The Long Haul

Hello friends,

Sometimes, when I’m thinking about the grand move to Paris, I’m also left thinking about what I would bring over there. Considering the expense to ship stuff over by boat or to lug over with multiple suitcases by plane, what I bring to Paris needs to be considered carefully. I have slowly been doing this, making mental notes, or a mental checklist if you will, about what “makes the cut”. I also make considerations that, for a while, I would likely rent a storage unit here in Canada and give the keys to my brother, in case something goes wrong with the move and I need to make the trip back over.

So, let’s proceed… What exactly would make the trip overseas with me?

BOOKS
My books are GOLD to me. Some are considerably more precious than others, but a few would certainly take the trip with me: my antique books, my books about Paris and Parisian life, my Star Wars, CS Lewis, Harry Potter and LOTR books, and of course my Little Prince collection would make the trip, too. Where I would find the room for these is another story.

VINYLS
A select few of my vinyls would come overseas with me, while the rest I would keep with my brother (since storage could damage them with heat or moisture). Also, my record player would join the trip.

SELECT CLOTHES
Only a few essentials would make the trip to Paris with me. A few pieces I would keep in storage while the rest will make their way to the donation bin. Sometimes this is the logic I use to help me make donation ideas immediately, as I clean my closets and drawers.

HUDSON BAY
Since HB is such a prominent image in Canada, my HB throw blanket would make the trip. I would also consider investing in one of those really expensive ones to bring with me, as well. (Note: I do understand the dark history of the HBCo. and their treatment of Native lives at the beginning of Canada was horrendous.)

MUGS
If you know me at all, you know I collect mugs and teacups. A select few (my favourites) would make the trip, while the remainder of my nicest ones would stay in storage.

DECOR PIECES
While this would be tedious to ship over, and I’m likely better off buying new pieces in Paris, a few pieces would head over with me, including my globes, a few mirrored decorative antique plates, some of my crystals/religious icons, my goddess of the forest statue from J, and Beethoven’s bust which belonged to J’s grandfather. A couple paintings/prints would make the cute, as well as some pictures of the family. Other paintings/prints would likely go in storage, along with some pieces I love but just can’t bring over.

CONSOLES
Video game consoles because they double as entertainment systems and because video gamessss! Thankfully games can be downloaded, nowadays, as their games (PAL) wouldn’t work with our systems.

PERFUME & JEWELLERY
I only have a few pieces that are of importance to me, but they, along with my collection of perfume that has begun to grow in size, would absolutely make the trip over with me.

I don’t know that I could bring furniture over (as much as I would love to ship over a few antique pieces I have, along with my crates and “old style” suitcase boxes), so my favourites would go in storage (such as our upright piano, our organ, along with other instruments we decide to keep) while others would be sold online.

I’ve actually used this mindset of “If I move in 5 years, would I take this with me?” to be more conscientious of home decor/house purchases I am making. I used to love going browsing at Homesense, getting ideas to revamp my home, but now I just use what I have to make big changes, so I’m not collecting more that I would just have to give away. It’s also made it a lot easier to LET GO; as a teacher, I’m naturally a kind of hoarder, but this dream to pick up and go off to Paris has made it easier for me to donate items, sell items to others who would get more use out of it all, and the like. Right this moment I’m thinking about all the boxes in my basement that go untouched and how I should just get rid of it all (maybe I should call 1800GOTJUNK!? … Let me not get ahead of myself … I’m not ready to let go of all that, just yet!).

Well, that’s all I can think of at the moment, which should, perhaps, give me some more guidance on where I should be avoiding spending my money, these days. If you were moving to another country, what would be the most important item that would make the trip with you?

xo
C