Packing Up: Bittersweet Goodbyes as Moving Day Approaches

In case anyone’s curious, I’ve managed to keep up my make-the-bed-every-day-for-a-month resolution well beyond October — hooray for small victories. Our dog Burger, true to form, still undoes it about an hour later, so the battle of tidy versus furry chaos continues. It’s a silly little ritual that has somehow made the house feel cared for during an otherwise hectic few weeks.

Looking back, this weekend marks the anniversary of a very different kind of chaos: one year ago I was up to my elbows in demolition in our bathroom, taking the old fixtures apart and learning that doing that work without proper footwear was not the smartest idea. That project remains one of the most physically demanding jobs I’ve tackled in this house — a messy, exhausting, oddly satisfying milestone in our home’s story.

Now we’re in the thick of a different kind of dismantling: packing up a life. With the move less than a week and a half away, boxes are multiplying, labeled lids are being taped down, and decisions are being made about what comes with us and what needs to find a new home. Every small act of disassembly — removing wall hooks, wrapping fragile keepsakes, flattening the last of the cereal boxes — has an emotional weight. Leaving a place where you’ve lived and made memories is both exciting and oddly mournful.

One clear example of the transition: our patio. It went from a cozy outdoor sitting area, full of furniture and life, to essentially empty after we sold the patio set at the moving sale because it won’t fit the outdoor space at the new place. That one change — seeing the furniture go and the floor space open up — made everything feel more final, like closing a chapter you weren’t entirely ready to finish.

To make things a little harder, winter weather has started to roll in, which only amplifies the melancholy. Rain and shorter days cast a quieter tone over an already reflective time. Still, we’re trying to focus on the positive parts: the excitement of a new place, the fresh possibilities, and the chance to arrange one more home from scratch.

Packing is practical work, but it’s also a form of storytelling. As we sort through boxes and closets we keep some things, donate others, and say goodbye to items that no longer fit our lives. Every box sealed is a small ritual of closure. It’s tiring — physically and emotionally — but it also feels like preparation for what’s next. We’re making lists, scheduling pick-ups, and doing our best to keep the chaos ordered enough that moving day will be manageable.

We’ll be sharing more photos and progress updates as we go, both because it’s fun to document the transition and because seeing the house change helps us process the move. For now, we’re taking it one room at a time, keeping a few daily routines intact (yes, the bed-making continues), and leaning on each other when the sentimentality gets heavy. If you’re the wishing type, send us a little luck — and perhaps a few virtual tissues for Sherry. We’re thrilled about the next chapter but also feeling the bittersweet tug of leaving this one behind.

Psst — Want to see what the patio looked like right before we moved out? Click here for a series of moving photos, including a snapshot of a very sad patio.