About five years ago I moved from one apartment to another. The new apartment was near my office so I virtually moved myself- loading boxes into my PT Cruiser and dropping stuff off in the morning before work and going back to the old apartment and doing it again after work.
I’m getting married soon so I’ll be moving again. I decided if I could do it once, I could do it again. Hmmm?
Why am I having problems with this?
I’m moving in with the love of my life.
He lives in an old stone farmhouse on three acres in the country. I love old farmhouses. I love the country.
His house is full of books and antiques. I love books and antiques.
His house is full of…his stuff.
Aha! I think I’ve hit upon the problem. Where do I put my stuff? What do I keep? What do I give away? What do I trash? What do I store?
I know this is not a new problem. Many people combine households. But this is my first time. It’s not as if he wouldn’t take all of my stuff; he would. He’s taking my kitties. He’s even made one of the bedrooms into an office for me. But it’s a matter of space, floor space for furniture, bookcase space for books, counter space for appliances, cupboard space for dishes, closet space for clothes and my shoes (!!!). Well, you get the picture.
To solve the books and bookcase issue we decided to “make” his large living room our library–moving in four more bookcases that will hold most of my books. There will be a comfy sofa and chairs, antique tables with marble tops and no TV – a perfect get-away spot.
But there are still some books I need to give away–bags will be going to a local library for their next sale.
It’s not a “Sophie’s Choice” problem, but it’s still hard. What little knickknacks from family, friends and coworkers to take with me and if I take them, where in my new home will I out them? What family pictures (I have many on walls and bookcases) to take, which ones to store. Really it’s all just stuff. But it’s my stuff.
From where I write this I can see my medieval prints, a Celtic cross, a knight plaque still on a living room wall. But there’s also a large picture of my handsome fiance in his medieval Scottish garb.
I guess combining these two households may not be as difficult as I thought.
Mitzi Flyte 