Sunday, May 25, 2014

Almost there.

It seems like only a year or so ago these two were helping me with the labor of making this house our home. But it's been almost seven years, and the days when I was the tallest person in the house are long gone. Both of my sons now tower over me and help me with carrying heavy stuff, opening recalcitrant jars and lifting things down from tall shelves.
I never did fill up the full space of the storage unit but the third month's rent was the last I'll have to pay on it since I'll start emptying it out again next week. And probably end up sending a good chunk of its contents off to charity. Nearly every day for the past month, I've dropped things off at a local organization that gives things to people in need.
It's been freeing but not without its costs. The metal bed frame my younger son and I loaded into the car to donate took a bite of my shin. Clothes, furniture, linens, books, bicycles, kitchen items... the more I give away, the lower my threshold for seeing something as not worth hanging on to.
But I'm not going all Zen monastery, so I've been raiding (with the manager's okay) the recycling dumpster at a nearby dollar store for boxes. Which means my stuff all has silly labels now. Honestly, who in their right mind would feel the need to purchase a patriotic headband?
Mostly, I'm trying to be organized and box like items together. But I'm not above jamming in anything that will fit when there's a little extra space. Fire extinguishers and the legs to my bed? Why not? And still room to pack in a couple of things my older son accidentally left here.
A lot of the packing happened in the den, so that I could watch TV while I worked. I chose de-cluttering shows, of course, and I think it actually made me more inclined to stick things in the charity pile than I would have been otherwise. Watching a reunion episode of Clean House where the host returned to visit former clutterers to check on their commitment to keeping their houses clean, I was instantly struck by the lack of physical contact and slightly strained smiles of one couple. I actually said out loud, "Uh oh, those two are getting divorced." Sure enough, a minute later the host reported that the two split up a few days after the filming. Even packing, I'm a shrink. And I decided while watching the hoarding show that you know you have a serious filth problem when even the exterminators are too disgusted to deal with your roach infestation. But I'll tell you, after a few days of carefully stepping over piles of things and frequently misplacing the roll of tape or my cup of coffee (or glass of wine, depending on the time of day),  I know that living in chaos would quickly drive me out of my mind.
Fortunately, order eventually emerged. The boxes are packed, the beds broken down, and all that's left is picking up two more boxes to finish and then cleaning. Not bad, considering I still have a few days. And then ... I start turning another house into a home.

43 comments:

  1. (hides his patriotic headband before typing a comment)

    ha. ok, just kidding...i stared at the picture a moment before reading trying to figure out what they were...lol...wow, your boys are little in the pic...smiles....sounds like you are well on your way...

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    1. Yeah, I always took you for the patriotic headband sort! :-)

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  2. I'm glad you have a few days before you have to turn around and reverse the process by unpacking everything. I always liked the unpacking and discovery stage of a new place.

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    1. I like that phase, too, even if it's a lot of work.

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  3. I remember reading about you and your boys moving in to this first home. So happy for you! Enjoy this next life adventure.

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  4. And I bet when you turn your new home into your house, it will be just as lovely as this one. I did have a moment of PTSD, LOL, when I saw all the boxes scattered among the room as you were packing them. Brought back memories of when we first moved down here and the clutter of hubby's parents. I too could not live in such a clutter and it was refreshing to see the boxes all stored and ready to go to your new home in a few days time! What an adventure that will be. I think it is really neat too to come to a place in one's life and realize stuff is just stuff and not cling to it.

    Good luck with the actual move and ouch with the shin mishap!

    betty

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    1. I suspect that the older I get, the more letting go I'll do.

      And the shin cut is also accompanied by multiple r=bruises on my legs! I can be a little klutzy.

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  5. Brava! It's been such a joy and very interesting to read and see the incredible progress you made in making this move. You've accomplished A LOT in a very short amount of time.

    " I actually said out loud, "Uh oh, those two are getting divorced." Sure enough, a minute later the host reported that the two split up a few days after the filming. Even packing, I'm a shrink. "

    HA! Too funny! And I also think you're very psychic as well!

    Can't wait to read and see about your new home!

    Have a Happy Memorial Day tomorrow!

    X

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    1. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get everything done and now I'm actually ahead of schedule!

      Not so much psychic as trained to watch for things like that. There are so many clues in small facial expressions and body language.

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  6. I find as I get older that the things that I once believed would bring me happiness did not. The only wedding gift that I still have after 25 years is my food processor and now I can't believe how old that food processor is. It's done well. All of the things I though I needed, must have, as a young bride, none of that stuff was important. Mind you, I've always been a purger, in the material sense, not the eating sense.

    Good luck on the move.

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    1. That's so true. I think I have a couple wedding gifts left, also a quarter of a century or so later, a pottery bowl and a glass vase, both of which I still really like. The rest is gone - I no longer find most kitchen gadgets appealing.

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  7. Ouch, hope that shin heals, awkward place with the tight skin. You done good, ma'am both with the boys and your s-t-u-f-f....
    XO
    WWW

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    1. I have a matching scar on the other leg!

      And thank you!

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  8. I have an 8 inch scar on my leg from our move.....garden fencing crammed into the garage that I failed to see. I've heard that moving is high on the stress list, so don't be like me and pack your corkscrew last in a random box that you won't find for two weeks!

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    1. Ow! Yes, moving (or change in residence) is on the classic Holmes and Rahe scale for stressful life events. But not to worry - I have the corkscrew and a bottle of wine in the bag that gets packed in my car on moving day. Besides, I keep a corkscrew and bottle opener in my glovebox, too. You know, just in case!

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    2. Haha Bijoux. Good luck Agent....owie.

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  9. Looks like the charity is not the only thing getting a chunk--ouch. You are doing so well with this moving, you may have to hide your email address or risk start getting emails about quotes for you to perform similar services.

    I hope you get to enjoy the holiday weekend.

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    1. I don;t think you could pay me enough to move someone else. And my holiday weekend is already over - I work today. ;/

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  10. Please correct me if I'm wrong, this will be at least the second you moved as a single mom. Is the whole process easier without having to check on the opinion of a spouse? Just curious of your opinion. All the best.

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    1. Third if you count moving into a rental house for nine months. It's harder in terms of not having someone else to help and to share the worry. But easier in terms of only needing to take my own preferences into account. Especially this time, since my kids will be visiting but not living permanently with me.

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  11. A shiny new adventure begins!

    How will you decorate: differently or similar?

    Love
    kj

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    1. Probably very similarly. For one thing, I'll have all the same furniture and art.. Plus, I really liked the colors I picked for this house.

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  12. So, the transition seems to be going well. I always find it really weird though, the process of moving out of a place I've grown fond of over so many years. Always a little sad even if I'm keen to settle in the new home.

    Hardly ever use a corkscrew. Practically all the wine here is now screwtop.

    I like the pic of your sons helping you move in. Something very cosy and domesticated about it.

    And you know our approach to clutter. We're both minimalists when it comes to household stuff. We chuck out surplus bits and pieces practically every day!

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    1. So far, so good. I will miss this house, though. I also liked that the kids were willing to dive in and help me.

      For some reason, the US seems resistant to the screw top thing on wines. Most I buy still have corks. I think it causes us flashbacks to the awful Boone's Farm Strawberry Hill days.

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    2. Boone's Farm Strawberry Hill? What's the story there? I looked it up and was told "its low cost makes it a favourite on college campuses." An embarrassing memory from college then? But where do corks come into it?

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    3. It was popular in the '70's, before I hit college. Cheap, sweet wine with a screw top. Low-rent stuff - even in college I wouldn't have drunk that.

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  13. Terrifying how they grow, and even more so that they suddenly acquire their dad's voice. Eek! I am I very much hope getting a little better at decluttering. I hate having stuff around more and more, specially when it's someone else's stuff (like now,. though only temporarily I hope).

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    1. Oh I know - sometimes when I call my younger son at his Dad's house, I'm not sure who is answering the phone!

      Having someone else's stuff is worse because you can't toss it.

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  14. I suppose the move is a bit bittersweet. But I wish you bon voyage to your new adventure.

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  15. I hate the energy it takes to move out of a home, but I love the energy I get moving into one.

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  16. There’s always something of yourself you leave behind when you move.
    I am still regretting some of the nicer aspects of former homes. (one in London, one with a bigger garden,one a sweet little 17th century cottage)

    I think we’ll probably stay where we are now.

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    1. I miss/remember fondly aspects of previous houses but don't regret any of my moves.

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  17. As long as you do not use the last few days to retrieve some "to give away" stuff for keepsake!

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    1. Not a chance - once I make a decision, it's made. And I take the stuff to charity every other day or so.

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  18. Has it really been seven years? I could swear two was right.

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  19. I've seen enough horrible "hoarder" imgur albums thanks to Reddit.

    Hoarding is bad m'kay.

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  20. It is nice that you have been able to give things away for those who will really appreciate the items. You have certainly done an great job at packing and I'm really excited about your move with less stuff to weigh you down. So sorry about the cut on your leg.

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  21. My husband has a very hard time getting rid of stuff. Of all the things we can argue about...this is the one that we do argue about. I am not a very sentimental about things and I've moved around so many times in the past few years that I will easily get rid of stuff rather than pack it up to move...my husband is completely the opposite. And living in a small apartment, it gets chaotic very quickly. Especially with me being away from home three days out of the week.

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