It was melancholic—the act of rearranging the dining table to make space for our lipat–bahay boxes. I knew the sky felt the same in its grayish loom. The air that enveloped our little home was already different—at least for me because Bryce at the living room seemed to be enjoying his regular fire-chuck and peace–car YouTube shows.

A year ago, when we chose East Raya to be our first home as a family of three, Jaycelle and I also rearranged the dining table before anything else. We put a white doily–like table cloth underneath the rectangular glass and it instantly made the place feel more like home. The arrangement and the look had our touch.

This feeling—was it because I was alone doing the “undoing”? I updated Jaycelle with a picture of the messy house—a disarray that was certain of the move that we’ve been preparing for. On a lighter side, I was relieved of every thing that I get to single out in a big black trash bag. It was like weight off your shoulders when you finally dispose of those things that had been lingering with you for a year yet didn’t get to be used.

We can live without these, I thought.

In two days, the living room and kitchen were suctioned off into boxes neatly arranged by the door–waiting in a day or two to finally get out. I cleaned up each area as I emptied them—leaving less work for the unit owner and ultimately getting back most of our initial rent deposit.

We’re still halfway through packing and I’m excited of film–wrapping furniture and filling–in boxes in a Tetris–like manner.

But mostly, in making another page into a new chapter in our book of adventures.