'Nothing lasts forever'....a saying well rehearsed by every army wife. Whether it is their union with their faujis or the separation, or dwelling in a new station, an army wife has to be prepared with all her might.
So here are the 4 Ps which can help you carry out your moving process with more finesse and also ensure that all your precious items reach their new destination in their original form ;).
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| The best feeling when you see your truck off!!! |
2. PURCHASE : Be well equipped with all the raw materials needed for packing beforehand. Keep a stock of jute strings, old newspapers, cartons, bubble wraps, packing tapes, scissors and cutters. It is tiring, annoying and delaying too, if you are forced to run to the market every time your packing tapes or plastic sheets breathe their last even before you are done with the packing.
p.s. - it is a good practice to keep all your original packing boxes instead of throwing them. You'll never find an exact fit carton for any of your items. This is the reason, I have kept with me, not only my original refrigerator carton, but also my pudding spoon set box.
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A wooden box carved beautifully and used as a settee
in one of my friend's living room
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3. PREPARE : Try and make an appropriate estimation of your luggage and the trunks which you already have. It is impossible for any army wife not to collect something or the other from the present posting; so you'll definitely need one or two new trunks to accommodate your new treasures, whether it be your newly bought sarees or your home decor. Order your trunks well in advance. Although metallic trunks are more prevalent, because wooden boxes cost high and are bulky, but you can opt for them for your fragile items.
Get crates made for your bulky items which are fragile too, like refrigerator, LCD etc. You'll need them for many more years to come, so make sure that they are of good quality.
4. PACK : The last and the most heavy stage - Packing. Refer your plan and start with your packing. You are doing good if at the day's end, you can accomplish even 70% of your planned tasks. You can follow these tips for damage free packing :
a. For crockery without their original boxes, stuff them with crumpled newpaper and then wrap with bubble wrap before placing them in cartons.
b. Fill up the loose spaces in boxes with newspapers so that fragile items do not roll around during transportation.
c. Arrange the boxes into the trunks with proper alignment leaving very little air spaces. If the boxes are jam packed, there will be very less movement and hence less chances of breakages. Make sure the trunks with glass items are well padded on all sides; as they tend to be heavier, they will be placed at the bottom while loading them in the truck.
d. Some items like wrought iron decors, racks etc which neither have any original boxes nor can be accommodated in a perfect fit carton can be packed by wrapping the carton around it like a sheet. After wrapping, you can either seal it with tapes or strings. This will not only protect the item's delicate ends but also give it a compact volume which will enable you to adjust it with other items in the trunk.
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| After packing |
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| A wrought iron candle stand |
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| We used our bar to carry frames and bottles |
f. If you want to move your 'greens' with you, prepare well in advance. Some cargo trucks do not accept clay pots as they are prone to easy damage. If this is the case, you can carry with you saplings of your favorite plants and then regrow your garden in your new place. Investing in plastic pots is also a good alternative as they can be transported easily. Prune and trim your plants and treat them with insecticides 2 weeks before moving. Place them in perforated cartons with enough padding.
If you cannot find any alternative to move your plants, you can even sell them to any nursery provided that they are in good condition.
g. Pack your clothes and linens with enough naphthalene balls or dried neem leaves to keep the bugs away. You can also use bug-resistant ayurvedic tablets for dry ration.
h. Prepare a separate box for immediate use in case you get to face a delay in the allotment of accommodation and are required to spend a few days in the guest house.
i. Number the trunks and keep a list of all the trunks against the items that you have packed into them. It will be easier for you to back trace any item that you would need urgently in your new station.
Packing and moving is the biggest hurdle for an army wife but the right approach can make it a piece of cake for her. Cherish the old station's memories and welcome the new one with the same zeal.
