Prosperous & Creative Soul & MFW Year 3

beanielou

I think you could probably do with a wee extended break. 

EssexHebridean

On the gas fire, it's completely reasonable of you to point out that you won't be getting it fixed as it's not something you use, and it has been made safe already, so no work to do there either. I think you said that you made sure that the buyers were aware of it not working when they viewed anyway, so they offered knowing this was the case. Just a polite reiterating of your position, and a definite "no" to any works being done to it by you.

jwil

EssexHebridean said:

On the gas fire, it's completely reasonable of you to point out that you won't be getting it fixed as it's not something you use, and it has been made safe already, so no work to do there either. I think you said that you made sure that the buyers were aware of it not working when they viewed anyway, so they offered knowing this was the case. Just a polite reiterating of your position, and a definite "no" to any works being done to it by you.

I agree with this.

Great news about the payrise and back pay.

savingholmes

Thanks Blackcats - just realised we cross posted. Yes I should have had the money earlier - but still lovely to get it now.

Thanks Jwil, EH and Beanie. I'd love to extend my break Beanie even if it is just by a day - so perhaps I'll do that. That would still leave me 10 days for the new year to use towards the house or whatever else before end of March. If I did that I'd finish a week today which would help me be more in the Xmas spirit before DS arrives home on the Saturday. Especially given DD and I have been invited out for lunch to see friends before he gets here. 

I looked up how much time other people took off for moving and a lot of people recommended a week which I think would be my minimum. How much time I need depends on how much packing I get done after DS leaves Boxing Day. I'm hoping to start boxing up anything in the kitchen I don't use daily and continue decluttering anything that's surplus to requirements. At a push work would probably let me take unpaid leave if I needed more leave than I currently have left (for other things) but hopefully won't need that.

My ideal would probably be 7 days - 2 days (minimum) before here including day of and 5 there (assuming I moved on a Friday) - however with working from home - as long as I get wifi set up quickly enough I could probably do some part days. I've never moved as a single before so its hard for me to imagine. I imagine initially it will feel strange. Last time I moved the kids were 3 and 8 and we moved ourselves with help from friends and had a third of our pre-move belongings in storage (and donated or tipped a third). However, a lot of my rooms here are fairly empty due to the kids leaving and me and the cleaner's decluttering. Plus a lot of my stuff is pre-boxed in cube storage so it may not be anywhere near as big a deal as I imagine. The biggest areas I still need to get rid of stuff are the garage and the shed - and that's just so I'm not carting carp with me unnecessarily not because there wouldn't be room for it.

However I'm still mindful the future house could have an unfavourable survey and valuation yet - so trying to only do what would be good anyway if I was staying - hence focus on decluttering more than packing at this point.

Can't wait for pay day tomorrow. This month I'll clear my in-month spend on CCs including the survey. Hopefully send £800 to savings (unless I need any for the move). Buy 24 book audio membership. A kind person gave me a gift voucher so I think I will venture out and have a little tootle. Other than going to work the other day I've barely been out this week. Would be good to stretch my legs. Plus I have a different voucher from work and could look at options related to that too.

savingholmes

CCs back to zero
24 book membership bought
£450 to AVCs

lucielle

Wonderful news on the pay rise and back pay. Enjoy spending your voucher. 

L

LadyWithAPlan

Great news on the back pay, Cc and AVc’s


I love EH’s room numbering though in london flat’s second receptions rarely happen! 

You sound v organised - I have only moved as a solo the last 2 decades but I make it as stress free as possible and get  my mum or a friend or friends to help me watch over , make tea etc whilst the removal men work plus I pay for extra people 

All being well I will also be seriously more decluttered by the time I next move - hopefully to my first bought home 

savingholmes

Thanks Lucielle and LWAP

My survey is booked in for Tuesday so hopefully I will know what's going on with my purchase very soon after that. Trying very hard not to second guess the outcome or upset myself with worst case scenarios.

After lunch - I'll chase my solicitors to ensure the searches have been / get ordered before the break.

I'll be glad when all the life admin relating to the move is over. It's a shame I can't opt for a fix on my energy before the move - but there we go. Here they are estimating my costs will go up £100 ish a year post Jan  so that's liveable with. My biggest concern is changing GP. Some of the ratings for GPs online are harsh and don't seem balanced making it harder to choose - but as worrying - a lot of the practices don't seem to have onsite parking which is ridiculous. Even a big practice might only have 4 disabled spaces which I imagine would get used up very quickly.

girlatplay

Goodness, a lot has happened in your diary in the last week. I had to start making notes to remind myself what I wanted to say!

I'm really interested hearing about the purchasing and selling processes down there. It's the solicitors who deal with requesting searches here and, as @beanielou says, the surveys are done right away. In fact, before your house goes on the market the survey is ordered and done, made public (usually on request) in a "Home report" and paid for by the seller.

For organising moving boxes, I labelled every box with the room and a box number (e.g. Bedroom 1 - Box 1 / Bedroom 1 - Box 2, and so on) and made a list on a piece of paper with what was in each box. I found this worked really well and would do it again if I moved again. As long as you don't lose the piece of paper.  It also means the contents of your boxes are not advertised on the actual box.

Great news on the pay increase and back pay!

Blackcats

I think you will get lots of enjoyment from your audio book subscription - a really value for money spend.  I love my audiobooks.