Packing uggghhhhhh

Packing is bad enough when you're trying to figure out what of the 31 years of stuff accumulation goes into three checked bags and a carry on, but it's even worse when you're trying to declutter at the same time. A few weeks ago, before I officially decided to move to St Croix, I began to declutter my apartment. This is when I realized that I am a slight hoarder in denial. I had empty fruit jars that I had collected for a mysterious arts and crafts project because obviously there would be an empty fruit jar shortage in the future. I didn't have just a few of these, I had about 15. I also had empty boxes, lots of empty boxes and boxes from things that I had purchased years ago because I needed the box just in case I had to return the item a few years later??? And the skirt that can only be described as a prairie skirt that maybe would be appropriate for a fifth grader but probably not for a 20 something year old which is when I believe it was purchased. Even Laura from Little House on the Prairie would shrug at that one. So many questionable items...

The great thing about decluttering is that once you start throwing away and donating a few things, it gets easier. Then you start throwing away things you actually need and you don't really think about it until the trash has been picked up and you can never find that item again! But for the most part, decluttering is great and makes you feel like a lot of weight is lifted. The hard part is when you're moving far away, you can't bring everything with you and figuring out what to take and what to leave and what to donate is extremely difficult. I would rather donate and get rid of everything that I don't take because leaving it means that I want to keep it and have it with me, but if I can't take it with me, I will always think about it and that's not what I want. So right now the idea is to leave behind only the things that make practical sense to leave such as high school yearbooks and winter clothing. The challenge is to donate everything else. However, no matter how many droves of bags I take out of this one bedroom apartment that I have called home for almost three years now and the countless apartments before it for the last 13 years, there is still more stuff on the shelves and in the closets.

I want a simpler life, I don't want to spend hours and hours going through extra shoelaces and lanyards and other things that for the most part don't have a lot of meaning. I want to experience memories, not remember the countless hours that I am spending going through and organizing my sushi eraser collection (I actually have one...and if you want it, please let me know!). When I go to stores now, I only buy food because I know if I buy any more stuff, one day I will have to spend more time trying to get rid of it. I am sure I will forget and start accumulating more stuff soon, but for right now, I am still trying to figure out how to not have just my shoes fill up a whole checked bag, leaving no room for the important stuff that I will actually need for where I'm going, like my snorkel and fins :)