This is the worst part of moving

[lizbee]

We signed the lease this morning, so I guess we really are moving. Next weekend. So I've started the packing process, which is to say, I pulled out the box where papers and official letters and things accumulate, and started throwing out the rubbish. As usual, I can't bring myself to throw out a single old notebook or sketchpad (there's one that contains fic in fandoms from Harry Potter through to Doctor Who! It's like my own personal fannish archaeology!) I think I'm going to put them all neatly in an archive box and find a nice, safe, out of the way place for them.

This is a problem that comes up every time I move.



Judging by the hair and clothes, I drew that in 2007, when I was packing for the move to Melbourne. Who knows what else will turn up?

Comments

[renae.myopenid.com]

I moved three times in just over a year. I lost stuff (things like one shoe, my maglight torches, one glove etc) simply because I had far too much stuff in the first place. I held onto it all thinking I'd have room for it once I moved into my own house. Not the case - I ended up being ruthless getting rid of a lot of it. My advice; get rid of what you can before it eats you!

Good luck with the move :)

[lizbee]

You talk the common sense. I just always feel terrible for throwing things away, even things that are really of no value, not even to me.

[renae.myopenid.com]

It is hard. I never really managed it until moving here. Plus I still have loads of things other people would get rid of - I have a bookshelf devoted to stuffed toys! (and let's not even talk about all the clothes that will fit 'one day')

[geek_anachronism]

I can lend you my husband. You may then lose half of your wearable clothes, kitchen goods and art material, but you certainly end up with less stuff.

[lizbee]

That's very kind, but I'm still struggling to replace the clothes I left at my mother's house for "safekeeping".

[neadods]

I just always feel terrible for throwing things away, even things that are really of no value, not even to me.

That is the worst. I've been going through my house for two years now, with the goal of reducing everything by half or more, and I keep messing myself up. "This ink is perfectly good! So what if you haven't used in in 25 years!" or worse "But you were *really* into that 10 years ago! If you throw it away now, you were either wasting your time then or being dumb now because it's supposed to be important!"

Is there any variation on Freecycle where you live? Giving things you don't need away can be less wrenching than tossing 'em.

[lizbee]

Oh, that's a good idea! I've already packed a bag of clothes for charity, and another bag of clothes I'd rather give to my friends.

On the other hand, some of the things I have given away over the years, like my Star Trek and Anne McCaffrey books, I really wish I'd hung on to. So my new rule is: fannish artefacts are keepers.

[neadods]

So my new rule is: fannish artefacts are keepers.

Extremely wise choice. It's easy to get new clothes, but replacing OOP books is a pain!

[copracat]

The expression on cartoon-your face is priceless. Though I think my favourite thing is either rock'n'roll squid or the lever arch binder that appears to be precariously in the middle of the stereo tower.

[lizbee]

I R REALISTIC PORTRAITIST

[neadods]

I feel for you; I hate going through and packing up my stuff.

[rj_anderson]

My family moved every few years as I was growing up, so I got very good at throwing stuff away. Unfortunately, in one of those movies I threw away every single story and novel draft I had written between the ages of twelve and nineteen, and most of the illustrations that went with them as well. I am still cursing myself over that now.

On an unrelated note, if you do not know this already, you need to know that Flora's Dare by Ysabeau Wilce is not only delightful, but has the rescue of a giant squid as an instrumental part of the plot. I read it yesterday and loved it, but then I'd loved Flora Segunda too.

[lizbee]

I moved a lot, too, growing up, but somehow I never seemed to have that much stuff. Which is an advantage of being poor that stopped working for me the day I discovered online secondhand bookstores.

Unfortunately, in one of those movies I threw away every single story and novel draft I had written between the ages of twelve and nineteen, and most of the illustrations that went with them as well. I am still cursing myself over that now.

No, that is terrible! Worse than the time Mum threw out all of Dad's Silver Age DC comics!

And thank you for the book rec; I've added them to my list of Titles To Investigate At New Library When We Move.

[melyanna]

When I went to college, I threw out the notebooks I'd written in as a teenager (and a little younger) for fear that some nosy family member would find them. Boy, do I regret that, even though everything in them was awful.

[tree_and_leaf]

I am appalling at throwing things out, and am already dreading moving (less than two months now! Ack!) The fact that my flatmate has just moved most of her stuff, which was really just a few boxes (she used to be a nun), all the while complaining that she didn't know why she had bought so much stuff, didn't make me feel any better.


I blame second hand book stores (it's not the whole problem, but...)

[idella]

I spent all day today packing for my second international move in three years (there was an additional move between islands in there, too), and I still have at least four boxes of notebooks and journals and other bits of writing.

[http://users.livejournal.com/__kali__/]

I own so much stuff that the idea of moving house fills me with fear. I'd rather build an extension than have to pack everything up to move house.