packing up the office
Since I last posted, I have made inroads in packing. In fact, most all of my clothes that hung in the closet are completely packed. This involved many hours of emotional honesty. I tried on all sorts of clothes and reminded myself...This does not fit. It probably won't fit again. It needs to be given away.
I reached an all time low this morning while dealing with the closet. I tried on a black flowered dress I have had for (ahem-this number blanked out)-- years. I'd sewn up the front button placket so it did not gap while I was teaching in it. (note: I last taught full time in Buffalo, in 2003. This dress dated from teaching high school--right after college...and before I married the professor. A while back.)
The dress, though flattering, has the tendency to gap in unfortunate places. This morning, I put on the dress and while tight, it appeared to fit. Then, I could not get it off again. It's hot here. I was totally stuck. I considered ripping the dress, calling the professor at the lab to come home and get me out of it--and the hotter and more frustrated I got, the tighter the dang thing fit. (laugh here, it's ok. I was sort of laughing.) Finally, I found my sewing scissors. I cut those carefully hidden stitches on the button placket. I unbuttoned the damn dress. It came off, not overly damaged--and went right into the "give to charity" pile. The pile is large now.
I will miss that dress, but obviously, the 10+ lbs I've gained in the last 10 years mean it is no longer "my" dress!
So, actually, packing up the closet hasn't been as rough as packing up any part of my office. I feel absolutely panicked by the idea that I won't have something--anything-I might need in the spinning and knitting department. I've been slowly gathering up projects for this moving trip. (note Lady of the Lake sweater photo--a Canadian design, I might add-- for my voyage northward.) Symbolism. I got knitting symbolism.
The projects have to be totally ready to go, balls wound, proper needles inserted. They have to be simple, even mindless projects, so I don't make silly mistakes and feel bad while moving my household. The last rules are: These h
ave to be for me. I'm not designing them for sale. I'm taking July and August off. That's it. Only fun knitting. (this, because a lady asked at my last book talk--do you ever get to knit recreationally?!) Uh yeah. Right now, in fact. While I'm moving to another country and brain dead...
I'm also packing up some of my needles and spindles. The professor felt you needed to see what a box of "extra" needles look like...just the ones that I can probably do without for the next couple of months... I bought the bright fabric needle holders at Great Yarns, the yarn shop right near Quail Ridge Book Shop. These holders organized a few things--and maybe I need that now.
I'm averaging several boxes packed a day...and we have a month to go. Still loads of time, so each time I close a box, I've made sure to get rid of things we don't need. From experience, I know that won't last long. The closer I get to moving day? The faster I throw everything into boxes. For now, though, I leave you with that image of me, stuck in that black flowered dress in my 85F (or 90F) degree bedroom. Please. Go ahead and giggle. :)
To spare me more embarrassment, please share your funny clothes and packing stories below. Otherwise, it'll just be me here, stuck in that dang dress!
I reached an all time low this morning while dealing with the closet. I tried on a black flowered dress I have had for (ahem-this number blanked out)-- years. I'd sewn up the front button placket so it did not gap while I was teaching in it. (note: I last taught full time in Buffalo, in 2003. This dress dated from teaching high school--right after college...and before I married the professor. A while back.)
The dress, though flattering, has the tendency to gap in unfortunate places. This morning, I put on the dress and while tight, it appeared to fit. Then, I could not get it off again. It's hot here. I was totally stuck. I considered ripping the dress, calling the professor at the lab to come home and get me out of it--and the hotter and more frustrated I got, the tighter the dang thing fit. (laugh here, it's ok. I was sort of laughing.) Finally, I found my sewing scissors. I cut those carefully hidden stitches on the button placket. I unbuttoned the damn dress. It came off, not overly damaged--and went right into the "give to charity" pile. The pile is large now.
I will miss that dress, but obviously, the 10+ lbs I've gained in the last 10 years mean it is no longer "my" dress!So, actually, packing up the closet hasn't been as rough as packing up any part of my office. I feel absolutely panicked by the idea that I won't have something--anything-I might need in the spinning and knitting department. I've been slowly gathering up projects for this moving trip. (note Lady of the Lake sweater photo--a Canadian design, I might add-- for my voyage northward.) Symbolism. I got knitting symbolism.
The projects have to be totally ready to go, balls wound, proper needles inserted. They have to be simple, even mindless projects, so I don't make silly mistakes and feel bad while moving my household. The last rules are: These h
ave to be for me. I'm not designing them for sale. I'm taking July and August off. That's it. Only fun knitting. (this, because a lady asked at my last book talk--do you ever get to knit recreationally?!) Uh yeah. Right now, in fact. While I'm moving to another country and brain dead...I'm also packing up some of my needles and spindles. The professor felt you needed to see what a box of "extra" needles look like...just the ones that I can probably do without for the next couple of months... I bought the bright fabric needle holders at Great Yarns, the yarn shop right near Quail Ridge Book Shop. These holders organized a few things--and maybe I need that now.
I'm averaging several boxes packed a day...and we have a month to go. Still loads of time, so each time I close a box, I've made sure to get rid of things we don't need. From experience, I know that won't last long. The closer I get to moving day? The faster I throw everything into boxes. For now, though, I leave you with that image of me, stuck in that black flowered dress in my 85F (or 90F) degree bedroom. Please. Go ahead and giggle. :)
To spare me more embarrassment, please share your funny clothes and packing stories below. Otherwise, it'll just be me here, stuck in that dang dress!
posted by Joanne at 12:51 PM
6 Comments:
Having just packed and unpacked my dd's household (admittedly only two people), I'm home and determined to unclutter MORE in my house. I have moved so many times I've quit counting. Across the city, across the country, across the world. With and without children. Stories? I've blocked them all! Advice? Remember that it will take you three times longer to pack than you think it will. Label. Every. Box. On Three Sides--top, one end, one side.
Good luck! Oh, a great website: flylady.net. Click on her moving section for really good ideas and help.
And make sure you have plenty of knitting available at all times.
When packing a kitchen corner lower cabinet, with my head and one arm reaching into the far corner recesses...my 200 pound Great Pyrenees wanted to see what was so interesting in there. She didn't wait but pushed me further in and she landed on top of me... part of both of us in the cupboard!
I was helping a friend pack his 20-year collection of books and sundries for a move. It took us many evenings, but we had a great time. One evening we decided that packing would be more fun if we had a beer... or four... each.
We got three boxes of books packed, and one of truly random stuff, which we labeled "Packed While Drunk."
oh my goodness. the dress story was absolutely fun! although i am sorry that you had to take such drastic measures to extract yourself!
Having moved 8 times over the years, I've slowly eliminated many things...just not my yarn or my books.
I had to chuckle, because I've also packed carefully at the beginning, then as time got away from me, thrown things into boxes. Unpacking those boxes was quite an experience!
Sounds like you've packed the important things.
When packing to leave Canada, all those years ago, I had no idea what I would find in the UK. We gave away stuff and scrapped stuff and built packing crates to store stuff in my in-laws' basement until we knew where we wanted it. And we packed four suitcases to last us for months. Clothes went in. A few much-loved books. And finally, in a fit of panic, I raided the box of stuff we were going to take to charity and retrieved my pastry cutter, my measuring spoon set and a measuring cup, because I wasn't certain the British would have such things :-)
Best of luck to you both, Joanne - it's an adventure. Change is life!
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