Mark Twain

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Tuesday, July 26, 2016

A Theory About Boxes



I have a theory about boxes that has begun to grow in scope as I clean out and pack up all my worldly possessions ... and it surprises me just a bit.

In the last year I have been brutal about downsizing stuff.  This house in its hayday probably held the contents of 3 families.  Over the last year I have carried out or hired someone to haul away about half of that stuff.  Yes, much was inherited, much was collected by us, and then there was the I "may need it someday" stuff.  You get the idea!  I have been relentless for about a year. 

And still ... the packing of what remained birthed the "box theory."

The box theory began as a small seed in my brain.  A move date was on calendar.  The future square footage was known.   Packing began and a stack of boxes began to grow.  Somewhere about box #10 (packing boxes gets old very fast - I can assure you!), I started to look at boxes as a gate keeper to the new condo.  

The small stack of boxes began to weigh on me.  Previously loved and valued items started to become less valued.  My brain started to prioritize what I really wanted - not just what I thought I wanted.  Things that I previously kept were not loved quite enough to make it into a box. 

And that in a nutshell is the box theory - if you have to box it up and move it - the boxes become a sort of gate keeper.

I am up to 48 boxes packed.  We are estimated by the mover to have 100 boxes!  Although I look around and see a lot of empty spaces, I still see a lot of stuff.  What I have packed and what I have left to pack continues to weigh on me - so the box theory will be the final filter of decluttering.

What continues to be remarkable - is that I don't miss anything I have gotten rid of.  Nothing.  In fact, now that a lot of our stuff is in boxes, I don't seem to miss that stuff either!  Who knows, maybe the boxes aren't the final gatekeeper.  Maybe the condo will be the last gatekeeper.  As I unpack I may decide - hey, why did I move this thing!  

We have about 3 weeks before we move.  The finish line is in sight!   


12 comments:

Terra said...

I like your theory of boxes. It is amazing how many things we have that we don't use or need. I think it is freeing to get rid of stuff, and some of it will be a treasure to someone else. You are doing great in your sorting out.

Paula said...

I'm not sure that I can be that brutal when I start getting rid of stuff. But I like the theory!!

Linda said...

LOL, maybe I should try out you box theory. We are discussing a tile floor on the main level which would mean moving all that stuff.

A Day in the Life on the Farm said...

Great going.....I can't say I don't miss some of the stuff we have packed. I cannot wait to get into the new house and have access to all my small kitchen appliances. I don't know what I was thinking when I packed my food processor and, of course, it is in the very far back of the pod which is 8/10's full.

Dr. Kathy McCoy said...

Love your theory of boxes! It's so true! Good luck with the move. You're an inspiration!

Lois@Living In Denim said...

Yes! When I was younger I moved around a lot. I used to joke that I didn't need to do spring cleaning because I would be packing and doing a thorough cleaning for the next move. Anyway, I treated moving like a clean out project. I would get rid of stuff just so I wouldn't have to pack it up and carry it out to the truck and then deal with those items in the new home.

You sound really excited and I'm happy for you.

Retired Knitter said...

It is sort of forced on me to clean out. Less space means less stuff. Ha!

Retired Knitter said...

I don't think you will be that brutal when you start to get rid of stuff. I wasn't over the past year. But when you have move what is left - it does get easier to get rid of stuff.

Retired Knitter said...

If you guys are doing the tiling yourselves, well, you probably could do it in stages and not need to get rid of anything!! Haha.

Retired Knitter said...

Ha! I gave my food processor to Good Will. It was a good one too, But I am not a cook, I don't enjoy that task and I have no idea why I decided I needed a food processor in the first place. I definitely do not miss that equipment. But if I enjoyed cooking like my sister does, I would miss that tool too.

Retired Knitter said...

Thank you. Not my goal to inspire - mostly trying to just survive this whole process! Hahaha!

Retired Knitter said...

"Excited?" Not sure I am excited. I vacillate between being content with this decision and the improvements it will bring to our lives, and being anxious about the whole process. We are on a path now that cannot be turned. Logically it is the right decision based on many criteria. And I know in my heart this needs to be done. BUT I still struggle emotionally with taking this step.

I am beginning to think the anxiety I deal with periodically is more related to my age (69 1/2) and a resistance to change - which is typical as we get older. Saw this evolution in all my elderly relatives. I learned a lot about aging watching them. Glad I had that experience so I knew what was happening to me now.

I think if I waited another year or two to make this move, you couldn't blast me out of this house. :-)