My New Space

28 years ago in 1992 after Hurricane Andrew destroyed my town and workplace I temporarily moved back to my original home-of-record 1,100 miles away. I stored a few of my personal belongings at my parents’ house (my old bedroom) in McLean Virginia. I stored much of them in my dorm room at Andrews AFB Maryland. What didn’t fit in either place went in to a rented self-storage space near the military base. I kept that space long after (several years after) I left the Washington D.C. area and moved back to Florida (and eventually Homestead).

Last weekend I rented a self-storage space here in Homestead for the first time ever. Aside from those 19 months after Hurricane Andrew I’ve lived here in Homestead for almost 33 years, and that includes the past 25 years here in the same small home. I’ve accumulated a lot of stuff (some would call it junk) here in this home. I think I may even be a borderline hoarder. I don’t like throwing things away. I like keeping things indefinitely. I never know when I may need it. (That’s my home motto.)

Today is the day that I will take my first trunkload of stuff / junk over to my new 5 by 10 by 8 space. That’s 50 square feet / 8 feet from the ground up / 400 cubic feet. I’m looking forward to future trunkloads on future deliveries / visits to my new space. I’m looking forward to uncluttering my home of the past 25 years. Eventually I’ll be moving out of this home and moving to a new town about 180 miles away (after I retire in about 3 years).

As I continue to clear space in my home and prepare it for my retirement years perhaps I’ll do the right thing and also start filling-up some dumpsters near me. There’s a lot to throw away. Whether I do it or store it remains to be seen.