We found a new house, Hallelujah!We are moving in two weeks and the packing has begun.
But Damn!!!
I can't seem to let anything go. I've even started to pack old magazines!!!
Sista it happens. Because money is tight, I myself just emptied out our paid storage we have had for four years. I pulled out of there boxes that I know I haven't opened in those same four years.
My two best friend's mother passed away and the two of them held on to the family house they grew up in. For almost two years they paid the sizable mortgage and kept the utilities on. It just sat there like a museum, a shrine to good times and a mother and father who loved them. Wow. It is rough. Is this you?
Moving can be a stressful and emotional time, especially if you are down-sizing from a home where you have raised a family. The memories alone crowd the house, never mind the actual "stuff". I came across the following tips that might be helpful for homeowners going through this type of move.1) Focus on where you are going and what you're creating; not on what you're leaving behind. This is a new phase in your life and can be a wonderful time.
2) Be Practical, Not Sentimental. Identify the objects that you are taking with you and those that can be left behind. If there's something you are not quite ready to part with, consider TEMPORARY storage, set an end date.
3) Giving It To Someone You Love. While living in New York City, I inherited a crystal lamp. I was moving to Los Angeles and I just new it was too delicate to pack. My mind kept going forward to the agony of unpacking it and seeing it broken. I had a friend, Tom, who always admired the lamp. I gave it to him. He insisted I take something of his. In his closet he had a sleeping bag and I remembered those first nights in New York with no furniture and using my coat as a blanket. Bingo! I took the sleeping bag for my LA relocation.
4) Entertain. You may think this is the worst time to have people over, but if you surround yourself with family and friends, a support system, making it a packing party turns this difficult task into a social gathering. Just remember you label the boxes and you provide the beer after you all are done.
I'll be going through this myself in the next two years, and find that I waiver between being logical and emotional about it. I need to remind myself that it is the people that made the memories in this house, not the house itself, and we can make new and even better memories in our next house.
Thanks to Kathy Passarette, Creative Home Expressions for portions of this story