[terriG]

Want to thank everyone for a warm welcome. We closed last Thursday (without a hitch) and spent the next 4 days unpacking what little we could bring up on this visit. Embarrassing to say, our furniture currently involves a blow-up bed, single mattress and a sofa from Bargain and Treasurs. But we still found time to get to the squares some evenings, dinner at Katie Belle's and a visit to the cool tiki bar in Country Club Hills. As we're not yet full timers, we will be back and from from South Florida over the next few months. Everyone has been so welcoming and this experiece has been even more than I expected. Thanks all!

[mak44070]

Originally Posted by terriG

Want to thank everyone for a warm welcome. We closed last Thursday (without a hitch) and spent the next 4 days unpacking what little we could bring up on this visit. Embarrassing to say, our furniture currently involves a blow-up bed, single mattress and a sofa from Bargain and Treasurs. But we still found time to get to the squares some evenings, dinner at Katie Belle's and a visit to the cool tiki bar in Country Club Hills. As we're not yet full timers, we will be back and from from South Florida over the next few months. Everyone has been so welcoming and this experiece has been even more than I expected. Thanks all!

and enjoy everything this little bit of Paradise has to offer.

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Originally Posted by terriG

.......Embarrassing to say, our furniture currently involves a blow-up bed, single mattress and a sofa from Bargain and Treasurs.....

Ah yes - the always popular "Early Attic - Late Basement" decor. We've done that several times ourselves! There's nothing like moving into a new place - never enough time or "proper stuff", especially if this is going to be your second home for a while.

Bottom line: Enjoy the heck out of the place! Sounds like fun!

Bill

[SALYBOW]

Welcome. We spent our first 3=4 weeks here with a sleep sofa from Bargains and Treasures, two bars stools and a card table and two chairs. I think that was the last time our home was organized as we are still dealing with the "too much" that we brought from Cincinnati. My first piece ofadvice to newbies is PURGE, PURGE, PURGE [B]before[/B] the move to TV. My second [eice of advice is to remember you have the rest of your life to settle in. Take time to go out and enjoy TV while you are unpacking. The stuff isn't going anywhere. Again Welcome and enjoy.

[Bettiboop]

Hi! Congrats on your recent closing in TV. I can't wait until my husband and I can have that kind of news to share. Just wondering...what part of South Florida? The Fla Keys is my home stomping grounds.

[Sherman931]

We are right behind you, we close in about three weeks. Fortunately, we are bringing a bed and some chairs, but not much else

[K9-Lovers]

Welcome! Glad you are enjoying your time here! And, many more good times are right around the corner.

[jaspal]

Originally Posted by SALYBOW

Welcome. We spent our first 3=4 weeks here with a sleep sofa from Bargains and Treasures, two bars stools and a card table and two chairs. I think that was the last time our home was organized as we are still dealing with the "too much" that we brought from Cincinnati. My first piece ofadvice to newbies is PURGE, PURGE, PURGE [B]before[/B] the move to TV. My second [eice of advice is to remember you have the rest of your life to settle in. Take time to go out and enjoy TV while you are unpacking. The stuff isn't going anywhere. Again Welcome and enjoy.

Excellant advise.....
We are coming down in 4 weeks. I'll remind myself of your advise as I go on overdrive.

[Ohiogirl]

We moved our 2nd truckload down in September. Now back in Ohio until early November. Had it has a rental for 4 plus years, now going to be snowbirds. I am not recommending doing this twice, but for us, it made sense (I think).

We did end up with some extra "stuff" that we donated to Habitat for Humanity. My advice would be to maybe leave it (the extra stuff) in the garage for a week to make sure you're not going to use it, then get rid of it. I've met a large # of people who either rent storage space or stack it in their 3rd bedroom/den or in the garage - sometimes for years. Why? The house is not going to get bigger or grow a basement. I agree with the purge, purge, purge advice, but almost everyone will move some stuff they think they might need and don't, or that they think their children will surely want (most of them don't).

Even if you're one of those Villagers (heaven help me if I am) who moves 3 times, you are likely not going to use this stuff in the next house, either. And if you can move 3 times, you can probably afford to buy a few new things anyway.

What really helped in our move was having the closets customized BEFORE the move. It was amazing how things fit with this being done ahead of time.

We still have a short list of things to do once we get back, but thankfully it's very short. It did help to have visited many times to see how we live differently in Florida, and it probably did help that I have moved quite a bit over the years, and much as I hate to admit it, it also helped that Ohioboy was absolutely driven to unpack and get everything set up in a very short time, although it is true we already had the place pretty much furnished.

Our 2nd move was probably akin to buying a furnished place. Some stuff that was in it when a rental was not stuff we wanted to keep once there. There were certain pieces/family heirlooms that we didn't move down for use as a rental. But mostly, it was "stuff." Clothes, more kitchen stuff, hobby stuff, etc. A pretty good truckload, though.

We actually still have some space in the kitchen and the master bedroom closet, although I'm sure not for long. I think it's an unwritten rule that most of us expand to fill our space, no matter how big.

Anyway - if you possibly can, customize your closets yourself or have it done before you do anything else. We still have to take out one of the pull-out shelves in the kitchen (tiny 10 inch cabinet between the fridge and range - should have been made into a tray cabinet) but are really glad we sprung for the closets.

[terriG]

Good advice, thanks. I'm sure this will be a learning experience.