The "pre-packing" has begun. This may sound like an odd word, but it is one we use often in our missionary life.
Before any trip we pre-pack. This constitutes deciding which suitcase or bag to take, getting it out, putting in possible clothes, getting out our toiletries bag.....you get the idea. And some of you savvy, consistent travelers know just what I mean.
I actually have a carry-on suit case full of travel items. Not that I take them with me each time, but I pick and choose depending on the trip. You know, things like mini containers for shampoo, travel pillow, etc. I even have things like: compression socks (to help with circulation and swelling for long flights) and MotionEaze (a natural remedy for motion sickness made up of essential oils).
For an international house move, we also pre-pack. This can start months in advance when we start to go through our cupboards to eat up food and start buying the bare minimal. This of course means you are irritatingly out of flour and chicken broth and other such staples that you would usually have on hand. But it also means you hopefully won't have too much food in the end that goes to waste.
Pre-packing also means going through closets and drawers. It means sorting, organizing and TOSS, TOSS, TOSSING. With a capital T. I personally think that this is the only advantage of a move. And something I have to remind myself positively when the "moving-grumpies" start to take over. Moving makes us go through things and be ruthless with what we don't need, haven't used and don't have space to store. We try to stick to our moving motto "If it hasn't been used in the last year, it gets given away or tossed."
Another aspect of pre-packing that you might not think of is laundry. Washing blankets, throws, rugs and pillow cushions is part of the pre-packing agenda. This may not seem like too big of a job but in Japan, where we don't have dryers and where we can have days of heavy humidity and rain, it takes some extra timing and planning. Even though our moving day is weeks away, I am washing 3 blankets today. There is limited space to hang them (inside and out) and the air feels rather damp and this coming week's weather forecast just as gloomy. So once these blankets are mostly dry, I will hang them in our mini bathroom sink/shower/laundry room with the dehumidifier to make sure they are extra dry before they get packed.
So today you find us plugging away at pre-packing; a load of laundry, a pile of papers, a drawer or a closet shelf. We are doing our best to make another move as doable and profitable as we can. All the while remembering to be thankful for this chance to sort and simplify and knowing God will give us all we need to tackle another international move.
