Getting Five Years of Stuff Down to Two Suitcases

 After five years here, stuff starts to accumulate. I'm talking about books, souvenirs, memorabilia, and just anything else I've held onto over the years. So I've been sorting things lately and making one big pile of "donate" and the rest is being packed into boxes to be shipped across the ocean. I found it the cheapest to send via "surface" or by ship. But the weight limit for each box is 20kg or 44lbs. So trying to meet these requirements is a little tough.

This small pile pictured above is the stuff I am hoping to take with me along with my clothes in two suitcases. Speaking of clothes, I have a lot! Since Korea has four or really two seasons (hot and cold) I've accumulated quite the collection. However, I am going to let go of a lot and hold on to the essentials. Some of it's old and worn out anyway.

How does one get rid of their stuff here in Korea? Back home you would call up the Salvation Army and they would pick up anything if it's in boxes. They have the Salvation Army here in Korea, but I have yet to try it. So we will see if that works out. In the meantime I have a nice huge pile of clothes, books and stuff growing in my laundry room closet.

What's left besides my "stuff" is a lot of kitchen wares, items and also furniture throughout the house. For some reason I filled up my space here with 3 bookshelves, desk and chair, microwave stand and a large TV stand. All of which will need to go, as you can see by my previous post. Hopefully people will come and buy this stuff or it can be donated. The worse case scenario is just giving it up to the front of the building. Instead of donating it themselves they tear left over furniture apart and get rid of it that way.

I also notice I have a lot of art supplies including sketchbooks and other materials. Also I have my portfolio that I need to figure out how to get back home, either with me or by shipping.

Thankfully I have till February to liquidate it all and pack up my two suitcases for the move. Our school's Christmas vacation is coming up next week and so that will give me plenty of time to start squaring away these tasks.

Seeing and going through all my stuff made me realize how much I settled into living here in Korea. I'm sure if I had planned on just teaching a few years and moving back, I wouldn't have accumulated so much. Oh well! Time to head back home and start piling on more! ha ha