We just put our papers in for an apartment half the size of our current one. Call me crazy but I told Lrudlrick to do so.
For the last week, he's been walking around sullen. His soundtrack has been “Christmas Time Is Here". Thanks Colin Joye for posting his piano rendition.
L: I don't want to do this if it means I'll lose you.
Lrudlrick, you won't lose me because of one move. I'm here. Remember, I go where you go.
Now, we wait and as we wait, I plan. I plan how to pack, what to pack, what goes in storage, what gets donated, what gets sold.
I'm not sad nor am I upset. As long as it doesn't kill me and Lrudlrick's happy, I'll manage.
I guess this is a good time to simplify. Every now and then, it's good to do a major overhaul of you accumulations.
After all, you can't take it with you.
The problem is I have an attic mentality.
I grew up with an attic filled with my Grandparent's memories. Old suitcases filled with photos, clothes and bric-a-brac.
I used to love to climb up and rummage around. I would make up romantic stories about old trinkets belonging to my Grandma's old beaus.
Although I am no longer the packrat I once was, I still have a bit of that attic mentality.
I have boxes of memorabilia of my life. My first bracelet. My favorite books as a child. Love letters from my husband.
The problem comes every 2 years when nomad Lrudlrick picks us up and moves us. Where do I put this stuff? Why do I keep it? Who would ever get this stuff?
It's not like I'm Hugh Hefner. The Smithsonian isn't knocking on my door for my 1970's version of the Merriam-Webster children's dictionary.
I just don't want to part with this stuff. So where do you put your attic stuff in an apartment? Sure we're going to need storage for seasonal items but is it right to pay for a bigger storage locker so I can keep a box of sentiments?
Along with my attic mentality, comes the storage room mentality. Since I’ve lived in a house for practically all my life, having an extra set of sheets, toilet paper, cleaning supplies and the like has become habitual to me. If I see liquid detergent is on sale but I don’t really need it yet, I still buy it and store it in the utility closet until we run out.
With this new place, I can’t do that. It’s minimalist all the way baby. After another 11pm ‘discussion’ with Lrudlrick we both agreed that there are a lot of negative factors in this move for me but the positive spin is that it’s like Uber-Spring Cleaning for obsessive compulsives.
Now that I have cried my eyes out (pre-Lasik, mind you) over the fact that all my Christmas and holiday decorations will have to go to storage and my fine china and entertaining servers will all need to be packed away as well, I’ve focused my attention on the Uber-Spring Cleaning.
Lrudlrick feels terrible, especially about the whole, chopping my kitchen in half but he has promised me that the next time we move, he’ll give me the entertaining style kitchen I’ve always dreamed of. Now, I know that’s just fluff and he’ll forget but it sort of makes me feel better. I’m not throwing away my serving platters and decorative dishes in the hopes I’ll get that kitchen one day.
I’ve decided to go minimalist, neo-traditional with this move. This means all the antique stuff goes into storage. All the family photos too. Since this place is in essence a crash pad, it’s not going to be furnished like our current place.
We met with the broker again yesterday and took measurements. We’re jumping the gun of course but that’s because if I don’t I’ll bitch and moan. If I can focus my mind at the inevitable, it will keep me from being a grumble puss.
BTW, anyone have suggestions on decorating a bay window? I’m thinking Roman shades because they are pretty but cheap. I’m also considering buying some batting to make a seating area. The problem with NYC apartments are most have little natural light so you don’t want to cover that but you don’t want to be living in a glass house either. Well, maybe if you had $1.6mil to $10 mil lying around willy nilly.
Anyway, I’m off again. For the next few weeks, I need to avert my eyes from my pc every 15 minutes or so. According to the giantess, staring at my computer, pda, cell phone and television causes a person to blink less than they should. To keep my eyes lubricated, I have to turn away every 15 minutes to relax my eyes. People who know me are laughing at this near impossible feat for me.
Now, I have to figure out how to fit a pantry filled with supplies into my new tiny kitchen.
