Tag: Packing

Moving Day… Oh What a Day.

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Moving day has now come and gone. Sorry I couldn’t be more up to date with this, but the last 48 hours have been very stressful. As an update we are doing great but as with all big things, our moving day didn’t go off without a hitch or two.
To start off, the night before we received a call that our truck broke down and a new one was being sent. That was a blessing in disguise as we could have been out on the road with our truck packed to the gills and have it break down. But this break down meant that we couldn’t pick up the new truck until the morning of the move. OK, nothing to freak out about.
The following morning we went to pick up the truck and were met with a few issues. Luckily it all worked out, but it meant that we were late getting home. When we did get home the movers were already there waiting for us. Yikes. On top of that, only two guys were sent to pack up our whole house when there should have been three. Ok…
Finally have the truck, now its back to the house to pack it!

Not having the right amount of people wasn’t horrible but after they did the initial walk through of the house we received the most stressful news of the day. Our movers, whom we have worked with several times before, did not feel that all of our things would fit in the truck. WHAT! There was panic and stress for most of the morning but we did finally reach a solution. Our movers were amazing and fit almost everything into the truck. Whatever didn’t fit would go on Grandma Zoe’s pod when she moved in a month. We would then pick it up from Spokane when everyone was settled. Hallelujah! Thank you Grandma Zoe for sharing your POD with us and saving the last of our things!

Once the truck was mostly packed and we had most of what needed set to go, we headed on over to say our goodbyes to Grandpa Pat, Nana Fiona, Aunt Brittany and Uncle James and Sam. It was late, frazzled and certainly not the amount of time we had hoped to have but we still had the chance to see everyone and say our goodbyes. More like, our see you laters. It was tough to leave and I know there were a few tears from most of us but we had to go. We will see everyone again soon.

So we made our way home and met up with Grandma Zoe while Shaun and I finished packing the truck and cars. It seemed to take forever but we finally did it. There were a few things left behind but luckily we would see those things again in a few months. The girls had the chance to play and keep burning energy, despite being exhausted and Grandma Zoe had the chance to spend a bit of extra time with them. After our goodbyes, we tossed two very sleepy girls into the CR-V, Shaun situated himself into the moving truck and we hit the road. It was 3am but we were determined to get out of Los Angeles and over Grapvine. We did just that and landed in Tejon Ranch for the night. We knew it was time for sleep when I ended up driving the wrong way down a street, which resulted in tears and a horrible need to close my eyes. I don’t think sleep ever felt better!

Goodbye house! You gave us two wonderful years. Thank you, family and friends, we love you and miss you already but we will be back to visit. This is The Wharton’s of Pienza Lane, signing out!
My view for the next few days of travel. Moving like a snail is going to be tough!

My adorable little travel buddies. They did an amazing job in the car, well so far.

My view hasn’t changed and the scenery outside is pretty dull, but at least the sunset is gorgeous tonight.

The following morning, well day, we woke up somewhat refreshed and ready to hit the road. And by ready to hit the road I mean reluctant to continue driving but we knew we had to in order to get to where we needed to be and get this whole process over it. Our goal for the day was Oregon but as with all travel like this, we play things by ear. My job was to stay behind Shaun and make sure his car was ok and parts werent flying off of the truck. Hey, it could happen its Budget for crying out loud!

Through the Central Valley in California Shaun had to watch out for a tomato truck. Let’s just say those things make us a tad jumpy. If you don’t know what I mean refer to this post from last August during our trip to Spokane and Seattle and you just might understand. Once that bullet was dodged Shaun started to speed up again. Well, he did this too fast and the truck stalled. Because I was driving behind him and didn’t always have direct contact, I had no idea what was going on. All I knew was the we were pulling off of the road, flashers were on and I was freaking out. The one thing that weighed heavy on my mind about the trip was breaking down. It seems silly but hey, who wants to deal with a truck that has our entire life strategically packed into it? Luckily all Shaun had to do was slow down, restart and then we were on our way again. Crisis averted! Although my nerves were shot.

The remainder of the drive was pretty uneventful. Our late start in the morning meant that we didn’t get to cover as much ground as we had hoped to. Shaun and I decided to stop in Redding, California and get a fresh and earlier start in the morning. I didn’t want him to have to tackle the winding road through Shasta/ Trinity area in the dark. We figure that tomorrow we can hit the road early and continue on our way with the hope of arriving in Seattle tomorrow night. Here is to hoping that we have a good nights rest and a great start in the morning!

Almost Packed!! I think?

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Despite yesterdays events and loss, time is ticking away and it feels like things are coming along. Some furniture has been sold, others were taken away as they were too old and tattered to be sold and our belongings are methodically but quickly being packed into boxes. Its coming along and we are running out of places to sit but I guess as we get closer to our deadline we shouldn’t be sitting around anyway.
Our bedroom furniture is gone! Wow this is feeling real.
The boxes are piling up all over the house. Only a few days left!
Bye, bye old couch! You did well for us over the last 7 years but its time to put you out to pasture.
Thank goodness for these chairs! At least someone gets to sit comfortably in the house!

I am sure that when moving day is upon us in just a few days, I might be singing a different tune but so far so good. T-Minus 2 days and counting. Tick tock!

And So It Begins…

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Wish me luck!
The boxes are out, being numbered and cataloged. Yes cataloged. Each box has a number and the contents have been logged into a spread sheet so we can find what we need quickly. Yes, I am OCD.

 

Being OCD at times, you can imagine my excitement when I found these on Amazon. Its a 4 bed, 2 bath set for only $20 + tax. Worth every penny if it means total organization!

Playroom Pack-up!

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I chose to start the packing in here. Not sure why… But I do know that once the toys have been gone through and packed into a box or sold this wont have the chance to happen again! Oh boy, I am going to need some luck and possibly a stiff drink by the time this is done.

Tips For Packing…

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Ever since I was a teen, I have been mercilessly teased about how much I pack and take with me on trips. What can I say? I am indecisive and I like to have options, therefore I generally over pack. When we go places I know I can do laundry its a little bit better but I still like my options.

One night while aimlessly clicking my way through Pinterest, I came across a pin that piqued my interest. It was about packing for a ten day trip and making it all fit into a carry-on suitcase. I laughed hysterically, thinking to myself that surely this cant be done. Well, according to this flight attendant its possible and she does it all of the time. SO I saved the pin, her blog and decided I would test it out the next time we traveled. Fast forward a month or two and now we set to leave in just a few hours for a good six day trip. And the verdict??…

I didn’t quite accomplish it but I came very close. We will be gone for about six days, so being me I packed enough for 8 (you just never know what you might need and what might happen while you are away). All of my clothes fit into the carry-on which includes the following:

  • 2 pairs of pants 
  • 1 pair of shorts
  • 1 pair of cargo capris
  • 3 camisoles
  • 8 shirts/tanks
  • 3 layering pieces (ie cardigan, wrap, etc.)
  • 2 pairs of pajamas (tank and comfy pants)
  • 8 pairs of underwear and 2 bras
  • 3 pairs of socks
  • 1 pair of ballet flats
  • 1 pair of flip flops
  • 1 pair of tennis shoes
  • Toiletry bags which include my skin care treatments, haircare products, flat iron and blowdryer.
  • Makeup

SO I broke one of her rules and insisted on packing my blow dryer. Therefore, not all of this fit into my carry-on.  Also, because of my Rosacea I have a pretty intensive skincare treatment that does take up a lot of space and I cant transfer to smaller containers. Had I not brought my hair dryer and had a simple skincare routine, it would have all fit. Oh well, I only needed a small bag for the cosmetics, blow dryer, etc. for what didn’t. It does work though and if I could let go of my need for extra outfits and my hair dryer, packing for ten days into a carry-on is a breeze! Give it a try!

Packing

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Everyone loves to go on vacation. I don’t think I have met anyone who doesn’t! The relaxation, the adventure… the packing? Wait, packing is definitely not on that list of things I love about vacation but unfortunately its necessary. You have to have clothes and the needed items to keep you from looking like a slob. I just hate it with a passion. The only thing I dislike more then packing, is unpacking.

Before children packing was a breeze. Some pants, shorts, shirts, shoes, make up, etc. all tossed into a bag and thrown into the car. My purse only contained my wallet, sunglasses, phone and a camera. Maybe a book or game like Sudoku. That was all. Now I have to pack for children and while I try to be a minimalist everything adds up fast. Aside from the clothes there are diapers, wipes, blankies, stuffed animals, toys, books, crayons, whatever is needed to keep them occupied in the car. There is now a large bag and cooler for snacks, drinks and food that isn’t fast food but can be eaten in the car if need be. After all that packing and planning for only a weeks trip you sometimes end up feeling like you will need a vacation from this vacation. Its a viscious cycle.

I complain but at the same time I feel blessed that we can take a vacation and get away for a bit. Its a lot of work but I am happy we have the ability and the means to do it. I love being able to give our girls the experience of riding in the car, seeing new places and creating adventures and memories. I just wish there was a magic wand that I could use, even if only for these moments, to do all of the things I don’t like doing. But for now I will keep wishing, get my butt off the couch and continue the packing process.