I could not have picked a better day to fly out, APRIL 1st also known as April Fool's Day, but it ain't a joke, I have a ticket and I will be leaving on a jet plane at 11AM on Monday. The MITM and The Doc (who arrives the day I leave) will drive out on the 3rd and probably be in L.A. by Saturday. They've done the drive before, so are confident they can cover the 2,465 miles/3967km in 36 hours or so.
We did a big purge and sent a LOT of things off to auction, so we've automatically downsized in terms of things, but even with all of that there are STILL a LOT of boxes EVERYWHERE in this house! Book boxes are handy because the size is uniform and makes packing a truck easier, but SWEET MARY SUNSHINE you can end up, depending on the size of your library, with quite a few! (We have 40 *I stopped counting after 20* according to the MITM) Then there was the kitchen...*sigh* Y'all know how much we both enjoy cooking and entertaining, so you can imagine what that packing event was like!
Don't even get me started on the closets. BUT, if you haven't gone through your own clothes in over a year, I suggest you do so ASAP even if you aren't planning a move. Marie Kondo (google her) is right, if an item doesn't spark joy, LET IT GO! You'll be happier and even better, the clothes you aren't wearing can be used by someone else who needs (or wants) them!
(Take a moment to read a hilarious account about the Marie Kondo "Tidying Up" method at Victoria Elizabeth Barnes)
Also, if you don't have a document shredder, GET ONE and use it routinely on any piece of paper that has personal identification on it! You will thank me for this one little piece of info later. Some cities offer document disposal/shredding free of charge once a year, so check and see if yours offers this service. I never did, so learn from my mistakes! Of course, we still have a multitude of boxes of paper we HAVE to keep for personal and professional reasons, but that's one of the joys being an adult, right? *sigh*
Here's one pic of the "Great Room" as the realtor called it after we'd removed artwork, decor and packed.
This was taken during the early stages of packing. It looks really different now! I think there are more pics on the MITM's iPad, but trust me it's just bare rooms with stacks of boxes in them. I'd post the one pic he took of the garage that's also filled with boxes, but it's just a bigger space with even MORE boxes and wrapped art work leaning against stacked boxes!
One of the things I've learned during this process is that we should only keep those things that have meaning and/or real use. Memories will always be with us, generally speaking, so keeping a "thing" but not using it serves no purpose. But even after saying that I know we've kept items that have sentimental value only to us and that's the difference. Sentimental value is personal and has nothing to do with monetary value or even usefulness! So, yeah, I'm keeping the handprint in clay The Doc made when he was 5, and the misshaped camel Captain Chaos gave me, and the handmade books super nana made in grammar school, and yep, even the cute birthday card Mr Moose gave me years ago!
We'll miss Savannah and we'll miss our friends here, but thanks to social media and phones, we can stay in contact. We'll just be in another destination vacation spot!
I hope our news was worth the wait and now y'all understand why my blogging was so intermittent!
Back to packing. xoxoxo
