Should it stay or should it go?

It's Saturday night. It's not late, but I'm exhausted. All I want to do is sleep, but I can't. Too much caffeine is my guess.


So I'm lying in bed staring at the ceiling thinking about the checklist of things I need to do in preparation of our move to Japan. Mentally I'm running an inventory of every item of everything in our house and trying to decide where it will go for the next three years. Will it be put in the pile marked “give away to a good home.” Will it be sold at our upcoming and yet unplanned yard sale? Or will it sit in storage in Port Hueneme until our return to the states? A great way to spend a Saturday night, huh.


When we told people we were moving to Japan, the first thing they asked was, what are you doing with all your stuff? Generally residences is Asia are more compact than the United States McMansions.


Benny and I have already downsized once. When we decided to live in a Silver Strand Beach bungalow for the location and not the square footage, several boxes did not get unpacked. Today those boxes are in our storage shed. What's in them? Fancy dishes that we have never used. Fancy silverware that we have never used. Mementos I use to keep on my desk in Yuma. Everything else is a mystery. That makes making a mental checklist of what to save, sell and store mind-bending.


So that is what we don't know.


This is what we do know:


Grill. The Hummer of gas grills (which Benny could fit inside) will be stored in Port Hueneme courtesy of the Navy.

Green sofa. Hopefully sell to a good home. We need to post the ad on Craigs List pronto. Same goes for the refrigerator, washer and dryer. Now Benny is giving me the look. The look that we are storing the world's best fridge. Time to update the list.

Hammock. Going to Okinawa. Hopefully we will have a patio to put it on. Keep your fingers crossed.

Our bed. Going. But I'm having doubts on the bench and night stands. Maybe those should be stored.

Futon. Going. This will be our sofa and guest bed.

Dining table. This is either getting sold or stored. Decision hasn't been made yet. We are planning to take our coffee table and cushions and start eating traditional Japanese style by sitting on the floor.

My car. We are selling it. Hopefully days before our move.

Benny's car. Again, selling it. Hopefully to Benny's brother Jon.

Nobody said downsizing is easy. Nobody.