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Moving Tips?
Brad Blackman | Aug 22 2006
Does anyone have any tips or ideas on moving, especially as filtered through the lens of GTD? I bought a house that needs a little fixing up, and am in the middle of removing wallpaper, etc. I've created a rather lengthy list of things to do to the house in OmniOutliner Pro, but I wonder if anyone has any GTD-oriented ideas on moving. 9 Comments
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I haven't yet moved GTD-style,...Submitted by Stew on August 22, 2006 - 8:13am.
I haven't yet moved GTD-style, but here's how I'd do it. Just some observations on general efficiency and potential problems I've had in the past. This will cover the actual moving. I'd set up the household projects just like any others, but I'd complete those necessary for occupancy first, then move in. There will always be things to fix up, even if the house is brand-new. Some of this isn't really GTD, but I hope it helps. My first project would be to decide whether to move myself or hire movers. I'd set it up like any other research-oriented project: gather information on reputable movers and make the decision based on cost and my own time commitment. If I decide to use movers, I've effectively delegated the project of packing and moving to them. I will just need to coordinate with them on the packing and delivery dates. If I pack myself, I'll need a truck, so my next project would be to find and rent a truck, researching in much the same way as I did the movers. I'll need boxes, tape, a labeling marker, and some newspaper or bubble wrap. Looks like I have a few @errands. If you're like me, packing will take forever unless you plan a moving party. Several weeks before the move, I'll start a project for the party planning. Nothing fancy, just invites. I'll add pizza and beer to my @errands. :) In the days leading up to move-out, I will need to pack the house. In a way, this would be similar to a GTD implementation - everything not bolted down is actionable. Rather than using an inbox, I would use the whole room, emptying shelves and drawers, if needed. I'd go through each item and make a decision on it. Trash? --> Throw it away. No longer wanted/needed? --> Goodwill box. Packable --> Box it. I would box by context (room), then by breakable/nonbreakable. Obviously, some items will have special considerations such as needing wardrobe boxes for hang-up clothing or bubble-wrap and newspaper for fragile items. Unless my furniture can be disassembled, I'll keep it where it is. After all boxes have been packed, I'll take an inventory. I'll know how many boxes I have and where they will go in the new house. I'll make sure everything has been labeled - maybe with red if fragile. It's time to load the truck. Not really sure where GTD fits into this, but as long as everything is in the truck and stable and will arrive in okay shape at the other end, I won't worry about it. At the new place, I'll take Nik_Doof's suggestion and put the boxes directly in the new rooms. I'll assemble the furniture first, deciding where I want each piece before weighting it down with stuff. Nothing is worse than moving heavy furniture. Once everything is in place, I'd start unpacking. Again, just like a GTD implementation. Everything is actionable and needs to be "filed" away on its appropriate shelf/box/drawer. I will also probably find more things to trash or give to Goodwill. Any potential actions I find - ie - the coupons I had in my kitchen drawer that need to be filed away, setting up the entertainment center - will be deferred until I have the time/furniture/filing cabinet available. In the end, I'll have everything where I want it and I'll be able to sit back and enjoy! Depending on how busy I was with the unpacking, I may have even tweaked my GTD setup a bit to account for my new location. :) There's probably a lot here that I missed, or simply failed to see the GTD in, but I hope it helps. Let us know how it goes! » POSTED IN:
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