MOVING SALE (May 5th & 6th)

Downsizing I’ve learned is a process of getting rid of the old. And once I moved passed figuring out what stays and what must be left behind the major problem became how to get rid of all that’s now considered excess.

There was a limit to what I could give away to friends and family. After all, that’s simply a way burdening them with my old stuff. Some of my relatives had the good sense to say no to potential gifts from my home to theirs.

So the solution was a moving sale. But we live in an apartment building with no private yard or garage. Consequently a couple of our rooms were turned into a curio shop with our memorabilia layered across the credenza, the round oak table (which has all ready been purchased by a neighbor). Every flat surface is burdened with knickknacks.

Finding a place for everything was a big challenge, but pricing things, now that was a real pain in the neck. What is real value and what it emotional worth? And then my daughter asked the simple question, “Do you think any of this stuff is really valuable?”

There’s probably always some gold in ‘stuff’ that’s been held onto for years and years, but unless research is done on every little item, who knows what’s valuable and what’s simply interesting. I had to keep in mind that everything old is not necessarily valuable.

 I went around the room with a magic marker giving prices to all the things that were now being offered to anyone who came to shop in our little flea market.

I’m writing this on the eve of the sale and I have no idea how many people will show up. I’ve sent out e-mail invitations to people who live close by. Fliers have been posted around the neighborhood. And there is a lot of talk amongst the neighbors about our move, but how many will come by to take a look, your guess is as good as mine.