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Moving Strategies?
skotte asks: "I currently am in a position where I will be moving my whole set of belongings to a new apartment. But I refuse to just buy a bunch of boxes and start throwing things in. Surely there is a good strategy of how to tackle the act of packing. I'm thinking "Relatively" where everything related, such as CDs, go in one box, cables go in another. Or there's 'spatially', where I pack everything in one bookcase in one box. Or there's 'by Priority' in which important things i'll need right away go in one box...and on and on. There appear to indeed be LOTS of ways to go about it -- and there are big pros-and-cons to each. So what does the slashdot community think? Better yet, is there some management software to help with this sort of thing?"
Please. These 'ask slashdot' articles are getting really out of hand. Ummm, slashdot, I'm wondering if you all have any thoughts on which utensils to eat spaghetti with.
I've never heard of such software. But if there is, you better be careful to pack your computer last.
Stop procrastinating and get packing, dingleberry!
Furrfu!
I have discovered a truly remarkable
I'd say do this the same way you'd choose something like a software development strategy - write down your requirements, write down your schedule, look at your risks, and come up with a plan.
For example, if you won't have much time to unpack after you get to your new apartment, I would suggest working primarily by a priority system augmented by categorization - this will enable you to get to things quickly even if they're packed away. This is how I pack when I'm going to college, since my school doesn't allow returning students to move in until the day before classes. That way, random shit like decorations go on the bottom of the pile, whereas my toothbrush and my notebooks are in the same box, which is also the first box I unpack.
On the other hand, if you don't have much of a time constraint on either end, a relativistic approach is clearly the best - think about where things will go in your new place, and pack so that you minimize the box trucking when you unpack.
On the other hand, if you have to pack real quick, you might have to sacrifice organization in favor of getting it pitched into boxes quickly. In that case, the relativistic approach works, only you pack things that are close together in your current abode in the same box.
Think about supplies, too. If you don't have much shit and not much is breakable, garbage bags work wonders.
Minimizing space is worth considering, too, if you're looking at making multiple trips (heaven forbid.) Don't just pack that desk empty - load it into the truck, and then fill the drawers with smaller boxes full of stuff. I know putting a box inside my mini-fridge saved the day this year. . .
If you're rich, on the other hand, consider throwing out or giving away easily replaceable good such as notebooks, underwear, pens, signifigant others, and dishes.
Don't use TP, use rags - they're more environmentally friendly. Not only do you avoid throwing out old T-shirts and such, but you keep reusing them over and over. You'll save money, too!
Sure. It's called Excel, part of a set of productivity tools made by a certain company based in Redmond, WA. Not only can you make a list of the things you're moving, you can actually make multiple lists with hyperlinks and cute pics in a SINGLE FILE!
Alternatively, you can search for "barcodes" on Google, find out about EAN/UPC error detection algorithms, assign each piece of luggage a unique barcode, incorporate XSL, somehow use this XSL barcode generator thing, print them all out, stick them to your whatever you're moving and move! When you reach your destination, and this very important, but remember to buy a barcode reader and to scan all your luggage before you unpack.
You might also want to set up a website where you can track your shipment exactly the same way this website does.
More than mere navel gazing.
Start with your favorite aardvark book and finish with new Zire, a PDA from Palm under $99.
What a wonderful idea!
Now I've got a new use for all those tradeshow shirts that they used to give away before the economy went all to hell.
Who says AskSlash isn't worth a shit?
You have got to be fucking kidding me. This is the most off-topic fucking question I've ever seen on Ask Slashdot.
But, I have an answer for you. Just take all your shit and throw it in boxes. Don't sort it. Just put the box on the edge of the desk or under some shelves and push the crap into it. You have to sort it anyway when you unpack, so what the hell is the point of sorting it when you pack it? It's just extra work. I've moved like 12 times in the past 6 years or so, and this method easily works the best.
Here are the steps outlined for your convenience:
1. get empty box
2. throw shit in box, do not look at shit being thrown into box
3. close box
4. move box
5. unpack box and put shit where it belongs
If you end up breaking something, you probably don't need it anyway. Stop buying cheap flimsy crap you penny pincher. And if you're too damn cheap to buy boxes, go behind starbucks and look in their cardboard dumpster. They have the best boxes for moving, and they just throw them out.
And one more thing, if you're built, move on a friday or saturday night and take your shirt off. It gets hot moving all those boxes out to the truck, and it's a great way to pick up girls that are at a party in your building. Yes, it's shady, but you might as well nail someone for all your hard work.
The last time I moved was much simpler:
Idea #1:
1) Spend the next fifty years designing a teleporter as seen on Star Trek
2) Spend another thirty years designing a time machine to send the plans back to you
3) Use the teleporter to transport your stuff to the new apartment (should only take a few seconds)
It's far simpler than packing and unpacking, and since you send the plans back to yourself, you get a causality paradox which will make for great coversations.
Idea #2:
Leave your door wide open tonight, and put a label that says "FREE STUFF" on your door. When you wake up you will find you have less to pack.
The most efficient way to move: Don't do it by yourself.
It's easy:
1) Recruit as many people as you can comfortably afford beer and pizza for.
2) Give them beer.
3) Show them where the empty boxes are.
4) Give them beer.
5) Show them where the stuff is that needs moved.
6) Give them beer.
7) Show them where the truck is.
8) Give them beer.
9) Arrive at destination.
10) Give them beer.
11) Order pizza.
12) Give them beer.
13) Eat pizza.
14) Give them beer.
15) Show them where the truck is. Remind them who bought the beer.
16) Give them beer.
17) Have your posessions deposited neatly in your new dwelling.
18) Give them beer.
19) Load them into the just-emptied truck.
20) Give them beer.
21) Wake them up the next morning. Declare that you are out of beer. Take up a collection to cover the cost of the U-Haul moving blanket they broke the seal on and cowered under in an attempt to keep warm*.
22) Send them away. Do not offer to pay them for their gratious efforts**.
23) Have a beer.
24) Begin the never-ending process of putting things into place in their new home.
Good luck!
* This is also a sure-fire way to figure out who your real friends are. Those who complain about sleeping overnight in a cold panel van in a parking lot while you sleep in the warm bed that they carried in for you don't deserve your company.
** And this is certain to weed out the rest.
Kid-proof tablet..
I think I saw this question on a midterm in college. It was for an algorithms class, and even then I thought it was a stupid question.
Then again, moving my shop required calling in a rigger.
:-)
You backwards redneck you - thinking that because you are white you can get other people to do the work for you. Pull up your sleeves, get your hands dirty and do it yourself, you lazy white trash.
Oh, err, wait, _r_igger.... sorry...
Try NetBSD... safe,straightforward,useful.