Well, this is it, I am in the home stretch. No turning back, no cold feet, no buyers remorse, this is happening. When I made the decision that it was time to move out of my home of more than 17 years I had a pro-con list the length of War and Peace. Fortunately, the pros far outweighed the cons. However, this event has made an impact on me, emotionally and physically. I have been on an ebb and flow rollercoaster that has spun me every which way but chill.

Moving is right up on the top of the list with death, taxes, and divorce. I am pretty sure about that fact. I can give you all of my wisdom-filled thoughts about change and how without we cannot continue to grow. How change is part of the cycle of life. How when faced with uncomfortable change, and we make it through unscathed we become stronger. You know, motivational shit like that, and it is going in one of my ears and out the other for the past three months. However, now that I am really at the tail end and it is less than a month until everything changes I have come to accept and even get excited about this new adventure I have created for myself.

After all, the stuff in my house, the things, are just that, "stuff and things." How have I become so attached to objects that have no beating heart? Material brick-a-brack that has long served its purpose and is now just become a place to pile up new memorabilia. Am I getting too deep? Sorry, not sorry, it is impossible to describe what I am going through without both the deep and the surface. Honestly, just getting this onto paper, internet blog paper that is, is very therapeutic and right now I need all the healing I can find.

Stages of Moving:

Phase One: Panic. Get this out of the way first. Don't hang out in this state too long; it's unpleasant. Don't let your emotions take over. Have a day of it, embrace the suck and keep it moving.

Phase Two: Ask for help. I am not a professional organizer (there are folks you can hire to do that fun stuff for and with you.) I have my talents when it comes to food and fitness but this packing situation is a beast I never want to meet face to face again. I am beyond grateful I found Keri. She asks the hard questions, like, "Jessi, when was the last time you listened to this Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch? Do you even own a tape machine? When and where will you ever be playing a cassette?" However, in all seriousness, this girl is a game changer. My brain is scrambled so if I do not have a rational packing buddy I am may wind up U-Hauling myself to one of those places you check in to, to "un-wind and relax." Since I am sentimental, and I love looking back at the past decades and how the world has changed I have no option but to compartmentalize and scale down the must keeps. I do believe I have been sucked into this social media black hole which keeps me stuck in the "wouldn't this VHS tape be fun to save for a future post? Alternatively, what if I want to show a younger generation how a real point, focus, and print camera works. There is a fine line between collecting and hoarding, it took me several weeks to start letting go, and once I began, I could feel the weight slip off my shoulders and the amount of space I have carved out not just inside my house but my emotional space to make room for the new.

Phase Three & Four: Purge and Be Charitable: Let go and let the universe make its magic happen. Go room by room and make two piles. The key words being "room by room." Don't move on to the next task before finishing the last. Stay focused.

Throw away - things that are broken, chipped, holes, stained.
Donation- clothes, books, plates, glasses, electronics, tv, furniture.
Sell- anything and everything. If you have the time and space, have a garage sale. Great resources for getting the word out are Craig's List and neighborhood apps like Next Door and LetGo. Putting a box out on the sidewalk with the word "free" on it works wonders too. One man's trash, right?

Phase Five: Box, label and seal it up! So, after I have got the purging and donating out of the way the next step was the actual boxing up. Not just boxed but shut it and seal that sucker up. Taped makes it just that more real. My theory is such, I love my house, it is quaint and cozy, and I am going to miss living here. Why prolong the sad feelings. I did not realize how much I didn't need the day to day trinkets. Routine behaviors were simplified by doing this little act and now living with just the "essentials." I know that I will have even more to purge once I settle in the new pad. Out of sight out of mind. Since I have a few weeks left of moving, I wanted to live with a constant reminder of what good is coming next. All that's left to do is let the movers do their thang.

Food Strategies Vs. Packing Strategies: Turns out they are not so different. I have managed to apply some of The Food Athlete principles and health strategies to this packing project, lots of similarities.

Make a shopping list and stay on course at the market. Vs. Make a schedule and stick to it for at least two weeks.
Eat mindfully, notice signs of hunger. Stop eating when you are almost full. Vs. Pack thoughtfully, stop when the box gets too heavy.
Set intentions. Make small attainable goals. Vs. Pack one room at a time.
Make a goal list, make many lists! Vs. Can't have too many lists.
Have "me" time. Get a massage, take a bath, meditate. Vs. Watch a comedy, not "The Money Pit."
Take a moment to recognize your wins. Vs. Every donation is a win, someone out there is more needy then you.
Get plenty of sleep. Vs. Take a nap after every five bags of purging.
Everything you do in life requires energy, so you want to be properly fueled before tackling long days, fuel is not just for a fitness class. Vs. Don't pack on an empty stomach.

Full disclosure, I have been working on this post for a couple of months. I wanted to make sure I included it along with my Spring Cleanse series I have been sharing since March. I have gotten lost in the chaos, and it has taken some extra patience and motivation to buckle down and write. I thank you for listening and allowing me to share and de-clutter together. I look forward to bringing you posts from a fresh new perspective once I am in my new abode.

Be Happy, Be Healthy, Love Your Body,

xo Jessi (Your Food Athlete) xo