I need your advice on a very important issue:
What's the "Grace period" after moving?
You know what I mean. That magical point where having boxes around and stuff piled in random places like the adult version of tetris goes from being "perfectly acceptable" to "gee-you-might-want-to-put-in-some-effort-sweetie?"
According to my neighbors next door, it's six months. According to the ones across the street, it's six years. And according to the inner Type-A perfectionistic life Nazi that lives in my brain, it's been three months and twelve days and therefore I'm failing at life and should probably just turn in my adult card now and hang my head in shame.
Baaad DomesticatedRedhead! Baaad!
Mr. Domesticated and I have been trying, really we have. But apparently a fixed budget along with a need for more shelving/storage/spiffy organizational things don't mix, especially when there are other things that seem to be more pressing (hello... kitchen table? Bed? Um...CHAIRS?) and take priority. And it certainly doesn't help that part of the joy of home ownership, apparently, is the discovery of just how much everything costs...as evidenced by the glazed looks that you see on people's faces at stores like Home Depot and Menards.
Me: Look honey, these shelves would be perfect!
Him: I like them! How much?
Me: *checks the price tag* Ooh, looks like two arms, a leg, and our first TWO unborn children. Too much.....
Him: How about these over here?
Me: Hmm, not as nice, but they only cost a kidney, your right butt cheek, and a sacrificial goat. Much more reasonable! I think we can swing it.
This past weekend we drove around the metro area in the adult version of a scavenger hunt (only it was far less exciting than I remember it being when we were all six), looking for a kitchen table. Naturally, we checked all the places that had words like "discount" and "bargain" and "you didn't need all the parts anyway, did you?" in their names, since this redhead is allergic to melons, ragweed, and paying full price for anything. Surprisingly enough, we actually ended up finding something in our limited budget that had all four legs and was pronounced "not too bad."
The only caveat?
The table is delivered next Monday.
The chairs are delivered sometime in October.
This means that if you come over to our house at any point in the next three months, you will now have the option of dining "Asian Style" (i.e. on sofa cushions on the floor) or "College Bar" style, where you hover standing around a table and try to look cool. Except now you can drink out of actual glasses, rather than red plastic cups.
Fancy, right?
Still, I'm seeing it as a step in the right direction, and one more thing we can cross off our list. Now if I can only find a way to silence the inner perfectionist that keeps yelling WORK FASTER, SLAVE!, things will be lovely indeed. Which is why I keep wondering what everyone else's thoughts are on the tipping point of unpacking & organizing. Am I right on schedule? Ahead? Or should I maybe possibly probably put down the cookie sheet, woman, and pick up a box or two?
I'm not going to lie, if you say I have five years, I'm totally bringing you cookies.
(Go ahead and leave your comments below. Because, you know, all the cool people are doing it!)
Love and Sprinkles,
~ DomesticatedRedhead
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I would say you're still definitely within an acceptable amount of time, since you're a homeowner now! Five years is a good start point to unpack!
ReplyDeleteThanks Travis! Now I just need your address for those "Five Year" cookies.... ;)
DeleteHeck, I have a box that was packed three houses ago. You are probably in the "accumulating" phase, but trust me, the "eliminating" phase is just around the corner. Randomly throw out every fourth box. You will never miss what you have not already unpacked.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea Marsha! All of my baking supplies and shoes are unpacked, so really... all the essentials. Anything else is just clutter, right?
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