My life is in boxes. Inside a big box.
All of my stuff has been wrapped up, boxed up, taped up and crammed into a storage unit. It’s better than the alternative, though.
I moved out of my rental house because of a mold issue that made me sick. Even though my life is in boxes, I’m doing okay. And, don’t worry, I’m not actually living in a box. My twin sister has let me make her home my home for the time being.
But as a homebody who loves home decorating, home cooking and just hanging out at home, the boxed up lifestyle wasn’t easy at first.
Feeling boxed in
It’s no secret that I love home decorating. I’m not really sure what to do with myself when I’m not jumping from one DIY project to the next. I need to be painting something, gluing something or cutting something.
My fingers are itching to rearrange furniture, revamp bookshelves and hang up art. I want to make messes. Try out crafts. And make pretty things.
It’s a little bit harder since I don’t have a home of my own. Although, I’m sure my sister would say she has plenty of home projects to give me!
Getting out of the box
It’s funny how things have come full circle.
When I moved to Kansas City five years ago, I found a small apartment in the River Market, an eclectic community near downtown that’s close to restaurants, bars and—my favorite—the City Market farmers market. I moved further south to a rental house a couple of years later. Now I’m back in the River Market living in a townhouse with my sister.
Moving back to the River Market wasn’t the plan. But Kansas City is really blossoming right now; it’s seeing a kind of renaissance, especially in the River Market area, and I’m excited to be right in the heart of it.
For example, the KC Streetcar just opened with 10 stops connecting the River Market, downtown, midtown and their adjoining neighborhoods. It’s an incredibly progressive step toward not only modernizing the city, but also creating more connections for people and businesses. Already, the streetcar has opened up the downtown area and revived interest in the businesses and neighborhoods along the way.
I’ve tried a handful of new restaurants and attended dozens of events since the streetcar opened that I wouldn’t have otherwise. (As you can probably tell, I’m just a little excited about it. And it helps that I live near a stop.)
Finding my own box
When I started writing this post, I was in the middle of packing. I was also house hunting with a vengeance. All I wanted was to find my dream house—right now—and not have to move in with my sister.
Low housing inventory and a sellers’ market squashed those dreams for the moment.
Even so, I’m comfortable where I’m at. Both mentally and physically. I can’t control everything despite trying and maybe this is where I’m supposed to be right now.
Besides a little frustration every now and then when I start looking for my Mod Podge® only to remember that it’s in the storage unit packed in who-knows-what box, I’m embracing the “now.”
(But I still can’t wait to unpack those boxes.)
Cheers to not being in control and just embracing what comes.
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