FOUND the CABLES: Serangoon unit!

No wonder I couldn't find them (for loading pics from camera to computer), it was in Alex's pile of boxes to unpacked. He's actually found them and stored them somewhere.

Decided to show you the 50% unpacked/packed version of the place. To indicate how messy and how lack of storage we have. Will load in another set of pics when we 100% settle in, which is when the pics are up on the walls etc. Enjoy! This is the place we will soon call home. Will take some getting use to but it's sure warming up to us with it's door-to-door convenience!
This is so far the favourite bit of the house to me. I finally get my fully timber dining set from good old SALVATION ARMY OP-SHOP to match my buffet and hutch set from Wollongong. Still struggling with this space as I have not settled on the arrangements, aside from the dining spot.
Our mini-me living room looking out to our balcony. The Balcony now doubles up as storage for the boxes as we unpack. It brings in quite a bit of sun and due to the lacking in 'outdoor' space, my plants have moved indoors!
The balcony, and it's content!
The guest room, with it's own set of storage issues. The plus is, if the tv works, my parents can watch their chinese serials in peace.
Doorway looking into the master bedroom. We now have a his and hers desk as these desks do not fit anywhere else in the house. Lack of storage, too much books, too many STUFF!
Looking into half of girls room. This was the first room we settle in to help the girls find their way in this new place. There's enough for 2 more guests in this room too (if they don't mind the toys and mess!)...toys have moved into bedroom making it also a play area when the other is studying etc.
This is our little blessing. Nooked between the kitchen and living area, a 'study' area bright and spacious. This will be dubbed our 'school room' as it now has a 'reading nook', a creative corner as well as two desks for self study uses. Educational toys are here.
Our kitchen has been halved but it seems pretty useful at the moment. Have to re-figure what is crucial and what is important to store accordingly. The left leads to the laundry....which at this point in time is the most tidiest!

MOOOOVE-ED!

Am sounding like a cow!

Okay, the good news is, we've done the loading of 90 boxes plus furnitures and then the said being 'dumped' into our smaller new unit.

This time, we only moved ALL our contents, plus 5 single beds, 1 junior cot mattress, our 1-2-3 sofa set plus timber lamp table, my oh-so precious buffet and hutch set, 2 tall boy drawers, 2 bedside tables, 2 desks, 3 kids set table and chairs, 5 book shelves, 2 toy drawers, 1 triple bunk bed, a junior bed, 1 kids basketball hoop, 2 shoe cupboards plus 3 racks, 2 storage metal shelves and an exercise bike. We were told that we don't have a lot of furnitures but our 'contents' are more than an average 4 person family!!! Hence the 90 plus boxes.

Been back to the old place everyday, cleaning and slowing carting things that are left (fridge, pantry, laundry) over. Still lots to do and we will get a painter to fix up our 'decorations' on the various walls. Meanwhile, the NEW place is s.l.o.w.l.y getting in shape. The boxes are reducing by the day (3rd day!), the storage room is filling up to the ceiling plus furnitures are being moved around to present a livable and comfortable place for us. There's so much of juggling between what we need now and what we need (maybe) in 6 months time. We've finally decided to throw out irreplaceable clothes that are at least 15 years old. Some of these stuff have been around when Alex and I were courting...yet, growing yellowish and some even 'fraying'.

I think I have 15 more boxes to go...my back is real sore by the evening from all the heavy lifting, my skin is itching like mad from the dirt and my feet seems to be in a constant shade of BLACK. We've opened ceremony to cook at home tonight, used a BRAND spanking new stainless steel rice cooker that kept blowing the circuit of the house (sheesh!). Girls missed out of K1 chinese class as Mathena slept through the afternoon(kids exhausted like us!) while I completely did not watch the time (no clocks in house yet!).

This reminds me, I will have to start sticking stuff on walls, eg clock.

3 More Sleeps till MOVE day

To this day, I have done:
1) Side tables of Master bedroom, only 20% of our wardrobe
2) 50% of the girls room, all bookshelves but not toys
3) Guest room ALL PACKED
4) 80% of living area and it's storage
5) 50% of dining area
6) On the food and ccoking stuff yet to be packed
7) 50% more of laundry stuff
8) Have half more cupboard of storage
9) Shoes not packed
10) Plants not sorted

Moving day is 9am 21st. The removals will come to pack the larger furniture, then move all boxes. I have packed 40 boxes so far and yes, my back is starting to ache. The new place is 90% cleaned, and most of the shelves are wiped down and ready to be filled. Noticed that we may need to get more things, eg bedside lamps, fans, curtains (kids room). This time I am determined to add some 'pictures' on the wall to decorate the place a bit.

Things I DISLIKE about moving!

This is the first time I have ever sat down to try to recall how many times I have moved in my entire life. The grand total comes to at least 15 that I CAN remember!!

Am sure all who has had the experience of moving house, whether just down the road or across the seas, share the same gripes I am about to share:

The plain thought itself is enough to raise your blood pressure, create unpleasant sleep and make you loose appetite with your food.

THE PLANNING
There's just so much to do and so little time. On top of that, the biggest task is trying to maintain a near 'normal' home for the kids before the actual move day, run the household as if it's not going to happen and juggle life as per normal.

THE BOXES
In an already cluttered home, the boxes per compliments of the removals will often than not take up a corner of the room. They are flatten yet a constant reminder that your job's not done, your cupboard's not cleared and there's stuff to be sorted.

THE LISTS
There's the "TO DO" list before we move, then the "MUST DO" list when we arrive at the other end. Then, Alex has His list (which I have to draw up), I have my list, and we have change of address lists, rental hand over lists, last minute lists, and the many lists we make up along the way.

THE PACKING
Okay, this is also the bit where I sort out all our rubbish and become quite ruthless in throwing things out. My kids will loose quite a lot of their toys, books and bibs bobs! Our books gets a reshuffle and mostly, we clutter up the disposal shute with bags of our 'arts & crafts' collected throughout the year. Does anyone have a reduced storage idea for such items. My girls want me to collect and keep rocks....from art lessons, from beaches, trips and holidays!! Yikes!

THE UNPACKING
My greatest nightmare is that we don't have enough place to put them all. Yes, we are downsizing in apartment size but up-sizing in budget. This only happens in Singapore where the rental prices are skyrocketing and landlords are getting greedy! Yeesh!

GETTING BACK TO LIFE
There's the one month before you move where life is in limbo. My girls get educated only 50% of the time as mom is running around like a headless chook and the house is stacked up with boxes. Then, there's the other one month after the move where we slowly get into the swing of things.... and discover what's in the boxes!!!

SAYING GOODBYE
After 2 years at this estate, we've gotten so use to our neighbours and now friends. We can honestly say 'Everyone knows us!!'. Anyone can come to our block and ask about us, most of our neighbours can and will lead them to our doorstep. We'll have to start ALL OVER AGAIN at the new area. I will have to smile more, teach the girls patience, teach them stranger danger(again!) as well as help them resettle. Sigh!

CHANGING ADDRESS
The list is long and I can bet even after 6 mos, we'll have loose mail coming in. Have to make a mental not to give a forwarding address to the new tenants via the owners!

Okay, I do know that all the about can easily be erased off as long as I am willing to pay $3k more in my removal costs etc. They will do the packing, unpacking, organising etc at the last minute day of removal. Anyone have anymore gripes to add about moving? Join in..

Choices of Removals: Help me decide?!?

I have for the last few days been on/off the phone trying to get the 'surveyors' of removalists
to come over to quote our move...here's the ones I have to decide on:

AH HENG (pronounce Ah HANG) Incorporated.
This is a near retiring guy who seems to run a one man show. He's experience stems from working for others and now he's winging it on his own. He came, he saw and he quoted on the spot. Telling me that he can fit in 2 trucks, but may need more. He also says that all the 'logistics' with the security and the body corp will be my job and that 'my plants will take up space in the truck'. He will come with a four men and supply me with boxes (100 pieces) at S$350 per truck. He will package only the furnitures to protect them but all electrical stuff is to be packed by ourselves if we want them protected. He's boxes maybe second hand (not new!). Recommended by neighbor on 22nd floor but was warned of 'pick-pocketing' individuals.

SANTA FE
Based upon their approximate assumption of 1500cft. It will cost me S$ 3800.00 plus 7% GST.

This quotation is based on an assumed volume, easy access to your home in Singapore and at destination (no staircarry and easy parking of our truck with no parking charges etc.), and that your effects consist of household goods. It is supplied as a guideline estimate only for your reference. A physical survey will be a more accurate assessment of volume and thus costs involved.

SHALOM
Then, I shook hands and met a surveyor who came through our home for a details list of notes. He added that they may be 'extras' as loading into the truck may be a hassle due to the car parking hassles from the estate. He also added that he will add in options like 1) extra cost of men, 2) extra cost in case 2 trucks is not enough, 3) extra cost added as all boxes are brand new. He is yet to email me the quote! The good bit is, the company will bear the cost/cheques required to book the 'permission' to move. He also shared that moving to government housing means that there is no time limit in their parking at the loading zone, no hassle, no paperwork. Yippee! Something for us to enjoy in the future! Will post on the quote as soon as I get it.

Just received their quote at *$1,110/- (nett-no GST required) which includes the following:
• Strictly 2 loads (15ft covered truck) removal service based on the items shown to our surveyor inclusive of manpower and transport;
• Necessary wrapping of furniture inclusive of labour and materials;
• Necessary dismantling/assembling of furniture;
• Specialized handling of plasma TV;
• Provision of 130 cartons (20”x16”x16”), 20 book cartons, and 15 PVC tapes for your own packing.

Global Removal PTE LTD (no site)
This is recommended by our car insurance person plus ex-neighbor from level 16. He told me they are 'bargainable' plus I should use his name for a good price. He also told me that don't take the price as is and that the 'Indian' guys is supergood with the packing etc. 'Excellent and very experienced!' were his exact words. These guys are coming at around 11am. Apparently they don't start work till 10am!!

They came back with a verbal quote of using their large truck, 'all can fit, all can fit!' attitude which was less of a worry at S$700 including packing tape and boxes. They were happy to even load the plants with no hassle at all. His observation was that we have lots of boxes but few large items, which is a space saver. Hmmm, I know which one I will choose.

Then, there's
K C DAT
Who quoted us S$6,450!! Am not even going to write further on THAT!