On Perceptions of Stuff

We're behind schedule, but have slowly started packing up our home.  Many items are being given to friends, donated, or in some cases, recycled or tossed out.  Some is getting packed up to bring with us, and the rest we'll hopefully be able to fit it all in the basement and attic of my parents-in-law. 

When I look at the stuff still waiting to be packed, I often think "We don't have that much.  It shouldn't take long."  And then I get into the work of it, and it seems to multiply somehow.  Here's a good example:

Manina decided to head out to her parents house this weekend, since it is a three-day weekend and the kids won't have to be at school on Monday.  At this point, whenever she goes, I send her with at least a box or two for storage.  I am starting to feel like a box or two at a time isn't going to get us into the shape we need to be in fast enough. 

So I told her I wanted to send her with as much as possible this time.  We'd already begun sorting through and packing away Hanukkah and Christmas stuff, seeing as how the holidays just ended, so I figured that was a good place to start.  When I picture that stuff where we normally store it in the attic, it seems like it takes up about four square feet of no more than double-stacked boxes.  This should have been so easy!

After much sorting and a concerted effort at beridding, I still found myself in the dining room several hours later with two large boxes, one long flat box, and four medium-size and small boxes filled to the brim! 

I need to start taking pictures so you can see what I mean.  It is amazing how much stuff one can accumulate even with a strong desire to be minimalist.  If this is any sign of things to come, getting the "small load" we plan to take with us to our apartment to actually fit into our apartment might prove to be even more challenging than we think.