This thread is very pertinent to what's going on in my life right now. I'm moving about 1100km away and I'm only taking my small car initially, but sending the rest eventually by truck.
I started out wanting to take
everything. Especially books. I love my books. I ended up taking my reference and texts books, about 10 dog related books (some that I've read and am always referring back to, and others that I haven't read yet), about 10 novels that I intend to read in the very, very near future, a handful of stationery that I am using at the moment (I horde stationery... love it!), about a dozen dvds (mostly TV series). I still have CD's, but I've ripped them to my laptop and they will get packed away.
Now I just have to pack my important electrical stuff (external hard drive, camera, video camera, kindle, random USBs, cords etc), toiletries (makeup, hair stuff, minimal jewellery because I don't wear it), my clothes, shoes etc, and kitchen stuff (including about 15 cookbooks which I had to be extremely ruthless with lol). Oh - and linen, towels, sheets, tea towels etc.
Wow, I'm sure you guys didn't really want to know every minute detail, but truth be told, it has helped me get my head around everything!
I'm so proud I have managed to cull what I am taking now down by 2/3. That's an achievement lol. I have let go four huge bags of clothes which will go to Vinnies.
I went through my numerous boxes of sentimental stuff and decided that a lot of it could go. Unless they are photos or really, really special... if I haven't looked at them or thought about them for 12 months, then I can live without them.
I have a whole stack of documents to shred and about four crate loads of recycling. Two large bags of regular rubbish.
Goodness it feels good to be ruthless with your stuff - especially if some of it you've held on to for far too long!
I have a box of stuff (mostly books, surprise, surprise) that I will take only if I have room. I definitely have a hierarchy going on.
- I went through the stuff that I had packed away last time I moved and ditched most of it. It's amazing what you consider important at different stages of your life. I have gotten rid of stuff that I thought I'd never get rid of. But I'll never get rid of my Fat Cat pillow case that mum made me when I was tiny. Never. Ever.