Modern Music by Albert Potter. It was made during the WPA era, early-mid 1930s.

As we are packing, we’re assigning each box a letter: A, B, or C. And there will probably also be an A+ category. A boxes will be ones we need to unpack very quickly after we move, likely within a couple of days or a week (with A+ boxes needing to be opened ASAP, holding things like bills, food, cookware/plates/bowls/utensils, and anything else we’ll need right away). The A boxes will probably include books we’re currently reading, clothing we’re generally wearing, the rest of the basic kitchen things, and a lot of the things that we left packing up for the very end. B boxes are ones that we will need or want in the next year, but it’s not a rush to unpack them (certain books, games, extra linens, crafts, a few decorations). C boxes will contain anything we can do without for over a year, ideally until two moves from now. I’m very much hoping that about half of our things will qualify as going into C boxes. That way, the next time we move, we will have a lot less to pack.

Deciding which category everything goes in is helpful in remembering what we have and the immediacy placed on each item. I mourn some C items because I want to spend time with them or make use of them, but know that it won’t be likely in the next year. I leave some things in the B category in the hopes that I’ll find the time for them soon.

It’s also a good exercise in deciding what to get rid of. I am finding a few things to purge, but I’ve mostly already purged my personal possessions of most things I no longer want, and that no longer do me any service. So the packing at this point is mostly just… packing.

I am not rich, and thus don’t have the luxury of saying, “If you haven’t used it within the past year, get rid of it!” That kind of behavior is only really useful to people who have very few needs, or have plenty of money to replace things. I fall under neither category. So I keep things. I’m sorry, everyone who has ever helped us move.

As usual, if you want to support my efforts at this blog, please consider buying your Amazon purchases through this affiliate link where I receive some financial benefit. Or go right to the source and send me money through PayPal. No pressure, though.