Lest I forget where my nuts are...

Packing is a pain.  How the heck do we fit all this stuff into our apartment?  In preparation for the big move (and hopefully our last move for a long, long time) I've started packing up things that we won't need for a while.  Today it was the boy's room.  And since I'm a glutton for punishment superbly organized I didn't just throw things into boxes.  I packed outgrown clothes into size-labeled boxes, organized the hand-me-downs that Josh has yet to grow into and packed away summer clothes separating those that Josh probably will fit next year with the ones that Ben will now grow into.

That translates into a lot of boxes.  I went through a box of items that Ben will start wearing next and found two pairs of shoes that I had been searching for.  It was then that I realized I need a better way to find things later, much like a squirrel needs to remember where her nut stashes are.

From my recent scientific learning (thanks, The Cat in the Hat Knows a lot About That) I know that squirrels use markers to remind them of where the nuts are hidden, or at least that's the propaganda PBS is feeding my children.  I decided I needed a better marker system to be able to find things easier when it comes time to change out wardrobes or prepare for whenever we decide monster #3 should grace our family.  In a stroke of brilliance, because this is what amounts to brilliance when you listen to 'Mickey Mouse Clubhouse' and 'Thomas the Train' all day, I labeled the boxes thus: 0-3 months, box 1 of 2.  Baby toys, box 1 of 2, and so forth.  That way when I go to get things out, I'll know to look for more boxes.  No more, "I know I had more sweatpants in this size" because I'll realize that there is another box lurking somewhere.  Sheer brilliance, I tell you.