Where is it?

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In Those Days, we moved often because my father's career was the Army. So, I can remember about eight different houses we lived in. Most of them were two bedroom places, sometimes a condo kind of place (actually they were called row houses on the right coast), and a few times they were real houses. Much of the time there were as many as 5 siblings in our home, and a time or two we did have 3 bedrooms, but I never had one of my own. Things were crowded, but comfortable.

As time passed, I raised own children, and over their years at home, we moved 4 times, but always remaining in the same city. We started in a duplex, but soon moved into a 3 bedroom house. My children always had a bedroom of their own, but at times preferred to share their room. Each of our subsequent moves were to larger and larger houses, with room for more stuff.

Reflecting back to Those Days, I remember our living areas being crowded, but in a different way. Cramming 5 kids into even a 3 bedroom house was a challenge. We always had a car; sometimes two. And, the car was always parked in the garage if we had one. Now, that's the part I find most strange.

By our third move, I realized I had acquired too much stuff, So much stuff that I couldn't find much of it. I'd often ask, "Now, where is it?" I'm not talking about the stuff we used frequently. I'm talking about stuff we only used a time or two.

Stuff like ice cream makers, bread makers, fondues, waffle machines, blenders, tennis rackets, boots, sweaters, Easter bonnets, books, toys, bowling balls, old furniture, fishing poles, used car parts, and blankets. Stuff that always seemed to find it's way into the garage. So much stuff that I couldn't park my cars in it. Stuff in the attic, in all the closets, in all the kitchen cabinets, on the porch, in the back yards, under the beds, in the drawers, and even in the trunks of the cars! So much stuff that I never even knew what we had.

Now, I don't think I was much different than anyone else. My children have stuff stuffed in their garages to the point that only one car can be parked inside their 2 car garages. Most of my friends in my old SoCal neighborhood were the same. One could barely walk in his garage, let alone park his car there! The neighbors here as well. Cars, trucks, boats, Rv's. Only difference is they are strewn about their multi-acre lots instead of in their fenced back yards, because their garage is full.

And I am quickly filling this house up as well, even though there is over 1200 sqft of designated shop and storage spaces. What gives? Something has to. I've got too much stuff!

What happened to life in Those Days where we had enough and appreciated what we had?
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