Saturday, September 5, 2009

Keep, Store, Donate, Toss

(Image courtesy of coyotethunder.com)
By the middle of the month, I will be moving... somewhere.

It would be nice if finding a suitable place were possible, but instead I will be lucky to find something tolerable.

I've applied for a little apartment, and I will know next week if I get it. On the positive side, it is neat and tidy, has a nice kitchen and plenty of widows, and is near the beach. On the negative side, my cat has to find a new home, I won't have my washer and dryer, and it has no outside storage and no yard.

On the plus side, it's .2 miles from the ocean and 1.6 miles from my church (bicycling distance). On the negative side, instead of being able to hear the pounding surf, you can hear the freeway.

I call it the Beach House and will count myself lucky to have it. It has a second bedroom for whatever configuration of sons or guests happens by.

So now, I've started the job of packing, with an eye toward purging my possessions. I have to fit our lives into a small apartment, now, so anything extraneous has to go.

I just put four boxes out when I pack, Keep, Store, Donate, Toss. Everything must be questioned to see which box it goes in.

12 comments:

steviewren said...

I've already decided that I never want to move again....I have too much stuff. Last summer my daughter helped me purge the junk in my attic. What a pile of stuff we got rid of...but there is so much more in all the rest of my rooms. I like stuff...mostly paper stuff. Books, old cards, photographs, ephemera...you name it, I have it. Good luck with paring down your life...didn't you do that not long ago?

Indie said...

Thanks :) Yes, I did. We moved to this house last September, but then my marriage ended in November. All the time since, the necessity to move has been there, but I had it scheduled for after my trip. So here I am.

I've been purging possessions over this whole year. I am some sort of Stuff Magnet! I don't mind reducing my possessions, but I don't like moving. It takes so much energy, mental and physical. And I don't have any help at all.

Speaking of ephemera, I reduced an entire art cupboard to one box last night. Until I have written this thesis, there will be no art :P

Anonymous said...

Wow K! Don't really know what to say to you... wish I'd be there. I love to move, to get done with the old, start with the new, and just imagining being able to do that on my own, without ANYBODY interfering... let's trade places. I started allover again so many times, I got divorced twice, emigrated, then immigrated, my apartment burned out once, I think the only thing that didn't happen to me was a flood in the house *lol* So I had to really start from ZERO sometimes, and even though I reduced my belongings to the minimum and try to keep it that way, so many things gathered still. That's normal.
I feel that you see all this as very negative, which is a pity. You told me once you were always travelling and moving a lot, because your family history is the one of gipsies. Get out of your emotional whole dear! You're moving close to the CA beach! I know tons of people who would trade with you in a heartbeat. Try finding things that are good about it and don't you exhaust yourself with working ALREADY! Thesis here, teaching there... you tend to overdo things! Pace yourself, cheer up, and lean on my shoulder to let it all out, I'm here...
(((K))) R.

Anonymous said...

I ment to write hole not whole, sorry...

Indie said...

I am a lucky woman, rich in friends. Like you, Miss R!

Moving wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have so much stuff.

And if it didn't come at such a bad time, when everything is all happening at once. Hopefully, I can just get it knocked out quickly

I wish I had a pick-up truck, just to haul away things I don't want, just to get them out of the way while I survey the situation.

Anonymous said...

Is it really true Paris can't come with you to your new place?

Anonymous said...

Oh my K, this is so sad, I have so many friends who would be able to haul it away for you in a heartbeat! What friends is it you're having, who don't see the need to help when it's there!!! Hello, you guys call yourself K's friends, and live close by, organise for transportation and helping (male) hands. This makes me angry. *grrrrr* R.

Indie said...

Anonymous,I have apps in on two places. The one that looks likely does not allow pets.

Paris has a couple of options for new homes, including living at my friend's ranch in Zenia. The sad part is I very rarely get over there so I won't see him anymore. The good part is that he'd be really happy there and she would treat him great.

R, the pastor at my church offered to loan me his truck for hauling things away. That will really help.

Anonymous said...

Well, Indie, that ranch in Zenia sounds good, but forgive me for worrying. Paris is a savvy city cat. He looks where he goes, avoiding hazards like motorcars when he travels into the streets. But aren't there some wild carnivores in Zenia that he might not recognize (in a timely way) as dangers?

Maybe he will be kept inside at night when the bears and tigers play outside. That would certainly ease my mind.

I'm glad your pastor offered the use of a truck. Now do as R. says and guilt-trip some of your sturdyest friends into doing most of the heavy lifting. Or as a last resort, you might get an estimate from a professional moving outfit. It might cost more money but it could save a lot of wear and tear on YOU.

Hey! An idea just struck me! Your friends should take up a collection to help you pay for a moving company to come and do all the hard physical work. They can feel good about helping you and also good about not having to do all that hard work themselves. Is this a genius idea, or what?

Indie said...

Thank you for your caring comments, Anonymous. :) I appreciate everything!!

Remember, Paris was a country cat before he was a city cat, and here in Mack Town, he's returned to his country cat ways. Yes, indeed, there are predators. That's how Paris lost his brother years ago. I will ask about where Paris will sleep at night.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for asking about Paris' future sleeping arangements in Zenia. And thanks for reminding me that Paris started out as a country cat. That is a relief. Sorry to hear about Paris' brother, though. Just imagine the two of them living together! What a joy that would have been.

Indie said...

The only way to tell them apart was to roll them over on their backs and look at their bellies. Paris had a white spot on his belly and Smokey didn't.

That's why, to this day, Paris willingly rolls on his back to let his tummy be rubbed. :-)