It's like shopping, but much better...

...because I don't even have to leave my garage.

I stood staring at the boxes and crates that I'd shifted to the other side of the garage yesterday wondering where to begin. I was able to do some basic sorting yesterday taking advantage of boxes that were at least briefly labeled as well as those that contained the things pictured on the boxes.

I unpacked a box with two lamps I knew I wanted to get rid of and was impressed by the care I'd packed them with. Crumpled newspaper, shredded documents, and bubble wrap filled the box. Though the container had gotten crushed a bit (which seems to be the case of all the boxes labeled "fragile"), the lamps and even the lightbulbs were still intact. The lampshades, in another slightly crushed box, were also fine. Emptying just two large boxes felt great. Progress.

After staring down the rest of the pile for a while, I cut open the box vaguely labeled "& shoes." I knew of two pairs I'd put in storage, but had forgotten about two other pairs. And one of the pairs was not actually the same set of shoes I'd been picturing: they were better, which is timely because the glue holding the soles of my Skechers together is giving way.

Then I decided I should see how the clothes in my dresser had fared. I pulled out an armful of linen, silk, and rayon pieces that had all survived well, a few wrinkles, but nothing to worry about. No, I wouldn't normally put my best clothes in storage; when I originally packed, I had only expected all my stuff to be stored for a max of two months, and I could only fit so much in my car. What I love is that I found two fantastic shirts I'd forgotten I owned. Every box has a little surprise for me, and I'm enjoying the rediscovery.