Moving poses many different challenges, like not being able to hold a full-time job due to time constraints, not being available consistently in the future, or not being able to find simple things like Tupperware or a pair of slippers. What you keep out of boxes have to be strategically and artfully placed in order to make your home appealing to potential buyers. All the other items you decide on a whim need to be packed, as they seemed superfluous at the time, sometimes turn out to be useful after it’s too late. Realizing this can be frustrating because if the item is too important, you can hardly function without it for however long the transition from place to hypothetical place you're going, you have to go digging for it.
While the notion of a new life, and the excitement and trepidation that follows, can be bittersweet, the only advantageous thing about the process of moving is the sanitary neatness of your house for once. It’s unsettling to see all the markings and memorable art on the walls permanently erased, replaced with a neutral tan or – if you’re feeling lucky / adventurous – blue. The blank walls produce an echo of an abandoned house, reflecting the feelings one might have preluding a big move. The acceptance you need to have with knowing that the memories you had in this house aren’t going to and won't remain with it when you're gone.
You can keep the memories, even if you don't have the house they were made in, which seems like a simple concept, but the fact is that the house was like part of the family. Each member made the room their own with a unique, personal flair and each scratch on the banister holds a story with it. It took me a long time to realize the house wasn't really a part of my family, it only felt like it because of the character you attributed to it.
You owe it to yourself to reconcile yourself with the fact that you made the memories. You get to keep them, and everything that goes along with them, both the good and the bad emotions, pivotal moments in your life, and the resulting development of your personality. The house had a role to play in all this and moving can be seen as a big step in progressing in your life and transitioning to a new stage. This is always scary, but you have to recognize that you’ll make new friends and memories. With the new comes the old, and memories you have from the old house will accompany you as you move.
No wonder so many kids books have been written to help the little ones with accepting the transition. What no one tells you is that moving doesn't get easier as you age, it only adds new hurdles to clear or trip over. Saying goodbye to the friends you have made is a necessary evil that poses a new set of challenges as you prepare to leave. The selling of the house all on its own is the hardest part, yet while the emotional stuff seems secondary, it tags along with you, along with whatever struggles it brings.
