Cheaper's better, free is best!

Wow, what a week or two or five!

I moved in to the new house May 1st, exactly 1 year after I moved into the half-duplex! I'm sure hoping that there won't be another move in my future until Odette & Brian haul me off to the nursing home.

The move went smoothly enough, albeit 3 hours later than planned. Ken and Toby, Denver Small Moves, did a fantastic job. There were no major casualties--the armoire came through unscathed. Ken's price was more than 2/3rds less than that horrible company, All My Sons, charged! The service was fantastic, no-one was drunk or stoned (obviously, because I didn't use All My Sons), and Ken and Toby took excellent care of my things.

Darryl, a deputy whom Jane set me up with, and Trish helped. We all had a beer on the patio after the move. It felt so right to hang out, sitting on empty boxes, enjoying the waning afternoon warmth. I had decks in WA, and I never really used them, but I can see myself enjoying the outdoors here much more often.

I've been unpacking all week. In fact, today I shut off the phone and spent the entire day unpacking. My goal is that I won't have a single thing in a box, other than Christmas ornaments. That's after hauling 30-40 unpacked boxes around the country for the past 15+ years! Today I unpacked a box that I packed in 1996--I had NO idea that I owned any of that stuff, and most of it is stuff that I don't want any more.

I've discussed downsizing before. I'm at the point in my life that I just don't want STUFF. I want everything I own to have a purpose--to be beautiful or useful. I want things around me that evoke good memories. I've realized that over the years, as I've accumulated more and more STUFF, my stress level has gone up and my happiness level has gone down. When I originally downsized, I discovered I could do as much or more with less. I also didn't miss the things that I eliminated.

Case in point--Beth helped me unpack 20 or 30 boxes when I was still in Falcon (COS). She held up each item and made me explain why I needed to keep it. We ended up repacking one or two boxes of things that I wanted to keep, and took all of the rest to Goodwill--25+ boxes of STUFF. And you know what? Other than the awful Italian marble scale that my mom owned, the one that signified her STUFF, I don't remember any of it. I remember the scale because it represents my ability to be free of STUFF.

So, there are now more boxes to unpack and STUFF to discard or give away. I have so much of my Grandmother ingrained in me--don't be wasteful--so it is hard to get rid of things. I have to remind myself that it is much more wasteful--and totally selfish--to keep STUFF in boxes, instead of letting it go to live a good useful life elsewhere.

Thus far I've culled out books, sheets & towels, clothing, knickknacks, do-dads, cooking implements, shoes, jackets, toys (why do I have TOYS???), and more. Really, why does one person need 6 sets of sheets, particularly when she rotates through 3 favourite sets and the other 3 sit on the shelf? And 9 black tank tops, when I only wear 2 of them? 50 T-shirts when I only wear 10 or 15? Pants, socks, purses...most of them sit on the shelf for "just in case," but "just in case" has never, ever come. Pots and pans and baking tins that are rusted or unused. Shoes that aren't comfortable but almost new. Things that people whom I no longer know have given me. Things from my childhood that don't remind me of pleasant days. Birthday cards from the 70's...um...really?

My cousin Jennifer and I talked about this a couple of years ago. We were both struggling with keeping family stuff because we felt too guilty to get rid of it. Jen finally realized that there were only a few things that evoked good memories; the rest simply caused guilt and stress. So, she kept the things that brought a smile and got rid of the rest. She's never looked back.

Jen's philosophy and insight helped me get through the guilt stage. It's been so freeing to cull out those thing that don't bring joy.

So, what are you holding on to that causes stress, guilt and unhappiness? Can you get rid of it right now? If not, what would happen if you put it into a box marked "Goodwill" for six months? Would you know what was in the box when the time is up? If not, give it to charity without opening it up. Every box removes it's own weight in stress.

Today was a good day for the garden, too. I was at Home Depot. There was a shopping cart full of plants in various stages of rattiness and death. The clerk told me that they were throwing them away and that if I wanted any, I could have them. I sorted through and found that almost all of them could probably be saved! So, I brought home 30 or 40 pots of perennials--about $250-300 worth! Can't wait to dig them in!

I'll get pics of the new house up soon--I promise!