Saturday, October 14, 2017

5 Lessons for Surviving A Big Move

Hi and bye, beloved Islanders.

That's right.  Hi because we haven't chatted in quite awhile.  Bye because, well, I am coming to you from our new place... in a new state... NOT where you're used to seeing me.

I know.  My family.  My littles.  My friends.  My businesses.  Home staging.  Event planning.  Graphics.  Moves.  Tabitha, you were making moves.

No, seriously.  You guys probably didn't go all the way there but, dammit.  I did!  I didn't want to move.  I avoided it for over a year.  He got a new job.  He went away for training.  He received an assigned location.  It was nearly 1,000 miles away from home.  Home.  What good is home if you're not with the ones you love?  He hoped we would relocate.  I refused.  We stayed, the kid and I that is.  The kid completed fifth grade with bi-monthly visits from him.  We rented out the big house.  We continued to rent the investment townhouse.  I moved into another townhouse and there, I made a beautiful home while also staging the home for sale.  After a year of consideration and emotional reconstruction (and begging and pleading from him), I agreed to relocate.

I decided to move.  Away.  From everyone I loved.

I decided to move.  Away.  To do what I believed to be best for my family.  Most importantly, best for me.

Of course a move wouldn't be complete without a marathon of events.  We'll cover those in the next few posts.  Today, let's just recover from the news of the big move (as we like to call it). I had to purge about 75% of my belongings.  I loaded my garage with everything I thought I could part with... then, I opened my doors and allowed neighbors to come and take things off of my walls and to drag furniture out my home... at no cost.  It was a lot.  It was stressful.  It was bitter... burned like shots of hot sauce.  It was bitter alright... but it was sweet.  I was parting with things I bought to furnish our 'forever home' and I loved every piece - the uniqueness, the beauty, the story behind the hunt to find it.  I was stressed.  I was scared.  I was worried.  I was also learning important lessons.

1.  Never say forever.  Things come and go.  You never know where life will take you.  NEVER say forever.  In reference to a person, place, or thing.

2.  There's great reward in the art of removal.  For me, clutter removal was freeing.  If I didn't use it in a year, I wouldn't miss it.  I could always buy new if/when I needed an item.

3.  Learn to accept help.  I tried to do it all alone.  I realized I needed my support.  They knew it and they didn't judge me for waiting until the last minute to ask for it.  Y'all are the real MVPs.

4.  Appreciate your circle.  Members of my inner circle were worth their weight in gold. No, platinum; they were worth their weight in platinum.  I cried, I shut down, I disappeared, I bought new stuff when I was downsizing.  My circle rode the crazy train with me no matter the stop at which I needed them to meet me.

5.  Good coffee is critical.  Yep, coffee is a requirement.  Food... eh, I guess.  Coffee?! I will snatch your eyeball from its socket and use it to play jacks if you THINK of coming between me and my coffee.

There were other lessons... hard lessons.  I said goodbye to my beloved fur baby on the journey.  We'll have that moment too.  I just can't bring myself to open those emotions yet.  Soon... but not yet.  For now, if you know me, you know my BIG move was a marathon of busy, mixed with a bit of LOL, some heartfelt moments, drama, and more.  I'll share the Instagram story from the journey, complete with all 10 emotional stops on the farewell tour.

Stay tuned,




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