The Move

Moving is never easy and the international move is the worst, but their level of difficulty depends on our capability as smart consumers and well-rounded project managers. In most cases we perform below average, giving away precious furniture for free and/or throwing them away just because we bought more than we can handle and didn’t plan ahead.

The opportunity to be a well-trained systematic mover unavoidably decreases over the years we spend at our new temporary home. We constantly make the promise to cease the heavy decoration and not be a victim of the common hallucination of finally enjoying a permanent address. Yet, flocks of weird kitchen gadgets, massive TVs, art pieces and libraries of books gradually fill up the apartment we get on a short-term lease. The look is sophisticated. The feel is comfortable and heart-warming. The ending won’t be so peaceful.

Sweat will cover the forehead. The biceps will sizzle with the weight. The back will cry out the kneel. Boxes will pile up on the living room floor that once housed our personal sophisticated and comforting decoration. Each drawer will pop out items that will make us question our motives behind the purchase. The kitchen that once cooked the most enjoyable food will now turn into a room of nightmares, climbing on you with loads of spices, frozen meals, jams, pots and pans. Inside the study, light grey dust will glide onto the floor from the top of the tiny statues proudly displayed on shelves. Books never used more than twice, crisp restaurant menus picked up for home delivery and dictionaries forgotten after the Internet will be filling up trash bags shamefully placed in every corner.

The furniture so proudly enjoyed until the move out day will choke us, forcing us to run to the window for some air, for some well-deserved break. As we gaze out into the most familiar scenery, we won’t be able to stop asking ourselves “when and why did I gather so much trash?”. We will feel a little hurt realizing that we have been greedy people. We have been true supporters of “the serial shopper”. We will run out to friends, pressuring each to hold onto some of the extra items. The trash bags behind will be there to haunt and blame us. We will rush out to get rid of them just like a murderer getting rid of evidence.

Selling the large furniture (which always appears to be the easiest part of the job) will also be a problem. Open houses will not draw many interested buyers. Friends will take it personal when they won’t get the discount they expect on the desired items. Putting stuff on reserve without any deposit for a later pick up will be the biggest mistake. Most buyers will bail out with a well-crafted excuse. Smart shoppers will wait for the last day of the move to hit the jackpot with last minute bargains. Yet, most of the time they won’t make it to the pick up because of time conflicts. The showcasing on the Internet will most likely bring in spam. The precious items we spent so much money, calculation and care on will eventually be given away for nothing.

Sweaty, tired, surprised, ashamed, but still relieved, we will take comfort in reminding ourselves of the happy days in the middle of a once homey but now stripped dusty living room with a pile of cash wrapped inside our hands. Freshly out of the hectic move, heavy luggage on one side, keys taken out of the keychain, we will (once again) promise ourselves “next time I will only buy stuff that I really need and plan everything ahead!”