Several of my friends are moving.  New homes and new starts. That’s what I think of moving. A chance to begin again even if nothing else is changing. Changing your most intimate spaces can bring the breath of fresh air that a life needs.

There is a part of me that has been discontent for a while and dreams of buying the little house I live in have been replaced by dreams of moving. I know what I want and don’t want. School is still looming in my future and moving once the school year starts, in between potential grad school classes and two other jobs, is out of the question unless it is absolutely necessary.

And I really hope that it isn’t necessary.

Needless to say, all of their moving has got me thinking about what I will be taking with me and what will be staying.

The hardest part will be the books. I have a lot of them. At one point, there were close to a thousand books. My collection used to be a point of pride for me. Now, I look at it and, while there is still love in my heart, moving them is time consuming and painful. My shoulder is still not at a hundred percent. The heavy lifting will have to be done by someone else. One friend of mine who is moving via the friend-volunteer service has fifteen boxes. Some of the books will have to go. Some will journey to good will. Others will make their way in friends’ libraries. Maybe some of those folks who are moving would like to adopt a few of my books.

The idea of moving has also got me thinking about the amount of furniture that I have and there is no way it is going with me if I move to a smaller residence or out of state. The lawyer bookcases will be staying as will the French desk.  There are a couple of other things that parting with would be difficult. I feel better when there is less stuff crowding around me. It is nice to have a fresh perspective. One thing that I want to do is get rid of the need for a storage unit for things other than holiday decorations. (Can’t give up my Halloween gear!)

Then I thought. Why wait to change my environment?  Why wait to change the way my home feels and shred some of that discontent? I feel at times like my living room is too dark and there is just too much stuff crowding the dining room. So some new lighting will come in as the china cabinet departs.  Some paint will be sneaking its way onto the walls.