Moving (sort of Rant)

It is amazing how much stuff we accumulate.  We moved about 5 times in the first 4 years of our marriage, and then again about 3 years later.  Our last move was about 10 or 11 years ago, and we are starting to think about downsizing to a smaller place now that the kids are out.

My tip for now is to use the packing as an opportunity to purge.  If you haven't noticed or used it in a year or two, you don't need it.  If you have enough junk, sometimes Goodwill or similar places will do a pick up at your house.  We filled our living room at the last move with stuff.  (I think we have gotten enough stuff since then to replace it all, hahaha).

When you get to the new place, it is another opportunity to clear things out.  Only unpack absolute necessities (minimum of the pots and pans, work clothes, etc).  If you need and use something, take it from the packing box, then put it away where it will live.  At the end of a month, anything still in a box (other than seasonal things) is probably not going to be missed.  Get rid of it. If it is decorative, decide if it is still meaningfull then put it where it will live.  Otherwise, it goes away.

We also try to periodically purge things from the house - about once every year or two.  I think stuff breeds when we are out of the house.

And remember, donations go Goodwill are tax-deductable

Just do what my husband does.  Toss things into boxes willy nilly, half-full, and tape them up.  Move them directly into the next house's garage or attic space and forget about them.  Then, in five years, refuse to throw them away even if you end up parking your car outside in a house that has FOUR garage stalls.  In Minnesota (think feet of snow on car on morning before work).

I moved three times in three years.   On the last move, I finally opened boxes that had not been opened since move 1.   I sure hauled alot of stuff accross the country to donate.....