I recently came to the decision to give up the storage unit I’ve been renting, basically because I can’t afford it at present. After finally getting current on my payments to the storage company, I began the process of moving everything back to my apartment. The contents of the unit were mostly the overflow of my book collection — volumes I wanted to keep but had no space for in the apartment. There were also boxes of miscellaneous papers, most of my comic book collection, the inventory of my original Christmas cards, and other sundries (such as my electronic typewriter — yes, I still have that!).
I can’t keep it all, of course. Even with about half the boxes now moved to the apartment, I’m beginning to get crowded. When everything is out, I fear that it will feel like I’m living in a storage unit. So I’ve begun the process of digging through everything and throwing out as much as I can. I then need to re-evaluate what remains, for the keep or sell/give-away option.
Going through the papers has taken on the feel of an archeological dig.
It’s been interesting. One box I expected was the box that has all my old volumes of my journal. I’m a haphazard journaller at best, but still it was interesting to open a volume at random and read through what I was thinking and feeling years ago. And also a little odd, because I have moved on from that point, and the world has moved on.
I’ve also found notebooks for stories that I’d “forgotten” about. Minor things I haven’t thought of in years. It amuses me to find some very early short stories. As I’ve looked through them, I’m thinking of typing them up and posting them on the website, just for kicks.
All in all, the review of my belongings — and myself — that has come about because of giving up the storage unit has been interesting. It would have been necessary at some point in the future, but the timing of it happening now, when I feel many aspects of my life going through a new transition, well, it seems very appropriate.
I do keep wondering what else I will turn up.
