We have moved. Officially. Actually. Completely!! Since buying the lakehouse in June, our lives have been in limbo. What we thought would be a quick sale of the townhouse turned into a drawn out, deeply disappointing experience that, for a long time, had no end in sight. We tried to stay positive, but sometimes we just felt so glum. Some of our family members were insatiably curious, repeatedly asking when we’d be moving. We didn’t know how to explain to them that each time they asked, it stressed us out. Even when we eventually did sell the townhouse, we were unconvinced we’d actually move. We were so sure we’d hit some kind of snag. On Wednesday, with the closing date days away, we headed down the driveway to fetch our rented U-Haul truck. I mugged out so badly on the ice that I sliced open my hands. When we started loading the truck an hour later, my bleeding cuts slowed my packing contribution but I refused to let anything get in our way. We were so close. The kitty who looked like he was manning the front desk at the U-Haul pick-up did much to lift my spirits. I laughed a little too heartily about Counter Kitty all day.
We hired a young guy from the local classifieds to help but, even with an extra set of hands, loading all of our possessions took more than 16 hours. The loading bled into our travel day which, coupled with inclement weather, turned a two day drive to our new home into a three day marathon. Hubby deftly navigated the giant the U-Haul truck and towed a car carrier with Charlie. Szuka and I inched behind in our Versa.
We filled (to the roof) the 26 foot U-Haul truck you see above. It was so full, we had to
push everything back and pull the loading door down quickly to close it. I don’t think anything really shifted during the journey because it was wedged in so tightly. Where did all this stuff come from?!?
Happily, on Sunday we finally reached the lakehouse and unpacking happened so smoothly! The house was just as we left it, except for two important changes: my parents had spent three days clearing a winter’s worth of snow from the driveway and had trudged deep into the yard to string white lights on one of our trees. Such a sweet sight. With their help, plus the help of a friend, we shoved a lot of our stuff in the garage so we can start getting organized without feeling walled in by boxes. When the last box made its way out of the U-Haul, we felt like a giant weight had been lifted from our shoulders. We had finally moved on, and were finally home. I’m looking forward to unpacking, getting settled (getting organized!) and tackling the lakehouse. Life is good.
Congratulations on making the move!! I can't wait to see how your new place comes along – the changes you've made already are insane. Insanely good. Like your family room with the white walls and that fireplace. Sigh.
Thanks!! I'm so excited to start work again, even if it is a smidge daunting. There is so much I want to do and I have no patience. We'll get there!
I am so happy to hear you finally got your wish! Moving can be so annoying, but at least now you are in your new home ready to tackle new fabulous projects 🙂
I'm so happy that the move is now in my rear view mirror. Such a relief! So far, nothing broken!
congrats on the (longer than you anticipated!) move It will take awhile for you to get settled but putting stuff away and figuring out what you want to hang here and there is the fun part!
I am excited for the unpacking, because I love organizing. The other projects – tearing apart the kitchen while living 60km from any source of food – has me nervous. Our first big townhouse reno saw us living on takeout for awhile, lol! One step at a time!
We have just put our house up for sale. It has only been on the market for 8 days, and BELIEVE ME, so far, it has been the LONGEST 8 days of my life! Listing your house for sale is very very stressful! I am glad you are finally moved to your new house! I look for to that day here too.
How exciting that your house is listed right now! I hope you see a smooth, fast sale. I can tell you that even with our horrible experience (a detailed post about it soon), we emerged on the other side only a little worse for wear. I am sending "quick house sale" thoughts your way right now. Good luck!!
Congratulations on finally getting moved into the lakehouse! I'm so happy for you. I know it's been a long road, but look where it's finally led you.
Thanks Dana! We were driving to the house today, just so relieved and happy, and we took a moment to appreciate how lucky we are and how things finally came together. Happy sigh.
So happy for you guys and looking forward to more lakehouse updates 🙂
Soon, soon, soon! Tomorrow I'm painting something mint and today we put together some new furniture. Yay!! Progress.
Last August, we moved our family from Calgary to North Vancouver. I've never been more exhausted in my entire life, ever. Looking back, I still can't believe we survived. 🙂 Welcome Home!
That is a far move!! Lots and lots of driving there. I'm so impressed because that is no small undertaking.
I can't imagine how stressful the whole thing was – it's bad enough for us and we have a company do it! Glad that you have officially moved in – good luck with getting everything sorted out as you'd like it. Looking forward to seeing more projects in your new home.
I think having a company move a home can be stressful too – I'd worry that they are being careful with the sentimental things. I think most moves aren't easy.
Moving is NEVER fun, but definitely sounds like you had an adventure. Hoping settling in goes smoothly. Wishing you many happy years in your new home.
Yep, it's just one of those things we need to get done and move on. Thanks for your kind wishes!
Sounds like your whole community empathizes… And now, I'll chime in, too. We've been half the way across the country from our for-sale townhouse for months now, and it has finally sold. Selling is no fun at all, especially when you have to try to make your place look like just anybody could walk in and be at home. The total opposite of what you want to do to make it your own! So glad that's over for you, and looking forward to seeing what you do next. When we finally put down roots later this year, I'm counting on having all kinds of head-start new ideas from your work on the lake house.
Your situation is very similar to ours. I'm so happy to hear your townhouse now sold. I can very clearly feel the relief you must feel right now. HUGE Congrats to you!!
Oh man – what a journey – emotional and literal! All the best for a smooth and happy unpacking process. And – take care of those hands!Jordana
Thanks!! I am much more healed now, happily. Such ridiculously bad timing, now it kind of makes me laugh although at the time I wanted to cry.
Congrats on the move! It's always such a huge relief to get to your new place. i can't wait to see what you do with your new home 🙂
Thanks!! I'm so full of ideas and I'm so antsy to get things done.
We are only moving round the corner but totally empathise. It never feels real until you are there with the keys and your belongings safely in your new home. Hope you settle in soon and enjoy your new abode 🙂
Any move is stressful! I wish you a smooth one!! And many happy memories in your new place
Hello Tanya….We wish you well in your new home.It will be great to see photos of the rooms your chairs end up in once you are settled. :)Best wishes,Ria
Thank you Ria. I just bought a vintage sofa that I desperately wish I had found when I could still get it reupholstered at Kessels!! But a couple who saw us make the purchase asked of a good place in Ottawa to get fabric and have items upholstered and I sent them your way!!
Hey Tanya …. just saw your reply. I wish we could do your vintage sofa too, we did a great vintage one a few weeks back and it looked fantastic.We have regular clients in a three hour radius but the record so far is a couple that drove 7.5 hours in a rental truck for a week vacation to visit friends while we recovered 5 pieces then they drove home.I hope you told the couple you met to mention you so they can get the tanya discount. :)Take care,Ria
My Mom had suggested she and I take a road trip with the sofa but it's a pretty large section, lol. I FORGOT about the Tanya discount!! I'm terrible.
Congratulations on getting there! I wash you only happy times, smiling days and lovely nights, in your new home.
Thank you, that means a lot.
Tanya, Again I'm wishing only good times ahead and continued successful blogging a year out of sync. I found myself holding my breath (even though I knew you had moved) and shed a tear in relief once you had move all the boxes into the garage. As an aside, I find it amusing that your U-haul truck had a license plate from Arizona! Did it have snow tires? Cheers!
For anyone who has ever moved, it's so easy to empathize with the stress of moving! I've heard so many terrible stories of broken down moving trucks, stolen possessions, broken boxes! You know, I'm not sure if the moving truck had snow tires. Good eye! It's amazing how those moving trucks get around. No wonder they're so rickety…
Out of our two moves, the first we packed ourselves but hired a company to move from one side of the city to the next. No problems. Our second move was a 700km one. This time we packed and moved ourselves, the same as you. The second was much harder, not because we did it ourselves but because we hadn't downsized enough. After living in this house now for three years we still have boxes of stuff in the crawl space that we haven't unpacked. Nowhere to put it but I can't divest myself of the stuff because I keep thinking in our next move I'll need it!