Moving again; the very thought of it sends alternating waves of excitement and dread through me. This should be no problem for me, I am an old pro. I grew up in a military family; we moved every few years for all of my childhood and I have moved several times since. It is just a part of life; packing, simplifying, cleaning, saying goodbye, and departing yet again. Still, there is a trick to it. Moving is about saying goodbye, but also about saying hello. It is about balancing the reality of knowing what you leave behind with the excitement of the unknown, the future. It is also about simplifying your life (my favorite part).
So how does one simplify and when does one start? How do you know it is time to begin sorting, packing, selling, and donating? How do you use up the last of the pantry items while still enjoying dinnertime????? OK, sometimes you just have to wing it. You will find your own way. But simplicity is my favorite, and my guide on this path is....shampoo!?!!
Seriously, shampoo. Now every family is different, but in mine there are several bottles of shampoo in the shower at a given time (I do have 2 teens and a tween plus myself, and there are "preferences" amongst the populace). As the time of our move drew closer, I stopped accommodating "preferences." Funny how as the ledge in the shower cleared, I began to clear other shelves, cabinets, closets, drawers, and corners of the house. The whole odd relationship between the two has been amusing, proceeding in tandem in this surreal reflection of gradually moving a life (or 4 lives) from one region of the country to another.
Now we are down to 2 partial shampoos, 2 partial conditioners, and 3 partial body washes (don't ask.....). Most of what makes my house "homey" is hidden in Bacardi or Jameson boxes, waiting to be loaded onto a truck in a couple weeks. The big attic if full of things that will be going to a garage sale and the local women's shelter; the small attic contains what is moving with us. We might have to do this again in a year; its easier if you start with less...I wonder if I can get everyone to love the same shampoo???
