Saturday, December 26, 2009

Boxing Day (Literally)

To celebrate Boxing Day, we are packing boxes. Lots and lots of boxes of what turns out to be the crap of life, basically. Even though at least half of our things are going directly to charity, we have SO MUCH stuff that for one reason or another can't be ditched.

The blanket my mother in law knit, for example. It's an open lacy pattern so it's not exactly cozy for snuggling and watching TV on the couch. Plus, it has to be dry-cleaned. But we can't get rid of it because of sentimental value, so we'll just keep it in it's vacuum-sealed bag and it will move to our new house and languish on a top shelf in the garage storage cabinet.

Also, my daughter's Madeline doll house. It's big, it has a lot of accessories, it was the perfect little-kid dollhouse because the pieces aren't breakable but they are so much nicer than most plastic doll house things. And I am FINE with the idea of a boy playing with a dollhouse, but my husband said it's too big to keep around on the off chance that he'll be really into Madeline. (Which is code for "I hope my son doesn't really want a dollhouse in his room.")

My jam-making supplies. Which I rarely use, but maybe I'll get a second wind of old-fashioned housewifery after my son is born? Maybe...

And I know I've mentioned the nine giant boxes of bubble-wrapped, peanut-protected Limoges china, with delicate violet-flowered borders and gilt edges, complete with tiny consomme bowls and individual butter-holders. This belonged to my husband's great aunt, and apparently none of her direct descendants wanted anything to do with it, so we have it. Still packed up after seven years. If you know me at all you know that this is the antithesis of anything I would ever use. For one thing, I don't use dishes that can't go in the dishwasher, which is why I spring for the All-Clad pots and pans. I refuse to wash fussy dainty china in the sink. I'll do knives and cast iron, but that's it. I can understand being sentimental about your mother's hand-knit lap-blanket, but this china thing is ridiculous.

As for the 900 years of New Yorker magazines, I got the CD version of all the back issues. On the off chance there really IS a dire need to go back and read that tidbit about guerilla theater, it might actually be possible to find it by doing a search. Instead of vaguely remembering that the cover was a parody of something that may have been related to education, and that it was predominantly green, and was possibly from the mid-1990s...

Anyway, my big holiday plans include more boxes, several trips to the Goodwill and lots of recycling. Festive, right?

Hope you are all enjoying the time off and some holiday cheer of your own!


3 comments:

Paula Keller said...

So festive! :) Hope there is some rest in there, somewhere.

lastchanceivf said...

I love your quote: 'the crap of life.'
We've been doing major clean out this whole holiday week. I enjoy it, plus it was a much needed distraction from the obvious.

As for the china? Sell it to replacements.com because SOMEONE out there needs those pieces!

Best When Used By said...

Nothing like moving to force a person to realize how much stuff they actually have. I've done it a few times too, and at least it helps you to pare down a little. Good luck and I hope the worst of it is over soon!