Well, pack-out day is over and we did manage to survive it…. While we did have a moving team running the move, we still had the difficult task of splitting everything up between 3 categories:
- Things we hand-carry (2 suitcases a person)
- Things we send via air shipment (up to 450 pounds)
- Things that go by boat (up to 7000 pounds)
The hand-carry stuff we obviously will have access to right away. The air freight arrives 10-14 days later and the boat stuff comes after 2 months. Our condo will have furniture in it, but nothing else, so it’s critical to think about what we absolutely MUST HAVE for the first two months. Our sponsor is stocking the place with some basic food for our arrival and we get a welcome kit with the basics: (for example) sheets, towels, scissors, pots, pans, silverware. The challenge is that the kit gets passed to the next family once you get your air shipment. So those things better be in your air shipment, or you’re in trouble!! It’s a bit like puzzle to put together, but we think we managed okay.
The day didn’t go quite as planned. The moving team was supposed to arrive at 9 AM, but we didn’t end up getting a knock until 12:30 and it was just one guy (who proudly told us he was 55). He did our air freight alone and then disappeared to go check on another job on the complex. He was gone until abotu 4:30, when he came back with 2 college students. There was still all our sea freight stuff to pack still, so I was skeptical that this would all get done before the end of the working day. They ended up calling in 2 more reinforcements and made it out by 8 PM. WHEW! By this point I was starting to get annoyed because we had social plans that were supposed to start at 7. Two spouses that I met a week before had offered to make us dinner on our moving day and now we were horribly tardy. Nick ended up sending me ahead and then joined us when the last mover was out the door. All I needed was a glass of wine and the crabbiness started to melt away. Thank goodness for our generous new friends!
We’re in the home stretch now. The car was picked up today to get put on the boat. We were in discussions with the warehouse all week and ended up selecting 48 boxes/pieces from storage that we’re taking as well. That process was complicated by the fact that we didn’t get to go to the warehouse to select stuff, we just had to look at the packer’s notes. I am fully prepared to end up with all the wrong boxes – I guess that’s all part of the experience! At least it’s done… all that’s left now is to enjoy 3 more outings with friends and family before we hop our plane early Sunday morning! All I have left to say is: “See ya, D.C! We’ll be back in 4-6 years!”
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