Rootless Relocation: Releasing More Stuff

Sunset over Juarez from UTEP parking lot. July 2017.

August 2017

My itinerary upon leaving El Paso:

1. Big Bend National Park for a few days of camping
2. South Louisiana for several weeks
3. On to my next year's home

In moves past, I've loaded my car to the max, but this relocation from El Paso to my next one-year destination is to be different.

The goal is to strip down to the barest quantity of stuff I can without breaking into tears. To fill only my trunk and an easy-to-get-to amount of stuff in my back seat. To have no need for careful placement to ensure window visibility for safe driving.

Some of the items I've schlepped around the past few years have exceeded the return on investment to justify their use of the limited real estate in my car. Such as:

• Upright vacuum sweeper
• Broom
• Swiffer mop 'system'
• Giant plastic storage bin
• Pillows
• Cheap but eye-pleasing rounded-edge hangars in colors of turquoise, coral, and apple green (en masse, they take up too much space and are awkward for packing, but obviously, my decision to leave them in El Paso causes some wistfulness about our impending separation)
• Some kitchen paraphernalia
• Three coffee mugs
• Over-the-door hook apparatuses (very, very useful, but like the hangars, too awkward and bulky to make the cut this time)
• Small appliances 
• One of my two camp chairs
• Cleaning solutions, spices, etc.

Large items that have made the cut to go with me include:

• Airbed
• Cot with mattress
• Folding table that I bought from a friend at her moving sale many years ago
• Camping gear and its storage bin