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Restraining awakens my self-hatred

8.7.2019

Translation: machine translated

Moving is exhausting. Especially if you do things the way I do.

I'm currently under the stress of moving house. There are boxes everywhere. But not enough yet, as I'm constantly struggling with the decision of whether I still need the stuff or can already stow it away. It's the first time I've moved an entire flat and not just the few things I liked in my childhood bedroom. The difference is huge, as I realise.

From the small town of Aargau to the big city of Zurich. Because I want to be in the centre of life. Not constantly checking my train connections, but cycling to work. But I have to work hard to earn all this. I have to endure mental and physical pain. I'll be honest: moving sucks! It particularly sucks because my weaknesses are exposed to me in an unembellished way. The hatred of moving is actually a hatred of myself.

I'm a zero when it comes to organisation and I throw too few things away. My obsession with tidiness is also limited. Perfect conditions for a successful move. Not at all! More like a nervous breakdown. I don't want to go through that again, so I have a few tips for my future self and for you too.

Clean out regularly

There's a running joke in my family: "Should I throw it away now or rather later?" That sums up the whole dilemma pretty well. I actually know that I'll never need certain things and yet I keep them out of a guilty conscience. That makes no sense and in situations like moving house, it drives you crazy. I briefly considered setting fire to my flat so that all the stuff would go up in flames. I'm 27, how can I have accumulated so much stuff?
From now on, things will be thrown away straight away or, even better, taken to a thrift shop. I'm no longer taking part in such clear-outs.

Organisation

This doesn't refer to the actual tidiness in the home - although that doesn't always fit either - but rather the tidiness during the tidying process. Peppering everything into boxes may work in the moment, but it makes little sense when unpacking. So much valuable time is lost because I have to allocate the boxes to the right rooms. It wouldn't have been so stupid to bundle them together beforehand. At least they are labelled. But next time I'll also label them with the exact destination so that all the helpers know where to put the stuff.

No excuses

Just do it, Caro. Stop lying to yourself with any flimsy excuses. "Oh, it's hot today!" Yes, it is. Close your eyes and get through it. Something else is bound to get in the way a day later. It's not worth starting cleaning a few days earlier because everything will get dirty again anyway? No, windows and kitchen cupboards certainly don't need to be cleaned five minutes before the keys are handed in. My tendency to procrastinate ends in stress every time. Who would have thought that leaving everything until the end is a bit much to do all at once?

Bonus tip

I already know this trick and it's worth its weight in gold. Always tape up cupboards and similar items that you are dismantling into their individual parts. This means that the cupboard door on the left is labelled "Door top left" at the top, for example. Screws are stuck to the corresponding part in a small bag. This eliminates the annoying guesswork during assembly.

If you internalise these tips, a lot of things will be easier the next time you move. And that's because you've already thrown half your stuff in the bin. Get enough helping hands for the rest and the job is done. Theoretically. In practice, unfortunately, even with all the well-intentioned advice, moving remains a stressful affair. <p

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Carolin Teufelberger

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carolin.teufelberger@digitecgalaxus.ch

My life in a nutshell? On a quest to broaden my horizon. I love discovering and learning new skills and I see a chance to experience something new in everything – be it travelling, reading, cooking, movies or DIY.

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