Well, as I write this, the house is successfully clean – dishes are done, laundry’s folded, toilet sparkles (okay, not really – but it’s not disgusting). So I’m hoping to spend time this weekend posting more items for sale on Craigslist, a further attempt to declutter and then declutter some more. We have a large looming Rubbermaid container in the house, and as we come across something we haven’t used or seen in months, there needs to be a good reason why it shouldn’t reside in that tub. And as that tub fills to capacity, on to Craigslist it goes.

Decluttering has become my motto this year when it comes to managing this household. With our impending international move looming closer in the horizon (ooh, I just wrote ‘looming’ twice in one post), I’m forced to answer the question – What will go with us? And if it doesn’t go with us, where does it go?

That’s a pretty surreal notion when I look through my closets and cupboards and shelves, deciding what truly makes our home a home, and what’s just…well, there because we like it. I still don’t know the answer to this, and I’m thinking it will take the next 8 or so months of deliberating to make final decisions. Here are some of my thoughts…

• I really want to take my dishes, even though they’re just simple white dishes. They were a wedding present from Williams-Sonoma, and they’re stinkin’ nice. They make me happy, and they’re what we’ve used since we married. They’re heavy, there’s a lot of them, and they’ll probably be cumbersome in a box. But I hope I can take them.

• As far as other cooking gadgets go, it really depends on each item. Most ovens in our new country are smaller than American versions, so 9×13 pans won’t fit. It might make more sense just to buy those there. But it’s gotten more expensive there in the past few years, and in some circumstances, things are even more expensive than in the U.S. Items that will hardly take any space or weight will probably go with us.

• There are a number of books I want to take with us, but about a quarter of our collection has either sold on Amazon, or will be posted there in the near future.

• Sheets, towels, and other linens – I’m thinking since our country is known for making high-quality versions of these, we’ll just buy new over there. I can’t imagine these items doing well on Craigslist, though.

• Most DVDs will go with us, and I want to somehow transfer our VHS tapes on to DVD. Because videos will stay here.

• Obviously, all furniture will either sell or go into storage. Kyle thinks it would be fun to try and ship our little red chair, just as a sentimental memento, and I agree – I’m just not 100% sure that’s feasible or logical.

• Camping and climbing gear, sewing stuff, craft items, photography equipment, ski stuff, items from our past that serve as souvenirs… I just don’t know yet. Most of this stuff we only use a few times a year, but when we need it, we need it. I’ll have to do more research about this.

• Baby stuff – almost all will be sold here. Makes me sad, but it makes sense.

• Clothes – getting rid of a bunch, but bringing everything else.

…And that’s about it. We’ll be furnishing and decorating our future home from scratch, which will be overwhelming yet fun – so there’s no reason to keep anything else. Such a strange thing to think about, that these items that make up our home will just poof! – be gone from here. Things we wouldn’t sell under normal circumstances will be sold.

I’m thankful we have this daily reminder about the dust of the earth most of our earthly possessions are made up of.

posted: 06 March 10
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