Let's Play: Fix my life! :D

[Mama Lynx]

Okay, not my life, no. It's fine. But I"m having a great deal of trouble managing my priorities. I've been in this situation before, and managed things badly. I'd like to not manage them badly this time, but I'm not starting off well.

 

We're moving in about 2.5 months. I am a single parent until the move.

 

We are part of a co-op that meets all day on Friday. It is a very academic co-op and requires a great deal of time in homework outside of class. Cutting out the co-op before we move is not an option.

 

We want to spend time with friends, and sightseeing, before we move.

 

And of course, we have to pack and clean the house.

 

It's easy to keep slipping into our normal schedule of days spent on schoolwork, and activities or family time in the evenings. I keep thinking I should drop all schoolwork except for the co-op work, and spend the time packing. But then I wonder if it's too early for that, if we have time, and maybe we should just focus on getting in as much school as possible before the disruption.

 

But then, sightseeing and social activities are going to bite into our time, too.

 

How would you manage your time, in such a situation? Also, I teach at the co-op and so have some prep time involved with that. I can rearrange the classes so that there is less prep time for me, though.

 

Left to my own devices, I tend to run in circles until it's time for crisis last-minute packing and sightseeing, all at once. Then comes moving day and nothing is done.

 

Help?

[tristangrace]

I'd probably keep to the usual routine for another month, but start packing up non-essentials as you have time. (In our case, this would include off-season clothing and 90% of the kids' toys and books. Particularly with an up-tick in playdates and activities, they don't need to have lot of toys around.)

 

Then, when you're six weeks out from the move, cut down your school to just the co-op stuff and focus on preparing for the move.

[RainbowSprinkles]

Is this a move you're doing all on your own or will you have a moving company?

 

If it was a self-move, I would start by going through each room one at a time. I would throw away thrash, donate what is still usable but no longer needed/wanted, and box stuff up that I most likely wouldn't need in the next 2.5 months.

 

About 2 weeks before the move, I would set aside the things I'd need to be able to use, and then pack up everything else.

 

How far are you moving? Do you already have housing at the new location? If not, I would put together a transition kit.

 

For school, I would continue as normal for about 4-6 weeks than drop it down to the bare basics or even all of it until after the move and getting settled.

[Mama Lynx]

As far as we know, we're doing it on our own. That might change, but it's unlikely. We are moving 7 hours away and no, we do not have new housing yet. What would you put in your transition kit?

 

Okay, so focus on school and getting rid of stuff, but not packing. I can do that.

[WTMCassandra]

In your situation, I would be stern with myself, setting an event on my phone to spend 30 minutes a day decluttering, and packing two boxes each Saturday, for a month or two. Just start somewhere. Set aside small blocks of time every day and you will chip away at it. Designate one day a week to take decluttered items to a thrift store, making it part of your regular routine. Then, when you get closer to the move, you can start jettisoning schoolwork not needed for the co-op and spend extra time packing.