Packing up the house

We started the dreaded cleaning out rooms to find out what goes in storage and what to ship.  Where do you find boxes nowadays, and where did all this stuff come from?  These are the kind of questions that crosses your mind when starting this tedious process.  So far after starting one room, we had to adjust our methods several times of determining how we go about this.  Being in the military for over 20 years with all the transitions you have to go through, you would think that this should come second nature.  Not the case at all.  Still something that we hate to do, but know we have to get her done. 

Back to the boxes.  Not like it use to be where you go to a local grocery store and ask for them and they're yours for the taken.  Buy boxes? Well it seems that's the way it is, or look on Craigslist for someone trying to get rid of some from their move..seriously?  I found some for sale  at Home Depot that wasn't priced so bad; a buck fifty for a 18x18, and of course  the other supplies like tape and bubble wrap, were readily available in the same section.  I guess this is part of the reason the cost of moving has gotten to be so expensive. Oh and don't forget to save the receipts, unless of course you used Craigslist. 

Oh well part of the stress that you go through which makes the final destination that much more rewarding.

First officially packed box on the bottom

Looking for temporary housing

We are now looking at the choices we have of where to stay once we move out of Alaska and wait to  close on the house.  This is not an easy task at all.  We could just rough it and try one of the extended stay hotels and pay about $50 a day and hope that everything is completed on time, or find a nice place with a month to month lease and live comfortably until then.  I looked into several of the corporate rental agencies and found some decent looking units.  The cost is about $2000 a month for a 2 bedroom, but if you figure by the day that is around $67 a day which is much cheaper than a hotel suite.  One place is offering a 3 bedroom for the price of a 2 and waiving the $50 application and credit check fees for military.  We will have to check that one out.

Palmetto Place in Ft Mill, SC (Temp Unlimited)

Dreaming of a White Christmas

I'm sure some of the people in South Carolina can only imagine a snow filled white Christmas like the one we are having here in Anchorage today.  I can only imagine a few years from now I may be having that same dream.  But for now, I am living it and can say its quite beautiful, but at the same time the snow and cold nights is getting old.  Its going to be a tough couple of weeks trying to get things move out of our apartment with all the snow and more on the forecast.  But we are up for the challenge and will get'er done. 

Hate that we have to move in this mess but got to get it done!

Our Tahoe outside our front door

We decide to move

Even though December brings us to a point where we must step up our pace, a move has been in the making for quite some time.  Many discussions and research led to a visit to Ft Mill, SC last summer (June 2011) and I found that the place was absolutely perfect for what we had in mind.  Decent schools, good neighborhoods, and of course proximity to family, were number one on the list of needs.  That being fulfilled, we had already decided to build a house being the right time with the state of the housing market to do so. Having found a realtor beforehand, it was only a matter of picking out the right development and property.  

After the visit to Ft Mill and retuning to Anchorage, the chore of negotiating prices and the style of home began. That along with the financing took until the end of September.  When that was finally accomplished, the selection of flooring and low voltage wiring had to be completed; mind you all of this was done via Internet, emails, and faxes.   My pre-construction meeting with the project manager was also done over the phone. 

As stressful as this may seem up to this point for anyone that has been through this process, the hard part has just begun.  The construction has started with the lot grated and the foundation of the basement poured.  Now with weekly meetings (via phone) with the project manager scheduled and the task of packing and shipping, the “fun” has just begun.  

Basement foundation