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Moving in Manhattan

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Here are some photos from the process of moving down the street. As of time of writing, we’ve manged to work through all the Gorilla Bins (see below) and get to a functional, but cluttered space with a few wardrobe boxes full of stuff left over. We have some new storage coming but, thanks to the pandemic, it’s on delay so we’re going to have to live with the clutter for a few weeks. I’ll post a final “all done” picture when the time is right.

A real pro tip of moving only a few blocks away is that we were able to pre-move by hand. If you have the option to do this, I highly recommend it. We took tenancy of the new apartment on the 15th and started “camping” in it on the 22nd. This is huge because it mentally projects a goal into your future and helps you start seeing every act at “the old place” as step toward that goal. Also, you don’t have to sleep in a dusty old box-laden place.

We bade adieu to scores of books, two bookshelves, two storage units and are working to live in , as Twitter personality and neighbor George Hahn calls it, a more “edited” space.

An Unintended Redecoration

We also discovered that some of our furniture literally could not fit through the front door! So that meant giving our blue sofa (pictured below) away. Also our large brass chair (the bastard that broke one of my toes) doesn’t fit. We’re storing it in the building basement (or new super is great) and are going to find some means to help it collapse a bit in order to shed the inches needed to fit, but we might have to bit it farewell as well.

We also discovered that, after a few years in the Manhattan air, our ACs were beyond cleaning. As a result, we wound up ditching them as well. Open up the piggy bank.

We also, also discovered that none of our blinds were portable to this new place. Open up the piggy bank Fetch the Visa.

So it looks like we’re going to be on the hook for some sigh unplanned expenses on top of the planned expenses of some new, more uniform storage units. Nevertheless, we’re starting from a more-considered, better-“edited” origin and I’m confident that that will lead to a better result.

_Do we even live here anymore?_
Do we even live here anymore?
A final look at the Hudson
A final look at the Hudson
He never does this
He never does this
_You've been busy all day, how about adoring me now?_
You’ve been busy all day, how about adoring me now?
That's better
That’s better
Air mattress and bedding moved by granny cart on foot. So zen
Air mattress and bedding moved by granny cart on foot. So zen
We taped out where the big objects were to go ahead of move day, so we wound up with our bed in place when they left...
We taped out where the big objects were to go ahead of move day, so we wound up with our bed in place when they left…
...But it was exhausting
…But it was exhausting
Our wedding gift clock made it, but caused a few aneurysms along the way. _See also_: tape used to mark out the floor before move in. Such a pro move
Our wedding gift clock made it, but caused a few aneurysms along the way. See also: tape used to mark out the floor before move in. Such a pro move
We moved using "Gorilla Bins." Can't recommend this strongly enough. They're strong, don't require you to make boxes from cardboard and don't clutter up your work area in big tape-wrapped piles as you unpack.
We moved using “Gorilla Bins.” Can’t recommend this strongly enough. They’re strong, don’t require you to make boxes from cardboard and don’t clutter up your work area in big tape-wrapped piles as you unpack.
...Halfway through
…Halfway through