Downsizing commences...

 

Well, it's all packed up!  I just need the big lorry to turn up in the morning for Operation Downsize Me to commence!  See you on the other side 🏡

I'm ready!

 

Just 2 more sleeps and it's moving day.  

I'm ready!

I'm ready to get my retired life up and running.

I'm ready to get my health and fitness back to full strength.

I'm ready for the next phase of life.

Can't wait!  Watch this space 💖

Bit annoyed

 

I'm a bit annoyed as my energy company is telling me that the new house I'm moving into has a pre paid meter for gas and electricity.  This wasn't disclosed in the home report or in person when I viewed.  So if it's correct (I've emailed my lawyer to find out) then they've been a bit sneaky!

Does anyone have experience of getting one removed if you're the new owner?  I know it's possible but how easy/quick is it?  I do not want to pay inflated prices for my energy use!!

9 sleeps to go!!

Tackling the garage

 

I've finally made a start on emptying the garage 😱  My new house doesn't have one so all the 'stuff' I've dumped/hidden/stored in there has nowhere to go except into one bog standard sized shed.  I'm being ruthless!!  I've got a special uplift booked this coming week.  Costs £53.70 for 5 bulky items so I can get rid of the stuff that won't fit into my wee car.  Once upon a time it was a free service.  Then it was only for over 60s.  Now everyone has to pay.  Makes you wonder what they're using your council tax for... 

Everything else I can sort and take to the recycling centre.  They've introduced a new online booking system so you can't just turn up any more.  There's been a big outcry locally about the changes but booking a slot was easy.  And it's still free although you have to give them all your details plus say exactly what you're recycling.  When I got there it was the busiest I've ever seen it!  Maybe just teething troubles.  The staff aren't supposed to help you unload but the guy supervising all the different skips gave me a hand with a broken chest of drawers I was keeping to upcycle 🙄 I've got many more car loads to book in next week so I'll see how it goes before I decide if it's an improvement or not!

Everything that can be packed into boxes is packed.  My huge roll of bubble wrap is seriously depleted!

I've taken down all the curtains and lightshades I'm taking with me.  It makes the rooms very echoey!  I think I'm as packed as I can be at this stage with the house stuff.  The garage is a work in progress.

Luna is finally out of season and can be walked again but isn't allowed to go back to puppy day care yet.  So that's making things a bit more challenging than I'd planned! 

Taking the garden with me

 

You're not supposed to dig up and take your plants with you when you move unless you have already agreed with the new owners.  I did say to my buyers that I would be digging up a memorial rose and a bit of lavender but everything else I'd leave.  They were happy with that as they're not gardeners.  Although I have been taking 'bits' of some of my aquilegias and potting them up.  I think they are so pretty and delicate!

I have 6 different and distinct 'varieties' so I hope they all survive.  I don't think they'll be in seed by the end of the month so I'm taking a chance they'll make it to the new garden.  The back bit of my garden is very dense and erm, wild so you can't see where I've dug up wee bits of things like greater knapweed too.  Some people think they're weeds any way.

It was only when I looked at all my pots I realised I've dug up only pink, purple and blue plants!  Maybe my new garden will be just pink, purple and blue flowers 🩷💜🩵

I have a lot of plants in pots especially in the front garden so they'll all be coming with me too!  From what I remember the new garden had no plants.  Just grass (mud) and a huge deck area.

So I'll have some colour for the Summer while I decide how I'm going to design the space 😊

Less than 3 weeks to go now!!

Can't believe it's May!

 

It's now May and less than 4 weeks to moving day!  Luna has decided to complicate things by having her first season which means she can't go out a walk (too many dogs where I live) and she can't go to puppy day care.  They have also informed me that she can't go back for 3 MONTHS as she will still 'smell' and it will disrupt the pack dynamic.  So I'm not happy at that as she can't go there on moving day!!!  Currently she is being exercised in the back garden and we're doing lots of training to tire her out mentally too!

I literally have nothing on my calendar for the rest of the month (except Luna's wormer!!) until moving day.  Having her around being clingy, moany and whiny is making packing boxes much more challenging.

I'm running down the storecupboard/fridge/freezer so it's less to pack but I still need to eat and still need to wash dishes!  These eco tabs were reduced from £7 to £2.79!!  That's almost 3 months of dish washing in my new house once I get a new dishwasher.

I didn't finalise my April spending as it was abnormally high due to moving costs so not helpful to my long term cost forecast.  I'm trying to keep May's spending as low as possible then I'll start afresh in June in my new house.

I'm thinking about giving my YouTube channel a bit of a refresh to include all aspects of my new life where I'll share more than my allotment.  It would definitely include living on a very low income, cooking from scratch, growing food, decorating on a budget, knitting and sewing my own clothes etc.  Would that be interesting enough for anyone? Just a thought!