Déjà vu in Surrey


Do you ever feel like your life is a series of reruns. Something happens and you know you have been there before....again and again. Well, here I sit...procrastinating from the inevitable as I start to sort through our belongings for our move in a few months time. The 'moving man' is coming in three weeks to have 'a look' at our belongings. I cringe as I type this because I really meant to get rid of all the 'stuff' that has been sitting in our garage these past two years, I really did...but...but....I was busy. :)


I am staring at some 100 plus magazines which I have energetically spread across my dining room floor. Which will go, which will stay...what a nightmare! Here is a little insight into the madness of my world today....
My stacks...

I am thinking, that if I could just pick up one of these Morris Minor vintage wagons
 for our container, all my problems will be solved.  Yes?



The thing is, I wrote about this same dilemma two years ago as I was sitting in our house in New Zealand packing for our move to England.  Some things never change. The post I wrote two years ago follows...


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The date... November 28, 2009
The post... #2 Dear B...Packing 101



Dear B (Blogging friends)...

One of the hardest decisions to make when moving is what to do with the years and years of magazines that one has collected.  I am talking about a lot of magazines. Your husband says to get rid of them, your movers say...' your surely not thinking of taking them' and any book you pick up on 'Clearing Your Clutter' says to move on and let it go. But, I can't, so now I think of ways that I could secretly hide my magazines in our belongings...ways I could separate and disperse so no one would be the wiser.
Here is what I have come up with-
  • Tuck one magazine in the folds of each towel and sheet set.  A bonus if you happen to fold in threes.
  • Always wanted tree boots? No need. Fold and tuck a magazine into each boot. Buy more boots if necessary.
  • Do a midnight run before packing and tuck one magazine between each shirt in the kids bureaus etc… A super bonus for anyone with a large family.
  • Fill the spare tire compartment in your car with magazines. Toss the tire.
  • Raid the kitchen. Place one magazine between each frying pan during packing. If you do not have enough pans consider a large farewell party in your honour. You will need more pans to cook for everyone.
  • Think Martha..and improvise with magazines between plates and platters. Be careful!
  • Consider toy chests. Donate kids toys to charity and fill with magazines.
  • Reconsider all those boxes of Christmas decorations you have...do you really need them all? ‘Let go’ and replace with magazines.
  • Ooh, and yes..don't forget all those handbags, duffle bags, suitcases, lunch boxes, pretty storage boxes......
I reckon by the time this all happens maybe a hundred or so magazines will be safely tucked away. Just imagine the delight when several weeks later, in your new home, you discover your little treasures :)


So what do you think?
Logic tells me to 'let go' but the 'inner me' says...no.
I wish I had supersonic powers to speed read and pull
out my favourites...

I always tell my kids, if there is a will, there is a way.
I'm sure of it!
:)

Images:
Top 2 via me and the Chelsea Flower Show 2011
Middle image here

Comments

  1. That's SO funny! I moved house 2 years ago, having collected British Vogue & Vogue US, since I was a teenager (many, MANY years ago) Along the way some of my collection has made it's way to my parents house in the Caribbean (I live in England!), but most of it had followed me through every stage of my life. 2 years ago, I made a decision once and for all to de-clutter and sever the ties, as this next move would hopefully be THE BIG ONE - you know, the house that you plan to see your children married in. I tearfully told my husband to send them for recycling, and looked forward to my new storage space free life. Well, he couldn't do it and chickened out! Despite moaning for the last 20 years, and without telling me, he packaged them up and sent them along to the new house. They're still in boxes in the (new) basement and still multiplying by the month - I share your pain!

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    1. Mrs. S...I loved your story and ADORE your husband. That is so sweet, you know of course, what I am going to do next...send this comment to mine. :) xx

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  2. Jeanne,

    You always make me laugh, smile, and learn something new. My affection for magazines is exactly like yours, they are like friends and are comforting to see stacked in a basket or a table and then to pick up and be delighted by articles or photos. I have this delima all pf the time, and I am running out of space.

    On my last move I donated to new homes about 500 books and almost as many magazines, fear not in the last few years I have replenished my stock.

    I feel your pain my dear but I have to tell you that your article from 2009 is genius! I love the idea of putting the magazines in between the sheets, and in boots, and between the pans. Not only is that a great way to cushion each article but makes the task of unpacking more pleasant and of course longer because each time you unpack a box it will be like Christmas. Jut make sure tht you have a cup of coffee nearby when you unpack as you will be distracted by the discovery of your magazine "friends."

    Have a great day, and good luck with your dilema. I am sure that you will find a way to keep these cherished articles.

    Hugs, Elizabeth

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Elizabeth, I knew you would understand! I had a huge garage sale before moving from Australia to New Zealand. I was a woman on a mission and let go of countless books. A move I have always regretted. As soon as I moved to New Zealand, I opened an account on Trade Me (like E-bay) and proceeded to buy all the books back again. My family and friends thought I was mad. It was all very logical to me and it still is. My Brown Paper Book Club is a result of that garage sale. I loved seeing all those books I bought in New Zealand appear in my post box, wrapped in brown paper, still cherished. :)xx

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    2. Jeanne,

      I love this reply, I am still smiling. I could not agree more about buying back the same books you give away, I often find myself doing that. It is totally logical to me because as I said there is something about those books or magazines that resonates with my soul and does seem like a friendship, they make me happy. I love to reread the same books that feel that special just to recapture the feeling I had the first time I read them.

      I am so excited about your "spring break" I hope it is fabulous! I have a few really great places that I discovered on my last trip to Paris and I will find the addresses and email them to you. One restaurant, on hot chocolate/chocolate store, a paper store and the address for the new Hermes which is so beautiful, as well as a few small museums that you may be interested in.

      Have a wonderful day, enjoy your Spring Break preparations I hope that you will keep in touch and let us know all about Vietnam!

      Hugs, Elizabeth

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    3. Thank you Elizabeth, would love to read your suggestions! :)xx

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  3. I totally relate to this post, I am a total magazine hoarder, at my last look I have magazines that go back to 2005. I just can't let go of those beautiful glossy pages full of interiors, and gardens, and recipes.

    I don't envy you this job at all..

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  4. I do try passing on my magazines to friends and family but I often hang on to my French ones. Moving is so stressful - good luck with it...
    http://missbbobochic.blogspot.com/

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  5. Oh poor you, Jeanne! It is a difficult decision but I like the toy chest idea best. With all the moving we've done over the 35 years I have had to deal with magazines too. I started a art journal full of collages made from my favourite pages from the magazines. So far I've filled 3 large journals. I don't miss the bulk of the magazines but I'm in love with my journals!

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    1. Funny you should say that Carole, yesterday I took every piece of paper associated with blog post ideas and put into one big chest, with a lid. It was such a feeling of relief when I closed the lid for the day. When it is open it has a way of speaking to you...pulling you in. Sometimes we need a rest! :)xx

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    2. Resting is often the answer!

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  6. I too am a magazine collector and although I read them it is mainly the images and ideas in those images that I love. What I do is go through them and cut ou the images I really like and make scrap books, like mood boards. A kind of paper based pinterest. You don't have a lot of time to play with though so that my not be practical..

    Jeanne, thanks for stopping by with your well wishes. I have responded in my comments.
    D
    X

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  7. I know. It's so hard to let go of pretty magazines. It would make me cry and sigh if I had to do that. As you said, I would try to hide them. Hey when my husband and I moved from St Louis to Malta, he got all his old guitar and baseball magazines with him. So maybe you can take yours too :)

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  8. The sheer weight of my magazines, as a teenager, caused structural damage to my childhood home resulting in the most awful water damage in our living room. Needless to say they were then banished to the basement and were eventually water damaged themselves!!!
    Now days my 5 year collection of Victoria, Verandah, House and Garden etc are in small piles under all the beds in the house. UK daughter says they have to go and she is right so I am photographing all the pages I love and keeping them that way but it is a tedious business! The Victoria Bliss magazines stay though as the new version is not as good!!!!
    Good luck with it all.

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  9. Oh Jeanne, you never fail to raise a smile from me. I tear out my favourite pages and glue them into blank notebooks. I then pass the magazines onto other friends to enjoy. J x

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  10. You have to 'rip' Jeanne... it's tough, but it's the only way.... says me, someone who has shipped magazines all over the world!! xv

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  11. Let it all go Jeanne...if you don't how can you possibly make space for the new to enter your life (and I'm not talking stuff here)? The less stuff you have, the less time you have to waste managing it all!
    There has to be some doctor or dentist's waiting room that would be gleeful to recieve just one of these collections.
    And Ha...hubby had that car when we first met!

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  12. Oh yes, it's almost like Groundhog Day. I just recently parted with a huge stack of magazines that were under every sofa and bed in my house...so hard to rid of the beauties!!

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  13. Oh Jeanne, you and I share a name and some of the same habits. Moving four years ago was a nightmare, and it'll will be the same thing all over again if we ever do it again - we may not, because I think my husband had enough of my ways the first time out! BTW, he is STILL moving his collection of National Geographics from his parents' home in Boston to ours in Seattle. Just saying.

    Good luck, I feel for you!

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  14. i do the close your eyes and pull so many a month and sredd the address labels and toss

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  15. When we converted my dressing room into a library several years back, I dedicated three long shelves to my favourite magazines. Guess how quickly I filled those up?

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  16. Oooh! I'm no help here. I have the hardest time parting with magazines--it's a really tough dilemma, I know. Good luck with the sorting. We face that in a few months also.

    Love the Books for Cooks cookbook! I haven't been to the shop in awhile now, but I'm going to get back there again very soon. Thanks for your generosity!

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  17. That is so funny. You're very inventive. Boot trees and hidden in towels! I love it. Perhaps you should claim mags as 'Research Materials' and get a special freight allowance? I think it woudl be quite legitimate.

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Can I just say....that I so enjoy what YOU have to say. If you would like to write to me directly, I would love to hear from you... jeannecollageoflife@gmail.com

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