So I wake up one day and I realize I've had enough. Had it up to here with the metro map I've made of my life and realize I'd rather have something simpler. Never mind that I don't have it all figured out. Like an endless stream of income. So I can drink wine the rest of my days and mesmerize you with my blog musings. For free. But that's a future post. Tentatively entitled "How Fear Mongers Stole 15 Years of My Life". *sigh*
So I decide to to simplify. Get off the corporate train and try something different. A complete 180. Being the not-yet-reformed corporate driver and control freak that I am, I create a project plan. With milestones and everything. How comforting, that list with its categories and dependencies, its tasks and subtasks. So familiar.
There's this one category I've been working on. Trouble is, seems like no matter how hard I work, the tasks are never totally complete. Unfortunately, there are a few of those type of categories. But the one that I'm mired in right now is "thing diminishment". I came up with that all by myself. *satisfied smile*.
This category ties in to that whole crap thing I was musing about before. I decided that the title "crap clean-up" had such negative connotations that I'd try something new.
Keeping in mind that I recently completed a major milestone, "Ship to France". One would think that would contribute greatly to the whole concept of "thing diminishment". But honestly. Three whole containers later (because it wouldn't all fit in the originally planned 2 containers) and I swear I still have a house full. Its like one of those crazy horror movies, where the "things" multiply faster than you can kill them. Attack of the killer zombie "things".
Tomorrow my daughter arrives. Her mission (she was gullible enough to accept it ~gasp~) is to assist me in pricing and selling as many of these things as possible for our giant hellatious killer zombie thing sale scheduled to occur in my front yard, side yard, and garage this coming Saturday and Sunday.
There's enough of these things that, in spite of the sale, I've rented a 14' truck which she will use to haul another load down to the bay area for eventual sale in our boutique.
And guess what?! There will still be mooo-oooo-oorrre! Yep, folks that's right. Remainder killer zombie things that will need to be transported under locked guard and imprisoned in a storage unit at an unnamed location. Why? Because I carry the ugly killer zombie thing gene in my DNA. It has me under its control. I'm convinced. I am the secret muse of the Killer Zombie Things. They have me under their spell. I can't stop talking about them. They are seemingly everywhere.
They may have been diminished by me for now. Soon, they will begin their period of waiting. In the storage room. In hibernation. Biding their time. *queue creepy killer zombie thing music*
13 comments:
that's the problem right there...you have stuff even after the movers come, the yard sale and your daughter taking some away and what do you do...you store the stuff in a storage unit! GET RID OF THE STUFF...why do you NEED to keep it, it's just stuff. You can't take the stuff with you when you go (and I don't mean to france). Stuff weighs you down, sucks you in and takes your life over. I have never been a stuff person...I don't like clutter and am not sentimental (all of my pictures I have of my family, vacations, etc...are in manilla envelopes...not beautiful photo albums).
It's a good feeling to look at the stuff and say "I don't need you anymore". really, what's the point of keeping stuff in a storage unit, when you will be so far away. You will feel so much better just parting with it and starting fresh!
Do it!
Alisa~ *sigh*. I know and agree. But somehow I'm locked in to keeping some of it either for the kids or for what will be a very small U.S. home base in the bay area. It is amazing how easy it is for me to bitch about this stuff and how hard it is for me to get rid of it. But I've definitely diminished it substantially. and maybe someday .... *another sigh*
It's amazing how much crap I can gather over my 30- some years of life. I remember when everything fit in a studio apartment. Yes, it is just stuff, but frankly I like my stuff. Like that rug over there I bought when I move away from home. It looks old but I love it. Though I am not a pack rat at all, the stuff I do have has memories attached with it. However once I get rid of it, I soon forget it. Maybe I am the out of sight, out of mind kind of girl.
And I just have to comment...
Scheduling milestones for your move? You sound like me... I really should delete project scheduler from my "non-work" laptop.
Bah, "stuff." Some of the geekier hobbyists call it "gear acquisition syndrome" or GAS for short. That is indeed what it feels like.
I know it's tough. In our dejunking project I think we have hauled out nearly 1/2 of what we own(ed) but there is still a TON of stuff around here.
Ah well. Look at it this way: the more you get rid of that is meaningless to you, the happier you'll be to open that tiny little storage when you come back to move it again. Hopefully you'll store very little of the "I don't know why I kept THIS???" category.
fot-well, a bit of a packrat am I. Nothing scary, but I typically only acquire things that I love so it is hard to let them go. And about proj plans ... well, those are also hard to release!
stacey-I like the sound of tiny little storage, has a certain ring to it!
We are currently de-stuffing for move to France. We are doing Craigslist, antique consignment, Goodwill, car sales and then we are putting all that is left in a storage pod that we can have shipped should we decide to do it. It is so hard to let go off this stuff. But, it is even harder to pay for it all to be shipped to France and even more difficult to find an apartment in France big enough to hold all my stuff.
Good luck with your killer zombie thing sale!! I hope you sell it all.:-)
Oh yes! And I almost forgot.... most of the American-sized furniture won't even fit up the tiny French staircases much less the doors.
lbr-yep, same unending process here. although with the decreased value of the dollar, I shipped some things that I knew would be far more expensive to replace than to ship.
fot-I've never been a fan of American sized furniture...Euro style for me!
Although I've never held on to many things (truly to a fault sometimes!), I find myself understanding your difficulty here. I could honestly fit just about all my stuff in one of those U-Haul trailers you tow with your car! And it is pretty easy for me to let go of most things.
It seems that you are approaching it in a good way - gradually letting go. Hopefully the sale will go well and you'll find it easier to let go of some more things. This is so exciting... one step closer to a life in France!! And by the way, you have me very intrigued by the killer zombie things! :)
Hey, will your daughter come help me with my sale? :-)
I wanted to do one this weekend, but i'm not ready. It's looking like memorial day weekend for meeee babyy.
I'm the opposite of you when it comes to planning. I tend towards a fly by the seat of my pants and see what feels right kind of adventure. Hubby's been in france for one week and we've already sold one of our cars, sold the house, and OOOOPS set the closing date for may 29th. What the F^&K was i thinking?! Did i mention i have a toddler and no family around me? OK, let's face it i have to stop being shy and/or i have to start shelling out some bucks for movers. I told my boss that my departure is probably going to be in july, which is many months earlier than I initially told him - I said "late fall" when I'd really meant early fall. This time I said early July when I really meant mid to late June. But hubby still has to get a job and I still need a visa. Two pretty big details.
b-I wish that "fault" would rub off on me!
stephanie-you can do it and its even better that its moving quick, it will be over faster and your new life can begin!
Good luck with the garage sale, it rained when I tried to have mine :p It's tough getting rid of stuff but ultimately I find it very cleansing. I am glad I kept some stuff now though, needless to say ;-)
Fresh starts are nice and uummm FRESH!
Congratulations, Kimberlee!
Every little bit gone is one little bit less and, for one who loves to acquire, that is an accomplishment. You won't regret your extra props when you arrive in France, some of them will comfort you and some of them will bring in a few euros at the brocante! You'll start wheeling and dealing in France and that will be your starter, like for sourdough bread making!
Amitiés,
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