Turning my home into a SOLD!!!! house ...

[Getupngo]

I picked up DL's old crib at her folks' house today, and my DS and DIL set up the crib tonight with brand-new bedding, bumpers and some well-loved stuffed toys. It looks very cute. My friend Frank came over and helped me haul things out to the garage. DS and DIL did some totin' for me, too.

The house is very much cleared out and nearly ready for the cleaning ladies to sparkle it up tomorrow. I'm also getting my MH back from the shop and I'll be (drum roll ...) THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS poorer. Yikes.

I've had leaks and leaks and leaks, so my guy re-sealed the roof, took the windows out and re-sealed them and replaced the gaskets on both slides. Plus some other stuff. So I'm hoping to be high and dry from now on. Or just dry. AND I'm going to cover the rig in the winter from now on.

The plan is to move into the rig in the driveway tomorrow night and stage the house Friday. I'll probably do some yard work over the weekend before I head out. The photographer comes in Monday and then it hits the MLS and the fun begins.

I'm actually hoping it takes a little while to sell so that I can rest up a bit. (pant! pant! pant!)

[Travelinana]

Isn't it nice to be this far along? Again, I envy you. While I was in LR yesterday having mirrors, back up camera, equalizing hitch put on my truck I also got my walk through on my trailer. I teased the guy who then started selling me extras about this being the 'mop and glo'. A car salesman friend calls it this. I also did some thinking about how to go about the house prep and I've been reading about how Janice is doing it of course. I have decided to go ahead with the pad at my son's which means basically set it up like a campsite with fhup's. I stopped at a storage building site on the way home and ordered my building. It is tan with rustic red roof. They certainly have come a long way with these. I think I could live in this one. It is 10X16 with loft on both sides. I will put up a rod for clothes and then start loading it up. I will then move into the trailer. The man who bought my tractor buys and sells and I think I will let him come give me a price on the contents taking all away except what I need to make it look good. I will then have it painted and major cleaning, and call the realtor. It just made good sense to do what has been tried and tested. I will keep working on the outside. This horrible drought isn't helping out there.

[Getupngo]

My house is being cleaned top to bottom by two young women. The hell-hole that was my basement is shining clean -- including the infamous laundry room. I am so grateful that I can afford to have this done. What a luxury!

Just don't look in the garage!!!

To be honest, if I had to do all this work myself, I'd be overwhelmed and it would NEVER get done.

[Dawn309]

Janice, it is overwhelming! I am not finished with the house yet, much less the barn, storage buildings and garage. Haven't even started cleaning yet. Figure it will easier when house is empty.

[Getupngo]

My house is being cleaned top to bottom by two young women. The hell-hole that was my basement is shining clean -- including the infamous laundry room. I am so grateful that I can afford to have this done. What a luxury!

Just don't look in the garage!!!

To be honest, if I had to do all this work myself, I'd be overwhelmed and it would NEVER get done.

[Travelinana]

I have a neighbor who does handyman services. I called him and he is coming tomorrow. He does it all. I will let him start outside and I will get started on unloading to make it easier for him to paint. I think I'll call the guy who will buy whatever my kids and I don't want and get this show on the road. Meanwhile I have this yard to try to make presentable. Please, Mother Nature, help me out here

[Getupngo]

The house is clean and staged and almost ready to go (I've still gotta clean up the kitchen counter). The stove was delivered and we decided that installing it NOW!!!! is simply crisis management. We put it in the garage and it will be installed some day.

The motor home is ready. However, I couldn't get myself in gear to pick it up today. I hauled ten bags of bark home, and I'll get out early tomorrow to re-dress the garden beds. Than I have to drive 40 miles to the state park for camp host training, and 40 miles back down to pick up the MH.

BUT THE HOUSE IS READY! (Don't look in the garage, tho ...)

And every part of me HURTS! Sounds like a Vitamin I (ibuprophen) night.

[Travelinana]

Went back to Janice's thread because this is what I am doing too. Every room looks like this..Of course I'm going neutral. I love my painter and his helper and they don't even have a spit can I am about to move out of the bedroom now and go put my things into Lady Bird. The 'dirt man' has the septic tank and water line in and today is working on the pad. This land is on a bluff and he had to dig a half dozen holes to find one he could set the septic tank into. Thank goodness Tony has a small landfill the dirt man can move rocks into. I'll have the storage building brought in then Tony will hook up electric this weekend. I can then live there and come back to house and supervise progress.

[Dawn309]

Bless your heart, Nancy. That's pretty much what all my rooms have been looking like as they are being emptied out. My sewing room has so many boxes, etc. in there that I cannot even get to my machines. That's OK. Decided to just pack them with the 2 unfinished projects. I can finish up after I get on the road.

So glad to hear your septic and pad are working out for you. It will be so much easier on you living in Lady Bird.

[sharon]

My house is being cleaned top to bottom by two young women. The hell-hole that was my basement is shining clean -- including the infamous laundry room. I am so grateful that I can afford to have this done. What a luxury!

Just don't look in the garage!!!

To be honest, if I had to do all this work myself, I'd be overwhelmed and it would NEVER get done.

That's pretty much where I'm at right now, overwhelmed. Which is probably why I said screw it, I'm getting out of town!!

[ellenw]

So many of you at the same stage, or within months of each other - Janice and Nancy and Dawn and Sharon. You're inspiring! I downsized 4 years ago when I moved out on my own, but slowly "stuff" has started accumulating. If I had a lick of sense, I'd take a lesson from all of you and clean it out regularly.

[Dawn309]

Ellen, I don't know that it's a lesson we ever pay attention to in a S&B. I am now pretty much to the stage that unless it's something I cannot live without, it's getting boxed for Darla or put in trash. Makes me nervous that there is quite a bit of stuff in the MH room. Bet I cull that again as I move into the MH.

[Travelinana]

[quote="sharon" That's pretty much where I'm at right now, overwhelmed. Which is probably why I said screw it, I'm getting out of town!! [/quote]

Sharon, have a missed a post? Are you selling your home to fulltime also? I wish I could say I was getting out of town too but I would be thinking about what is going on here. They will be out of the interior tomorrow and start on the garage. I will then start compartmentalizing what stays inside, what goes to storage building, and what goes to big garage for selling. I thought I would have everything in the RV by now but got a little behind. I think I will have my family come get what they want this weekend also.

[JudyJB]

Nice to hear you are all making progress.

I am SO glad I am done with that phase of my life. It was horribly stressful. One thing I learned is that you can redefine what you absolutely NEED and what you want in order to live. I do not miss my things at all.

Good luck getting everything sorted out. Life on the road is good.

By the way, one of my sons asked if I was lonely on the road. I should have told him that I could be a lot more lonely spending my retirement in my condo than being on the road seeing and doing things I want to see and do!!!

[Redwahine]

Amen sistah