The ups and downs of packing up the house

It has been 2 weeks since my last post, 2 weeks of packing. We have moved house several times over the past 12 years but never has it been so complicated and mentally exhausting!

On the positive side:

- The shipping containers have arrived at Dave's Mum and Dad's and are almost ready to start loading in our stuff

- The first items of furniture have been taken out of the house, clearing up some space

- For the first time in 5 years we have something that actually looks like a garden out the front

- The old canopy that Dave built for the Ute has been sold and a new, much lighter canopy is ready to install

- We have a functioning front deck with almost a completed handrail

- We have spoken with real estate agents and are hoping to get photos taken of a few of the rooms to start advertising for tenants

- I have a week off work this week! Extra time to get stuff done while also losing a few days to visit NSW for my cousin's wedding.

On the down side:

- Packing takes so long in this situation as everything has to be sorted into a number of categories: Stuff to just go to storage, stuff that we still need now but will go to storage, stuff that needs to go out the the van, stuff that needs to be stored but I don't trust to leave in the shipping container, stuff that might need to be accessed while we are away but doesn't need to come with us, stuff to go to the op shop, stuff to go in the bin, stuff that needs to go to someone else in the family, stuff to try and sell....Aarrgh!!! My brain hurts!

- Dave is absolutely exhausted, working really long hours and then trying to finish work on the house and sort through the mountain in the shed

- The deadline is looming and we are freaking out that we won't make it!!

Official Countdown:

Days until we leave: 62

Days until we move out of the house: 27 (Oh Crap!!!)

Boxes packed: 35