I've laid out the details I need to ask for to start working up a game plan, which has always seemed simple and straightforward. Where are the books located? Where are they going? How many are there? Is there a list? Are there photos of the books on the shelves? All very A-B-C.
But then I tried to factor in aspects that are just second nature to me, much of which depends on me being very adaptable. I can go into a house and work out a space to use, build a workstation without a thought, and start rocking along. But having to write all that into the instructions means I have to think about it and explain what's instinctive to me.
For example: I did a job recently where all of the books were on the second floor (which was really the first floor but up half a level) except there were three shelves of books on the second floor...which was more like floor 2.5. And had some heavy little monsters.
So...do I bring them down to pack with the lower level ones? Which would mean going up and down a staircase that's one of those twisty/turny things guaranteed to make me take a tumble, and I did not want to risk dropping one of the books.
Instead, I made a secondary workspace up there, packed them into boxes, and hired a couple of guys through UHaul moving help to bring them down to the main landing...because they were heavy and I'm a wuss.
Seems simple enough to explain...but that just ain't the case. So many variables to keep in mind and put in order to prevent confusion in the reader. And that's not even getting into how best to pack boxes into a reusable container or the back of a Chrysler Pacifica.
What's funny is, I've been doing this for so long, half of it I don't even think about before I determine my next move. I just run with it...and then tell the people in the office it's really easy.
Who'd have thought I could be a book-packin' maven.
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