Expansion

I have lived alone since 2003. That, actually, isn't true. But I have had a fair amount of control over my living space since that time and I've collected a fair amount of possessions since I moved into my first solo living situation the summer after my freshmen year (it's funny that I just wrote that when what I really meant was the summer after I graduated from college). I will now list the things I have in a storage unit:

1) A futon/bed
2) A coffee table
3) A desk and office chair
4) Approximately five bookshelves worth of books
5) Three bookshelves
6)Framed photographs that could aesthetically take up 6 or so walls
7) Bedding for four beds
8) An oriental rug
9) Four wooden dining room chairs
10) A circa 1910 Sears sewing table
11) A very large closet's worth of clothing + one ample dresser's worth
12) A stock pot, bakeware, blender, food processor and other cooking related doo dads

And more, I'm sure.

Yesterday I looked at an apartment near work. It had a nice courtyard landscaped beautifully with bright flowers. All the doors to the two story buildings (12 in all) were painted a happy red color. The apartment itself was lovely, kind of small but nice...if you were one person. Unfortunately I would be one of two and as the newcomer I would have the smaller room...which would certainly not fit my bed, a dresser and my desk. The living area was already furnished with a sofa, two chairs and a dining table that already was pushed up to the wall. It doesn't even matter whether the girl and I would have gotten along, there wasn't enough room for my stuff. I thought, when leaving Chicago, that I had done a pretty good job of paring down my belongings. I left behind two sofas, three dressers, a television and VCR, a dining room table, a kitchen table and a whole set of Fiestaware...and other stuff, I'm sure. And yet in my search for a new place to live I'm finding that the things I kept are still too many to easily add to someone else's already configured life.

When I first started thinking about moving to Philly I decided that I most certainly would live alone. I held on to this belief until I received my first paycheck...with more than 25% of it withheld for taxes and health insurance. My initial ability to spend close to $850 per month (on Thursday E. made some comment about how you could always count on me to talk frankly about money...it's true) on solo housing went out the window...I mean I could do it but then I wouldn't be able to eat or have electricity and what fun would that be? So I had to come to terms with the fact that I'd have to share space with someone else...and this someone else would be a complete stranger.

I have looked at three different places so far. One I liked very much but nothing came of it. The next had the space/college girls problem and this latest the same space issue. I'm beginning to think that it may be impossible for me to find a share of a house for $650 or, preferably, less that will allow any kind of full integration of my household items.

Right now I am paying for a storage unit in Chicago. Last month I received a notice that the cost of keeping this space was going to be raised from $80 per month to $158. I protested and was given a slight grace period until October. So that's an added worry. Not only do I need to find a place to live, I need to find it quick-like-a-bunny-like in order to have time (I have no idea where the money will come from) to go out to Chicago and haul the stuff back before my job's busy season (yeah, my job has a busy season and it's late summer early fall). This busy season also leads me to a strong desire to stay within a reasonable distance of my office for, you see, in the busy season I'll be working late into the night....and Philadelphia's public transportation system seems to pretty much shut down after 11pm. Sigh.

So if any one knows any one who can help me find a place to live- that accepts cats, is near the Fairmount/Art Museum neighborhoods of Philadelphia, has room for my belongings and is around $600- well, I'd strongly suggest you contact me before I lose my mind.

The problem is I nested. I nested in a serious way. I accumulated things with a person and made a home. Many of those things were split up or left behind but what remains is still too much. How can I get rid of my books? I can't. I love my books. How can I get rid of my coffee table? I've had it for six years and it's perfect in its rickety little way. My desk is a dreamboat and I don't care that it's too long to fit in a snug corner. I can't conceive of parting with it...all I would do is constantly search for another one just like it. I do not feel that I am being so terribly materialistic. It's just why get rid of things that I'll only want to get again at some later time? Why get rid of things that make the place I live feel like home? Oh yes I know the glory of living out of a suitcase and the feeling of freedom that can give a person but, frankly, I've never been too into freedom...I'm more into 'cozydom'.