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Migration manual

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You’re moving on. that means a lot more than packing up your record collection and boxing pots and pans. It means a major psychological shift – always awesome and disturbing. Add sleep deprivation and exhaustion and you just know moving day’s going to weird you out. In the middle of the madness, don’t forget the obvious. Realize that when you’re tired, grief will bubble up even if you really want this move. Give yourself some space and time to breathe. A sleepy kind of fatigue might indicate dehydration, so plan for your water needs. And pack yourself some extra protein for all that exertion.

To keep calm, you might benefit from walnut, impatiens and Rescue Remedy flower essences, B vitamins and a buffered vitamin C supplement.

Don’t get so hurried that you lift improperly. Bend your knees and take the weight through your legs. Hold objects and boxes close to your body. And when the whole mess looks overwhelming, regain your focus by tackling one small task.

what the experts say “Change scares most people tremendously. The best way to address that is to alter perspective. If we embrace moving as an exciting adventure, as a new beginning, then our perspective toward the whole experience will be much more joy-filled. Working with affirmations is very powerful. You can say to yourself when you get up every day, “I move forward with ease.” Affirm you’re going to find a great place. I highly recommend a moving sale. If you’re bringing old stuff along that’s no longer applicable for who you are, you’re bringing your baggage with you.”

NANCY PEEL, life coach

“People sometimes make a lot of moves as a substitute for dealing with inner issues. They may think a change in the outer environment will solve their problems. After many moves, they find they’re still not happy and it eventually dawns on them that moving is exhausting and isn’t going to solve anything. Yet there are times when a move is appropriate we need to leave behind old patterns and memories to be able to grow. Sometimes it’s healthy to detach from things that just haven’t been good.’

SHULAMIT BETH-DAVID, psychotherapist

“Take a few minutes to make a proper farewell to the place you’re leaving. Express thanks for the role it has played in your life. When you go into a new place, it’s important to mark your arrival and treat the home as though it were a living being. Speak aloud and request its cooperation. Noise clears leftover, stale energy: drum, bang pot lids, ring bells to dispel bad vibes. This is no time to skimp on cleaning. The deeper you clean the more bad energy will be removed, particularly if you clean with that intent. New paint establishes your energy. Choosing colours takes time and care, but it is more auspicious to live with your colours than someone else’s. Write out your intents for your life in the new home and put them in a red envelope in a place of honour.’

HELEN WILLIAMS, feng shui practitioner

“During packing, overhead work can strain the neck and upper back. Bring things down and put them on a table so you’re working at waist level. Start at least two weeks beforehand. If you just pack the week before, then you have to do a move with fatigued muscles. Don’t be afraid to put things down. It’s safer to take a break mid-route, rest, stretch your back and then pick it up again.’

RHONDA KIRKWOOD, chiropractor, coordinator, rehabilitation clinic at Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College

“Keep one brightly coloured file for all the paperwork related to your move. Don’t pack it, if possible. Have plenty of garbage bags and boxes for Goodwill – for giveaways, for recycling. Start as early as possible. You could go through a drawer during any old spare five minutes. Stack packed boxes in the farthest corner of each room that’s a safety issue. You don’t want to be walking around boxes you’ve packed early. For books and papers use bankers’ boxes from a business supply store. They’re not too large, stack well, have lids and, if you mark them, may never have to be unpacked. Decide which room (in your new place) is which colour. Put a matching piece of coloured construction paper on the top and side of the box. Prioritize boxes: A is for things needed immediately, B for not as urgent, C for things that can wait. Use a black marker to write the contents on the box top and two sides (one long and one short).’

AILEEN COOKE, professional organizer, founder, Simply Put Organizing

“Because stress produces acidity, eat lots of alkalizing vegetables when moving. Buy a bunch of vegetables, wash them, cut them up and refrigerate for quick raw fixes. Take a cooler of food with you on moving day. Foods that travel well include hard-boiled eggs, canned salmon or tuna, rinsed beans, avocado, tomatoes, nuts and seeds.”

TARI-LEE CORNISH, nutritional consultant

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