"Everything That's Not Nailed Down"

Editor's Note: I wrote this post last week (8/19) during the packing bonanza and somehow it never got put up on the blog. Even though it's a wee bit outdated, it includes a thesis statement of sorts pertaining to our move, so I felt the post had to be shared. Enjoy.

Our mantra this week. Anytime NavyGuy asks me what he should do next, I simply yell shrilly, "everything that's not nailed down" which he's finally figured out means, "You're a college graduate - look around the house and find something to pack or pick up and put in the car!" We've actually made significant progress, and have only a couple specific areas of the house that still need to be packed (laundry room, pantry, his desk, and one cupboard in the kitchen), but it's obvious we're nearing the end of our packing rope so to speak.Having moved many times in the last few years of my life, I find it interesting how the packing process starts out very organized and neat... devolving in direct proportion to how many empty boxes you have left and what shaped items remain to be packed. For instance, in our house, the first thing to get packed is always books. They are all square shaped so they fit nicely in the boxes and you can clearly label each box, "books"... and you can be fairly certain that when you reopen the box a few weeks later, it will still be full of exactly what it says is in it. That goes along smoothly for a while as you finish packing books, then work on other simple items like DVDs, clothes, and even kitchen items. Everything in its box, appropriately labeled and organized by room or category.

It's once you reach the point where you're walking around the house with a half empty box collecting anything that will fit in it that you know you've reached a bad place. Today I packed a rubbermaid tote with a bathroom scale, clock radio, coffee filters, two extension cords, a random book found in the livingroom, a beach towel, frying pan, flip flops, and half a dozen pens. And that, is why God invented the term "miscellaneous." (And also why NavyGuy'll spent the next six weeks trying to find an extension cord...)

Updated Wednesday 8/26 - The box I spoke of above has been located. Yes, I really did pack extension cords with the coffee filters. Go figure.