Getting Ready to Move

 It's so hot! 104 yesterday and 106 the day before. A string of 100s or near 100 ahead. It's not a great time for moving.

It's organized chaos at the moment. I have managed to rent a storage unit and have hired movers. I will be moving out on August 7th, which leaves the 8th for cleaning or other last minute things, and the 9th is the closing on the sale.

I have less than two weeks to pack everything up. As a person who needs order and sense in how I go about things, packing feels chaotic and causes brain disturbances. But I can't delay. Everything needs to be in boxes before the movers get here. The plan I have finally settled on is to set aside the clothing I need for the next two weeks and for my stay at the kids' house. Set aside just the cleaning supplies I need for the next two weeks (throw away anything old, and pack up the rest). Set aside the kitchen items I need for the next two weeks. I will stop cooking except with microwave. I have a supply of paper plates that I'll use. I have food in the freezer and fridge that I'll continue using until the Saturday before I move. Then the kids can have it or I'll take it to the food bank. I'll keep the coffee maker and coffee cups available for now. This frees me up to pack almost everything in the house and garage.

In the meantime, I'm giving away some furniture and other items. My kids will be picking up all the stuff they are taking this coming Saturday. They will move my yard furniture and decor to Steve's house for storage rather than have the movers move it. I'll plan to move my artwork into storage myself as I fear the movers will break it. By the time all these things have left my house, it should take the movers just a couple of hours to move the remaining furniture and boxes. My storage unit is five minutes away, so that part of the move should go smoothly if I have all the packing done. The moving company will do packing for me as well, but at $200 per hour, I'd prefer to do it myself.

Now I need a home. I'm watching every day but so far nothing. There is talk that interest rates will go up again this week. That will discourage sellers because they can't afford to move if they have good interest rates where they are living now. But I will be fine at my kids' until something comes up.

With the streak of good fortune I've had so far in getting my house both ready to sell and sold, I feel like one more little favor from the universe might be not too much to ask.

Every Room, Every Day

 UPDATE: Just a few short hours after posting this entry, I received a full price offer with closing in 3 weeks. Of course, contingent on appraisal and inspection. I am stunned! Houses like mine are lingering weeks without selling. Mine sold in exactly one week. I need to get busy and find a new place to live. Or arrange for storage of my things while I move in with my son temporarily.

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The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of activity, hard work, and surprises. A week ago, I listed my house for sale. Things came together fast somehow after dealing with a major attack of elm seed bugs and a four week stay from my granddaughter. I was sure the bugs were going to keep me from listing, but I have finally achieved victory against those horrid things. Others across northern Utah might like to know my formula, but that will be a different post -- probably on social media. As for my granddaughter's stay, I have made family a priority throughout the process of getting my house ready to sell, because that's always the right thing.

But, at last, my house is listed, in the slowest time of the summer, right between a federal and a state holiday when many people are vacationing and not thinking about houses. When houses similar to mine are lingering for 6 to 8 weeks before getting offers. But, surprise! The first people toured my home last evening, and they "absolutely loved it!" They wanted time to think it over and possibly submit an offer today. Whether that offer comes or not, this is a major victory for me. My hard work has resulted in exactly the response I'd planned and hoped for. 

I have worked to make the house shiny clean, and to give each room and area some wow factor. I've used color, staging, and minimizing but not too much. I realized that not everyone would appreciate my taste in colors. But every room showed to its best potential with those colors. The bedrooms are calm and inviting. The bathrooms are glistening clean. The TV room and family room have an air of fun and games. The kitchen is big and clean with lots of wonderful conveniences for cooking together. The dining room has a cozy, conversational feel with a pretty patio view. The living room looks out on endless views and invites you to sit and stare. The yard, despite being on a corner with no fencing, has a feeling of seclusion and being in a park or in the mountains, with mature trees, lots of perennials, just enough grass, and multiple gathering places for entertaining or relaxing. The garage is big and clean and well-lit with lots of storage shelves. I specifically arranged each area to elicit the response "I love this!"

Right now, my body hurts everywhere, every way. But, I feel so good about the first showing, I am ignoring the pain. People keep asking me if I will be sad to leave my long-time home. But, they don't understand that when a house causes you unnecessary pain every day because of stairs and a sloping hillside, it will be a welcome relief to be in a new place without stairs. And I will certainly make that place lovely to live in as well.

My mantra now is Every Room, Every Day. My house is very clean now, but I have to keep it up. I do touch up dusting and vacuuming every day, wipe down all the bathroom fixtures and glass, keep the kitchen spotless, and tidy up the backyard. In addition, I am focusing on one room a day to do any more extensive cleaning needed there, and to continue reducing contents of closets, drawers, shelves, and vanities. The more I reduce, the less I have to move. I do have a couple more projects: grout the tub and clean the oven. I'll get those done one day soon. 

I have to stand back and admire my work now. I don't know how I did it all. It took a long time, and left me a little broken physically from the work. I'm going to just post all the pictures the realtor posted online just so I have then and can pull them up and view when I want to. 

Now, to find a new place to live!