Think Outside the Moving Box

We had a different kind of Service Saturday in December.  Instead of giving service to another family, we received the service.  We moved up the street last week and we had so much help.

It was humbling to receive all these acts of service but I am glad I said yes.  We could not have done the move by ourselves.

Besides the several men, women, teenagers and children that showed up to help move boxes and furniture, there were many others acts of service. People thought outside the moving box:

One friend volunteered to take my kids for me the week before Christmas so I could get done whatever I needed.  I went to Costco and ran some other errands.

Another friend watched my kids two different times so that I could pack without little ones unpacking as I went.

A friend gave me a great lead on boxes.  Her sister had just moved and I was able to use all her boxes.  That saved me lots of time and money.

Our buddy volunteered to take a trip to the thrift store for us since he works right by it.  We sent him with a load or two.

My mom and sister came over the day before the big move and helped me tackle the underbelly of my home-  you know the stuff that doesn’t fit nicely into a labeled box.

My in laws took my kids for a sleepover the last night so Chad and I could go back and forth with loads and not have to worry about a babysitter.

A few of our neighbors let us borrow their trucks and trailers.

Another friend showed up bright and early the day of the move to help me clean my house.  She wiped out all my kitchen and bathroom cupboards and closet shelves.  Then she texted me later that night and asked if I still needed help. She brought her vacuum and vacuumed my whole house while I vacuumed all the edges and baseboards.

The day of the move, an 8-month pregnant friend showed up with a pot of soup and all the fixins’. She knew I did not have time or plates or food to make a meal that day.

My mom took all the bedding from all the beds and washed it for me.  We all got to sleep in clean sheets after an exhausting day.

During the chaos of the move, a friend showed up at my new house and said, “I’m here to help.”  She organized closets, made beds, broke down boxes, set up my linen closet, and gave me advice on how to handle a small pantry.

My mom and sister were at my old house directing traffic and cleaning up my messes while my MIL and other sister were at my new house trying to unpack my kitchen for me.

Another friend took my kids the night of the move.  She knew things would be crazy at both houses and they might get lost in the shuffle.  She made my kids dinner and fed Chad and I much later that night when we took a break.  She also brought cupcakes to my daughter the next day for her birthday because she knew I wasn’t going to get to making a cake.  And she helped me move closets of clothes over the night before.

And my SIL is bringing me dinner tonight because I am still living in chaos.

I wanted to record all the help we received as an expression of gratitude and thanks for all the kindnesses.  So THANK YOU all! But I also wanted to give others some ideas of ways your family could serve a moving family and think outside the moving box.