Three years ago, my wife and I arrived in Minneapolis to start our new life in the mid-west after 2 ½ years in the Pacific Northwest. We had built, lived in and sold a beautiful house in Oregon that was clearly too large for two people, but made perfect sense at the time (Doesn’t it always). Over the time we lived there, we managed to fill the house with all sorts of things that we did not need, but, again, made perfect sense at the time. When we left Oregon, we filled a 53-foot moving trailer from stem to stern.
The Oregon Homestead
Upon arrival, we found the Minneapolis housing market markedly different than the Oregon housing market in both size and price. We opted for a 1930s, Art Deco house in South Minneapolis that was less than half the size and twice the price of our Oregon homestead. It also had quaint (read small) 1930s doors through which modern furniture does not easily fit (or fit at all). The larger items found a home in the garage, while the more reasonable sized items made their way to various storage areas throughout the new house.
The Minneapolis House
Over the next few years, we shifted and re-stuffed the remaining items into every corner of the house. We also incessantly complained that homes built during the depression had no storage. We even went as far as to have plans drawn up to renovate the basement and garage to add more storage. One never knows when you might need some of this stuff, I rationed. I mean, you just never know if VHS tapes will make a come-back and then, jeez, won’t I feel the rube for throwing out a perfectly good VCR?
A few months ago, we were told we would be moving overseas. The deal was that the company would provide a 1000lb air-shipment and a 20ft sea container. Anything that did not make it on the aforementioned transport would be put into storage at my own expense. “My Expense?” This was finally the motivation I needed to review the collection of “all things 1980s” which was my basement.
In the basement, there were four major storage spaces: a backroom vault, a bottom of the stairs storage closet, an under-stair hideaway and 20 feet of wall space that was stacked up to the roof. We hit it in earnest! Over the next several weeks, we hauled 30+ bags/boxes to the local charity and filled so many garbage bags that we actually received warnings from the garbage collectors. I found boxes from my move from Scotland that had not been opened since the move in 1992. There was also a lot of “ah, that’s where that has been.” It was pretty damn cathartic!
Based on some early successes and the realization that the earth did not stop rotating when I threw out my boarding school economics paper and college accounting textbooks, we moved into the rest of the house. We tackled the closets, makeshift storage spaces and all general areas that may be hiding potential loot for Goodwill. Our purges were so extensive and efficient, Joseph Stalin himself would have been jealous. By the time I left for India in June, we felt we had the situation under control. Family, no need to worry, unlike some siblings, I will not be sending each one of you a package with crap I do not want (you know who you are).
The Container
Upon returning, we decided to take a more intense approach to the cleansing. We went back through each room and re-evaluated everything. This time, things that made the cut a few weeks ago with great deliberation were disposed of without thought. The specter of paying to store this crap was becoming a reality and tough decisions needed to be made. This began another round of purges that took the last two weeks and culminated an additional 18 bags/boxes for charity and so many garbage bags it warranted another nasty note from the world’s wimpiest garbage men.
Our Accomplishment!
All in all, we arrived in Minnesota with 53-foot trailer and departed in a 20-foot container and 900lbs of storage. Mission accomplished.
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