Most of the stuff we unloaded went into the garage. Some of this stuff resurfaced occasionally, but more often than not, things stayed in boxes tucked away in the garage, long-forgotten and most definitely not needed.
That move nearly did us in! C was frustrated that we had so much stuff. I was bleary-eyed, barely awake, with a baby in my arms constantly, and I couldn't really say much since most of the things were mine, accumulated over the years. After all, C only moved here from the UK just about 5 or 6 years before that big move, so he hadn't really had the time to build up a collection of junk as I had. I have learned to be gentle with myself regarding the stuff. I found it difficult parting with things at that time, and life really was crazy with two babies. I was overwhelmed to say the least, and really was doing the best I could. C has forgiven me for that monstrous move, and so have I.
While the truck-loads of stuff in the basement, attic, and garage bothered me from time to time, it was out of sight, and therefore out of mind. C would occasionally request we set aside a day to clean out the garage, and sometimes I'd put him off, or we'd schedule it and do a little bit, but for the better part of three years, we have lived with the burden of things.
***
When we began to discuss the possibility of moving to Scotland, we talked about many pertinent issues: the kids (how would they adjust?), our finances (would we be able to travel back to the States for visits?), our families (how would they react and handle this transition?), and me (am I really sane enough to move to another country? The jury is still out on that one!) One of our biggest questions was what would we do with all this stuff?
We didn't have a definite answer to that question, but we knew that not going because of stuff would be a huge mistake. Even in the early stages of our discussion, moving abroad seemed like an opportunity. Since going public with our news, many people have said how lucky we are to have this chance. And lots of people have mentioned having a desire to live abroad without a chance to do so. This seemed like an experience of a lifetime. How foolish we would be to allow clutter to limit such fantastic life choices!
The very next day, I started small by cleaning out a drawer. C was very proud and happy to see that I was serious about de-junking our home. And I was surprised at how good it felt to purge the stuff. Since October, I've been hard at work all over the house, and thank God for that, because with only 18 days left on the calendar, most of the big jobs are finished.
As a reformed hoarder (storage hoarder, not living-space hoarder), giving up "the thing" is not always easy. Sometimes, I agonize over whether something stays or goes. And if it stays, where do I put it? Back in a box, on display, or put to good use? If it goes, can it be sold, donated, recycled, or dumped? (Stayed tuned for more about how I cleared out our home of a full truck-load of stuff!)
As I worked throughout the house, it seemed like something big was happening very slowly. I started to have a sense of perspective about belongings: they are just things. The really important stuff in life is not stuff at all. It's the people, the events, the opportunities, and the relationships that really matter. This newfound sense of perspective is a big life shift for me. It makes me consider the way we live. We are now striving for simplicity. Some wise folks have taught me to look for progress and not perfection. We are most definitely a work in progress.
| This is not actually us, but it does accurately depict what is going on in our home these days! |
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