Let me paraphrase “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” one of my favorite Dr. Seuss titles. Oh, the tasks you’ll have to do!
The monumental decision has been made. We are heading to an independent living apartment. Where and how to start? The first task is signing all the papers necessary to take possession of our new apartment. Meeting scheduled and on the calendar.
This will be a new adventure for me as I have never lived in an apartment before. In 89 years? How is that possible? Well, I lived in my parents’ houses until I went to college. Then in a dormitory until I graduated from medical school. Next in the hospitals where I was an intern and a resident. And in only two houses until now.
Reality sets in. Geometry (lines, surfaces), physics (two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time) and a tape measure suddenly become vitally important. New axiom: contents of a house size x cannot fit into a space size ½ x.
The possessions my children and grandchildren have already asked for must be picked up or packed up and shipped to them. But when I close my eyes in each room to imagine those things gone, there’s still an awful lot left. How to choose? I have written in this space that we should not let our possessions burden our lives. However, when a move is imminent from a house one has lived in for over 40 years, the burden of decision-making is unavoidable.
Must call the children and grandchildren to verify they still want what they asked for. Arrange for pickup or shipping. Say goodbye to some beloved things. I am delighted my descendants want what they have chosen but there might be a few tears as I say farewell to an object or painting that I have lived with and loved for many years.
The house we are vacating will be sold so we have to call the real estate agents, find the deed, fill out a document called a Resident Seller Disclosure Advisory. Locate the files of all the appliances, warranties, and directions for the new owners.
Books fill, no they overfill, my house. I became a reader at age 4 and haven’t stopped reading since. I have written that reference books can be replaced by Mr. Google but I will miss my well-worn thesaurus and “Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations” as we have been together for many years.
And the rest? To take or not to take? Depends on the number of bookcases that will fit in our new apartment. I shall take my as yet unread books, all of my poetry books, and many of my books on music. No cookbooks. No field guides. None of the many travel guides I have. Fiction? Biography? History? Our next big task: look at all those books and tag those we want to read or reread to take with us. Clothes? I already managed to fit all of my clothes from three closets into one. The rest will be donated. Time to take another look. Do I really need 13 jackets, 29 pairs of shoes and eight hats? No way, so as soon as this column is finished, I will now do what I call precision downsizing. Hope it works!
I must tackle toiletries and cosmetics as well as those cleaning supplies filling cabinets in my kitchen and laundry room. Lots of old bottles and boxes must go. I stopped wearing makeup, except for moisturizer, years ago because it did not go well with my wrinkles. It’s time to discard all this unused stuff.
Kitchen cabinets must be looked at sternly as there will be little space in our new diminutive kitchen. We no longer need china service for 12 and every type of wine glass for entertaining. We will downsize to service for four as our table will shrink by two leaves and only seat four. Correction: service for five to account for breakage.
Office supplies are currently stored in a garage closet. We are keeping what will fit in our new office (the apartment’s second bedroom) and donating the rest to charity. The garage has become an all-purpose storage unit: pool floats, lawn chairs, tools, party stuff like paper plates, napkins, and what my kids called “airplane” (plastic) glasses where they first saw them. It will be purged as will the outdoor spaces filled with flower pots, furniture, barbecue grill, etc. The biggest downsizing task involves discarding the many files I once needed to write my columns. Now that I can get information online my work will no longer cause the cutting down of many trees. But we have run out of space in our home recycle bin. Next: A trip to the city’s giant-sized bin.
Look for more columns on the topic of an octogenarian moving.
A NOTE TO READERS
I was reminded by email after last week’s column that not all my readers can afford to do what I am able to do. The writer is correct and I stand corrected.
To quote myself from my new soon-to-be-published book, “A Travelers’ Guide to Geriatrica”: “Before I start, I must point out that I am writing this chapter on Housing in Geriatrica for those fortunate people who have a pension or adequate funds in savings and/or retirement funds. I worry greatly for the many Americans who live paycheck to paycheck and weep tears of frustration about the unfair and increasing inequality in our country.”
I know how lucky I am. Another quote from my book: “It takes three things to live a long time and get to Geriatrica. Longevity comes to those who have good genes, a family that had enough money to provide their child with health care and an education, and good luck. Notice that, though we pride ourselves on having free will, we have no control over these three things as none of us can pick our parents, nor our genes or luck.”
