Monday, May 6, 2013

Getting Things Ready

There has been an abundance of activity around our house for the last couple weeks. The hubby has been working hard to get things set up for our move, and I’ve been cleaning, organizing, and sorting through every closet, drawer, and room in our home. One thing I learned from living in Germany previously is the houses there do not have the same amount of storage space as many American homes do. We have begun the task of deciding what goes with us and what we will put into storage. It is becoming a bigger task than I expected, and our guest room is beginning to look like a battle ground.

I became a little obsessed with storage solutions the last time we were overseas. I have the bins and containers to prove it! This time, I have been planning and preparing ahead of time and trying to find new storage solutions for some of our basic, everyday things. I have found the removable Command hooks by 3M to be a fantastic product. I use them around the house for everything ranging from a place to hold the cords to the blinds, to a place to hang my towel in the bathroom. Coincidentally, I first came to love the hooks when we first lived in Germany. The hooks are one thing I’ll be stocking up on prior to the move. I have a healthy stash already, but I’m sure I can find more great uses for them. Plus, it doesn’t hurt to have extra on hand. 

If you ever find yourself being stationed in Germany (or anywhere else overseas), do not be afraid to put things into storage. Trust me, especially if it is something you do not use on a regular basis. Research the area you will be going to. Seek out forums devoted to the area you will be moving to. Chances are, you can ask questions directly to people who presently live there and get a better idea of the type of living spaces you will be looking at. Moving overseas can be a scary idea, but being prepared can help make the transition a little bit smoother. I am hoping to get the opportunity to post as we are going through this process. We were once in the position of being completely clueless as to what we were doing. With any luck, I can pass on what I’ve learned, and make the move a little easier for someone else.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

It's official! Another move is on the horizon.

It's been a while since I've been able to hop on here and post anything. A lot of things have happened. We've celebrated the new year. My kid's school year is almost over. We've also received word about another change in jobs for my husband. What's next? Germany. Again. While this is not the first time we have lived in Germany, it is still a gargantuan task to get everything in order. We need to decide what goes and what stays. We have to bring in movers and we have to find lodging for our final days in the states. I've learned a lot about moving over the last 10 years. This will be the seventh major move I've made with the hubs. There are aspects of this move that I think will be a little easier since we know what to expect. I look forward to showing everyone the culture and things we experience while we are in Europe. We plan to travel far more than we did the last time we were there. I do not want to waste this experience, because this is something we will take with us for the rest of our lives. I am so grateful my kids will be able to experience all the history and beauty of Germany, and the surrounding countries and beyond.