Some of you might remember today’s guest blogger, Lindsey Mastis. She was the first person I interviewed for OTR. Stardate 2009. Back then, she talked about her daily routine and how she stayed on top of things. Today, she tells the tale of lessons learned during her recent move.
I’d like to take a few moments to simply sigh. It’s been three weeks since my husband and I moved into our new home. I’m still trying to catch my breath.
As a news reporter, I’ve moved around a lot. From St. Louis to Carbondale to living in a hotel in Dallas to interning in DC and then moving back to Southern Illinois. Two years ago, my husband packed up our three bedroom house. I packed up my two bedroom apartment. We drove to DC, and moved into a two-bedroom (one bath) apartment in the Rockville Town Square. We loved living there, but decided it was time to get our stuff out of storage. So we got a house.
This was supposed to be the “easy” and “cheap” move. Three weeks later, I’m eating my words.
I’m overwhelmed with the amount of stuff we have.
Confused about where some of our stuff is.
And, I’m getting impatient with the time it’s taking to put it all away.
Here’s a list of some of the things we did that worked, didn’t work, and could have done better to stay organized:
1. Start packing a few weeks in advance. We were able to clean, dust, and gently pack everything into labeled boxes.
2. Use trash bags. This is my favorite kind of move because it’s quick. It’s best to double-bag a trash bag and use it to pack clothes. Don’t forget to label the bag, otherwise it might become trash.
3. Be nice to U-Haul. We rented our truck for one day, and promised to have it back by 5 pm that night. Around 4 am — yes, AM — we were so tired, we decided to get some rest. We took the truck back almost 24 hours late. But, they were so nice (and probably felt sorry for us) so they didn’t charge us any extra. Thank you U-Haul!
4. Find friends to help. We moved 4th of July weekend. We felt too guilty to ask anyone to give up their holiday for us. Big mistake. It took us four-times as long to move big items. Having a few friends would have kept us more sane.
5. Watch what you throw away. My parents loaded up a 20-foot trailer with some items we had in storage and some of my husband’s childhood things. I hadn’t seen some of this stuff for 20 years. Because of all the stress, it’s hard to tell what’s truly sentimental. I threw a lot of it away (trophies, pictures of old boyfriends, notes from school). Now, I’m regretting it. So our new rule is: Don’t throw anything (but trash) away for at least a month.
6. Watch what you give away or sell. When we moved across the country, we sold as much as we could. Two years later, I’m politely asking family members if they’re still using the table/elliptical machine/bar stools/cookware. And we are having to re-purchase some items. It’s getting expensive – fast.
7. Take pictures. Moving can feel like a traumatic experience. Take a few moments to be silly, climb on top of some (stable) boxes, and smile. It will help.
8. Learn how to multi-task. I’m having a hard time doing anything but unpacking. That means I’ve missed out on some very special social events. It also means I’ve missed out on training for my half-marathon in two weeks. It’s hard to ignore the mess, but it would have been better if I kept up my running schedule and other commitments.
9. Live tweet your move. I didn’t tweet until we took the U-Haul back. That’s when one of my friends offered to bring us his truck. It was too late.
10. Sleep. My husband made a great point at 4 am. Getting the moving truck back in time wasn’t worth the risk. We were tired, and because it was a holiday weekend, who knows how many drunk people were driving. We rested, had a good breakfast, and went back to work the next day. It all turned out for the better.
About the Author
Lindsey Mastis is a Digital Correspondent with WUSA 9 News Now, a local CBS affilate in Washington, DC. She covers Government 2.0 and Social Networking. Lindsey is also an avid runner and participated in the 10-Mile Cherry Blossom Race last April.
Connect With Lindsey: Website | Twitter
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Do you have a hoarder in your life? Perhaps you have a neighbor who’s a hoarder? According to msnbc.com, “an estimated 2 million people in the U.S. suffer from compulsive hoarding.” With such a high number, it should come as no surprise that you might have a hoarder living in your area.
Recently, a woman in my neighborhood, Marilee White, decided to share her story with Lindsey Mastis, a WUSA9 journalist. Though this must have been very difficult for her to do, it was an opportunity for her to get the help that she needs. I have known Marilee for two years and am proud of this step she’s taking to get out from under the clutter. This, of course, will not happen overnight. Clearing the clutter can be a slow process and will likely need the involvement of a therapist. It will also require more professional organizers. I will be calling on my NAPO-WDC members to help Marilee and WUSA9 will likely check in on her throughout the year.
To get more information about Marilee, watch the WUSA9 profile below, and tell us your about experience with a hoarder in your family or neighborhood.
Welcome to the very first installment of my video interview series with “busy people.” I hope you like these very candid interviews about how busy people keep it together…and how tricky that can be for them sometimes. First up is Lindsey Mastis (you might remember she interviewed me last month). Enjoy!
Back in February, I had the pleasure of interviewing Lindsey Mastis, a Digital Correspondent with WUSA9, a local DC television station. I turned the tables on Lindsey and put her in the hot seat. I asked her to talk about her busy lifestyle and some of the things she does to keep her life in order.
Did you know that a Digital Correspondent (DC) has more responsibilities than the average correspondent? A DC is in front of the camera, behind the camera, carrying the camera and tripod…and, oh yeah, they edit their own footage. Lindsey also makes time for networking both online and at social events, and, at the time of this interview, was training for the 10 mile Cherry Blossom race. She’s got a full plate in front of her.
When I sat down with her, I found out that she’s a pretty organized person. She’s a great planner and she takes about 20 minutes to make her lunch for the entire week. She also likes making oatmeal for breakfast because it’s quick and easy and doesn’t interfere with her morning routine. I also found out that she’s a fan of lists…grocery lists, to do lists, etc. She’s an organizer’s dream! How cool that someone with a busy lifestyle can find a way to keep it together AND have fun.
Check out the video below to see my full interview with Lindsey…
…and be sure to check out her website at www.lindseymastis.com. You can also read her tweets here. Also, thanks to Connie, the person behind the camera!
Btw, I’m not a fan of seeing myself on video AT ALL. My hair’s a mess and what’s up with my hands??? I need to sit on them to keep them under control! Oh well…I’m organized…except for my hands. =)
With a great weekend behind me, what better way to start my week than by being interviewed by my friend and WUSA9 journalist, Lindsey Mastis! Today, Lindsey featured me in a story about women who love to clean. Now, cleaning is not organizing but they do go hand in hand…and guess who likes to clean? Remember my post on a few months back about my cleaning frenzy?
Click Here to See the WUSA9 Interview
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