Downsizing

Downsizing is not as easy as it sounds. It was quite clear that the house in suburban Atlanta had become too much to take care of, too large for two people, and too far away from family. What wasn't clear was how much effort it would take to eliminate all the junk, make the necessary repairs and upgrades and actually move all of our stuff and ourselves 850 miles north.

Its about a 13 hour drive in a Penske truck, and I did it four times over eight months. Loading usually took a weekend, unloading into a storage unit took less then a day. It became much more difficult when moving furniture, shop equipment and lawn tools, because it is harder to make things fit nicely when not in boxes. Boxes store much tighter then furniture, so the early untis are packed much more efficently then the later ones. Even though boxes were clearly marked with contents and room location, its impossible to remember exactly what is inside.

So our worldly possessions are now strategically placed in four storage units, waiting for the final move into the new house. It is next to impossible to retrieve specific items. Seasonal changes in clothing was not planned for, as we expected to be into a home in spring, but now it looks like fall. Odds and ends normally brought to picnic, parties, or the beach are now inaccessible. Our "stuff" is locked away, waiting.