Deep Breath…
Wow.
Just. Wow.
The last month, and especially the last two weeks, have been non-stop. It has been a mad dash to get the house empty.
Here’s a brief recap:
We had to get a significant amount of stuff out of the house to make it presentable for renters. Done.
Decide on a date to list the property so renters could look at it. Done.
Schedule movers to get the remainder of our crap into storage. Done
Schedule the date for our contractors to come in and replace carpets, paint, and other things. Done.
Apply for and procure visas for the whole family. Done.
Update music instrument insurance to a company that offers international plans. Done.
Schedule inspections and return dates of our leased cars. Done.
Boys finish school year and have them home for the last four days before we have to move, so having to entertain them while packing. Done.
About two weeks ago, we made a mad dash to get the house ready for showings. This meant keeping the house in a constant presentable state, which in turn, delayed our ability to continue digging out closets, deciding what get sold, donated, trashed, or is coming with us overseas. (Just a reminder, we’re not shipping anything. It either comes on the plane with us, or it stays behind.)
We decided to give have property management company require only a one hour notice to show the house if they had anyone interested in viewing it. This meant we would have to do some tidying-up at the drop of a hat sometimes. We’d also need to vacate the premises as we aren’t supposed to be around during viewings.
Not surprising, within a week, we had two applications to choose from at our desired rent. We secured a tenant within a week of the property being listed! Major obstacle resolved! Woohoo!
This was a week ago.
As we scheduled things out, we decided that the best way forward was to move into a hotel (which is where I’m tyiping this from) on June 16, with the house fully emptied, save for a few large items, so our contractors could start the work on Monday the 17th. The contractors will be disposing of these last few items, such as old Ikea dressers that are of no major value, sentimental or monetary. It was up to us to have everything else out.
The amount of effort Kate and I have been putting into the last steps has been Herculean.
I’m thinking back nine years to when we moved down here from New Rochelle. Moving is fucking hard. Especially when you have accumulated so much stuff. Having to completely evaluate every single item in your possession is on a whole other level than moving into a new house, where you can just transport everything from one place to another.
I’ve said this before, and I’ll keep reiterating it over and over again. It’s amazing how much crap we (collectively) accumulate and place sentimental value to that adds no real value to our lives.
We’ve essentially consolidated our whole lives into 8 suitcases and a set of golf clubs, some carry-on bags and my saxophones.
The apartment we’re moving into in Bangkok will be furnished. This is all we need! Clothes and a few other select items that each of us deemed worthy to join us on this journey.
The movers came today, moving two mattresses, some kitchen items, some artwork, and a shelf that I’ve had my whole life that used to belong to my mother when she was a child, and some AV equipment.
We said goodbye to our house. Our wonderful house. I love this house. I’m going to miss this house. It’s been home to us for nine fabulous years, and welcomed Miles home seven years ago when he was born. It was absolutely perfect for what we needed. A modest three bedroom townhouse in Vienna, VA. The kitchen has so much useable counter space, which is invaluable for a baker and pizza maker such as myself. We set up an 82 inch TV with surround sound in our large finished basement for movies and sports viewing.
And (selfishly) my music room. In the basement is a bonus room. When we first saw this house when we were hunting, I envisioned this room as my fortress of solitude. And that is exactly what it became. I did a ton of research on soundproofing. I gutted the room down to the studs. I installed resilient channel to de-couple the walls from the structure of the house, then I installed two layers of 5/8” dry wall using green glue between each sheet, on all walls and ceiling. I had help from a friend to do the ceiling, and my brother-in-law helped hang some of the walls, But I did most of the walls all by myself. It was an amazing experience. And it worked! I had a drum kit in that room. I could practice at midnight, and the upstairs couldn’t hear anything. There was no risk of waking up my kids while I practiced at night.
I’ve since sold my drums to a good friend for his daughter. I’m so happy they are going to someone that will really appreciate them and use them. I’ll certainly miss them.
This house was also our solitude and salvation during the pandemic. I made my first sourdough started and really learned a ton about baking. I spent so many hours locked away with my family. I know some people had really difficult times during the pandemic. I know some people lost their relationships. For me, it further cemented my love for my family and reaffirmed my appreciation for them. Especially my wife. We’re the lucky ones. It’s easy. We work together as a team. We’re on the same page with nearly everything. She gets me in ways nobody else ever has. Thirteen years in, nothing has changed in my love for her for the exception that it has only grown.
When this opportunity presented iteslf to take a massive leap of faith, it was a no brainer. These last few weeks, and really, months, have been HARD getting ready. But we’ve worked together and gotten through it together. The hardest part is done now that we’re in the hotel.
Two weeks from today and we’ll be on that plane. And then we can breath…
