Here we are in our new town, trying to get everything settled, getting used to a shift-working partner, and trying to get into the swing of life in this small town. And we're going okay.
The shift working thing is really going to take a while for us all to work out. The Little Big Fella has a mild freak out every time Daddy goes to work because he doesn't realise that he'll be home in a few hours. And trying to get him to be quiet while Daddy sleeps is... interesting. He's doing pretty well so far, but when Daddy wakes up and is still tired and doesn't want to play or be climbed all over, well, that doesn't go down so well.
The Little Big Fella is so excited about living with Daddy too. He just wants to play with him all the time and tell him everything and follow him around and jump on him and snuggle on the couch (while wriggling and totally getting in the way of the TV). I think it's going to take a little while for them to settle into life together again but I think they'll do it well.
We have a few fun things we've started doing every day so far.
There are horses in the paddock across the road and we walk over there and talk to them and give them a pat.
There's the park at the end of the street (about 200 metres maybe) that we go and have a swing and a play in the morning (normally no one there) or in the afternoon (kids and mums all over the place). I've decided that, because it's "my" park now I'm going to pick up rubbish and left-behind items when no one else is there (don't want to make anyone feel guilty), and maybe do some weeding too. The park is great but I want it to be even better :-)
I was talking to a lady this afternoon who is part of the Lion's club and the CWA and I think we'll probably get involved in the Lion's. They help out the people in town who are older or incapacitated (permanently or temporarily) by doing gardening, cleaning, shopping or whatever. They also do things around the town as they hear of needs. I think I want to be a part of that.
And we've been given all the details to attend the playgroup on Wednesday mornings. It seems to be the thing you do if you're an at-home-mum, especially with pre-schoolers. I'm waiting to see the cliques and gossiping, because being such a small town you know it's going to happen.
We went for a drive last night to drop the trailer off to a mate who works in one of the mines "near" here. One and a half hours there, two back (we went a different way). Funnily enough, we stopped for a fuel and loo break and the lady behind the counter was my old boss! She seemed happier and a bit more relaxed than when I worked with her.
I like it here. I think we're going to enjoy it and I think our lives will feel richer (not just because of the increased wages). Maybe I really am a country girl at heart :-)
Sunday, 6 May 2012
Friday, 4 May 2012
We're here and back online
We're here!!!! We're finally in our new (to us) house in our new town. And the computer is back online :-D
WARNING: This has the potential to be a long post! I mean, I've been offline for 4 whole days!!!!
The first thing I want to say is that I quite like our new little town of about 360 people. It definitely has that small-town community feel (although I've heard the gossip is amazing but have yet to experience that). I like the feel of the place and the people I've spoken to so far have been so lovely!
The Big Fella arrived with the truck on Monday night. He had a guy from work driving it for him who used to work as a removalist. They looked around at everything that had to go in the truck and got really worried. The Big Fella has a lot of mechanical equipment!
We did some more packing, slept and woke early feeling pretty good. Things kinda went downhill from there.
The few boxes I had left to pack took me until after lunch.
The guys had serious issues getting everything into the truck and, despite his mate's experience and skill, not everything fit and it took until after 4pm to finish packing it.
The Little Big Fella was excited about it all and wanted to help and see what was happening. Therefore, he got in the way a lot. And he talked like there was no tomorrow! Especially calling out to "Dad" to "watch this" and so on. He was really good but it was pretty tricky having him around.
The cleaning took so long! Again, I have to give a big shout out to my sister who really rescued me. She pretty much cleaned all the walls in the house while I was packing and she did an awesome job. She had to go get her boys at 4, by which time I was pretty much ready to start the floors.
Except the Big Fella needed help moving stuff out of downstairs into the shed so that Poppy could collect and store it for us for a few weeks.
By this time the Little Big Fella was tired and hungry and wanted to go to Poppy's and have lots of hugs. I was tired and pretty much beyond it and my brain was completely frazzled. The Big Fella was exhausted and sore but holding up pretty well.
We finally locked the doors at about 6pm.
We drove our two cars to my grandparents' place and I started bringing in things for our overnight stay. At this point I remembered thinking as I locked the house, "I should double-check the cupboards. No, I already did that earlier today." You guessed it, I'd left my clothes for the next few days in the closet. I couldn't even have a shower because I had nothing to change into.
After a moment of being completely incapacitated, I decided to have dinner, shower the Little Big Fella and get him off to sleep, then go and collect the keys from the landlord, get my bag, return the keys then come back. Poppy decided that he and the Big Fella should do that though so we all ate dinner (which tasted amazing!!! after such a long day) first then went off to do what needed doing.
After a shocking night's sleep, we woke at 3:30am and prepared to set off. Again, the Little Big Fella was brilliant at waking up so early and was excited to be travelling in the new car with Daddy, while Mummy followed in the ute.
The drive was pretty good and watching the sun come up through the foggy patches was beautiful. I also saw two falling stars, which I've not seen in the whole 6 years that I've lived in Queensland!
Unfortunately I was SO tired and really struggled for a while with driving safely. I realised at two points that I'd actually nodded off briefly, having micro-sleeps. Completely freaked out and called the Big Fella's mobile. Talking to him helped me wake up then I turned on some Ugly Kid Joe and wound down the window (it was cold outside) and ate some Smarties and Jelly Beans. At our next stop the Big Fella bought me an energy drink (I never drink them) and I didn't have any troubles for the rest of the day.
As we got closer to the new town I started getting a little nervous. Would I like it here? What's the house like? Will I feel completely isolated? Will we be happy? Will we actually achieve our financial goals?
But as we came in to town and I looked around (while trying to drive and get a sense of direction in the town) and felt calmed.
Then we got to the house and I knew! I knew it would be months of cleaning inside and I nearly cried. The grass was overgrown, the yard was fairly bare, the edges had been burned with chemicals and there was dead grass all over the paths.
The Big Fella took me upstairs and it was better and worse than I expected.
The actual house, its layout and furnishings were better than I expected. The cleanliness factor was worse.
The windows (oh God! More windows!) were milky with dirt and dust and the tracks were definitely not clean.
There were dead bugs and gecko droppings everywhere.
The floor needed a vacuum.
The walls weren't clean.
Sigh.
After looking around and assessing the "damage" I started prioritising in my head and realised that it wouldn't be clean this week, or possibly even this month, but I would work on each room bit by bit and get it to the point where I could look around and not think, "Oh, I need to do that too!".
The guys unloaded everything from the truck to under the house (it's enclosed and has a concrete floor, which I quickly swept out first - there was dried grass everywhere). Then they had a drink and took the truck back to the next major town.
The Little Big Fella and I went for a little walk to the end of the street (about 200 metres maybe) to the little park. There were kids everywhere and several parents camped out on rugs and camping chairs. I met several of them and had a good chat and the Little Big Fella ran around happily.
While the Big Fella was gone I thought several times that I should check the hot water. After thinking it the third time I finally stopped and checked.
Sure enough, it was cold.
No worries! I'll just turn it on! Ha! There was no switch on the unit itself and I couldn't find where the power came from. I was sore and tired and trying to keep the Little Big Fella happy and nearly in tears. What could I do???
Mum to the rescue!!! I called her and had a chat and she suggested checking the power box. Easy as flicking the switch and the hot water was on! Thanks Mum! We had a good little chat after that too.
Over the last few days we've started unpacking, got the kitchen in useable order, cleared the lounge/dining area so that we can sit and relax when we're not unpacking, and set up the drawers and shelves around the place so that we have somewhere to unpack to. We've also transferred the new car into our names, been shopping at the supermarket in the next town, and removed everything from the Big Fella's room at the quarters where he's been living for the past 6 months.
The Big Fella is now at his first work shift since our arrival. The Little Big Fella kind of freaked out when he left. I don't think he realised that Daddy wasn't going away for weeks, but would be back in the morning. He'll get the hang of it soon enough.
There's a big festival on this weekend, including a rodeo, markets and free kids rides. We're hoping to head on over to the next town to enjoy it, although I think the Big Fella might be working and we have to drive to one of the mines to drop off a trailer we borrowed so that we didn't leave so much behind.
I'm looking forward to becoming part of the community here and finding ways to contribute. I can just imagine being one of those cake-baking small-town women. Kind of like a Stepford Wife :-D
Oh! And there's a paddock across the road with a mare and foal! The Little Big Fella wants to go over there all the time to talk to them and pat them. Thankfully they're quite friendly and he's learning how to treat them properly.
Hopefully I'll give you a bit of a tour of the house and town over the next few days so you can see a little bit of what it's like here. But for now, it's way too late and I'm going to bed! Goodnight all!
WARNING: This has the potential to be a long post! I mean, I've been offline for 4 whole days!!!!
The first thing I want to say is that I quite like our new little town of about 360 people. It definitely has that small-town community feel (although I've heard the gossip is amazing but have yet to experience that). I like the feel of the place and the people I've spoken to so far have been so lovely!
The Big Fella arrived with the truck on Monday night. He had a guy from work driving it for him who used to work as a removalist. They looked around at everything that had to go in the truck and got really worried. The Big Fella has a lot of mechanical equipment!
We did some more packing, slept and woke early feeling pretty good. Things kinda went downhill from there.
The few boxes I had left to pack took me until after lunch.
The guys had serious issues getting everything into the truck and, despite his mate's experience and skill, not everything fit and it took until after 4pm to finish packing it.
The Little Big Fella was excited about it all and wanted to help and see what was happening. Therefore, he got in the way a lot. And he talked like there was no tomorrow! Especially calling out to "Dad" to "watch this" and so on. He was really good but it was pretty tricky having him around.
The cleaning took so long! Again, I have to give a big shout out to my sister who really rescued me. She pretty much cleaned all the walls in the house while I was packing and she did an awesome job. She had to go get her boys at 4, by which time I was pretty much ready to start the floors.
Except the Big Fella needed help moving stuff out of downstairs into the shed so that Poppy could collect and store it for us for a few weeks.
By this time the Little Big Fella was tired and hungry and wanted to go to Poppy's and have lots of hugs. I was tired and pretty much beyond it and my brain was completely frazzled. The Big Fella was exhausted and sore but holding up pretty well.
We finally locked the doors at about 6pm.
We drove our two cars to my grandparents' place and I started bringing in things for our overnight stay. At this point I remembered thinking as I locked the house, "I should double-check the cupboards. No, I already did that earlier today." You guessed it, I'd left my clothes for the next few days in the closet. I couldn't even have a shower because I had nothing to change into.
After a moment of being completely incapacitated, I decided to have dinner, shower the Little Big Fella and get him off to sleep, then go and collect the keys from the landlord, get my bag, return the keys then come back. Poppy decided that he and the Big Fella should do that though so we all ate dinner (which tasted amazing!!! after such a long day) first then went off to do what needed doing.
After a shocking night's sleep, we woke at 3:30am and prepared to set off. Again, the Little Big Fella was brilliant at waking up so early and was excited to be travelling in the new car with Daddy, while Mummy followed in the ute.
The drive was pretty good and watching the sun come up through the foggy patches was beautiful. I also saw two falling stars, which I've not seen in the whole 6 years that I've lived in Queensland!
Unfortunately I was SO tired and really struggled for a while with driving safely. I realised at two points that I'd actually nodded off briefly, having micro-sleeps. Completely freaked out and called the Big Fella's mobile. Talking to him helped me wake up then I turned on some Ugly Kid Joe and wound down the window (it was cold outside) and ate some Smarties and Jelly Beans. At our next stop the Big Fella bought me an energy drink (I never drink them) and I didn't have any troubles for the rest of the day.
 |
| Driving behind the Big Fella on the highway coming close to our new town. |
But as we came in to town and I looked around (while trying to drive and get a sense of direction in the town) and felt calmed.
Then we got to the house and I knew! I knew it would be months of cleaning inside and I nearly cried. The grass was overgrown, the yard was fairly bare, the edges had been burned with chemicals and there was dead grass all over the paths.
The Big Fella took me upstairs and it was better and worse than I expected.
The actual house, its layout and furnishings were better than I expected. The cleanliness factor was worse.
The windows (oh God! More windows!) were milky with dirt and dust and the tracks were definitely not clean.
There were dead bugs and gecko droppings everywhere.
The floor needed a vacuum.
The walls weren't clean.
Sigh.
After looking around and assessing the "damage" I started prioritising in my head and realised that it wouldn't be clean this week, or possibly even this month, but I would work on each room bit by bit and get it to the point where I could look around and not think, "Oh, I need to do that too!".
The guys unloaded everything from the truck to under the house (it's enclosed and has a concrete floor, which I quickly swept out first - there was dried grass everywhere). Then they had a drink and took the truck back to the next major town.
The Little Big Fella and I went for a little walk to the end of the street (about 200 metres maybe) to the little park. There were kids everywhere and several parents camped out on rugs and camping chairs. I met several of them and had a good chat and the Little Big Fella ran around happily.
While the Big Fella was gone I thought several times that I should check the hot water. After thinking it the third time I finally stopped and checked.
Sure enough, it was cold.
No worries! I'll just turn it on! Ha! There was no switch on the unit itself and I couldn't find where the power came from. I was sore and tired and trying to keep the Little Big Fella happy and nearly in tears. What could I do???
Mum to the rescue!!! I called her and had a chat and she suggested checking the power box. Easy as flicking the switch and the hot water was on! Thanks Mum! We had a good little chat after that too.
Over the last few days we've started unpacking, got the kitchen in useable order, cleared the lounge/dining area so that we can sit and relax when we're not unpacking, and set up the drawers and shelves around the place so that we have somewhere to unpack to. We've also transferred the new car into our names, been shopping at the supermarket in the next town, and removed everything from the Big Fella's room at the quarters where he's been living for the past 6 months.
The Big Fella is now at his first work shift since our arrival. The Little Big Fella kind of freaked out when he left. I don't think he realised that Daddy wasn't going away for weeks, but would be back in the morning. He'll get the hang of it soon enough.
There's a big festival on this weekend, including a rodeo, markets and free kids rides. We're hoping to head on over to the next town to enjoy it, although I think the Big Fella might be working and we have to drive to one of the mines to drop off a trailer we borrowed so that we didn't leave so much behind.
I'm looking forward to becoming part of the community here and finding ways to contribute. I can just imagine being one of those cake-baking small-town women. Kind of like a Stepford Wife :-D
Oh! And there's a paddock across the road with a mare and foal! The Little Big Fella wants to go over there all the time to talk to them and pat them. Thankfully they're quite friendly and he's learning how to treat them properly.
 |
| The Little Big Fella eating and trying to say hi to the foal. |
Monday, 30 April 2012
Going offline!!!
Well folks, it's time for me to pack up my computer for the move! It's all happening and, while I felt pretty good this morning, this evening I'm feeling stressed that there's not enough done and the Big Fella will freak out about what's left when he gets here.
Ah well, it is what it is and will be done when it's done. In theory I could pack and clean all night and all day tomorrow then totally crash at my grandparent's place tomorrow night, but I don't operate very well on no sleep.
I was reflecting today that sometimes, even when we're not moving, we don't realise we've already had our last conversation with someone who added something to our life.
For example, I won't get to talk to our garbage truck driver again but we've previously had mini conversations as the Little Big Fella insisted on going out twice a week to watch the rubbish truck.
Or the guy who works in the caravan park behind us and we used to chat to regularly.
Or the lady who sells Body Shop here and has a lovely daughter who she struggles with.
Or our neighbour who just moved in a month or so ago and invited the Little Big Fella over for a play today so that I could finish mowing.
People come in and out of our lives all the time, sometimes for a short time, or sometimes for a season. They add to the richness of our lives in the smallest conversation or gesture, or sometimes they add a lot.
I enjoyed reflecting on the "people in my neighbourhood" (come on, are you humming it in your head yet??? Gotta love old school Sesame Street) today. It made me smile and it reminded me of how grateful I am that life is not lived in isolation, but in community.
I'm looking forward to the new community we'll be becoming a part of. I hope it's as good or better than this one!
Oh!!!! You may remember I mentioned briefly about the Little Big Fella's first swimming lesson without me in the pool two weeks ago? He bawled his eyes out and was completely morose for the whole class. Last week he was better after a while, but needed encouragement to get in the pool. Today he practically jumped in the pool with excitement! It was so good to see him enjoying it so much. And he's developed so much in these three lessons, which makes me really glad we did it.
Okay! The truck's nearly here and I gotta cook dinner and then pack up the computer. See you in a few days!!!!!!
Ah well, it is what it is and will be done when it's done. In theory I could pack and clean all night and all day tomorrow then totally crash at my grandparent's place tomorrow night, but I don't operate very well on no sleep.
I was reflecting today that sometimes, even when we're not moving, we don't realise we've already had our last conversation with someone who added something to our life.
For example, I won't get to talk to our garbage truck driver again but we've previously had mini conversations as the Little Big Fella insisted on going out twice a week to watch the rubbish truck.
Or the guy who works in the caravan park behind us and we used to chat to regularly.
Or the lady who sells Body Shop here and has a lovely daughter who she struggles with.
Or our neighbour who just moved in a month or so ago and invited the Little Big Fella over for a play today so that I could finish mowing.
People come in and out of our lives all the time, sometimes for a short time, or sometimes for a season. They add to the richness of our lives in the smallest conversation or gesture, or sometimes they add a lot.
I enjoyed reflecting on the "people in my neighbourhood" (come on, are you humming it in your head yet??? Gotta love old school Sesame Street) today. It made me smile and it reminded me of how grateful I am that life is not lived in isolation, but in community.
I'm looking forward to the new community we'll be becoming a part of. I hope it's as good or better than this one!
Oh!!!! You may remember I mentioned briefly about the Little Big Fella's first swimming lesson without me in the pool two weeks ago? He bawled his eyes out and was completely morose for the whole class. Last week he was better after a while, but needed encouragement to get in the pool. Today he practically jumped in the pool with excitement! It was so good to see him enjoying it so much. And he's developed so much in these three lessons, which makes me really glad we did it.
Okay! The truck's nearly here and I gotta cook dinner and then pack up the computer. See you in a few days!!!!!!
Sunday, 29 April 2012
Moving with a toddler
Raaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That is all.
Okay, it's not quite all. When we first knew we'd be moving towns (about 6 months ago) I read a bunch of suggestions online about how to help a toddler through this major upheaval in their little lives. I read about books that help them understand (at least a little) what is going on, having parties with friends, packing their own things, keeping normal routines and talking about all the great things about moving.
Nothing I read mentioned how absolutely shirty they could get, and that you'd get to the point where you wanted to strangle them!!!
I guess I should have known. I mean, we have our bad days anyway so adding a big unknown change would obviously exacerbate those.
But, seriously! The past few weeks, as things have started disappearing into boxes and Mummy has been busy packing and cleaning, the Little Big Fella has turned into this horrible little cranky monster.
It all culminated today in major tears and crankiness when we visited my grandparents this evening. He LOVES Poppy especially and is so excited when we visit them. But he hadn't slept this afternoon when he really needed it, we didn't get to do his favourite things with Poppy (flying the radio-controlled helicopter and riding on the tractor), and Gran cooked a lovely quiche that he wouldn't eat.
Sigh. What is it about being around family that can sometimes make you feel like the worst parent in the world? In my case I think it's that I had such high expectations of what kind of mother I would be and how my child/ren would behave and things haven't turned out that way. And I guess I've made decisions that have led to some of the issues I'm currently facing with my gorgeous (no, that wasn't sarcastic) son.
Anyway, if you're moving (especially further than the other side of town) with a toddler, let me warn you:
You're going to have some super bad days and they will play up more than you might have seen before!
But you know what? We've also had some gorgeous moments these past few weeks. He's obviously been vulnerable and has needed extra cuddles and attention sometimes, which has led to some lovely conversations and (especially when I make the time for it) close, caring, loving moments that are the sweetness that makes life (especially when you're stressed) not only bearable, but wonderful.
That is all.
Okay, it's not quite all. When we first knew we'd be moving towns (about 6 months ago) I read a bunch of suggestions online about how to help a toddler through this major upheaval in their little lives. I read about books that help them understand (at least a little) what is going on, having parties with friends, packing their own things, keeping normal routines and talking about all the great things about moving.
Nothing I read mentioned how absolutely shirty they could get, and that you'd get to the point where you wanted to strangle them!!!
I guess I should have known. I mean, we have our bad days anyway so adding a big unknown change would obviously exacerbate those.
But, seriously! The past few weeks, as things have started disappearing into boxes and Mummy has been busy packing and cleaning, the Little Big Fella has turned into this horrible little cranky monster.
It all culminated today in major tears and crankiness when we visited my grandparents this evening. He LOVES Poppy especially and is so excited when we visit them. But he hadn't slept this afternoon when he really needed it, we didn't get to do his favourite things with Poppy (flying the radio-controlled helicopter and riding on the tractor), and Gran cooked a lovely quiche that he wouldn't eat.
Sigh. What is it about being around family that can sometimes make you feel like the worst parent in the world? In my case I think it's that I had such high expectations of what kind of mother I would be and how my child/ren would behave and things haven't turned out that way. And I guess I've made decisions that have led to some of the issues I'm currently facing with my gorgeous (no, that wasn't sarcastic) son.
Anyway, if you're moving (especially further than the other side of town) with a toddler, let me warn you:
You're going to have some super bad days and they will play up more than you might have seen before!
But you know what? We've also had some gorgeous moments these past few weeks. He's obviously been vulnerable and has needed extra cuddles and attention sometimes, which has led to some lovely conversations and (especially when I make the time for it) close, caring, loving moments that are the sweetness that makes life (especially when you're stressed) not only bearable, but wonderful.
Saturday, 28 April 2012
We achieved a lot!
My awesome sister and her family came around today. My brother-in-law helped me take our couch to be replaced (amazingly took less than 10 minutes and the rain pretty much stopped while we were out) and my sister looked after the three boys and cleaned and packed. My bro-in-law also re-hung the wardrobe doors in my room when we got back (we had to take them off because we can't open them all the way with our bed in the room).
After lunch my bro-in-law took the three boys to their place for sleep and play, while my sister and I did almost all the rest of packing (except what we'll use in the next two days, the rest of the office stuff, and some of the outside stuff) and a bit more cleaning.
I'm absolutely knackered but feel like we achieved so much today. The list that's constantly re-checking itself in my head is fairly calm, rather than somewhat overwhelming. Yay!!!
You know that tip about accepting help? I didn't do super well on that one. Although I have accepted almost all the help that has been offered, I realised that when people offer, I need to make a time straight away because if I don't, when I work out that I actually need help, I feel that they'll be too busy, or were just saying it or whatever. But people like to help! And you get so much more done with someone else around! And, of course, it's fun to hang out with your friends :-D
My sister and I went and bought dinner and drinks then took them to her place and ate with all the boys. They'd obviously had a full day of play because they were a little hyper and very tired! We put them all in the shower together then I brought the Little Big Fella home.
And tonight, instead of packing or cleaning anything, I'm going to have a shower and go to bed and sleep peacefully all night! Happy sigh :-)
After lunch my bro-in-law took the three boys to their place for sleep and play, while my sister and I did almost all the rest of packing (except what we'll use in the next two days, the rest of the office stuff, and some of the outside stuff) and a bit more cleaning.
I'm absolutely knackered but feel like we achieved so much today. The list that's constantly re-checking itself in my head is fairly calm, rather than somewhat overwhelming. Yay!!!
You know that tip about accepting help? I didn't do super well on that one. Although I have accepted almost all the help that has been offered, I realised that when people offer, I need to make a time straight away because if I don't, when I work out that I actually need help, I feel that they'll be too busy, or were just saying it or whatever. But people like to help! And you get so much more done with someone else around! And, of course, it's fun to hang out with your friends :-D
My sister and I went and bought dinner and drinks then took them to her place and ate with all the boys. They'd obviously had a full day of play because they were a little hyper and very tired! We put them all in the shower together then I brought the Little Big Fella home.
And tonight, instead of packing or cleaning anything, I'm going to have a shower and go to bed and sleep peacefully all night! Happy sigh :-)
Friday, 27 April 2012
My top 10 tips for moving
I know! There are tons of suggestions online to help you when you're moving. But I figured I'd add my two cents worth anyway :-D
(I was remiss in not noting when I first posted this that these tips are my mum's and I am re-learning their importance. Mum is the moving Queen! When they move, they have everything clean, in place and unpacked by no later than the next day, and normally on actual moving day. And she never seems flustered or stressed about it - just busy. I love you mum - you're my hero!)
1. If you can afford it, hire a removalist and/or cleaner. I dream of moving this way one day :-)
2. Start early! No matter how organised you are, and how clean you think your house is, it will take longer than you think to get it all packed and clean. I'd recommend starting everything a week earlier than you think you need to. Even if you're all done early, a quick dust/wipe is much easier and quicker than a full clean.
5. Invest in good packing materials. There are lots of places where you can get free boxes (eg. Bunnings, supermarkets, recycle dumpsters), but it's really worth making sure you have good, strong boxes and that you fill them completely. When you stack the boxes up you don't want them collapsing, or worse, spilling their contents everywhere! Try to get ones that are the same dimensions so that they stack neatly - it'll make your job on moving day that much easier.
And don't forget the tape! If you can afford it, buy a good tape dispenser (don't get a cheap one - they're not worth it). But definitely buy the good quality tape. It sticks to the boxes better and basically keeps everything much more secure.
You will also need a marker or two. I got a little crazy this time and bought coloured markers. I used a different colour for each room/area then stacked my boxes in room piles. I'm hoping it'll make it easier at the other end but it's probably just me being overly organisational :-D
Also, don't forget to write exactly what's in your boxes and the room it is for. Writing "SHED" and "Tools" is probably not going to be especially helpful if you have 10 boxes of "Tools" and you're specifically looking for your battery drill so that you can get the beds together and the kids are screaming because they're completely exhausted.
6. Use quality cleaning products. It's worth purchasing good cleaning products because they make the job go so much quicker and with much less elbow grease. I highly recommend:
(I was remiss in not noting when I first posted this that these tips are my mum's and I am re-learning their importance. Mum is the moving Queen! When they move, they have everything clean, in place and unpacked by no later than the next day, and normally on actual moving day. And she never seems flustered or stressed about it - just busy. I love you mum - you're my hero!)
1. If you can afford it, hire a removalist and/or cleaner. I dream of moving this way one day :-)
2. Start early! No matter how organised you are, and how clean you think your house is, it will take longer than you think to get it all packed and clean. I'd recommend starting everything a week earlier than you think you need to. Even if you're all done early, a quick dust/wipe is much easier and quicker than a full clean.
3. Make a list. I know, I'm a list freak! This post is an example. And here are my current lists:
But even if you're not generally a fan of lists, I really recommend making a list of each room in your house and the things you need to do in that room for it to be "finished". You may like to check everything off as you go or just read through it when you think you're done to make sure nothing has been forgotten.
You may also need a list of other things you need to do such as:
- Redirecting your mail
- Arranging for your utilities to be turned off/on
- Paying the bills in advance
4. Get rid of stuff. We all do it. We buy something on sale but never end up using it. Or we keep that thing "just in case" and the opportunity to use it never arises. We plan to fix that shirt/toy/frame but never get around to it. We have old clothes in our cupboard for when we get back in shape. But basically our house is just filling up with stuff we don't want, use, love or need.
Now is the perfect opportunity to get rid of it! Why pack and move things that you don't want, use, love or need??? What a waste of time, energy and packing materials!!!
5. Invest in good packing materials. There are lots of places where you can get free boxes (eg. Bunnings, supermarkets, recycle dumpsters), but it's really worth making sure you have good, strong boxes and that you fill them completely. When you stack the boxes up you don't want them collapsing, or worse, spilling their contents everywhere! Try to get ones that are the same dimensions so that they stack neatly - it'll make your job on moving day that much easier.
And don't forget the tape! If you can afford it, buy a good tape dispenser (don't get a cheap one - they're not worth it). But definitely buy the good quality tape. It sticks to the boxes better and basically keeps everything much more secure.
You will also need a marker or two. I got a little crazy this time and bought coloured markers. I used a different colour for each room/area then stacked my boxes in room piles. I'm hoping it'll make it easier at the other end but it's probably just me being overly organisational :-D
Also, don't forget to write exactly what's in your boxes and the room it is for. Writing "SHED" and "Tools" is probably not going to be especially helpful if you have 10 boxes of "Tools" and you're specifically looking for your battery drill so that you can get the beds together and the kids are screaming because they're completely exhausted.
6. Use quality cleaning products. It's worth purchasing good cleaning products because they make the job go so much quicker and with much less elbow grease. I highly recommend:
- Good quality microfibre cloths. I especially love the ones that are designed for glass because they work with just water and they don't leave fluff everywhere.
- Liquid sugar soap is awesome for cleaning ceilings and walls. If you have a flat mop (the ones with the removable pads), use that to make the job quicker and easier.
- Magic Erasers - these things really are awesome and work on almost all marks that I've tried. You do need to be a bit careful though because they sometimes remove the paint so make sure you test them out (try inside the cupboard - scuff marks perhaps) first.
7. Take a break. Yeah, there's heaps to do but if you kill yourself you won't make it to the end. Take 15 minute breaks for drinking water, having a healthy snack or lunch, and going to the loo. Sit down and rest while you're having your break so that you can recharge for the next attack.
8. Accept help! When someone offers to help, make a time and date with them straight away. Even if it turns out you don't need help, packing and cleaning with a friend is not only quicker, but way more fun! And if you get everything done, you can go out for coffee :-D
9. Have a last/first box. This is the box that you pack last and open first. It will have:
- Clean sheets for each of the beds
- Clean towels
- The kettle and hot drink items (tea, coffee, sugar, milk - small UHT cartons can come in handy here, mugs, teaspoon/s)
- Things for breakfast (toaster, bread, plates, butter, knife, spread/s, and/or cereal, milk - again UHT is the go if you won't have a way of keeping your milk very cold, bowl/s, spoon/s)
- Anything else you need straight away even if you don't unpack any other boxes (for example, we'll need our curtains and rods at our new place)
10. Make it fun! Moving can be seriously stressful! But it can also be a great time. I mean, it's the exciting start of a new phase in your life right? So turn up some fun music (careful of offending neighbours of course), get others to help (many hands make light work!), and don't forget to have some food and drinks available for you and your helpers throughout the day (and the stronger stuff for when it's all done and you're just chillin' out in your new place with your mates).
Wednesday, 25 April 2012
A surprise goodbye
After going to the Anzac Day dawn service this morning I did a little more cleaning (I can't wait to be done with the windows!!! Only 2 to go.). Then I got myself and the Little Big Fella ready and we headed to my sister's place. My brother-in-law had agreed to look after the three boys while my sister and I went out for a lovely, quiet sisters' lunch.
When we got to the restaurant I noticed the car of a friend I used to work with. We parked then started walking and I noticed another friend's car. We walk up the stairs at the restaurant and there is a long table and I see the two friends whose cars I'd noticed. Then I look around the table and see more people I know that I used to work with. Then I notice my hairdresser. Then Super Carer. Then a good friend from Mum's Group.
Everyone is smiling and laughing and I'm thinking "what a strange thing that these people would all be here together - how do they know each other?". It eventually dawns on me that they're all here to say goodbye to me!!! My awesome sister had arranged a surprise goodbye party for me! (Have I mentioned lately how awesome my sister is???)
I was SO overwhelmed that it took probably 20 minutes for me to get it together enough to order a drink! Then it took me ages to decide what to order. I was truly so overwhelmed that all these people would want to say goodbye to me. I know that might sound kind of odd but I guess I got so caught up in packing and cleaning and even just parenting that I didn't realise how important it would be for others to want to say goodbye and good luck. Even people I don't see regularly or may not have seen in a few years.
And I really need to say that I was so grateful for each and every person that came! Each of you have added so much to my life while I've been here and saying goodbye was much harder than it may have looked. I'm getting teary just writing and remembering now! Thank you all for being so encouraging and supportive and just plain wonderful!
We had a great lunch with lots of laughing and catching up. The food was good too. I ordered a big burger and they weren't joking when they named it that! My Mum's Group friend took a photo of me attempting to get my mouth around it, which was rather entertaining in itself (see below). I got about half way through then had to put it down and eat it in pieces. Even then I couldn't get through the whole thing!
Eventually the time came for goodbyes. There were hugs all round and lots of good wishes and "keep in touch"es. We all went our separate ways and I realised that this group of people won't ever get together again. Three of us are moving away in the next few weeks and months so even when I come back to visit, it will never be the same again. And so life moves on.
On the way back to her place my sister decided we should stop for coffee. We happened to go to a place that another of my Mum's Group friends works at and she just happened to be working so I got to say goodbye to her too.
We drank our drinks watching the sun through the clouds over the beach and had a quiet sister time - just what I'd been expecting three hours earlier :-D
When we got to the restaurant I noticed the car of a friend I used to work with. We parked then started walking and I noticed another friend's car. We walk up the stairs at the restaurant and there is a long table and I see the two friends whose cars I'd noticed. Then I look around the table and see more people I know that I used to work with. Then I notice my hairdresser. Then Super Carer. Then a good friend from Mum's Group.
Everyone is smiling and laughing and I'm thinking "what a strange thing that these people would all be here together - how do they know each other?". It eventually dawns on me that they're all here to say goodbye to me!!! My awesome sister had arranged a surprise goodbye party for me! (Have I mentioned lately how awesome my sister is???)
I was SO overwhelmed that it took probably 20 minutes for me to get it together enough to order a drink! Then it took me ages to decide what to order. I was truly so overwhelmed that all these people would want to say goodbye to me. I know that might sound kind of odd but I guess I got so caught up in packing and cleaning and even just parenting that I didn't realise how important it would be for others to want to say goodbye and good luck. Even people I don't see regularly or may not have seen in a few years.
And I really need to say that I was so grateful for each and every person that came! Each of you have added so much to my life while I've been here and saying goodbye was much harder than it may have looked. I'm getting teary just writing and remembering now! Thank you all for being so encouraging and supportive and just plain wonderful!
We had a great lunch with lots of laughing and catching up. The food was good too. I ordered a big burger and they weren't joking when they named it that! My Mum's Group friend took a photo of me attempting to get my mouth around it, which was rather entertaining in itself (see below). I got about half way through then had to put it down and eat it in pieces. Even then I couldn't get through the whole thing!
Eventually the time came for goodbyes. There were hugs all round and lots of good wishes and "keep in touch"es. We all went our separate ways and I realised that this group of people won't ever get together again. Three of us are moving away in the next few weeks and months so even when I come back to visit, it will never be the same again. And so life moves on.
On the way back to her place my sister decided we should stop for coffee. We happened to go to a place that another of my Mum's Group friends works at and she just happened to be working so I got to say goodbye to her too.
We drank our drinks watching the sun through the clouds over the beach and had a quiet sister time - just what I'd been expecting three hours earlier :-D
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