i've spent the past few days reliving all of my new york experiences, and posting postdated blogs about my feelings. i've revealed more about myself, to myself, than to anyone who might be reading. i've written things down that i didn't even realize i was feeling. i've cried, i've laughed, i've looked at photos and mementos. now it's time to begin the business of moving a life.
i've made a total of 5 major moves since age 18, not counting moving into and out of college dorms (which would add 4 to the total number). each move has been into a progressively bigger space, save this last one. each journey has been made with more and more possessions to fill the spaces, in a fit to find fulfillment in things. each uprooting has been accompanied by the best of friends who were willing to haul my stash, clean my cabinets, and throw me welcoming parties. i owe it to them to make this move alone. they're carried me for long enough. one set of words has haunted me: sell everything you own, to pay your way. it was a plan in the making, before i'd ever made a decision.
i never expected, when i listed several pieces of furniture for sale, that one person would come and buy most of it, all at once. gone are the vestiges of my comfortable, possession-choked life: the red couch, the monstrous entertainment center, the cheap desk, the fancy ottoman. she wants my decorative items, as well, and i'll be happy to oblige. left are only the pieces that i need to live between now and the summer -- a futon-like loveseat, several sets of foldable bookshelves, a low-slung entertainment center and television (both will eventually be sold), a full-size mattress set (will be given away). if it cannot fit in my car, it must stay behind. of course, if i sell my car and rent a minivan for the drive, i will be able to carry more, but they must be pieces i can carry myself. these are the things one considers when moving hundreds of miles away.
my plan consists of this:
in january, i will focus on furniture. this means taking inventory, listing any remaining items for sale, and acquiring replacements for required pieces that will travel well. again, i never thought i'd sell things so quickly, but this has left me time to conduct a few social experiments.
in february, i'll streamline my closet. i can't count on having a closet in new york, so this will be a big deal. clothing must multitask. layering is essential. all shoes that are only stylish, and not functional, must go. i've considered having a party at the end of the month, to sell any clothes, shoes, and handbags that don't make the cut.
in march, i'll destash my decoratives. there are a LOT of them, and in varied styles. some were made to fit stylistically in the 1870s house i rented last year, some for the mid-century house before that, some for my very first solo abode, and some still linger from my college days. there are also a lot of framed portraits of friends and family, which are especially dear because i photographed them.
in april, the technology and entertainment need to be condensed. books i didn't love will go back to the thrift store. any music i can muster will be digitized and backed up. my game system and all its peripherals are already listed for sale, but as a last resort, i'll put them up for online auction. both of my televisions are out of date, heavy boxes that likely won't travel with me. tv on dvd needs to stay -- it's my boredom savior.
in may, the last month of my lease in the loft, i will sell things directly related to being a nanny. when i was caring for my friend's young one on a daily basis, i acquired a lot of "things". now i've learned that most kids require very little, beyond love, attention, and enrichment, to be happy little people. i'm continuing to develop my childcare philosophies, and be able to explain them. plus, i won't be able to move, nor will i need, many of the things i've acquired.
may 31st approaches all too soon. and from there, who knows?
No comments:
Post a Comment