Jeff for America

They have a life of their own. One by one, sometimes even two by two, they appear in my bedroom and in the basement. I’ll walk away for a moment and then return and there’s another box. I guess that’s what happens when you spend an entire weekend packing. Delusions have taken control and the future that awaits me is becoming more of a mirage than a reality.

Am I really moving? Is there going to be a life waiting for me on the other side? Will it be better? Different, that’s for sure. But not too different, at the rate I’m holding onto things.

Letting go of this life is one thing, letting go of the physical representations of this life – quite another. The little things are easy for me to discard. I’m donating or trashing a lot of my clothes and knick knacks. There’s a vacuum in that pile I found on the side of the road (thinking I was rescuing it for a better home) that never worked. Stuff like that I don’t mind leaving behind.

It’s the sentimental stuff, and the fancy stuff, that I have a hard time parting with. Like this desk I’m writing at right now. I love it. It’s kind of funky but I love it. I’ve written some good stuff here. And my mom helped me paint it green and black, which is really unique and cool. And there’s the purple shoe bench I found (and this was definitely a rescue mission) and restored. These are the things I’m having a hard time just selling off.

Thankfully, I don’t have to. My work is providing some relocation money (whoever heard of that for a teacher?) and so I’m shipping some of my favorite things just because. As my Memorial Day packing weekend comes to a close, here are a few tips for folks moving cross country (or any far distance) that I found helpful:

- PODs are expensive and there are a lot of hidden fees

- Amtrak ships boxes (not furniture) to and from any Amtrak station – $250 for 500 lbs

- Greyhound has a shipping service that does ship furniture for about $1 a lb + fees

- Fly Southwest – you can take up to 200 lbs for just $100 in baggage fees

- Sell everything you don’t want (even the little things) on craigstlist – you’ll make $

And if you’re not moving any time soon, look around. You’ve got it good. Now stay put with the things you have and don’t get too attached – you may not have it for too long.

- Jeff