Moving House

Not so long ago I was pondering the benefits of travelling light through life and now I’m being forced to lighten my load. After ten years of renting we have bought our first home in Australia.

It’s exciting to think about finally have our own place to decorate, spread out in and enjoy, but terrifying to think we will be grounded in Noosa. As lovely as Queensland is, freedom and travel always tempt me, while commitment can feel stultifying.

Still, even though I’ve been dying to lighten my load and now have to, I’m procrastinating. Sure, I’ve had a garage sale, taken bag loads of clothes to the charity shop and given away oodles of stuff to people I know will appreciate it. Yet it remains hard to part with our belongings. Even things we don’t use or want.

The urge to hoard things ‘just in case’ is strong. The sense of time and money wasted as I admit items are uneeded is crushing. The mood of finality as a chapter in our lives ends is potent. There goes Max’s eight year collection of basketball medals and the leather filofax I bought in Paris, consigned to rot in the landfill.

Despite the pain, I’m excited about our impending adventure as Aussie homeowners. I want to nest, grow a tropical garden and invite friend over. But first I have to overcome some major obstacles and swallow some giant frogs. Namely decluttering, packing and cleaning. Ugh!

Of course all of this comes at the most inopportune moment with my teaching course in its final throes. Fortunately, Rich is organising all the many details including orchestrating finances, removalists, lawyers and cleaners. We’re just moving within Noosa and I’m merely trying to keep plodding along with my studies and teaching practice until the course finishes leaving me with three days to pack.

Just to add to the excitement our oldest son Luke is turning 18 so in between finishing the course and moving we are also throwing a party for 40 or so teens. Suffice to say I am feeling a bit overloaded much like the bicycle pictured above.

But while I am not yet travelling lightly through life I am lightening my load. And I can just about see the light at the end of the tunnel!

How are you travelling?