Not many days to cross off now!
Well, thought I’d better do a quick post so you all know we are still alive – just – and we haven’t decided to call the trip off just yet! We have however, spent the last week arguing over whose dumb idea it was to head off around Australia in a camper van for 8 months – especially heading off in the middle of winter! We have decided that we never, ever, ever want to do this moving gig again – the next move will be it!
Having said all that – we are getting there – the container is just about full, the house is mostly empty and we are probably a third of the way through the cleaning. It hasn’t been all bad – I am finished up at work – yippppeeee (I will miss you though BMR crew!!) and my mum is here visiting (ok – not so much visiting as slave labour, but nice to have her here all the same!) and it does feel good to have done a bit of a sort of our life possessions (probably not ruthless enough)! We have been feeling very grateful for the kind friends we have around us! Big thanks to Michelle for dropping over a yummy batch of freshly baked muffins on the weekend, it was a big lift when I was feeling pretty over it all and wondering how on earth we would get it all done! Also thanks to Luke for giving Matt a hand to lift the really heavy stuff after I went on strike, cried, and said ‘I wasn’t a man and I couldn’t lift any more’! And thanks to Luke and Duncan for the loan of the trailers again – we should have bought shares in those trailers!! We really appreciate all your kindness neighbours and friends!
With hopefully only a few more days of stressful cleaning and packing to go to make our ‘handover keys’ deadline on Saturday – a little bit of excitement is starting to creep in! I can’t wait for next week when we will just get to focus on finalising all the packing into the camper! Less than 2 weeks to go!
The muscles are very sore from all the lifting and carrying and mum and I have to get back to work – tackling the walls in the lounge room tonight so must drag ourselves away from the fire and get back to it! Hopefully the next post will see us all moved out!! Anybody got any good cleaning tips for us????
Spoilt on my last day at work with a farewell morning tea, lunch, card and gift!
Awww – lovely farewell cards!
Watching Grammy’s plane arrive!
Mum & I hard at work late one night packing up the kitchen.
Packing chaos!
Container, camper, rubbish – piles going into each!
Empty container
Matt is very good at Container Tetris
Halfway Mark
Trailer load off to Vinnies
Camping out already – at least we have a fire in the house though!
Camping out in the lounge room – enjoying the last days with our fireplace!
A quick trip out to Bribie Island to see my Aunty Glenda who is visiting from New Zealand. And to meet my Dad’s cousin Cheryl.
Packing, packing!
Grammy slave labour – the things you have to do for your kids!
Giving his chooks some quality time before we go!
Hang in there Jess. Eyes on the goal! Your blog brings back memories of the exact same process we had before leaving to live in the States for awhile. Little kids can find the experience quite unsettling and need extra TLC just when you feel you have nothing left to give. ( Ross and Helen did) Tip for wall cleaning – I find the Enjo floor mop marvellous for cleaning walls. Also is there any chance of a quick catch up/phone call with your Mum? That is if slaves are entitled to phone calls!!!!! Love Ngaree
As we have moved a million times it does get easier, culling more and more stuff seems to help. Cleaning now I like to work on one room at a time then close the door when empty and clean of course now that room is out of bounds to all the kids. My tip for cleaning walls is to vaccum the walls (gets of dust off so easier to scrub) and with a cheap broom and a bucket of sugar soap away I go, I sometimes use an old towel or cloth to wipe down the walls if they are a bit soapy then leave them to dry. Good luck.
Not long now and you can relax. Take care and do not do your back in like I have. I agree no more heavy lifting for you. Matt needs to take care too. I have overdone it and stress does not help. Xo
How exciting for you all!! The time will fly by and in no time at all you’ll be enjoying all the new and wonderful things waiting for you 🙂
If you can, pop over to my blog and leave me some details on the container storage thing. I’m still undecided where and how I’m storing my household items and with just 5 weeks to go I’m starting to panic!!
Missy x