Getting excited, packed our first box
 

Maybe we're getting excited a bit too early as were not moving to Spain until autumn this year but our first box is packed.

It contains the christmas tree, its decorations and lights. We won't need any of the contents again until after we've moved to Spain. It all came down from the loft in 3 boxes, we did throw a bit of stuff away and a lot of packaging and when we took everything down last Thursday we managed to get it all into the oblong box which originally just held the tree. A bit of a squeeze but with the help of a lot of parcel tape it's very secure.

I now have less than 100 days left to attend work (I'm part time), getting very excited about that. :D

Re: Getting excited, packed our first box
 

There is no feeling like the beginning of the process of thinning things down and starting to pack in preparation. The first box sets the scene for many more. Now you will be making lists and yet more lists of things to dispose of and the important things to keep. Managing to keep your feet on the ground for work will become more and more difficult.

Rosemary

Re: Getting excited, packed our first box
 

I remember that feeling well! If you are anything like us, you will not believe how much stuff you have accumulated over the years, and we hadn't thought of ourselves as hoarders! I'd like to think that we haven't begun building up more since we moved, but I'm not so sure.

We thought we wouldn't have much stuff to move as we'd got rid of such a lot and weren't bringing any furniture to Spain, but we still ended up with 63 boxes.

Good luck.

Re: Getting excited, packed our first box
 

On the count down, how many more sleeps? :rofl:

I would suggest you take this opportunity to declutter. Sell, give away, bin those items you have not used in the last twelve months.

Re: Getting excited, packed our first box
 

I don't live abroad full time but have in the past. You will amaze yourself how little you actually need in a home.

Re: Getting excited, packed our first box
 

We moved from a big house to a small house to a yacht. Each reduction in belongings was a relief - like a load being lifted from my shoulders.

Re: Getting excited, packed our first box
 

My OH scoffs at my lists but I need them to kep my sanity. We did an inventory of the house, shed and garage almost a year ago with columns headed sell, give away, take etc, we just didn't get around to filling those columns in at the time. It's so long ago a lot of things are now in different rooms to where they are shown on the original list.

Work is getting more difficult, colleagues are fed up with me crowing that this will be lmy ast winter in the UK. They're all coming to vist though when we move. :) At least we won't have to get up and go out in the dark for much longer.

Re: Getting excited, packed our first box
 

We've been in our current house 4 years. Before that we had moved 4 times in the previous 2 years, every time trying to declutter. We're bringing some furniture but most of our things will be boxed. The things I'm most worried about fitting into the van are OHs tools, just DIY, he's not a tradesman. Every time I go into the shed I groan.

We're committed to a Luton van load of belongs and will only have a couple of hours to take to the tip anything that won't fit in. That sounds like another list coming up headed "Prioritise belongings to go". :ohmy:

Thank you for the good wishes.

Re: Getting excited, packed our first box
 

In one sense too many, as I'm impatient to move but we still have work to do on the house before we rent it out so maybe not enough!

Re: Getting excited, packed our first box
 

Do you realise that Spain has dark winter mornings...unless you plan to sleep late:rofl:

We found that we took loads of useless stuff and the things we should have taken we left behind:)

Re: Getting excited, packed our first box
 

Yes but I won't have to get up and go out in the dark. If I do it will be by choice, that's what I'm looking forward to. :)

Re: Getting excited, packed our first box
 

That happened to us too! :o

Re: Getting excited, packed our first box
 

We car booted, charity shopped and dumped a ridiculous amount of stuff and thought that we had done well but there are absolutely loads and loads of things in drawers and plastic boxes that have not been looked at or used since we arrived. We have also added to this so really do need to do a bit of sorting out.

Rosemary

Re: Getting excited, packed our first box
 

We put a load of useful stuff that we couldn't do without in the loft of our house 13 years ago and it's never been looked at since. My brother does removals. He makes loads of money from people putting stuff is store and never using it again. He charges them storage for years until they tell him to dump it.

Re: Getting excited, packed our first box
 

My OH always suffered with his back so he invested in an inversion table just before we moved because he thought that his back would be bad with renovating the house. It is nearly 6 years later, he has not had any problems with his back so the inversion table has never been used. Yesterday I unwrapped it, took it to pieces and dumped it at our Ecoparc. Great not to have this in the corner of our roof terrace.

Rosemary

Re: Getting excited, packed our first box
 

Decluttering before you move is a good thing but dont be too hasty. You may find later that things you thought you didnt need anymore you actually do need. With some items I remember saying "Ill buy new in spain" and i still havent managed to replace them cos either they are not here or they are so expensive. And I think we ended coming with nearly 200 boxes and furniture. I have never travelled light!

Re: Getting excited, packed our first box
 

If we need to wake up before 9.00 am for any reason now, we have to set the alarm! The wooden shutters on the inside of our windows are great for keeping light out, it could be any time outside.

5 years on and I still relish the luxury of not having my alarm clock set for 5.30 am every weekday, and not having to get up and go out on cold, rainy mornings.

I had to get up early one day last week as I was going to Gibraltar for the day, and watched the sun come up around 8.00 am. It looked quite pretty but I wouldn't want to do it every day!

Re: Getting excited, packed our first box
 

Hi, I have just completed the move and have the fun of opening all the boxes. Well not all as it is close to 200 boxes and as this house is a stop gap for a year or so and somethings were put back on the list after the BH had to re-assess what we were moving into.
Amazing what you can really get by with - or is that without.
So why did we buy it all ? ?

Good luck, look forward to the updates.
kind regards

Re: Getting excited, packed our first box
 

Need some help? :D



http://i43.tinypic.com/2wc3a4j.png

Re: Getting excited, packed our first box
 

There are times when I could really use one of those! :rofl:

Re: Getting excited, packed our first box
 

We didn't bring any furnisher as we bought all new here, we had only thirty boxes which my OH thought was a lot. :blink:
In hind sight we should have brought much more with us as it's cost a small fortune to replace the things we need but left behind, things that have often been replaced with expencive but inferior quality goods.
Even my OH admits there are lots of things we should have brought with us, but that's all water under the bridge now, the charity shops both here and in the UK have done very well out of our move!

Re: Getting excited, packed our first box
 

I know, it is a difficult one.
Unless you are Meg-a rich and want to start over, just like in the US tv progs, then quite honestly there will be things you want with you like for ever.

Yes we brought too much over but some of the boxes were quite small as I had packed them and even the removal company had at least 3 sizes, some of that depended on how much the guys wanted to lift.
Afte all, the cost is dependent on the cuft/cum you ship, not the number of boxes.
The BH changed here mind about some large items at the last minute when she looked at what was needed in the house we are renting. And even the night before packing.

We were 1500 miles apart and my health precluded some serious pruning. So pack it all and we can ditch it at our leisure in the sun.
When the sun comes that is

at least i caught the gas man today
:thumbup: