Packing up and cleaning out provides life lessons

Building a house is a humbling task.

Our dream started two years ago. Two meetings with the Board of Zoning Appeals, five architect design sessions, 12 hours picking out paint at the Mechanicsville Lowe's, countless unnamed duties and hours of lost sleep have come down to just a few items left on the checklist.

We are almost there.

Well, except that our current house has not yet sold -- and selling a house is a humbling task.

A Web search provided me with tips to make a house more appealing. I have packed up knickknacks, CDs and DVDs. Most of my books are safely stowed away in a storage unit. I have even packed up most of my family pictures.

Staged living areas, sparkling cabinets and freshly painted walls were easy to handle. It is the flood of memories that has taken me by storm.

I remember walking through the doors after signing the closing documents. The brand-new rancher was finally our home. Our baby was just over a year old, and the places for her to play were plentiful. She used to throw her head back and feel the air flow through her bouncy curls as she raced on toddler legs down the long hallway.

As I box up photo albums, I pause to flip through the past.

Some of my favorite memories come from Christmas mornings. Her tousled hair and long nightgown set the scene as she squealed in delight over her Santa presents. That precious baby has grown into a humorous, insightful tween in the years we have been in this house.

More pictures show nervous smiles and new clothes. Each year, the start of school is marked by another first-day-of-school picture on the front walk. Even my husband could not escape the fate of the camera capturing his first day on the job. His uniform pressed and sharp, he exudes confidence in his smile.

In these nine years we have buried a dog, a turtle and a cat. We have hosted birthday parties, Bible studies and cookouts. We have laughed, and we have cried. We have shouted, and we have loved.

These are the types of memories that houses are supposed to hold.

Although boxing up memories continues to be a different journey, the preparation process has reminded me we can live a fulfilling life based on the same guidelines as selling a house.

• Clean up the exterior: Serve your community. Get involved in church, local causes or charity events. Take time to care for others. Put others' needs first.

• Stage the living room: Set high expectations for yourself and others. Present your best to others as often as possible. Set goals and keep them.

• Pack up books: Get a quality education. Go back to school. Engage in intellectual debates. Make friends with someone smarter than yourself. Read poetry.

• De-clutter frequently: Talk to friends and loved ones about the joys, sorrows and stresses in your life. Find a mentor. Spend time with family and friends.

• Paint the interior: Take time for yourself. Exercise. Eat well. Get a pedicure. Write a book. Eat chocolate. Relax. Reflect.

Cleaning out and consolidating has not always been an easy emotional process. However, when closing time comes again, and I seal that final box and walk out the door for the last time, I will be grateful for the memories this house has provided.

And I will be grateful for the life lessons learned.

A new walkway will host first-day-of-school pictures. A new living room will provide the backdrop for new Christmas mornings and the frenzy of early surprises.

And a new house will continue to offer lessons for living a fulfilling life.

Heidi Craft teaches journalism at Atlee High School in Hanover County. She can be reached at .