Moving With Games

My moving notebook, detailing the contents of each game box.

We made it! My fiancé, cats, and I have all made it to Atlanta. We have our stuff from the moving truck and all of the furniture we need except for rugs and décor. Most importantly, we both start work in about a week. Everything is still uncertain and more than a little scary, but we're here! It's time for a new chapter in our lives to begin. 

Moving my board games actually went pretty well. I know some people have packed them in shelves, etc., but my solution was to use medium-sized moving boxes. As I packed, I numbered each box and kept a notebook where I recorded which games were in which boxes. That way, if something got lost in the move, I'd know exactly what I needed to replace. Fortunately, though, that didn't happen! All of my games made it, and nothing was damaged in the move. 

Moving has left me broke, but I invested what money I had left into making this apartment the most pleasant living space I possibly could. After all, if you can't afford to go out, you had better enjoy staying in! Part of this process has been organizing my board game collection. ​

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I'm not sure we'll even be able to get this thing out of the apartment in one piece, but I love it!

For me, the most important parts of making my apartment the perfect home were 1) having a nice office space for working at home and 2) giving myself good gaming areas. I am well on the way to achieving both. My office still needs to be organized a bit (a lot of random books and supplies are covering my desk, waiting to be put away). But my fiancé let me turn our sunroom into a gaming den, and I am very excited about it. He even helped me put together my first set of Kallax shelves! Assembly started out easy enough, but the last part was brutal. To finish the shelf, you have to add the side and top boards, which means matching up a lot of little holes with a lot of wooden dowels. But we did it, and now my games have a lovely home! We also got an expandable dining table where I can finally play larger games without feeling constrained.

My next mission is to find an FLGS or two. I love solo gaming, but that doesn't mean I am not social. When I lived in Durham, I loved going to Atomic Empire to play with my work buddies. Now, I'm in a new town where I don't know anyone. It's time to make some friends! 

In my experience, it takes at least a few months to develop strong relationships in a new place. But board gamers are generally nice people, and I look forward to planting the seeds of new friendships. I'm nervous about putting myself out there—it's hard to do even if you're generally outgoing—but I also take comfort in the fact that I'm part of a welcoming hobby full of friendly people. Between an exciting new job and what looks like a lively gaming scene, I think I'll have a rich and satisfying life in my new city. 

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