Yes, It's Been Three Weeks and No, I'm Not Unpacked Yet

The main stash of boxes, but not the only one.

I keep having people ask if I'm unpacked yet, and the answer is "No, and I'm taking my time." When I knew I was going to be moving here, I gave myself a year to decorate. I have minimal furniture right now, and I'm determined to get most of what I need for free or at least very, very cheap. This is a college town, so every year in January, May and August, there are moveouts and people throwing away or giving away all manner of wonderful things...especially furniture. If they aren't giving it away, they are selling it so cheap it feels like stealing.

Bedroom Boxes

The largest tossout comes in late July/early August, since that is when most leases are up. In college towns, most leases tend to run from August 1 to August 1. That gives landlords time to clean and fix up the places for returning students, who come back in mid-August. I missed the big tossout this year, due to no money and no time, since I was moving too. I wont, however, miss the January and May tossouts, which are smaller, but still worth renting a truck for.


In the meantime, though, I do have to have a few things -- like a bedroom set and new mattresses. I refuse to buy used mattresses, no matter how clean they look. Just think about it -- college kids -- sex -- drunken sweat and God knows what other biologicals from any number of people -- EWWWW!!! Nope, I'll buy a new mattress, thank you very much. 

Closet Boxes

I was hoping to do a lot with pallets, but I don't know now. I may do a pallet base for the daybed/sofa (which is now my twin bed) that will be in the LR/Dayroom/Office. Other than that, I think I'm going to go more trash-to-treasure cottage style.

Luckily, I have a room that will one day be my craft/plant room, but is now the storage room. My plan for right now is to unpack what I can, then stash all the rest of the boxes in that room and start getting the bedroom and LR set up. When I do get furniture, each piece will be functional as storage or display space for all manner of things. As I get each piece, I will unpack a few boxes of stuff to put in, on or under it, and eventually it will all be done.

This does not happen overnight, no matter how much you may want it to. I really DON'T want it to, though. I really want to just take my time and slowly build an eclectic interior of magical things. Well worth working on for a year, don't you think?