HOWEVER, I know that I need, NEED, NEED to get rid of some things. I was really happy to find out about the 'once a year' garage sale for our base that I participated in on Saturday. I would have liked to find out about it with more than 3 evenings notice.
I think one of the biggest problems is- I'm not just sorting through regular stuff that would be in any house... but, I'm also sorting through items that had been in storage for about 14 years! After that long, you either feel guilty for not having them with you, or you don't want to get rid of the 'storage items' because, you're not tired of them-- because, they have been in storage!
I think that the biggest problem that I have is that I am RIGHT-BRAINED DOMINANT. I have to haul everything out.. see what I have.. sort it, get rid of it, repair it, give it away, etc. and doing it that way takes time and should I say it? It's overwhelming doing it that way- especially without any help (not married) and working all day- sometimes it's just a little hard to keep the momentum going. Add in the fact that I'm sentimental about things... and put all that together and.............. "Houston, we have a problem."
To show that I am making some progress, here are some things that I did get rid of..
*A wooden box that I was going to paint, apply pretty fabric to the inside and outside and use it as a gift box for this winter's Barbie doll and matching sewn and knitted wardrobe.. (made by ME) to the local orphanage. The base has a toy drive every winter for this good cause. *I'm sure that my new base will do something similar, so- I'll buy a Barbie and knit/sew the doll some clothes and just make a 'fabric drawstring bag' to store everything in- same purpose and less weight and space taken up.
*An extra foam cushion for a guest bed in my new location. (I'm giving it to my sweet house girl- if she wants it.)
*Some clothing and hair accessories (they were in the storage shipment). I don't have long hair anymore. I sent all of this to the orphans in Afghanistan.
*A couple of silk flower arrangements. (They'll be given to my house girl too.)
But, here's kind of how my mind has been doing during this 'sorting' process:
*The guy will be the 'get rid of it side' and the gal will be the 'oh, keep it side'
Guy: "Get rid of it! It's taking Gal: "This will come in handy in your
up space! new location."
"You haven't used this in years!" "Well, it's been in STORAGE for
years!"
AND, after all of this gets done? I have the days long job of opening up every box of 'classroom teaching materials' (I usually teach 2nd or 3rd grade. I am currently teaching art and will be teaching art at my new school too.) I have boxes and boxes of the stuff on my bedroom balcony. (Korea has enclosed balconies.. so, it's more of a mini narrow room off the bedroom than a balcony.)
I need to do this.. because, this stuff weighs a lot and I won't need it for a few years- while I'm teaching art. And, if I go back into the classroom again- I'll leave enough to teach in the classroom. I just wish that I had known that I was moving into the art position last year.. because, I could have given away or thrown away the items that I found that I really didn't use.. as each month went by. However, I didn't find out about it until August before the new school year started.
Did I mention that as I'm sorting I have to decide:
*What goes with me to Germany
*What goes with me to Germany- but, is the 100 pounds of items that are flown
there .. that you will need immediately: bed lines, more clothing- usually a
coat since your household goods can take 3 -4 months to arrive, etc.
*What goes to storage (this will be sent to the states and I won't have access to
it.)
*What to throw or give away
I hope that I don't start dreaming about this. lol
ETC.. etc.. etc..
2 comments:
I do not envy you, with the move. I'm sorry your struggling to get through your things. . .
Well, I decided that I should put all the storage in one location (as best as I could) and that has just ocmplicated things.. but, will be better in the long run.. because the packers rarely speak English.. (just the guy in charge)
So, if I spend the time now.. the storage things will actually make it to storage.. instead of other items that I don't want to go to storage..
Because, if I don't.. it's going to be awfully confusing to say: "Ok, put this in storage, not this, this, not these two things.. etc.. etc.. (all in one room.. will be a big, big, big problem of I Love Lucy status)
Since.. IF I don't sort the stuff into locations, for the various shipments, I can only be in one room at a time 'telling the packers which items go into storage'.. and that would leave the rest of the rooms.. being packed up 'however'.. so, the goal is.. try my best to sort items into 'locations' so that it will be easier to know which items do go to storage/ or wherever.. (so, it's easier for the movers).. so, it goes where I want it to go to..
**I had a friend who got her TRASH packed and someone else who got their passports and ticket packed..
(of course to prevent that, I try to find a small area and put a big X on that door/etc... even if you have to sit your suitcase in the bathtub so the important stuff and papers don't get packed.)
One time I had left some clothing in a closet.. and told them DO NOT PACK this.. shut the door/etc. Came back later to check on that room.. (I had been in other parts of the house) and the clothing had been packed and no one knew where.. no way to unpack all the boxes to find out where anyway.. and most boxes had already been loaded on the truck and no way of knowing which rooms that they had come from anyway. So, a box full of shoes and summer clothing went into storage.
Problem was.. that stuff didn't get delivered to me until a year ago.. so, it was in storage for 15 years.. I sent the shoes and useable clothing to Afghanistan.
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