Move it along now, move it along

I think I might have mentioned a bit in the last couple weeks that I’m moving. I've lived in my apartment in Seattle for more than two years now. It’s officially the longest I’ve ever stayed in one place since I’ve been 18, and I’m slightly attached. It’s walking distance to everything, has “Old World Charm,” hardwood floors, two walls of windows that overlook Puget Sound and a rooftop patio with 360-degree views of the entire city. BUT, it also has the tiniest closet you could ever imagine (I’ve opted to use my bed and floor for increased closet space, so that’s getting really old), no dishwasher, coin-operated washer and dryers, and a kitchen so ancient that I’m pretty sure it predated my grandparents. (The color of my appliances is actually called Harvest Gold, if that tells you anything).

So, when a great new roommate came along, I bit her bait when she asked if I’d be willing to find a new place, rather than have her move into my soon-to-be vacant second bedroom. The decision to move out is something I feel both super excited and super bummed about. I’d been holding out on signing another lease because of that whole “wanting to move out of Seattle this year” thing. Le sigh. But, the prices available right now for renting were too great to pass up. If the bad economy is doing one thing – it’s making everything cheaper and more affordable. It’s hard to be bummed about signing another lease when I’m moving into a place that is newer, even closer walking distance to everything, with a washer, dryer, dishwasher, two balconies, my own bathroom and my own garage parking spot – for LESS than I pay now. And I didn't even have to give up the water and Space Needle view. Can you believe that?

I’ve spent the last two weeks saying things like, “I can’t believe I’ll never have to do another sink of dishes again!” “I’m SO excited to never have to pay for laundry again!”

So this week I’ve been futilely attempting to pack up my “life.” In this apartment, I’ve acquired a lot more STUFF than I’ve ever had before. Each box I fill and each box I tape, I ask myself, “Why in the HELL are you moving out, again?!” I know I don’t have to tell you that moving is seriously the most miserable thing. Right up there with oh, um, funerals, stubbing your big toe and Hillary Duff concerts. Which makes me second-guess signing another lease even more because the thought of doing this again in less than a year makes me want to pluck my eyelashes out one by one. Or dry shave. (Are those enough metaphors to get my miserable point across?)

The weirdest part of packing is going through all the drawers you rarely open, finding stuff you didn’t know you had, sifting through the memories... I’m not a pack rat, but I do carry sentimental value with few items that I’m not ready to let go of. Last night I cracked a bottle of wine and allowed myself to linger and look through things while I packed. I read pages of journals from college about feelings I don’t remember having. I read love letters, break-up letters, birthday cards, poems I wrote, college essays (I actually wrote a persuasive essay for English 101 about how Eminem is the greatest artist of all time), and looked through pictures that I think were of me; it was almost an out-of-body experience. I looked at a girl who I know was me, but I don’t really remember being that girl. Life is so weird. I can’t tell you how much I can relate with the whole “life is like an onion” comparison. I feel like I’m continuously peeling away layers of myself to find a new self inside.

So this is the first time that I’ve moved since college where I've taken a look at all the sentimental college stuff and asking myself why the hec I still have it hanging around… Do I really need a desk chocked full of all the magazines I was Editor in Chief for, or all my newspaper article clippings? Do I really need rainbow candles, snowboard company stickers or a penis figurine? I finally boxed everything up that I haven’t needed or looked at in years, and am trying to be super picky about what I don't throw away. I want one of those clean, uncluttered, "adult" rooms that have everything in their proper storage bins ala Trading Spaces or Real Simple.

So, the time has come to let go of all those college items and memories that are really lovely inside my head, but don’t necessarily need to be outside of boxes anymore. Time to peel away another layer…

Currently Feeling: Cheerful, bright and sunny.
Currently Anticipating: Signing the lease and getting my keys tonight!
Currently Loving: TextsFromLastNight.com So freakin hilarious; it’s made my Friday.