To the best of my knowledge, the move I’m about to make will be my fourteenth–not counting any moving my parents did while I still lived at home. Most–all but four–took place when I was in my twenties and involved moves between apartments. This is just the second time I’ve moved out of a house, and if I get my way, it will be the last.

Every move has been different. None have been what I’d call enjoyable. Taken together, my general impression is that moving is a stressful, costly, and mostly unpleasant experience to be avoided unless absolutely necessary.

This move feels different from the rest. I’m not stressed out, exhausted, or worried about whether I can afford the new place. In fact, at least so far, I’m actually enjoying myself through the transition.

The biggest difference is the absence of any deadlines. In the past, whether because of a lease or a closing, I needed to be out of the old place by a certain date. In almost every case, the overlap–the time I had keys to both places–was a day, maybe two, or less. This time around, it’s open-ended. I’ve got all the time I need, and then some. Instead of moving, I’m creeping.

This move has taken place in stages, with time in-between so I could adjust. Moving officially started when the ex moved out several weekends ago. With him and his stuff gone, I consolidated my possessions, packed up anything I wouldn’t need before the move, and set aside unwanted items for the garage sale.

After the sale, I started moving things I wasn’t using every day to the garage. Items I could move in my car went on one side; those destined for the truck on the other. Furniture that I use or is too big for me to move to the garage, kitchen items, bathroom stuff, and clothes are about all that’s left in the house. Everything else is in the garage, ready to go to the new place.

This is the first time that moving-related costs (deposits, down payments, closing costs, and actual moving expenses) haven’t wiped out my savings. Having some extra cash meant I was able to buy a house that needed more work than I was willing to do. Since it needed so much work, I got a great deal, and the absence of any deadlines meant I could get all the work done before moving day.

But my new house still needed something. Namely, furniture. Regular readers may recall that the ex ended up owning most of what we had. The rational side of my brain said I should wait to buy what I needed. The rest of my body rebelled, insisting that as a grown-ass man, I was entitled to spend my money any damn way I wanted. It got ugly, with my body threatening to cut off blood flow before right brain finally relented.

Victorious, we dragged right brain out to my favorite furniture store and, in our excitement, bought more than enough bedroom furniture for my room. Of course, I didn’t know it was too much until I got back to the house and started pacing things off. Oops! So what did I do? Went back to the furniture store and added a bed. Now both bedrooms are furnished–or will be on December 4th when the new stuff is delivered, and everything matches. Brilliant!

When I realized my moving shopping spree was on a collision course with the holiday shopping season, I hit the gas. I ran out to Sears and bought a refrigerator, washer, and dryer. In my haste I forgot when it will be delivered. I think they said they’d call the day before. Then I went to Target, Kohl’s, and Lowe’s for little things, like shelf paper, dishes, cookware, and a new broom–my mother says taking the old one to the new place is bad luck.

Toodles and I spent yesterday morning putting that new broom to use and otherwise cleaning at the new place. Everything is done but the kitchen. We’ll head back today to knock that out. And every time I go, a little bit more of the stuff from my old garage makes its way to the new garage.

I’m pretty sure buying this house and the availability of my book explain the one point drop in the local unemployment rate, a jump in tax revenue for the state, and the bounce in consumer spending. I’ll also take credit for any other positive economic news for the month of November yet to be released, such as increased factory orders, record retail sales, and signs of life in the housing sector.

Just doing my part to stimulate the economy.

Oh, and before I forget, thanks for the lovely Christmas gifts I was able to buy for myself with the money I’d been saving to buy for you. Please, take the money you’d spend on me and buy something for yourself–like a copy of Until Thanksgiving. That’s all I really want for Christmas here in…

My Glass House