The house-selling process is decidedly unpleasant. For the past week, random workmen have been wandering in and out of our house, fixing things that are not really broken enough to require such expensive repairs. But we are doing it because it is what the buyers want (adorable little stressed-out first time homebuyers that they are). I will not be missing the repairing part of homeownership.
In other news, we found a sweet little rental house. It is located only about a block and a half from our current house and is pleasantly updated and clean. It is a ranch, which sounds very pleasant after five years of hauling laundry up and down two flights of stairs. We are trying out a ranch to see if we might like to buy a one story house the next time around.
I keep throwing crap out (ok, really I am donating it), but I swear, the remaining things are having an orgy and producing junk babies in the extra space the decluttering created. Question of the week: How many car loads of junk do I really have? Answer: Many, many more than I originally thought. For example, the other day I discovered we owned no less than SEVEN skillets. Why? I have no idea because I only ever use three of them. The other four and a wok made their way to the less fortunate skillet-deprived masses. (Don’t tell Mr. A about the wok. He really liked it, but honestly it was too small to be practical.) That being said, I am keeping two rice cookers, because you never know when you might have a rice cooker emergency.
I know this is all fascinating reading. It isn’t like we are the first people who have ever moved. Unfortunately, it is what is taking up all my time and energy when I am not researching high school exchange student programs.
I’m actually worrying about the unseen accumulation of crap that happens when you don’t move regularly. We’ll have been in this house for six years in June, and after that, it will be the longest I’ve lived someplace since I was a kid. And I SAW how much stuff my dad had to move when he left that house (alas that he didn’t THROW IT OUT).
So write away, because this is a good nudge to me to find all my own unused stuff and send it away.
That part of the selling process, where you make the house nicer than it ever was when you lived there? I hate that part.
I have no problem getting rid of stuff (whatever brain activity makes other people hoard works in reverse w/ me) yet it still manages to accumulate the minute I turn my back and there are only three of us…it’s insane. We are stuck in a 2 story for now but before we bought this one we rented a one story…we loved it. We got our house through an auction and it was a good deal so I can’t really complaint….but I would really like one story….stairs suck. Good luck….and keep getting rid of crap!LOL
I know, how does all that crap accumulate? We’ve moved 4 times in the last 4 years and every time we move, I have more bags of crap to donate. I know if we move again this year, I’ll have even more. Good luck with everything!
Haha! You managed to squeeze in a dig about your guanxi situation, glad you’re keeping your sense of humour even during house moving stress. Good luck! Your rental ranch sounds sweet.
If just occurred to me you may not be joking: if so, sorry, researching school online does take forever and packing up crap takes even longer. You have my sympathy
No worries. I was both joking and serious. The exchange student research sucks because I have to locate the information in CHINESE. Since I don’t read or write chinese, it is a hassle. I have to find info in english and then try to figure out how that company is marketing to Chinese students. Stupid. I guess our acquaintance isn’t familiar with Baidu or google.
I just bought my first rice cooker. I can see the need for a second!!! LOVE IT!!!
The workmen woiuld drive me bonkers
We are selling our house (well, trying to, we have been trying to sell it and lowering the price since May) and buying a new one right now. It’s actually nice to read about your throwing crap out and packing. I like donating bags of stuff, but my favorite is when I actually donate something big, like a piece of furniture or (most recently) our treadmill. (We got a smaller exercise bike instead.) Victory!
Ah, selling does suck. I hated living in a museum (which is what it felt like, keeping the house clean just in case there would be a showing). We had 15 months to get ready for the move and I just set a goal to have one additional bag of garbage and one bag or box of stuff to Goodwill every week-that kept me sorting and pitching without making it so overwhelming (until the point where we had to actually finish for the movers, which is always overwhelming). Good luck. And enjoy the ranch!
Did you hear about Google possibly closing up shop in China? Would using a ‘translate this page’ function work or a free translation service online , like http://www.freetranslation.com/? That way you could find the information in English and send your acquaintances the translated version rather than locating a site in Chinese. Failing that you could task M with some Chinese translation homework!
Best of luck to you! I hope the house issues are over soon and you are basking in the land of moving and rent.
I have been feeling the same way lately with researching organizations for M to join. Good luck! Also, I want to have an exchange student as well, but not for three years. Let me know about the experience and the organizations that are clear nos.
We have the best setup, and I don’t think I can ever trade it-master and utility are both on 1st floor, kids room and offices (where we are long after they go to sleep) on 2nd.
We actually had an offer on the house this week, though it’s not been on the market in 5 years. Crazy.
Unfortunately, though I have lots of stuff, I really do use it, beyond the cultural knickknacks…