Wednesday, June 15, 2011

When you move...

My goodness, I am in the midst of packing.  I literally have a wall of boxes in my living room - I am not exaggerating.  It would make one heck of a fort if I was like 4 or something.  Besides packing a whole lot fo stuff, I threw out a whole lot of stuff.  You see, I haven't moved in 6 years.  You sort of start to accumulate things when you don't move very often.  It's almost like a person should pretend they are moving once a year - it would force you to go through your crap and throw stuff/donate stuff!

Here are some things you realize when you move...

- I do not need to buy anymore black/navy cardigans.  You know, since I own 7.
- I found a can of vegetables that expired in 2007.  Hmm.  Maybe I should go through my cupboards a bit more often...
- I own 8 DECKS OF CARDS.  What single person needs 8 decks of cards.  Actually, I don't think a family even needs 8 decks of cards. 
- Moving can kind of a be a bit of a treasure hunt.  I found starbucks & Caribou gift cards, a bag of quarters, and a 20 Euro note.  Btw, how did I come back from Europe with money?  I am pretty sure that's from my 2008 trip.  And why did I not discover that when I was packing for Paris in Feb?
- Gosh I have a lot of jackets.  I am fully aware of my outerwear fetish, but when I packed, I counted how many I own.  I own 13 jackets + 4 running jackets.  But in my defense, I do wear all of them.  And I live in a state where it can be cold like 9 months of the year. 

Looks at all those coats!!

Are there any things that you tend to accumulate?
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24 comments:

  1. Maris (In Good Taste)June 15, 2011 at 4:41 AM

    So funny! Good luck with the move and getting settled into your new place! It's so unsettling living with boxes but will all be worth it when u are settled in

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  2. AshleyDJune 15, 2011 at 5:48 AM

    Haha, this sounds a bit like my life. I've been working on cleaning out my apartment over the past few weeks. I only moved in 2 months ago, but I already have 5 boxes full of "stuff" that I'm giving away. How is that possible??

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  3. BeckyJune 15, 2011 at 6:25 AM

    Haha I LOVE the eight decks of cards! I'll be going through this soon too, and even though I've purged I'm sure I'll kind surprises as well. (It'll have been four years since we moved!)

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  4. Lisa-MarieJune 15, 2011 at 7:01 AM

    Not including books (Dave is going to have a fit when we move), I accumulate magazines, crockery, candlesticks and random knick-knacks. we have so many wooden boxes/candle holders/lamps i could start a shop. I WON'T THOUGH!

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  5. Amber @ A Little Pink in the CornfieldsJune 15, 2011 at 7:02 AM

    Packing sucks! I have moved so much in the past decade, I totally understand your pain. I tend to have a hard time getting rid of clothes. I can always think of a time when I MIGHT need that one particular shirt but then I go another two years never wearing it. It's pretty ridiculous. I do that with shoes too... so typical! ;)
    Good luck with the rest of your packing!

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  6. RaquelitaJune 15, 2011 at 7:38 AM

    Stuff does tend to accumulate if you aren't careful. We got rid of a ton of stuff - clothes, furniture, dishes, food when we moved across the Midwest last year.

    Those 20 euro just mean that you'll have to go back to Europe soon! :)

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  7. qwerkyqookJune 15, 2011 at 7:46 AM

    I used to move at least once a year in college (crazy roommate streak) Getting ready to move after over 5 years in my apt is daunting. I will be picking up the pace as there is currently a rat in my wall though, help me God, I can't believe it!

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  8. NoraJune 15, 2011 at 8:55 AM

    Um, I tend to accumulate note cards and bits of paper, clothes I do not wear, shoes, and an insane amount of sleep clothes. Who needs two drawers of sleep clothes (like pj pants, random t-shirts and etc.) I cleaned out a ton before my move and then even more after the move as I kind of had no choice.

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  9. AmberJune 15, 2011 at 9:19 AM

    Because I have moved SO MUCH over the last 4.5 years - 6 times to be exact - I haven't managed to accumulate TOO much stuff. But I have a feeling once we move out of our townhouse in 5 or 6 years we will have A LOT of stuff. I think living somehwere for a long time makes it easier to accumulate random things.

    I love your coat collection and think your fetish for outerwear is awesome :)

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  10. AbbyJune 15, 2011 at 9:24 AM

    That is so funny. We are so similar. I was going through my closet the other day, and realized I keep buying navy & black cardigans, thinking I "need" another one. Ha!

    Last time we moved, I found so many Target & Bed Bath gift cards. It was unreal.

    Although it's stressful & time consuming, I think a move is a good way to "regroup", however.

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  11. LeighJune 15, 2011 at 9:25 AM

    I have way too many jackets as well! But like you, I live somewhere where it's cold about 9 months out of the year!

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  12. missrisJune 15, 2011 at 9:33 AM

    I have moved every year since I left home for college. It's been instrumental in helping me keep the clutter to a manageable level...except for the books. I just cannot get rid of all these books.

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  13. MarlysJune 15, 2011 at 9:55 AM

    I wonder how it would be to move after living in the same house for 30 years! I find it hard to get rid of clothes, too! And it's fun to find little surprises like gift cards & money! The big move is not far off, now! Zowzers!

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  14. JessJune 15, 2011 at 11:16 AM

    I'm thinking about a move in the next few months and everytime I look at my closet, I just cringe thinking about how much stuff I'm going to have to go through!

    So excited you're moving!!!

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  15. MandyJune 15, 2011 at 11:25 AM

    I really love that you have so many coats! Very true though that where you live, you do get a lot of wear out of them. I have never ever really truly moved so god only knows that stuff that is in boxes in my basement.

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  16. crystalJune 15, 2011 at 12:37 PM

    Moving is the best for purging, I guess something good has to come out of packing! I love that you had 8 decks of cards!

    One time when I moved, my friend who was helping me forced me to go through all of my pens, markers, etc and make sure that they worked....I went from a box full to like 10!! Oh and I had already packed and moved all of those unworking pens like 5 times!

    The only thing that I will not purge when I move though is my books! That is my one accumulating vice :)

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  17. PatriciaJune 15, 2011 at 12:48 PM

    I live in Canada and wearing the same coat every day in the winter is booooring! Seriously, the only downside to that fetish is the expense. Also, I'm moving in August for the 4th time in a year (the joys of a one year master's program) and I still seem to end up with too much crap.

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  18. StephanyJune 15, 2011 at 12:51 PM

    My mom and I had to purge so much when we moved to our new apartment about two years ago. Right now, we only have a linen closet and one walk-in closet to store all our clothes/games/suitcases/etc. so we've learned not to accumulate much! :)

    8 decks of cards?? Haha. I love it. It's one of those things that you never have on hand or can find when you need it so you buy one. Hehehe.

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  19. VanessaJune 15, 2011 at 1:40 PM

    I went through a massive purge last time I moved. You really never realize how much stuff you have until it's time to pack it!

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  20. GracieJune 15, 2011 at 8:25 PM

    And I own...ONE JACKET! LOL.

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  21. AmandaJune 16, 2011 at 1:07 AM

    I do move once a year (well, I'm coming up on 2 years here which is a record for the past...7?) and you would not believe how fast stuff just multiplies. Every time I move I throw away or donate TONS of stuff, and yet...it finds me again.

    I managed to come back from Europe with about 20 pounds and 40 euros. I have no idea how. Mostly in coins. Instead of cashing them in I'm holding onto them in the hopes it means I HAVE to return to spend them! :)

    Good luck on your move!

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  22. Nilsa @ SoMi SpeaksJune 16, 2011 at 10:41 AM

    One of the things I loved about apartment living (and moving every year or every other year) was the opportunity to go through ALL my belongings and purge. I need to do it more often now that I'm more settled. It's no wonder people who live in a home for 20, 30 or 40 years are like hoarders. =)

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  23. Jolene - EverydayFoodieJune 16, 2011 at 10:07 PM

    Ha - I need 8 decks of cards! My friends and I play a LOT of cards when we go camping, and they always end up getting wet, destroyed, lost, or worn out.

    I accumulate papers and books.

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  24. Erin from Just A Small Town GirlJune 19, 2011 at 1:34 PM

    I have SO much stuff, Lisa! Seriously---we moved into this house last July--and there is still so much we need to unpack and pack up and get rid of!!!! Jason and I have both lived on our own since we were 18. From various college apartments--to different apartments in our 20s---we have accumulated SO much! And there is a lot of my stuff stil at my parent's house--and he has a lot of stuff at his dad's. We need to make a point to REALLY get rid of things.

    And what do I have a ton of?? T-shirts! I seriously have SO many!!! I have them from high school, college, concerts, teams I've played on. I only really wear them to bed or to work out in---and it's insane that I have SO many!!!

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