On the other hand...

There are a few things that are very good about this move and I should probably focus a little more on them as I spend the next three days frantically shoving all our crap into boxes.

If you're in the Royal Oak area I really recommend stalking the Salvation Army Thrift Store on Fourth Street for the next week or two. Because, little known fact! January doesn't really work for garage sales. So I'm just giving a lot of really nice stuff away.

I guess that's a good place to start the list.

*I find it incredibly freeing to get rid of all the stupid things we collect over time. "Stuff" makes me feel claustrophobic and anxious and this is why I can't help but throw away Logan's three year old Runner's World magazines and the kid's broken Happy Meal toys. Although I throw those away because I don't like to admit they eat McDonald's that much. Anyhow, moving is the perfect time to declutter one's life.

*All the money we're going to save is putting me in a really good place emotionally. I don't like worrying about money. I believe money should just be around when you need it so I can worry about more important things like how much McDonald's the kids eat.

(Funny story: McDonald's manager comes over to our table and says, "Hey! I can't believe how old your kids are! I remember when that little guy was sitting in a high chair." Look, I WAS BORED A LOT WHEN WE WERE HOME ALONE EVERY DAY. Don't judge!)

*There's a Thai place around the block.

*The bra store is two blocks away. (I know I'm reaching there...but still. If I ever have an impulse to have a bra fitting...it's right there.

*The church a couple blocks away has lovely bells.

*I like unpacking and figuring out where everything goes.

*I love, more than is healthy, organizing stuff and making things work the best possible way. A small space is ideal for this particular compulsion of mine.

*There's Ice Cream a block away.

*In the summer we can walk to the art fair.

*The banister is really pretty, I'd like to make a baby with it.

*We'll start our own Neighborhood Happy Hour and hopefully there are people we'd like to have cocktails with.

I still don't want to go, of course. And I secretly hoped that after Obama became president this morning he would make all of this better. I mean, he's the president who's against personal responsibility, right? Or is that just a Fox News thing?

Apparently I still have to do everything. Damn.

Comments

[Pants]

First!

[Stefanie]

Oh, man. Church bells? Love 'em (even though whenever they go bonkers with the bells I have to call my mom and ask what holy day it is). And ice cream is awesome. As is extra money for ice cream.

Nevertheless, moving/leaving sucks, and anyone who tries to tell you otherwise is a dirty liar.

Hope this at least goes as smoothly as possible, and is followed by tasty post-moving beer and pizza.

[dawn]

With the hubby being in the Air Force we move every two - three years. My heart goes out to you, I know how tough it can be. Looking for some of the positives always helps....plus you've got that great bra store right around the corner!! Plus!
Hang in there,
dawn

[ange]

I've been lurking for a while, but I had to comment today. I am a SAHM of a 3 year old boy and I frequently go to fast food places, especially at this time of year in because it's cold in Toronto and I need to get out of the house with my son. I pride myself on being a "foodie", so this is my dirty little secret. He loves going and last time he had chicken fingers and fries and said, "Mum, this is the best food I ever had." Yikes!

But aren't we hard on ourselves? I try not to be so hard on myself as it's an energy sucker, but it's a work in progress.

Congratulations on this move!

[northmom]

Not worrying about money and having less crap Sign me up

[Heather]

I'm a big fan of that last thing-- now that you've lived in an awesome neighborhood, you can create one! And I'm with you on organizing a small space. When we moved last we went from 1200 to 900 sq ft, making it impossible to hold onto things you don't use without tripping over them.

[elsimom]

Ice Cream within a block is my definition of heaven. Moving is a drag but then you get to the new place, and then it's good!

[bejewell]

There IS something to be said for a fresh start. Sometimes it just takes a while for us to start seeing it that way.

And... Ice cream? A block away? Be still my heart!!

[Tina]

Throwing stuff out is better than a year of therapy. And organizing, for me, rights the chaos of an effed up childhood. A win-win.
Shrug.

[Slim]

Obama had to cut the part about calling on all Americans to start neighborhood happy hours, but it's what he'd want.

[brandi]

When I was pregnant this last time, the only thing I could stomach was McDonald's cheeseburgers. Since that was pretty much the only time we'd get out of the house because I would throw up constantly otherwise, my oldest started thinking of the play area as hers.

One time, I was having a HUGE cheeseburger craving so I got us ready to go only to find my husband had taken the booster seat out of my van and put it in his car. Of course, that day he had to go to Denver that day with a couple women from work. The women were laughing hysterically when I called him and thoroughly chewed him out! He was smart enough not to come home without a bag of those yummy, yummy cheeseburgers.

[Hayley]

We live a couple of blocks from a Catholic church... in Utah, of all places... and they ring their bells incessantly. I think they do it to piss off the Mormons. Which I totally support.

I'm going to have my husband read this 'declutter' post. We moved here from Texas, with fifteen years worth of Hot Wheels collectibles and car magazines... boxes and boxes and boxes! Let's not forget all the clothes from 1993 that he doesn't wear. He's a packrat and when we move again in a year, I'm considering just locking him in the basement with his stuff and moving without him.

[Deanna]

There's really no reason to ever keep more than a year's worth of "Runner's World." It's all just the same thing repeated over and over again after that. How many times can you give a shit that blueberries are the perfect food for runners?

[kbreints]

Good for you. It is so much easier and healthy to look on the bright side of things..

[Sara]

A block away from ice cream? That's dangerous

[CV]

Good luck with the move. I still have unpacked boxes from our 5 month old move. Yikes!!

I'm really commenting to let you know that in Safari (3.2.1) you can't see past the first page of comments (20 or so) and there doesn't appear to be anyway to scroll to the next page of comments. If one of your readers has a solution, I would love to hear it. Unfortunately, I probably won't be able to read it because this first page of comments is about filled and I won't be able to get to the next page to read the solution.

[madge]

Clutter is the enemy of sanity.

Have fun purging!

[LizP]

Don't feel bad about going to McDonalds when Max was a baby. That manager has been a McDonald's manager for that long too. :-)

The next time you're in Oregon and want to venture a couple of hours south of Portland to organize something our house could use it! :-)

[Maggie]

Cannot wait to visit and have my bra fitted while you have sex with the bannister. Good times.

[amy]

Good girl, look at the positive side of things. And saving $$ has to be right up there with thumbing your nose at your loser landlord.

[windylou]

Just FYI - I have recently discovered mom2mom sales in Grand Rapids (I'm sure they have them near Detroit too) The sales are held year round, indoors and you pay a small entry fee to sell kids clothing and accessories.

[Kelli Taylor]

I share your compulsion with organizing stuff and putting away! Feels so gooood! :) Love your blog!

[Ana]

Moving is never easy... I'm glad you've found some positives to balance out the negatives. And I also share your love of organizing stuff... sometimes I spend more time organizing and little else gets done so I have one small corner of my house beautifully clean and organized and a disaster everywhere else!

Love your blog! :)

[KYouell]

Just for the record, CV, I can't get to page 2 of comments in either Chrome or Firefox unless that's where my comment ends up. Then I can't get back to page 1. Whee!

[Laurie]

Oh, the Thai place would make it so much better for me!! I have to drive 40 minutes to get Thai food. And if you ever feel the need to organize someone else's small space (log home - how to decorate that if you don't like antlers...), please feel free to bring the kids (our own zip line and plenty of nature for them) and come visit upstate NY!!

[Susan]

I'm booking a flight to Michigan RIGHT NOW because I still desperately need a bra fitting. And since I will probably also need to be drunk to have one, it's super convenient that we can walk from your house.

So this whole move is really working for me. That's all.