll take some of the items back from my girlfriend's place and will have them on full display in my house save for when I have guests around.

[Traci H]

Hmmm, I hadn?t thought about a storage unit for such. I can get a 5x5 foot small unit for $33 per month close by. That?s all I would need as you can stack it high. Something to think about

If I wouldn?t have so many boxes, just slipping it in among the rest would be fine. I also may close and own the property before we actually move and thus be able to run boxes over there. It?s not very far. Lots to think about besides all the other transactions going on. Moving as you get older is a lot of work. I am doing all kinds of things still to our present home getting it ready to put on the market. Not much time for dressing these days!

[Cheryl T]

As for culling the herd ...
Ask yourself when was the last time I wore this. Will I wear it again. Does it still fit properly.
If it's over a year since you've worn and or you're not sure you will again soon or it's a bit too snug (but I'll lose weight ...) then donate it.

[Suzie Petersen]

Traci,
Do as I did just recently, work on the house in girl mode!
See some of my recent posts on how that went. I had a great time.

As for storage, it seems to me a storage unit would be ideal for you. Get one a little bigger so you have space to organize and sort through your things.

[Sometimes Steffi]

Hmmm, I hadn't thought about a storage unit for such. I can get a 5x5 foot small unit for $33 per month close by. That's all I would need as you can stack it high. Something to think about

Mine is 5x5 and stacked to the ceiling.

Select the storage locker carefully. The one I use now is environmentally controlled so I can comfortably access it it in both the summer and winter. My unit is on the second floor, but the building has elevators and carts to use for moving the boxes.

This is a pic of mine

342071

There are traditional garage-style units on the first floor to the left, plus some garage doors way to the right that provide access to the elevator and the inside units.

[abby054]

A storage unit is a great idea if your move is relatively local. You can take your stuff to your new home when convenient or you can set up the storage unit as a place to dress. As Steffi does, get an environmentally controlled unit.

For a long distance move, moving your treasures discretely would be a separate trip. That is quite an expense for DADT or greater security. Do the math to determine if it would be easier and less expensive to purge and then buy new. If a purge is easier, consider sharing with your local CD sisters.

My 7x7 storage unit has become a compact femme room with 50s vintage vanity, lingerie chest, three tier clothes rack, metal shelving units, four big mirrors, a folding chair, and even a dressmaker?s model. I cleared a space almost big enough to lie down in the middle of it all to access everything and to dress with the door closed. A throw rug keeps my feet off the cold concrete floor. A few more square feet, a cot, and some water and I would have a boudoir. My building looks like Steffi?s building.

[CharlotteCD]

America's love of storage spaces never ceases at amaze me. I don't know if it is consumerism or just socially accepted behaviour.

It just doesn't seem to be a UK thing to hoard or buy so much that you can't fit it in your house any more.

[Traci H]

While I am considering the storage space, it?s not because I need the space. It would only be a method of carefully transporting my stash without having my private life exposed. I am currently leaning away from doing so however as I know my wife would find it deceitful in our relationship, despite being sort of DADT.

So far I have packed several boxes and labeled them as workshop destinations. They will be placed there by me or movers and will just be stashed among all the many others. Be it sandpaper, power tools, or bras, no one should know. I made sure they are taped very well by the way. Sounds good on paper anyways!!

[DanielleDubois]

Consider yourself lucky you are able to pack away a substantial amount of your accumulated girl stuff. When we moved to Australia 10 years ago we arrived with all of our worldly possessions in 6 suitcases. Needless to say almost all of my Danielle stuff was left behind except for a couple of wigs, some favorite lingerie and jewelery which managed to get hidden away in the bottom of one of our suitcases. On the positive side it was a great excuse to start accumulating a brand new Danielle wardrobe.

[Lisa Gerrie]

I've rented temporary storage in Michigan a few times, for clothing I recommend "climate controlled" lockers, just 4x4x4 feet, that are inside a heated/cooled building, on the same large lot with regular storage units. Shapewear (especially) and elastic in general do not like to frozen or baked. Manmade materials in shoes, belts, etc. too. Natural materials don't like very high/low humidity, and indoor spaces have fewer problems with mice.

[Natalie5004]

How many of us had moved and 1 year later there are still some things in the moving boxes?

I say leave them in the moving box until you get settled in, then claim a closet for Traci.

That is how I did it. Now I have a full closet with shoes, wigs, dresses and skirts, tops at my disposal. I also have a chest of drawers in the spare bedroom with my girly things. I wish I had a makeup table. I just use my bathroom. On my countertop I have moisturizers and other girly skincare stuff right there so I can use them every day to maintain my girlish skin.

[Kitty S]

We moved after 23 years and I still have unopened boxes sitting for the last 8 years! Found some books and baseball cards last week. Mark the boxes work stuff or receipts everyone will avoid them.

[Maid_Marion]

I moved in 2001 and still have unopened boxes from that move! I have a three bedroom house filled with stuff!
I've been improving the basement so I may be able to safely store clothes down there. We had a three inches of rain recently andi've been monitoring the humidity to make sure it stays below 60%

Marion

[Lacey New]

Four different houses over the course of almost 40 years and each time the stash got smaller and some really nice things that I will never be able to replace have gone away. Such is life.

[Christina C]

I moved so much in the service and got at least ten boxes that I packed over the years and no longer have a clue what is even in them.

[Sometimes Steffi]

We moved after 23 years and I still have unopened boxes sitting for the last 8 years! Found some books and baseball cards last week. Mark the boxes work stuff or receipts everyone will avoid them.
Right after we got married, we moved 4 times in 5 years. It became kind of a game each move to find the old moving stickers on each box and figure out which move they related to.



For a long distance move, moving your treasures discretely would be a separate trip. That is quite an expense for DADT or greater security.

You can always rent a PO box (or a UPS Mail Box) in your new location and ship boxes. I'm not sure if they would appreciate a large amount of boxes, but that's the business they're in. I've had by PO box for over 20 years, and once or twice I acquired too much stuff on a trip to fit in my luggage. I just packed a box and shipped it home. Another time, I bought a duffle bag and flew home with and extra bag for a small fee (a long time ago, before it became so expensive to do).