That’s right. Just one.
Because you know the rest. Take
what you’ll need for everyday life – the coffee pot, the microwave, your
clothes and toiletries. Take whatever
personal items give you comfort – your books, your CD’s. And take what makes
you feel good - your jewelry, your perfumes.
THAT you can figure out.
I recently moved into a temporary living situation. It wasn’t my first choice. My life was
suddenly changed and I needed to make quick decisions. I found a nice townhouse with private room
and bath.
But leaving the home I’d lived in and loved for 16 years was
difficult, no matter what the circumstance.
Most of my stuff went into storage. That is, what was left
after 2 estate sales, 2 special pickups and 4 piles of donations that filled my
entire porch.
I was anxious about living on my own, being by myself after
being a wife, mother and daughter, taking care of my mom. I was worried I would feel disoriented. I was
scared. I was afraid I’d fall apart.
So what could I do to take care of myself? How could I
minimize the anxiety of waking up in a new room? What could I do to help me
feel comfortable in my new surroundings? A little less like EVERYTHING had
changed. A little stability in my ever-changing situation.
This is what I did – my ONE tip for moving into a strange
home or room.
I decided what would fit into my new room- my bed, my dresser, my chair, my mirror, my TV
and my jewelry armoire –the same items that were in my master bedroom.
And I ORIENTED
the items in my room in the EXACT same
way they were in my home. EXACTLY.
So that when I woke up in the morning, I saw my bureau. When I went to bed at
night, I could watch TV from my bed, the same as I always had.
I didn’t wake up feeling, “Where am I?” with strange items surrounding
me or everything placed in a new way. I woke up and felt comforted that I was
surrounded by my things. When I opened my eyes, I saw the mirror resting on top
of the bureau, where my perfume bottles and lotions sat. There was my chair at
the end of my bed. My robes hung over my door as they always had.
Confortable, familiar. It gave me a sense that everything
was going to be OK. That everything WAS OK. That I was OK.
Angela DiCicco
12/17/15
Labels: feeling safe, how to move comfortable, moving into new territory, Moving tips, One tip for moving, temporary home, tip for assisted living