HOW TO MOVE

In the Real Estate section of the San Francisco Chronicle recently, three real estate agents shared their view on moving, which is the intricate part of any real estate sales transaction. Any change in our lives can be stressful – moving can be very, very, very challenging, unless you have enough time in advance to prepare. This is a great opportunity to get rid of accumulated stuff. If you can afford it, add the cost of a professional organizer to your budget. You can also check Japanese organizing consultant Marie Kondo’s book “Kurashi at Home”, or watch her videos.

I am writing about this subject in Portland, Oregon, where we came to help our daughter and her family move to their new home. Our primary job is to unpack boxes. We did such a good job a few years ago when they moved to Portland, that we were invited back. Of course, this was a great excuse to spend time with our granddaughter who is going to be three in September. Though we’ve lived in our house together with my wife for over forty years, we just moved our business office to a smaller space, and I know first-hand how stressful it can be.

To end this essay, I am going to give you two suggestions, regardless of whether you are moving or not:
1. Do not clutter your life with the stuff you can live without.
2. Get rid of the things you are not planning to use during the next year. Donate those things to someone who might need them.
Our daughter and her family moved to an area called Mt. Tabor. During my walks in the neighborhood, I encountered some of the blooms I’ve never photographed before. These three images are a sample of my experience. 

Enjoy and Share!