Well, you all know the saying about fitting a quart into a pint pot - here it feels like a gallon is trying to be squeezed in - dozens of boxes of books and "stuff", quite a bit of which is being jettisoned into boxes market Car Boot, to go into storage. We had SO much room at our old house, and although this is still quite a roomy house at things go (a tad under 2,000 square feet) it has more limited storage, and although there is a BIG dry attic, it is up a very steep flight of stairs - "Sheffield Stairs" Tam calls them, from her years in Sheffield where so many houses were shoe-horned into steep hillsides and the stairs are almost like ladders! Anyway, we will get straight sooner or later and I will just have minimal china on display in future. I have hardened my heart - although it took this move to make me realize that I have so many pieces just through habit.
I will go through my books again too - most of the archaeology books will go - I'll concentrate on my Pictish/Insular Art ones and some Celtic books. There will be further culls of my cookery and countryside books, and even my literary biographies - have SO much on Thomas Hardy, and the ones I have read I am unlikely to read fully again.
Knowing which box holds something we actually NEED is a right PITA, but we will gradually get there. I am spending time unpacking in the kitchen (all morning today) and then this afternoon I will crack on with the books. We're trying not to think about the Pink Bedroom and Guest Bedroom contents.
Anyway, everything is here now so we just need to get it sorted. Priorities have been established too!
Just a few photos of the house interior at the weekend - when we just had the bare minimum delivered last Friday. There will be more as we get straight in each room.
Feet up, TV on. Someone's got the right idea. There is no rush!
ReplyDeleteTam's better at relaxing than me, but the weekend WAS relaxing - then we had another 3 days of removal men unloading!!
DeleteCongratulations! I am just catching up with your posts, boy have you worked hard and long. Well worth it though, the views are spectacular! I wish you every happiness in your lovely new home.
ReplyDeleteIt is SUCH a reward - we love it, and it suits us very much indeed. Lots of daft little jobs (leaking taps etc) as well as a few bigger ones, but we will survive.
DeleteI like the kitchen layout very much.
ReplyDeleteIt's L-shaped Ann. I'll give you a photo when it's a wee bit tidier!
DeleteI am new to your blog. I have forgotten how I got here but I'm glad I did. :) My husband and I are 64 years old and will be downsizing too, as soon as we find a house we like "in the city". It's time to get nearer to goods & services... and our son & his wife. They are anxious & hope we move across the street from them. *haha* So I'll be in your predicament soon enough too, saying "where did all this stuff COME from???" Your kitchen is beautifully light & airy. I hope to find one with so much natural light. Best of luck~ Andrea xoxo
ReplyDeleteHello Andrea and welcome, and I hope that you are able to downsize more easily than us! It was a big ask as we lived in such a HUGE home before. I hope you will find your dream retirement home in the city. We are much nearer amenities here (2 miles instead of 10) and it's a lovely quiet town and beautiful countryside surrounding us. The whole house is bright and airy apart from the Library which is at the back of the house with smaller windows so that is going to be painted a darker colour - a tawny pink - to warm it rather than lighten it (Magnolia has not helped its cause!)
DeleteIt looks like you have good natural light which is a huge plus in any home. We know the box thing - just last night F unpacked a box we moved from UK two years ago. Some have a way of remaining unopened and simply going into 'storage'. It's sort of her - "things I'd like to try again in retirement" box (full of art supplies -like the world of art supplies is going to dry up in the meantime?) Most of it went back into the box. (sigh)
ReplyDeleteI am being organised and there are boxes repacked and sealed and marked Car Boot Sale about to go into storage in a stable! Much more needs to join it now we've got time to organise ourselves.
DeleteLots of sunny windows! Good luck unpacking!
ReplyDeleteThe house faces South too Ellen.
DeleteSoon be done!
ReplyDeleteSays she hopefully!! We will get there, but there are an awful lot of boxes!!
DeleteGood luck with all the unpacking. Kitchen looks lovely despite the chaos. Hope you slowly get sorted out.
ReplyDeleteThe kitchen is L-shaped. When the boxes have gone and it's tidy, I will put a proper photo up.
DeleteIt will take time but it will all be worth it in the end when you have settled. You are doing a great job.
ReplyDeleteThanks MM. I will just work steadily now, and it's lovely having plans for the future, sorting out colour-schemes and ideas.
DeleteOh the chaos of moving - dont think I can ever face it again.
ReplyDeleteTotal chaos Pat, and like you, not something I want to do again in a hurry, if at all! LOVE our new house and don't want to leave it.
DeleteAt least your in your new home !
ReplyDeleteI am so happy to be hear parsnip.
DeleteThe temptation is to try to unbox everything quickly, but after all the hard work you did downsizing and then moving these past few months, you need to be kind to your tired bodies. Insert frequent tea/chocolate/wine breaks. It will give you a mental health break as well as a physical one. And you can use that quiet time to give more thought about where you want things to ultimately live (now that you see the space with your own things) instead of constantly moving things around. Best of luck!
ReplyDeleteI overdid things yesterday and there were tears at teatime as I was overwrought. Today has been slower but I was up early as I couldn't sleep beyond 5a.m. and have managed 20,000 steps again. Will step up the tea/chocolate/wine breaks I think!! We still have too much furniture and books but will gradually prune it until the right levels are achieved.
DeleteIt will definitely take awhile to settle in. Love how big all those windows are.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
There are quite a few jobs to be done, but no need to rush - we're in Lockdown for starters! We love the windows too. Hope to get some more curtains up soon.
DeleteIt is a lovely house, it reminds me of the houses I used to see in the Wye Valley for some reason. Slow down and settle in, you have a excellent kitchen for making a cup of tea! Very happy for all of you. X
ReplyDeleteIt suits us well Thelma. Good sized rooms and nice and warm, and light (those huge windows) and with lovely views.
DeleteI always felt like the first room that had to be sorted out is the kitchen, and then a place to sleep, and then a place to...er...the bathroom. Once the necessaries were done, I felt like the pace for the rest of the house could be a bit more leisurely.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. We are going to have to be patient over the improvements to be carried out here though, because of Lockdown, but I think we need to order what we need and get in a queue (hopefully towards the front of it) to avoid the stampede when Lockdown restrictions are lifted.
DeleteSuch a nice home! The kitchen is always my favorite part of the house and your new one is lovely. You have the large windows for you to take in the gorgeous landscape. Enjoy living there and will be good to see the beautiful scenery surrounding it.
ReplyDeleteGlad you like it. The kitchen is L-shaped and taking shape now we are putting our things up in it. I am still pinching myself, it's such a lovely lovely house and those VIEWS!!
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