What to take to the extended stay?

[Tradd]

If you read my other thread under Open Forum, you saw that my building is sinking and so I'm going to have to get out for at least a week, unsure exactly when. All we know is that the outside work will begin sometime in the next two weeks. My landlords are going to put me up in an extended stay and put my stuff into a pod. I've got the majority of my stuff packed. A coworker today loaned me a bunch of plastic storage tubs.

Aside from a week's worth (or a little more) of clothes and toiletries, I'm in the middle of putting together a list of what I'll take to the extended stay with me. Of course, my laptop/iPod Touch, Bible, and a few other books. My icons, important papers, and photos will stay with me. Stuff for my current class and exam I'm working on. I might find room in my cramped new cube at work (my office is in the process of moving, too - next Friday!) for my icons and important papers. They'd most certainly be safer at the office than being left in the extended stay room. My laptop will go back and forth with me to work everyday. I'm not leaving it in the room.

There will be a micro, 2 stove burners, and a full-sized fridge. I wonder if I should take a skillet and small pot or if that will be furnished? I have to check. At the least I will take a glass Pyrex bowl with a plastic lid, so I can nuke soup and such, my thermal mug, and my electric kettle.

If the process of moving office AND dealing with my place at the same time doesn't make me more of a minimalist, I don't know what would! My stuff at the office, aside from active files is all ready to be put in the packing crates when we get them next Friday. I found extra gallon and quart freezer Ziplocs at home so I went around the office today offering them to coworkers for the small items (pens, paper clips, etc.), when we pack up. Some were horrified I'd even thought of such a thing. But I'm not flipping out - yet.

Any ideas for things to take or not take to the extended stay?

Thanks!

[mschrisgo2]

Oooh, for some reason as I read this I flashed back many years ago when my daughter was a baby... the slab foundation in our new house was splitting- we had to move out "for 2 weeks" while they fixed it. It ended up being 2 MONTHS!! She outgrew her clothes and I had to go buy more; even though there were plenty at the house, I couldn't get to them.

I'm assuming you're taking all of your food ... take everything even remotely perishable. And, I forget where you live, but the weather is changing, so take winter clothes. And things to keep busy/productive. It's amazing how much time we spend taking care of our living space, and most of that will be done for you in the extended stay place.

[Miss Cellane]

In addition to finding out about what the kitchen will be stocked with, will you need sheets and towels?

Return all your library books--that why you won't have to worry about where they are or if they are getting overdue. Pay all your bills in advance, unless you are getting and paying them on-line. What about your mail? Can you still pick it up at the condo or do you have to have it held or forwarded?

What are you going to do for meals? Eat out mostly? For a week, that's a lot of eating out. So you might want to plan simple meals that you can make in the kitchen, after you find out what's going to be in the kitchen.

[Float On]

We've stayed in a lot of extended stays. I always take a 'clean candle' as there can be a lot of odors from all the neighbors cooking as well. Every one I've stayed in had plenty of cookware, microwaveable bowls, a toaster, a coffee pot, etc. You'll need your own spices, oils, ect. The fridge usually has one maybe two ice cube trays (sometimes the ones with automatic ice makers aren't really hooked up to water). They clean the rooms once-twice a week so take some extra towels, kitchen towels (one kitchen towel and washcloth are provides as well as 1-2 sets of bath towels). I find their towels tired and thin. Bring your own shampoo - they usually don't provide bath soap/shampoo. They should have a small bottle of kitchen dish soap and if it has a dishwasher, they'll provide a packet of dishwasher soap. You can ask for more at the office.

You can call ahead and ask what is provided and if they say a frying pan and you get there and one isn't in your room, call the office. They'll find one in another empty unit and bring it to you or have you stop by the desk. Many Extended Stay are pretty understaffed so if you run out of toilet paper be prepared to have to go to the office to pick it up yourself.

[Tradd]

Due to mail delivery issues with the post office, I have a PO box. Virtually all of my mail either goes to the PO box or is online statements. The only things that go to apartment mail box are things I can't get sent to PO box, such as driver's license and car tags renewal, but those always come in the spring. I'll still have access to the mail box at my place, as it's one of those multi-box things on a post in between buildings.

I'm thinking about bringing one of my bath sheets with me, as well as a dish towel or two and a dish sponge, as well as MY pillows! I was planning on bringing ALL my own toiletries. I know I won't need sheets and towels, but I at least prefer to have my own bath sheet and pillows with me, as that they are sure to be nicer than what's at the extended stay!

I'm in northern Illinois, so yes, I will need to take winter clothes. I had to wear my winter coat several days this week as it got cold rather suddenly. I usually dress in layers, due to the climate control in the office, so it will just be a matter of adding socks, a pair of long underwear, and a heavier top or two. If something happened and I needed to get access to my stuff, I could. It's going to be in a POD in my landlord's driveway.

My perishable food will be eaten up or a few things taken with me (like frozen dinners). Any non-perishable items that are boxed or bagged are being donated to the food pantry. There will be concrete dust everywhere . My canned goods (I had recently laid in a big stash for the winter) will stay in the base cabinet of my breakfast bar, but I'm going to cover the whole thing with plastic and tape it up.

For meals, I'm planning on simple things like soup or spaghetti that don't require much cooking. Heck, or even frozen dinners - my schedule is so crazy I'm eating a lot of those, but they're the better type (like the Healthy Choice ones). I might eat out occasionally (as in Subway or Chinese), but that's part of my normal routine anyway.

I'll have NO trouble at all keeping busy! I have a rather overloaded schedule! I'm in the last semester of my theological education program, I'm working on finishing up the last take home exam from a previous class, and I need to get that exam done ASAP so I can begin studying for the US Customs Broker licensing exam I'm going to sit for in April. I'm observing an adult education class at my church (I'm in training to teach) for people wanting to convert, and I'm going to do a little teaching in that in December. This all on top of the usual round of choir practice and other stuff, along with my usual organizing gifts for foster children (we have 25 names) in my parish as part of a larger regional program. I will be hauling class stuff with me, so I'll have plenty of reading and writing to keep me busy!

[jania]

One thing I thought of to take to the extended stay hotel, something you like that smells good. This may be a candle, incense, a room spritz or fresh flowers or aromatic foliage, even fresh ground coffee....something you like. These places always have a strange smell to me, most hotel rooms do.

[Amaranth]

Sometimes the extended stays have kitchen ware of uneven quality. Sometimes it's dollar store quality. And then other items will be of reasonably good quality So I sometimes take things like
pyrex measuring cup
metal measuring spoons
Metal cooking spoons-plain and slotted
A sharp paring knife, and a sharpening stone for longer trips
Metal or enamel or good plastic collander or strainer
Plastic cutting board
Medium size good quality pot--so thing don't burn to bottom of pot
Big soup pot too if lots of family is going
Nonstick baking/pizza pan
Baking soda for scrubbing
Plastic scrubby
Travel coffee/tea mug
Corel serving bowl
Good can opener--often the ones they have are loose or rusty
If they don't have a dish drain rack, one if you have it or some extra kitchen towels
Your window sill herb plants (see if someone will plantsit other plants)

Have friends that take
crockpot
Popcorn popper
Wok
chopsticks

If you have colored towels I would take those so housekeeping doesn't run off with them.
Plastic hangers to hang clothes to dry
Your preferred laundry detergent
A few boxes of kleenex
Desk supplies
Clothing repair kit
See if this extended stay has good wireless, if not you may need cables of various sorts