The Big Move

Our first unpacking in Shoreditch

The countdown is truly on now. Our final full week in London and though it's exciting there a few hideously boring but necessary things to do. The big one being de-cluttering so as to only send back one box back to Sydney. I didn't want to send back anything really but for one item - my invitalis massager. So because of that we decided that we can fill one medium box. For practical things we we'll need anyway - running shoes, my wonderful Miss Patina cat shirt, my watercolours. The rest had to go.

So it all went, my beloved red bike that I really didn't make the most of. My terrarium jars that never reached their full potential. Little knick knacks and small gifts, all carrying cherished memories of a time and place. There's a sadness and perhaps guilt to throwing these out but also with a little sigh of relief. Because stuff in general is a burden. It gets shuffled around, stored away but when you go through it - only 20% of it is in active use.

When we first moved from Kevin's sister's couch to a shared flat in Shoreditch we walked two blocks with our backpacks. When we moved from there to London Fields we took a cab with about 5 bags of goods. From there to Stoke Newingotn we had a full van full of things. And to Dalston it took two van trips. Every time I was increasingly incredulous of the 'stuff' that we had accumulated.

It becomes almost a passive thing to accumulate things. But requires active effort to cut it down. Which is why I'm glad we're moving back. We will start fresh back in Sydney. With little from London but wonderful memories and a lingering penchant for clotted cream, Sunday roasts and iberico bellota ham.