Packing Up-dates

Remember that I mentioned we'd be putting our house on the market, and moving into a trailer soon?
 

Time to actively start preparing for it.

 I packed the first box of books yesterday. (Even put the date on the box proudly.) My plan is to pack a box of 'keeper' OR donation stuff every day, from now on. We have an ARC pickup on the 30th, and several donation bags are waiting. I hope to have a bunch more ready.

*Started clearing out drawers and bookshelves. The back deck needs clearing off, too. Boy, I am a thrift shop packrat.

*The Amazon listings will continue -- but:

*Ebay and Craigslist listings will start, too. Hopefully.

*Still looking for a trailer-sized washing machine. At a good price, that is.

*The Brick checked, double-checked and triple-checked all the systems in the trailer. He also filled the propane tanks. We looked for a generator...but based on others' advice, we now think we may not need it. I do think, though, we'll need some heavy-duty hookup hoses, electrical cords and that sort of thing.

*I told Gina, mom of three of my piano students, to come get our piano. Their piano is scruffy and needs repairs; this one will do them good. The piano's absence will make the dining room area look bigger, too.
       ( I can teach lessons til D-Day on our electronic keyboard, which stays with us. The Brick loves it, and I plan on learning how to play better on it.)

*We won't be taking our usual vacation in late February, to celebrate the Brick's birthday on the 20th. Too much stuff to get done. We won't be going to Tucson with Daughter #2 and Keith either, for the same reason.

*We've also been reading a lot about bloggers who live in their RVs or trailers, whether on a permanent or temporary basis. There are a surprising number!

*Trees need to be trimmed -- and cut down. They've been standing as deadwood for a season.
           (Good, because we're getting low on firewood.)

*Our Worship Team commitments end in February. We may play past that -- we may not.

*The Brick checked our clothes area. Space for 40 hangers each, not counting drawers for underwear, t-shirts and such. (This really is a very roomy trailer.)
        This concept doesn't bother me -- I basically wear the same 8 or 9 shirts or sweaters every week, and the same velvet blouse on Sundays. (Wasn't even aware of that, until I realized I was washing the same clothing every week.)

* I need to clear out the rest of the clothes, for several reasons. First, it makes living easier. Second, it gives the bedroom closet a more spacious look.

*I need to clear away the quilts, tops and excess fabric, books and assorted clutter from Brickworks inventory, for the same reasons. And because:

*One of our neighbors is interested in buying the house. Now. As-is. (They even want the chickens. Crazy.)
         (The wife is also interested in some of the furniture and books.)

Hands off us...we're going with Mom and Dad!

       We were going to have our new son Keith (referred to hereafter as Son #1) come in, tile the living room floor and redo the bathrooms.

Protecting the innocent (or not-so...)

Holding off on that for now...but wondering:

*Do we put cleaning out, donating and storage on high priority, instead of doing-it-when-we-can? 

*Is the neighbor actually going to make an offer? (They haven't yet. They want to see the downstairs first. They liked what they saw of the upstairs, though. )

*Should we get the property ready early, anyways? Castle Rock's housing market is very good right now -- and it's going to get even better, when the college campus near us finishes construction. (Colorado State and Arapahoe Community College are opening an extension campus.) The local outlet mall is expanding. And the hospital, just completed, is open for business now.

*Should we just rent out the house instead, to take advantage of the improving market? 


To make things even more interesting, Daughter #2 decided on her wedding month -- in September. Months after we're planning on being out of here. (Friends have already offered a place to park the trailer while we're in Colorado. We may try to stay closer to Daughter #2 and Son #1 up in the mountains, instead. After all, I still have several gigs to take care of, including Colorado Springs, Pueblo and Denver.) 

And the Brick thinks, after months of looking, that he may have found 'our' truck. It's about an hour's drive away, in a little dealer's lot out on the Colorado plains. We went and looked at it last night, in dusk while snow was falling. We'll go back and test-drive it on Saturday. (Make a decision too, I'm guessing.)

Upward and onward.