introducing: Deena Neuman
It's a day I was eagerly anticipating . . . and dreading: the
excitement of moving to a new apartment, and all the changes
and adjustments that come along with it. In our case, we were
buying an apartment in Eretz Yisroel for the first (and
hopefully last) time, which made the whole experience all the
more thrilling. But that doesn't mean that it was all smooth
sailing.
Friends kept reminding me that we are privileged to live in
Eretz Yisroel, only through yisurim. Considering what
people have gone through, it was really a piece of cake . .
.
It all began when we sent a message to our landlord that we
wished to leave our rented apartment before the lease was up,
due to the fact that we had bought an apartment. We didn't
anticipate any problem, since we were renting in a nice area
and vacating at a good time — better for the landlord
than had we remained to the end of our lease — so
finding new tenants should have not presented any problem.
But it was a problem.
It reached the point where we were very close to our intended
moving day, and still there was no tenant to take our place
and allow us to dissolve our lease. We were actually
considering renting out our new apartment, and staying in the
old one for six more months, as we were responsible for the
rent. When we offered this choice to our landlord, it seemed
to help him make a decision. Our new apartment was to become
available on a Tuesday, and eight days before our BIG day, an
agent called to tell us that the owner had accepted a new
tenant . . . could we be out by Thursday?
We went into high gear to complete our packing, throwing
things randomly into boxes, and trying to just get everything
packed. The mover arrived bright and early on Friday,
assuring us that we would be done by 1:00. Perhaps he would
have been, had we handled things differently . . . Not only
was he done quite a bit later, but due to pressure of time,
things were all over the place, and the following week we
spent an inordinate amount of time reorganizing before we
could unpack.
So here are some tips to avoid all the problems we
experienced.
1. It's obvious, but the more you organize before the move,
the easier it will be. At a minimum, color code boxes
according to which room they will go in (not which room they
came out of). Writing 'bedroom #2' in small letters will
probably not be noticed. Also many workers are foreigners and
cannot read your notations. Heavily marker, color, or
tape/glue a large colored swatch on each box. You may even
want to do more than one side — if you have little
kids, this is a great job for them! Then put a matching color
patch on the door or entrance of the intended room, and you
will greatly increase your chances of getting things in the
right area.
2. If you are moving in Israel, ask the mover to put your
closets in last, on the first truck, if there is more than
one. That way, they will be the first thing unloaded. If your
carpenter is ready and waiting for them, he may be able to
put one or more of them together before the room gets
crowded. Hint: generally speaking, closets get assembled on
the floor, and are then stood up against the wall. They need
the floor space. You may similarly want to plan dressers, and
other storage units to be among the first unloaded items.
Don't expect the mover to figure out what you need! If you
are moving perishable food, your refrigerator and freezer
should also be among the first items unloaded
3. Using suitcases or specially marked boxes, pack clothing
and other essentials needed for the first few days. It may be
more hectic than you anticipated, and you may not be able to
unpack everyone's things immediately.
4. For the most part, the less time the actual move takes,
the better off you will be. Ask your mover how many workers
he intends to bring, and request that he bring an additional
one. Ideally there should be four. If he charges you more,
it's worth paying for. Don't forget, the longer they work,
the more he may charge you, and certainly the bigger a tip
they will expect. You may also want to offer them a set
amount as a tip, for finishing in a reasonable, but shorter
than projected amount of time. It most probably won't cost
you extra, and you'll be done with the move that much
sooner.
5. Speaking of the movers, have cold drinks, cups and some
snacks available. They really do work hard and appreciate
your kindness.
6. If you can prepare some meals ahead of time, try to. It
takes a few days or even weeks until you can start cooking
again. We subsisted on microwave baked potatoes for quite a
while! As well as cereal and milk, sandwiches and fresh
fruits and vegetables. Perhaps if you pack up your kitchen in
an extremely organized way, you will avoid this. But don't
forget, life is always full of surprises!
Your editor wants to add another tip, a recent newcomer to
the gemach list: a clothing rack (rail, to you English
folk) gemach. Jerusalem has three. Check your local
listings. This is a lifesaver, as it can be dismantled, or
moved from room to room on wheels, if necessary.
