June 1, 2011

Boxes and More Boxes and More Boxes and More Boxes

I keep waiting for the phone to ring.  Then, those words:  "The deal fell through. Sorry."  Now, as is typical for me, I have no reason to suspect this will happen, but I'm prepared on some level.  It was too smooth, ya know.

Our closing date is now about 7 weeks away.  That would be the closing date for selling our house...not the date for closing on a new one.  Why?  BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T FOUND ONE!!!  But, it's okay.  Better Half and I have been the ultimate planners since we married.  We've set goals, found a strategy to reach them, and stuck to it (for the most part...it's always the purses that cause me to stray. I love you, Coach and Louis!)  Flying without a net isn't so bad.  Matter of fact, it feels pretty good to "live outside the box."

Today we've cleaned. I mean REALLY cleaned... like, sorting through the boxes that have been in storage for years.  Going through photos from high school.  Culling out the computer games from the good old bachelor days. That kind of cleaning.  On that note, here's what I've learned today...

1.  I have a lot of books.  Lots and Lots of books.  Almost the entire series of Sweet Valley High (don't act like you don't remember those!) and a fair amount of Nancy Drew.  Also, one about teenage lesbians.  Yeah, I don't know either.

2.  I was a crappy college student until my junior year.  Coincidentally, this was the year I started paying the bill myself.   In my mind, I was a scholar, but apparently that was an illusion. 

3.  Packing sucks.  I'm grateful the house sold this quickly; don't get me wrong.  But, do you have any idea how much crap a family of five can stockpile?! Bags.  Boxes. Tons.  Mountains.  It's easier to part with it, though, when you think about making a fresh start. Still, packing, taping, labeling, stacking...bites.

4.  My kids are horrible assistants.  I told them to go through the movies.  We still have all of them, but now they are scattered hither and yon across the den. Apparently, they needed to view every dvd they've ever gotten to make sure it still worked before they could make a decision.  I think I'll have to do some late night recon and remove some for them.  Trust me, they'll never notice.

5.  My semi-OCD has paid off, finally!  My sorting, organizing, categorizing, label-making self has really helped.  Even though I'm going through a ton of crap, it's pretty much together already.  I knew it would pay off!

6.  Finally, I have an over-abundance of office supplies.  No, really, like 500 envelopes, about 200 manilla folders, and too many file folders.  We don't have a home office.  Most of my stuff stays filed (although neatly) in an old pampers box until our annual file/shred day(s).  Girlo Two has been shredding for three days, so maybe we should make it a week.  Or maybe I should get out those supplies and use them instead of packing them?  Nah....

So, there, my lessons for today.  If you walked in, you'd never know we've worked all day on this, but we're making headway one box at a time.  Truthfully, it'll be a little sad when it's all packed up and ready to go.  It's time, though.  Then we can move on to make another mess in another home!

P.S.  To those of you moving out and on, good luck.  You know who you are!! :)

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