So, I am now in the mood to move - - I've packed three boxes of books, and am about to drive to Sam's Club to buy more boxes because my boxes are too big. I don't want to hurt myself carrying them down the stairs when I do move. I need about 20-30 smaller boxes, what they call "medium" boxes I suppose. They are 14"x 17"x 13" I think. I need tape too. I want to be sure they are nice and secure; nothing like fearing your box bottoms will come out from under the weight of books.
The books and the journals are the first things to pack, but this time I decided to throw out most of the books since I really don't read them. I buy them occasionally, and because I'm an author I get free books from other authors. I don't read them. I know, I should. I really do mean to, but I never do. I don't make the time, I don't have the time. I am either working, writing, or pretending. When is there time to read anything other than another Perry Mason novel?
I just finished packing three boxes of journals and I have made a decision to not unpack them when I move but to store them in a good cool place like the storage room or maybe in the closet of my office. I think we have an attic too, so depending on whether or not it has ventilation, I may store them there. I don't want or need them out taking up space even if I do love them all and hope someday someone reads them - - except when they do, I also want them to remember that I said what I said because I felt that way at that time - - keep reading, I probably changed my mind.
I have about a dozen larger boxes that I'll use to hold stuffed toys, clothes, linen, towels, curtains, and other lighter things. I really don't want to strain myself when I go to move these boxes out of my apartment, down the stairs, into the car, out of the car, and into the new house. I'm giving away shoes, clothes, coats, and more so I don't have to carry them anywhere other than to the car to be donated. The Goodwill guys come to the car to take them from my trunk. I love that.
I'm looking at my bulletin boards on my walls and I see a bunch of really fun and cool memories on them. I'll probably keep them, but I may get a few more cork boards to make a half wall of the stuff and have even more memories on them. That way I can spread them out a bit and it can make a bit more sense. Right now the hodge-podge resembles my brain at 10:30 p.m. just before going to bed. It can't make up its mind what it wants to think before retiring. It wants to think it all.
Moving lets me clear my head, my mind, my body, my soul, my thoughts, my memories, and my space. I'm not going to take anything to the new place that I won't use or want. There is going to be a lot of trash bags used in this move. I'll be going through the kitchen this week and then the living room. I'll do my bedroom this weekend when Jeannie comes over so she can be the one to do the casting - - she's really good at it.
The clothes will all be donated. I don't want to throw out good wears if someone else can use them. I've mentioned it, but my shoes have dust covering them. I don't wear shoes unless I take the dog out or go to the store, and believe me, I can get rid of 28 pairs and I won't miss them because I don't wear them - - ever. I used to wear them. When I worked out of the house I wore them. I wanted to have all these nice things and there they sit - - not being used. They will be given away. Someone will want them.
The bathroom stuff will be 90% thrown out before I travel to the new place because I want to start over! I'll keep what I can, but most of it will hit the skids. I have about 200 copies of one of my books that I'm thinking of donating too. That way if they sell people will have donated the money to the Goodwill and have a book to read that's new. I'm not going to sell them at a book signing. I just won't do that, and they can be sold for $5 or something and be useful to the charity.
Maybe if someone really cool buys one of my $5 books at Goodwill they can tell a friend who will look them up on Amazon and buy more! That's a good plan. What do you think? I do a lot of pretending, so why not pretend that works? I think it could; why not? Stranger things have happened. Besides, books in the closet not being read is silly -- giving them away to a charity that I believe in is a better option.
Boxes and boxes and boxes - that's the plan for the next few weeks. When I hire the people to move my things I want to be able to rent a U-Haul and have all my boxes loaded before they have to load the heavy stuff, so that it goes easier, smoother, nicer, and lovely - - they load the heavy stuff, take the heavy stuff out first, and I unload the boxes, and drive the U-Haul back. It makes perfect sense to me.
This move should be economical in the sense that a U-Haul will cost about $77-80 for the day, and the guy(s) helping will be paid about $200. The only other expenses for moving will be the couch and chair I'm ordering online and that's free shipping. (I will tip)
I figure, if I get it all packed and ready to load it will take about an hour to load, and an hour to unload, and I'll take the U-Haul back within four hours which could actually cut the cost down, but even if it doesn't, I'll be in and out soon. I don't want to bring anything whatsoever that I'm not going to use. It's time to get serious about clutter - - I'm not that bad in the first place, but it's gotten worse in the past few years.
I have a ton of LITTLE things - - little boxes of jewelry, little boxes of trinkets. I don't need them. I really really don't. I hate to say it, but I'm probably just going to give most of it away and be done with it -- I'll keep a few pieces I love. I just don't wear jewelry - - I don't go anywhere to be seen with it. I have 1000000000 CDs and that will probably not change. I will probably end up keeping them. You just never know when you may need to pop in a CD and chill to something ancient and Celtic -- I'm lying, I actually do know when to do that.
Photo Credit: Me.
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