A few days ago, I realized that I should probably include a letter of non-renewal with my next rent check. It wasn’t until I was drafting the letter that I realized something bigger- finding our future house is only half the battle. Moving will be an equally daunting challenge.
Although all of our belongings fit into a studio apartment and a bedroom for the time being, I really don’t want to bring a ton of stuff to the new house that we don’t really need. So I started really looking at my apartment. And then I saw it. I needed to start organizing this place now, not a week before moving. Partially because of my crazy schedule and partially because I am a sentimental freak, I have accumulated way more stuff than I want or need. I have always found a reason to keep everything in the past. I remember buying this shirt with so and so, or I went to this awesome concert and just had to save the ticket. Well, it is getting out of control. So I decided to do something about it.
Because it is going to be my biggest challenge, I decided to start with the closet. And then I made a new rule: if I haven’t worn it in a year, it gets donated. The ONLY exceptions are items that truly do have sentimental value, i.e. my track and field hoodie from high school. Other than that, it goes. Brian was over the night I started and with his help I got three packed storage boxes down to a box and a half. I’d say that is making progress.
It doesn’t seem like a lot, but knowing that I am getting organized now will really help when the move is a week away. Especially when in the coming months we have to find a house, go through the closing, get the house ready to move in, pack both of our current places and then get my place ready for a landlord walk-through so I can get the most out of my security deposit. Whew.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to my closet. Between organizing and packing to head to the burbs for five days, I have a lot to get done.
