Book Review - The Long Haul

Linda, our resident reader, just finished The Long Haul: A Trucker’s Tales of Life on the Road by Finn Murphy and shares her thoughts on this "moving" tale.

The Long Haul by Finn Murphy

Ever wonder as you are driving down I-95 about all the trucks you pass? Why do the trucks have to stop to be weighed?  How many hours are the truck drivers allowed to drive? Drivers sleep in their truck, is it comfortable? How can they possibly fit all my stuff in one moving van? The Long Haul is an auto-biography by Finn Murphy. Written with wit and humor, it details his life as a teenager in Cos Cob, Connecticut attending Colby College and dropping out to be a professional mover. The money is good, high-end movers can make up to $250,000 per year. Murphy is passionate, meticulous and happiest in the truck. He operates a 70 foot tractor trailer moving van, and is known as the “Great White Mover.” You will find out that ‘chowder” refers to problem pieces which do not fit neatly in the truck, “chicken chokers” are truckers that move animals, hitting a bridge is called “getting a haircut,” “ parking lot attendants” transport cars and “suicide jockeys” carry hazardous materials. Movers like Murphy are called” bedbuggers” and their trucks, “roach coaches.”

Murphy weaves a tale of the history of moving along with his personal story. Murphy states “when you move people and pack their stuff, you see how people really live, not how they want the neighbors to think they live.” People accumulate  lots of possessions through the years. For example, think of all the items in your home. Right now it all seems important and everything is valuable. Movers take great care to move your possessions carefully,  trying not damage anything. What movers and professional organizers both know is what Murphy states, “what my customers need to know is that it’s not the stuff, but the connection with people and family and friends that matter.” Another commonality with professional organizers is that Murphy has seen less and less stemware, china, sculpture, fine art, and books over the years. The younger generation moves more frequently and tends not to accumulate what the baby boomer generation has stored in their homes. With honesty, Murphy tells us that when asked to pack lingerie drawers, the movers occasionally will go through peoples clothing. Murphy’s recommendation: “either to pack your erotica yourself or salt the lingerie drawer with plastic snakes or a loaded mousetrap.”

Being a long haul mover is hard work. Both physical and mental. Physical as movers spend 10-14 hours a day carrying heavy loads up and down stairs and working in the truck to build “tiers”  that will best fit all the contents. Something similar to a puzzle or a giant game of Tetris. We learn that the best movers are people who build the best tiers in their truck. Contents are always inventoried and stickers put on every item that is being moved. Every item must be cataloged by the original condition in the event that a shipper files a damage claim. Beds and large furniture get taken apart last, all covered in moving pads for protection. “A well -built tier is a beautiful things to see and lots of fun to make” says Murphy. On top of the physical challenges, the job is mentally challenging, because the client is usually present, and the mover has to act professional, represent the company and keep the client calm and relaxed. Moving as we all know can be very stressful, so this is not always an easy task.

Through the years Murphy has been treated poorly by many of the clients.  Most clients treat movers as if they were anonymous. One client asked them to drive the truck  to the security shed 2 miles away to use the bathroom, even though there were plenty of bathrooms available in the house. Another client sat there and filmed the entire move and took notes while they were working. “Be nice to your movers, what we do care about is making your transition into a new life and place as easy as possible by being professional and sympathetic” writes the author.

Buy on Amazon

As Americans seem to want to learn more about people who have different professions, the book is well written and serves to educate us on the moving industry and the people who work it daily. You will develop a new appreciation for those who drive trucks on the open road, work extremely hard and are truly professionals in their field.

Tip: Next time you move you may want to buy the movers lunch!

Please note: If you choose to purchase the book using our Amazon link, H2H receives a small commission designed to help keep our rates affordable. 

Book Review - The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning

The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning

Well that’s an interesting title for a book. What could it possibly be about?

Why would someone write a book about Swedish house cleaning? Is it a book about scrubbing everything in one’s home until you are so exhausted you are near death? Well move aside Marie Kondo, and welcome Margareta Magnusson. The focus is not on keeping what “sparks joy,” but finding the right homes for your sentimental items so they can be loved by someone else. Magnusson who says she is between 80-100 years old, writes with humor, honesty and practicality.

The Swedish word for death cleaning is “döstädning” which means to declutter earlier in life as opposed to leaving it for family to do once you pass away.

“To get rid of things to make life easier and less crowded.”  Magnusson explains that döstädning doesn't have to happen later in life, but often that is when people realize they need to reduce clutter. Death cleaning is not sad, in fact it is not the story of death but the story of your life. When one death cleans, you steam-line your life, downsize your possessions and leave your home less messy and more organized.

Magnusson says to start in the basement or attic. Things in storage may have been there for years and one may have forgotten what they own. As professional organizers we encourage clients to start in basement or garage as these areas can be excellent areas for items either leaving your home or storage for items you don't use very often. Another tip is not to start with photographs, letters and papers. These items can take quite a long time to review so best to start with subjects that are less time consuming. Magnusson likes to start with clothing. Clothing is easy to sort. Maybe there are items which you have been saving thinking you will wear the again, but reality is it has been 5 years and you probably will not?  These items can be donated and you will find you will be helping someone else out while creating more space in your closet/drawers to find clothes that you prefer to wear.  

An important tip in the book is that everything needs a place to live. The author says she knows families who live in a complete mess. We are sure you do to.

Living in a mess is exhausting. Family members can’t find items such as keys, phones, homework, and glasses. “Give everything a place and you won’t feel angry, irritated, or desperate, when leaving the house. You will not as often stand by the front door yelling… and for a change – as an added bonus-you may also arrive on time,” writes the author.

At House to Home Organizing we frequently deal with multi-generational families, and many possessions have been passed down over the years. It is common for adult children to worry about their parents as they age as well as what will happen to all the possessions once their parents are gone. Magnusson suggests the following wording when talking to an aging parents. “You have many nice things, have you thought about what you want to do with all later on? Could life be easier and less tiring if we got rid of some of this stuff that you have collected over the years? Is there a way we can do together in a slow way so that there won’t be too many things to handle later?”

The author points out that we live in a very wasteful society. As technology brings advances in every area in our life, sometimes we have a combination of items in our homes acquired over the years. Take for example the kitchen. Percolator coffee pots were replaced by drip coffee pots, and now Keurigs are the rage. In many homes you will find all 3 of these items. People tend to get new products even if the old ones are not yet broken or worn out. “This cycle of consumption we are all part of will eventually destroy our planet-but it doesn’t have to destroy the relationship you have with whomever you leave behind.” This is another benefit of death cleaning, thinking more about recycling, donating, and gifting. By doing so you make your life simpler and less complicated. What a relief!

A suggestion in the book is to try to give your items to family, friends, co-workers and neighbors who may be happy to receive your possessions. If not, Magnusson says to sell them or make a donation to charity. This will make you feel good about your decision. Remember there are always young adults starting out who can’t afford to purchase all the wonderful items you may have. They may be so happy to have the possessions you may not want anymore. When they can afford to purchase they will pass your items on to others. “You cannot know the places your objects may go after you are gone, and that could be wonderful to contemplate,” says Magnusson.

If you death clean regularly, you will be able to focus on your personal and professional life without obstacles. Without obstacles you will have more time to enjoy your family and friends. So what are you waiting for? Start döstädning! 

The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter Buy on Amazon

Please note: If you choose to purchase the book using our Amazon link, H2H receives a small commission designed to help keep our rates affordable. 

Book Review - The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down

Now more than ever

As I write this it is my son’s eighth birthday and while we are celebrating I can’t help but think time is flying. In that regard, slowing down is something we can all strive to achieve in this modern 24-hour world. Haemin Sunim new book is extremely popular in his native South Korea and has now made its way to the States. The full title is The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down: How to Be Calm and Mindful in a Fast-Paced World and ask us “Is it the world that’s busy, or is it my mind?”

Haemin Sunim is prominent Buddhist meditation teacher who was born in Korea, but educated in America and deals with a subject most people only talk about but never seem to achieve, a balance in their lives. Additionally, the book features amazing nature illustrations by Youngcheol Lee to remind us to even slow down when we are reading the book.  The central narrative deals with actually seeing what the author calls ‘lovely moments’ including the smile of a child.

Another of the book’s themes urges us to form meaningful connections with people. This is a topic that we try and re-enforce with our clients. It is better to connect with people than it is with stuff. While the book deals with ancient teachings it never feels like fortune cookie wisdom rather a turning of Buddhist philosophy into relatable concepts.

Book Review - The Little Book of Hygge

Yes, the Happiness Research Institute is a real thing.

While we usually don't like jumping on bandwagons for this one we feel all right with our decision. Since Denmark is often ranked among the happiest nations on Earth the new book, The Little Book of Hygge should not be a source for just another self-help wishful thinking bathroom reading material. The book's author, Meik Wiking is CEO of the Happiness Research Institute, research associate for Denmark at the World Database of Happiness, and founding member of the Latin American Network for Wellbeing and Quality of Life Policies. While that may be a mouthful it is probably safe to say he is an expert on happiness. The book explores ways we can embrace Hygge (pronounced hoo-ga) to become happier through adopting the Danish philosophy of comfort, togetherness, and well-being. One of the central themes of the book deals with how we feel and those feelings have a lot do with comfort and loved ones. It probably won't come as a surprise to know you should turn off your phones and the lights and switch to candles and conversation.

Another one of the book's themes focuses on the simple pleasures of life. The core concept of living simply helps explain the book's length. As organizers we want you to be able to find what you are looking for and a lot of complicated organizing gadgets and systems is usually not the answer.  As a dreary winter dredges along bring a little light into your life.