DDL

Are you sure? http://www.housingcare.org/housing-care-providers.aspx

Beedubya

Wow that is some list Denise!!!

aes1

Packing my bags as I write............

aes1

Thanks Denise, for doing all this research on housing and sharing it with us. Always handy to have filed away as our future can never be guessed.

Last night in Malta. I went to a small gathering of people who meet each week to discuss world peace and how to accomplish it. I was invited by my local health shop owner and felt I needed to go. It was interesting, not sure if I would go every week, but it was very nice to chat to some Maltese women. I was also invited to attend a program being given by the Universal Peace Federation here in Malta on Sunday. Not sure if I can fit it in with present plans, but will see. After the discussion I strolled along to a Fusion winebar/restaurant in one of the old Bastions of Valletta to meet the expat social group. Some familiar faces, along with new ones. A Brit living in Seattle, wanting to move his family out of the US - for all the reasons we others have moved - and checking out Malta for a new home. He seemed suitably impressed and will bring wife and kids over in September. Seemed to have no money problems (5 cars at one time and bought the house next door to put his stuff in ). I also talked to an Italian guy (who had taken cooking courses once) and just had to ask the question: Which is the best brand of pasta to buy?? His response was Barilla, so there you have it! He also told me the best arborio rice was by R.......... (don't remember, sorry!! Might of been Rienzi but can't swear to it). Unfortunately he didn't like olive oil, only used butter, so I couldn't ask about that!! The wine bar had an exhibition of old, old wax life size figures depicting Maltese life 100 years ago, that they had on the premises underground, and the owner opened it up especially for us. Fascinating, the figures were wired to move as they were going about their daily tasks, such as weaving, cooking, fishing, etc. Shame I didn't have my camera with me. At the end of the evening, after midnight, I was given a lift home by a French man and Moroccan girl, who were going on to a club for salsa dancing (of course they were a lot younger than sleepy me who wanted to get to bed!).

I love the diversity of Malta!!!

J.J

We have occasionally felt the same of can we get it all done.
Now we on the last 10 days and it's getting easier - but no less busy, think it will go on to the last day.
When we go we go, anything not done will be dealt with from over there (although it won't be so easy so is worth the big effort now)

We learned:
Don't sweat the small stuff, attend to the important stuff first.
Lists didn't work as we move through the issues so mark must-do's on a calendar as a reminder.
Yard sales are not really worth the time and effort.
Get rid of the bigger items items on Craigslist but even so price attractive (expect 25% new cost) and if no responses move to different category, write off or get tax credit on smaller stuff by donating to charity.
The more stuff you get rid of the better the feelings become about being on track.
Keep at it, acheive something everyday towards your goal.

Best wishes.

Marmalade

Great Advice - especially on the yard sale part. I have done yard sales in the past and only garnered a couple hundred dollars (sweating my brains out while doing so), hated the experience

I do at least one thing everyday to lighten the load and be organized. I love organizing, so that doesn't faze me. The more crap I throw out the better I feel

One thing I am astonished at is the amount of crap I have accumulated over the past 23 years. I know it is a long time, but I usually don't like clutter and can't for the life of me think where all this stuff came from. I am realizing I am saving paper documents on everything just in case I need the information. Finally throwing out everything that is not of value or crucial for my move. What a load off, I can say

Where would you recommend I sell my computer and large TV, oh, and bed too - on Craigslist

Mummy in the foothills

Yes try Craigslist, we just bought a bed on there.
If you are is a small area, also list it, (changing the title and description or they won't accept it) in the nearest large metropolitan area.
We sold two strollers this year. I'm already clearing out after reading all this.
Most small stuff I drop to the local charity shop a couple times a month.

DDL

Brilliant observations, all. "Achieve something everyday towards your goal" has been our mantra, as well. We both work full-time during the week, but have tried very hard to get at least one thing accomplished every night after work (for example: sitting in front of the tv to relax but going through all our CD's or DVD's) and on the week-ends we do as much as possible, but still try to carve out some down time as it is all becoming quite exhausting!

In our case, Yard Sales have worked extremely well and all of our furniture has sold that way. I advertised the Yard Sale in our local paper; on Craigslist (listing specific items); and on my Facebook profile, asking all my local Friends to repost on theirs. This proved very helpful. (I did sell my car on Craigslist, however - took all of 2 days.)

My husband had half-a-dozen guns and lots of ammo to sell and since we couldn't advertise that kind of stuff, we just printed out signs and hung them up around the yard during the sale. Also, when I would see a man or a couple together, I would say, "We also have guns and ammo for sale." Amazing how the men would suddenly come to life!!!!!!!!!!!!

Marmalade

Thanks, I will try that when the time comes. Would hate to be without my bed for too long

Or, to think of it - a computer

DDL

We had a lovely king-size 4-poster bed. We sold it at our last yard sale and are sleeping on the box spring/mattress that now rests directly on the floor.

It's not too bad and actually seems to be giving us more support than when it was up on the bed frame.

Marmalade

Interesting, maybe I should start advertising now

charleygirl

I have just taken my second break of the afternoon, sorting out my clothes closet, I never realised I had 6 pairs of jeans all the same and mosty too small, I have stuff everywhere feeling a bit overwhelmed but definitely slowly making head way.
Last night I went through a few hundred photos, you know the ones from when the kids were young and we got doubles of everything even the blurry ones, never thought I could do it but I shredded hundreds of photos last night, so those old photos that took up a gallon container are now in one small shoe box size, feel proud of my achievement, little at a time.

good luck to eveyone who is de cluttering.

J.J

Agreed, it is tough to let stuff go that would otherwise comfortably just be stored somewhere.
We have had masses of paperwork that we been keeping just in case, burnt out our shredder trying to get through it, thank goodness there is shredder at his work.

jasper123

Yes Lestagirl,
There seems to be so many of us in the stage of de cluttering right now, some have months to do it all and some have only weeks,
well I have tried to motivate myself on my days off but things crop up, friend wants to go out for lunch then see a movie, etc etc, tried to do a few things when I come home from work like sorting all my cd,s & dvd,s ---- I have so many,
So anyway I have put in for two weeks vacation starting on June 25th and that will be my 2 week paid vacation for the year, so I have decided that I am going to tackle everything head on starting from the first day, I may be able to do everything in the first week as I will have every minute of every day to devote to it,
And that way as I will be advertising on craigs list to sell all my furniture and stuff I will be able to easily set up times for people to come around and view,
Only thing is I do not have a photo scanner to be able to list the pictures of the furniture hmmm well my friend is a computer wiz so I will have to ask for his help and maybe he can do it all from his computer,
the car will have to wait till a couple of weeks before I leave, there are a few people at work interested in buying it so thats a possibility,
So good luck to everyone on here that are in the same de cluttering stage and packing stage
Rodney.
PS ------ Ed/peigi so glad to hear that your husbands surgery was a succsess and really pleased about your new hotel Job, you deserve every break you get from now on,
Anna I love reading all your tales from Malta, keep em coming
Rodney, Vegas,

DDL

We [almost] burned out our shredder, as well.

With regard to photographs, I scanned in loads onto my external hard drive - the one we'll be taking over. The originals I've divided amongst my three children.

On another note, my youngest daughter, who is 27, will be moving back to Alaska next Sunday. She's been back here (living in our efficiency apartment in the backyard) for a year. When she got here, it had been 4 years since I'd seen her.

It's been so wonderful having her (and her partner) here, but now that we're moving ... well ... they're moving, too.

I had another one of my meltdowns last night, thinking about having to say good-bye to her at the airport next Sunday, for god only knows when I will see her again.

Not looking forward to the 13th.