Moving On. Moving Up.
Moving is both sad and wonderful. One the one hand you are forced to re-examine your whole life before it gets packed away in boxes and on the other hand it's a great way to start fresh and new. For the past week or so, O and I have been neck deep in preparing for our move. It has been both exhausting and satisfying. We spent all day in the basement one day and were able to narrow down about 7 boxes of "stuff" into 2 boxes. O and I both have pack-rat tendencies. Mine have been slowly decreasing throughout the years, but I still see things and get a touch of the "Oh that has sentimental value, who the hell knows what I'll do with it, but I must keep it" syndrome. O gets the "Oh that is a nail, tool, screw, cord, I might need that one day" syndrome. I joked that we were playing hoarders. You know - where every item gets labeled: keep, trash, or donate.
I'm proud of us both this week. It has been easier than ever to let go of things that we have both been carting around for nearly 7 years together. I'm not sure why I haven't felt as emotionally attached to "things" lately. Maybe I just have everything I already want and need and de-cluttering the miscellaneous from my life has been refreshingly simple. Don't get me wrong, there are things I have come across - like my old guitar - that I can't just give away or sell. No, I don't play anymore but I feel like I owe it to that part of my life to find it a fitting home. Or, the headband I wore at my wedding. You can't just throw those things out. They are memories. A part of you. Something you would give/show your kids (or nieces...should you choose to have no kids). The task for those items is finding them a place. This presents a much larger challenge than finding the trash can. For the time being we went and bought some rubber containers and anything that got labeled "memory" got placed into one of those. We managed to condense our "memories" down to one bin. Eventually, O will build me a hope chest and perhaps one day I'll find a real place for those things, but for now I'm just content enough that they are contained.
Today's project was the closet. Well, my project. O has been outside slaving away at making our plant beds have better "curb appeal". We have a punch list of items that we need to do before listing the house. Since the septic disaster our plant beds essentially look like land mines went off in there. O is installing a stone border and then we are loading it full of mulch. First impressions are everything.
But, I digress.
The closet. This is another area where I have historically struggled in letting go. You know how it is. Thoughts like this take over: Well, I might wear that one day...I might lose 10 more pounds and that could fit again...I wore that for a special occasion that I really want to remember but I will never wear said thing again...I have nothing else to wear, better hang on to that in case...and so on and so forth. Typically I try for the rule that if I haven't worn it the past year it is a goner. Sometimes I get creative though and hang on to things. And that's what they are - things, just things. So today I just freed my mind of emotional attachments, hopes and memories and started chucking clothes on the floor. Don't wear it? Out. Doesn't fit? Out. Where did that come from? Out. Didn't I wear that in college? Out. I mean, check out this pile.
I mean seriously. I am 32 years old and have a real job. I should stop holding on to the sports bra I hate because all the other ones may be dirty and I may have to wear it sometime. Really? No. How about I just go buy a new one I like? How about the running shorts that I hate but hold onto because one day I'm miraculously going to pull them out of the drawer and they got longer? No. How about I just go buy ones I like? I'm pretty proud of this pile. Lots of letting go in there.
I will admit that knowing myself and my sentimental tendencies I did allow for a "t-shirt quilt" pile of shirts that have memories of events or places. Shirts I don't wear anymore, but can't imagine getting rid of. Mom promises me she is going to make me one. Someday. Mom, are you reading this?? These are coming your way!
I didn't just stop with the clothes. I decided that there are plenty of shoes that are taking up too much useless space as well. Hooker heels I thought I would actually wear in Las Vegas? Out. Brooks Pure Cadence running shoes I hated to begin with and haven't worn in 2 years? Out.
Someone at Goodwill is going to be very happy with this donation. AG jeans that don't fit anymore. A sparkly LBD. What more could you want? Well, I actually want less - so this works out well for both parties.
Anyway, the closet kind of still doesn't look like I made a dent. But I do feel better. Cleaner. Happier. And ready to move on to the next project! We are both moving on. And I am moving up. As in, upgrading my wardrobe. Eventually. Everyone has to start somewhere, right?
I'm proud of us both this week. It has been easier than ever to let go of things that we have both been carting around for nearly 7 years together. I'm not sure why I haven't felt as emotionally attached to "things" lately. Maybe I just have everything I already want and need and de-cluttering the miscellaneous from my life has been refreshingly simple. Don't get me wrong, there are things I have come across - like my old guitar - that I can't just give away or sell. No, I don't play anymore but I feel like I owe it to that part of my life to find it a fitting home. Or, the headband I wore at my wedding. You can't just throw those things out. They are memories. A part of you. Something you would give/show your kids (or nieces...should you choose to have no kids). The task for those items is finding them a place. This presents a much larger challenge than finding the trash can. For the time being we went and bought some rubber containers and anything that got labeled "memory" got placed into one of those. We managed to condense our "memories" down to one bin. Eventually, O will build me a hope chest and perhaps one day I'll find a real place for those things, but for now I'm just content enough that they are contained.
Today's project was the closet. Well, my project. O has been outside slaving away at making our plant beds have better "curb appeal". We have a punch list of items that we need to do before listing the house. Since the septic disaster our plant beds essentially look like land mines went off in there. O is installing a stone border and then we are loading it full of mulch. First impressions are everything.
But, I digress.
The closet. This is another area where I have historically struggled in letting go. You know how it is. Thoughts like this take over: Well, I might wear that one day...I might lose 10 more pounds and that could fit again...I wore that for a special occasion that I really want to remember but I will never wear said thing again...I have nothing else to wear, better hang on to that in case...and so on and so forth. Typically I try for the rule that if I haven't worn it the past year it is a goner. Sometimes I get creative though and hang on to things. And that's what they are - things, just things. So today I just freed my mind of emotional attachments, hopes and memories and started chucking clothes on the floor. Don't wear it? Out. Doesn't fit? Out. Where did that come from? Out. Didn't I wear that in college? Out. I mean, check out this pile.
 |
| Mount "Donate this Shit" |
I mean seriously. I am 32 years old and have a real job. I should stop holding on to the sports bra I hate because all the other ones may be dirty and I may have to wear it sometime. Really? No. How about I just go buy a new one I like? How about the running shorts that I hate but hold onto because one day I'm miraculously going to pull them out of the drawer and they got longer? No. How about I just go buy ones I like? I'm pretty proud of this pile. Lots of letting go in there.
I will admit that knowing myself and my sentimental tendencies I did allow for a "t-shirt quilt" pile of shirts that have memories of events or places. Shirts I don't wear anymore, but can't imagine getting rid of. Mom promises me she is going to make me one. Someday. Mom, are you reading this?? These are coming your way!
 |
| These have earned a nice retirement party. |
I didn't just stop with the clothes. I decided that there are plenty of shoes that are taking up too much useless space as well. Hooker heels I thought I would actually wear in Las Vegas? Out. Brooks Pure Cadence running shoes I hated to begin with and haven't worn in 2 years? Out.
 |
| I really thought I would wear those hooker heels?! |
Someone at Goodwill is going to be very happy with this donation. AG jeans that don't fit anymore. A sparkly LBD. What more could you want? Well, I actually want less - so this works out well for both parties.
Anyway, the closet kind of still doesn't look like I made a dent. But I do feel better. Cleaner. Happier. And ready to move on to the next project! We are both moving on. And I am moving up. As in, upgrading my wardrobe. Eventually. Everyone has to start somewhere, right?
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