Unpacking once again- for the eleventh time in thirteen and a half years

Yes, it’s happening once again. The packing up of our home and then unpacking it again in a new house. One would think that after doing it so many times, it would have become easy and breezy. But it hasn’t. Not one bit.

Eleven is a big number when it comes to moving houses. To be more precise, I have included the guest rooms/ temporary accommodations too. But even if one stays in a place for just two months, one still unpacks stuff that is required, to live comfortably. You unpack bit by bit. A formal party today, so you unpack your sarees and the kids’ fancy clothes. An informal dinner tomorrow, so you unpack your regular clothes. The kids start school the day after, so you unpack their bags, books, stationary and the whole jingbang. The husband’s uniforms need a separate almirah and hey, without you realising it, your household is bursting out of the guest rooms! So, the guest rooms are mini homes too. Hence, their inclusion in the “eleven”.

Tonight is our third night in the new house. A house coveted by many, as it is in the new  “Map” colony. “Map”, meaning new army houses with a relatively modern plan as opposed to the familiar colonial type of houses. I should have been jubilant. After all, the house took it’s time in reaching us. One and a half years, to be precise. But, I am tired. Tired, as in, big time TIRED. We had a very, very and very important function in the station, that went on for three days. But the preparations started almost four months back. And how! It was an event of gigantic importance and size. Hence the preparations and efforts too were of the same proportions. Let me stop right here. before I steer my musings in another direction. This story is for another time and day. So, the event got over, and the very next day, the “moving” commenced. Whew! No time for a breather.

We are moving and shifting all the belongings, trying to visualize a perfect space in the house for them and then reflecting; sometimes shuffling them around again.This chair fits well here, that painting looks nice over there; and so on. Today, I completed the toughest task of all; arranging my clothes in the cupboards that I have assigned for them. Now, this task is my nemesis. I tackle the kids’clothes like a pro and keep downsizing, rearranging, replacing regularly. The same goes for the rest of the home too. I am not a slacker in the home department at all. BUT, I balk at the very prospect of tidying up my own wardrobes. Ok, I admit, they are overflowing with their contents, i.e. my clothes. But I am a girl, ain’t I? The over indulgence is excused. So, I started the task by downsizing and gave away some old and outgrown clothes to my house help. But like all the other times, this time too, I held on to those few pieces. An embroidered skirt that my parents bought for me from Delhi. I wore it quite frequently during my early teens and my mother used to like it a lot. She would always say “You must keep it for your children”. I looked at the skirt, remembered my mother and kept it in the recesses of the wardrobe. Next, a few dresses) that I sadly don’t fit into any more. I plan to give them to my niece or to my daughters. And so on. I had been telling my husband that I need some moral support for this task of mine. But he has been too darn busy lately; so I kept putting it off , and finally ended up doing it all by myself. ALL BY MYSELF! Hey, is that a smirk on your face? Now don’t you start going all judgemental on me. I have explained myself well and truly in the sentences above these. We all have our idiosyncracies, don’t we?

The hubby came back from office and I announced triumphantly to him, “I have done it!” He knew what I meant by “it” and said “Shabbash!” Finally, it’s over. My wardrobe had been the monkey on my back for months now and now the little pest is off to other greener pastures. For a few months at least.

I am trying to gather my strength and resolve for tomorrow, when I mean to tackle all the “teeny weenies”. The little bits and pieces that are strewn around the house right now and are asking me in unison , ” Lady, where do we go? “. So, this lady will wake up tomorrow morning and after sending her children off to school, she will roll up her sleeves and find some respectable places for the teeny weenies. Wish her luck, will you? Good night, you lucky ones “who are not moving house”!

© Sapna, 15th Oct 2017