What you really need.

Since I'm sure there are untold numbers of people I don't know reading this blog, that's a joke, I will explain how I've had to rethink almost everything I own and need to own over the last year. Most of us leave sorting out their life's possessions to someone else, like their kids, after they no longer can deal with it. I know because that happened to me (us) twice as our parents became in firmed. It's a process that leaves everyone angry, for having to do it, resentful, for having to do it, exhausted, for having to do it, and swearing that this will never happen to my kids because I will sort out my own stuff.

This is one of the projects I had to do before we left for our big adventure. We were selling the house we had lived in for 24 years and where ever we end up after Australia, it will be smaller than the 4 bedroom home we enjoyed for so long.

311 East Acacia Rd Fox Point, WI

Sold on 12/10/2014

The house was the receptacle of my stuff, Johns stuff, and our kids stuff, and most of it was just stuff. By that I mean it wasn't things we used or thought that much about. That is until you have to make a decision on keeping it or not. The kids didn't want much of anything, they are a generation of digitalizing everything and if can't be, they don't want it. My stuff was somewhat easier, if I hadn't used it or worn it recently, it was gone. Those who know John know how that went. It was a hideous project and I'm not sure it was easier on this side of it, meaning cleaning out my OWN stuff. I will say that it makes you very conscience of buying anything ever again. Which brings me to Australia again.

The Beastie leaves for Holiday Home Camp

We have 2 suitcases in which we need to pack what we "need" for the year. Each bag can't weigh more than 50 pounds, well they can but you pay extra, and I guess you could take more than 2 suitcases but again that would cost more. Both John and I come from Scottish backgrounds and as Elaine from Seinfeld said about George, "I wouldn't say you're cheap, just extremely careful with money". So here we are, planning a year away, packing away all the winter clothes and deciding what to pack in those 2 suitcases so we won't have to buy much in Australia. Luckily, I had the help of a KIWI (New Zealander) friend Trish, who guided me in the process. She explained that Australia is much more casual and I should pack accordingly. No suits for John, (bathing suits ARE good) no fancy stuff for me, and just a lot of summer shorts and skirts and tees. Sounds great!

3 of the 4 Suitcases

Maybe I can away with just one suitcase, oh wait, I need shoes, and tennis stuff, and accessories.

Oh wait, maybe I need to hijack one of John's bags? He doesn't need much, scrubs don't take up much room, and he doesn't have accessories. Great, I'll have 3 and he can have 1.

Oh wait, again, I forgot about the piles of stuff from the dining room table that needed to go with us to Bundaberg...the textbooks.....the camera.....the 20 tablets of paper with lists that he'll never get to....oy vey, back to 2 suitcases for me.

Somehow we did get packed into those suitcases, and except for shuffling a textbook or 2, out of John's suitcase into mine for weight distribution and we took off without paying extra. Unbelievable.

Now that we have been here for 3 weeks, I have rethought what I ended up bringing. Since I haven't really connected with a social group of friends I haven't worn any of the cute outfits I brought. The accessories could have been one pair of earrings, a watch, one handbag, flip flops and my tote bag. I could have carried on! Hopefully this lack of social functions will change and I will use all I brought.

John has used all the scrubs and books he brought, he packed very practically. I hate to admit that he was more practical than I, but he did do a good job on pairing his packing down to just what he needed. I'm sure he'll end up needing more, in fact, he has already found a bike to use, because of that he's had to buy a helmet and lock.

As far as the rest of our stuff, I hope I can locate the things I've packed away for a year, it's all kind of a blur, but I labeled the boxes and know sort of where they are stored. Straightening it all out will be a job for next year when we're home.