Packing Up My Life

Now that I am in my new apartment, I want to share some lessons learned and insights gained as I packed up my belongings on the way to the next phase of my life.

After 24 years in a fantastic house in a really nice town, life changes forced the sale of the house. That not only meant getting the house ready for market (which could be a post on its own) but finding a new place to live and packing up all my stuff. Luckily a friend told me about a brand-new building in the next town – less than 3 miles from the house. The location and building were a good fit, so the lease was signed. Step 1 complete: I had a nice place to live that was close enough to keep my volunteer activities and be near my friends – and the brewery that will be opening in the next few months where Ashton Brewing was.

On to step 2: packing up a lifetime of stuff. A daunting task for sure. By breaking it down to a room or area at a time I was able to make it manageable and less stressful. The toughest part was deciding what I needed to keep and what I needed to let go of. I was surprised by how easy that was for some things but how difficult it was for other things. It came down to did I have an emotional attachment to the item or not. That sounds strange, but it’s true. Many of our memories are attached to our stuff. For example, I had at least 3 dozen pint glasses, each with a brewery or other logo and a story behind it. Whittling that down to 8 (which is still too many) was tougher than I thought it would be. The same goes for many other items. The stronger the memory, the harder to part with the object.

Breaking out of the emotional mindset and thinking logically – what will I actually use vs just put away like a lot of the stuff I uncovered – helped immensely. Also thinking about yet another box to pack, move, and unpack got me into a downsizing mode. At this point - and age -I don’t want to have a bunch of stuff I won’t use. What good is having stuff just to store it away? Not only do you have to deal with it at some point, but it could be donated to be used by others. Stuff is just clutter if it isn’t used.

Moving went pretty smoothly as I got the apartment a week before the movers were scheduled to take the big stuff (that was my plan based on many moves in my younger days). With the help of some friends – thanks Felix & Steve – I was able to get much of the smaller stuff in and setup in advance. Though due to having to leave the TV and media cabinet for the movers, it was the first time my stereo wasn’t setup before I moved in completely. It was fully operational a few hours after the movers left though. Having that time to get familiar with the apartment, start to make it my own, and eliminate boxes, was huge in easing the transition from house to apartment after all those years.

Now to focus on step 3: getting the house ready for the market. We scheduled a pre-sale inspection so there would be no surprises with the buyer’s inspection. Nothing major was found but several items to address to try to make the sale as smooth as possible. We made some repairs and updates in addition to painting, replacing some carpeting, and having it professionally staged. Regular readers know who that stager was – and she did a fantastic job.

The last item to address was moving the cats to their new home. Packing them into carriers and watching them go off with their mom was really tough and left me feeling empty and alone. I may be by myself for a while, but I’m blessed to be surrounded by people who care about me and whom I care about. With them in my life I will never be alone.

As you can tell, this has been an emotional ride. A lot of change all at once, and the sadness of letting go of 24 years of life weigh heavy on the heart and mind. But the excitement and the promise of the future are energizing - also a bit scary, in the way all change is. The packing part was all about the boxes, but life is so much more than the stuff we have. Cherish the people around you, take the opportunity to help others, and challenge yourself to continue to grow and learn. All that makes those boxes lighter and easier to carry.

Next post will be week of 9/8 as I am taking time off for the Labor Day holiday.

 Enjoy the last few weeks of summer!

www.RetiredandInspiredat55.com  08-18-2025