Moving right along

Part of moving is getting rid of some of your old stuff, which gives you an excuse or reason to get new stuff. Whether you view that as an opportunity or a chore depends on how you feel about shopping and/or spending money, I guess. Me, I'm not what you'd call cheap (I have a real problem resisting impulses some times; after an ill-advised visit to Craigslist the other day, I haven't completely talked myself out of buying a pinball machine yet) but shelling out big dollars for things makes me anxious and I often experience regret after wasting cash on something silly so I try to limit my big spending to things that are absolute necessities. I got rid of a lot of stuff when I moved, including almost all of my furniture and housewares, so I've had to replace some of it just to be able to live.
The last time I moved, it was my first time living on my own since I was a kid and I went out and bought all kinds of crazy things with the idea that I would be entertaining all sorts of social gatherings. "My many charming party guests are certain to be amused by these napkin holders!" Yeah, that didn't really work out. The one time I had company over, it was an occasion for me to show off the apartment before going out to dinner. One of them looked around real quick but didn't even want to sit down before hustling everyone out and off to the restaurant. She said later it was just because she was hungry but it made me self-conscious about my things and I never invited friends over again.
This time I was smart and went practical. I stocked my whole home with one trip to WalMart, where I bought:

• One set of sheets
• One pillow
• One comforter
• One bath towel
• One bath mat
• One sauce pan
• One skillet
• One plate
• One bowl
• One fork
• One spoon
• One multi-purpose knife

Boom. I'm all set. I already had a coffee cup that I was given as a gift (thanks, Donna) so my beverage needs were covered. Someone offered to custom build me a desk for $1200, but what do I need with a desk? A place to organize all my important paperwork? Ppphht. Nonsense. A card table would suit me fine. Even better, I found what appears to be half of a standard card table at WalMart. Perfect.
I also bought two metal folding chairs. Why two? Did I suddenly think I was Donald Trump and I needed to sate my lust for extravagant creature comforts? Not exactly. It's a matter of practicality. Observe...

Chair

Loveseat

Sleeper sofa

Two chairs, three different pieces of furniture!
Sometimes, I am a genius.