"Operation Downsize" Under Way; Man-Cave 3.0

[majspud]

Down sizing in progress. D-Day IS D-day; we move 6/6. Current digs measure 13'x19' and 9'x10,' or 337 square feet including 2 large closets and kitchen cabinets. New digs are 9' 9" x 10' 7," with a small closet of 27" x 48" or so, for a total of about 112 square feet, or about 1/3 the space. We hope to turn this tiny space into a tiny half bath someday. There is a large closet off the hall way by the landing where most of my re-enacting uniforms and equipment will go. The smaller second bedroom will be gated off, and the rabbits will have the run of the second floor. Floors have been sanded, and the clear seal-coating should have been done today, with it being dry by TH. I've stripped the two upper rooms of wallpaper down to the horse hair plaster, and some of the rest of the house. Skim coats and paint to follow by professionals.

I'll have the antique rifles on the wall, and hope the rest can fit into my 18 and 10 gun, and pistol box Stack on Cabinets. I'll be losing my beloved roll top desk to a friend as it won't get into the house, and replacing it with an 1850 cylinder desk measuring 37"x42x22/31" (desktop). I'll also put my gate-leg table up there as a well; not sure which will be which, but the cylinder desk was my desk in high school.

More to follow.

t

 

[majspud]

Top of the stairs looking into the second floor. It will be a Rabbit-dense environment, but at least they are getting along now. We're going to let nature take its course and downsize the pets from 5 to 2 cats, and 4 to 2 rabbits. Won't be that long; the cats are between 11 and 16 years, and the rabbits from 10 months to 4 years.

t

 

[daekken]

Good luck with the move.

 

[majspud]

Peeked in the front door; floors are done and almost dry. Can get in tomorrow. For whatever reason, I'm finding this move the most traumatic of all. I moved myself via U-Haul trailer so many times when I was younger and starting out; 15 times in 10 years. I guess when you get older, the harder it gets as you've put down roots. I've been in Plymouth 18 years.

t

 

[majspud]

Fish moved in tonight. Unfortunately one died during the trip. This was one of the hardest parts of the move. My wife and I could barely carry it. I did move the base myself yesterday. Floors done, wallpaper off, and 1/2 done on the first skim coat on the walls.

t

 

[mac1911]

Nice , moving along.
I will be down sizing myself. Losing the "extra" room to my oldest daughter. I have no choice but to start selling off stuff.

 

[daltrey99]

Wow, where did you move to?

 

[majspud]

NW New Bedford.

T

 

[majspud]

D-Day is 4 days away. First skim coat completed. Sand/second skim/sand/prime remain with painting later this summer. Yard is in very good shape. Just a few things to work on there, and I'm thankful for that. I'll power-wash the outside and hope to bring some shine to the oxidized vinyl siding.

t

 

[daltrey99]

Good luck in your new place Tim.

 

[majspud]

Starting to bring things over. D-Day is 36 hours and counting.

Token decoration.

T

 

[Hardwired]

Very nice place Mr Spud.

How did you manage two blue recycle bins?
Limited with one every two weeks. Need a cardboard shredder. I hate the damn things.

 

[majspud]

Orange top is the recycle bin. We do have 2 in Plymouth; just asked for one.

t

 

[Mountain]

Nice work- looks like good progress!

When we moved here from Tennessee, we had to give our fish to friends. They enjoyed the fish and my kid was able to see them when we visited. Sorry you lost one, but good that you kept all the others.

 

[majspud]

Well, we're in and the bed is made. Trip to stop&shop for the essentials. I won't go into detail of what a disaster the move was. We've only 3/4 of our stuff. We're all getting settled in and off to bed.

T

 

[majspud]

One of the first orders of business was to secure the collection. Not as pretty as I had before, but everything thing fit. Mausers in one cabinet, mostly allied in the other, and handguns in the small cabinet. Have room for one more rifle and one antique.

I'm dealing with the mountain of things to do by ignoring it. Do one task as best as possible. Trying not to think of the truck I have to rent to move the rest of our stuff.

T

 

[daekken]

As a veteran of many moves, including a recent one, I feel your pain.

 

[majspud]

Car insurance went up 10%; welcome to New Bedford. We were trying to save money.

T

 

[PATRON]

Best of luck in your new home.

 

[majspud]

Both antiques are in the garage. I must have undermeasured; there is less than 6 inches clearance on either end of the '55. Luckily I can reach in from the outside and hit the button.

T

 

[majspud]

It's done; papers are signed.

Now begins operation downsize 4.0; emptying the basement by 2/3.

t

 

[majspud]

OK; we're in and starting to tackle boxes. Up next is the "basement from hell;" chock-a-block full of 2330 square feet of stuff trying to fit into a 1034 square foot house. I have found my storage capacity reduced by 80%. Once I identify what I'm keeping, I'll be giving away a ton of militaria - I just don't have room for it.

I've done a little work outside. I planted 4 Bleeding Heart shrubs around the giant oak in the front yard. It's diameter is about the hand span of 5 people, and will single handedly give me a s-load of leaves to clean up after this fall. I mounted our pet memorial with a cutting of my great-grandfather's peony bush from 100 years ago. Tomorrow a 12' tall pink dogwood is being delivered and I've dug the hole - after removing 200 pounds of concrete cherub birdbath and base. All I want to do is add a ton of mulch and trim the hedge; but I may cheat and have someone else do it for me.

After a month of hard work my reward is shooting my new M14 Mauser pistol; the first time I've been to the range during the move.

t

 

[majspud]

The blossom's of the Stellar Dogwood.

t

 

[majspud]

One ~9 foot pink dogwood

t

 

[Fixxah]

Fabreeze?

 

[majspud]

?

 

[Fixxah]

 

[majspud]

Things are starting to come together. Coming to terms with how little space I really have. Most things are thrown in the general area they will be; organization will come later. Designer for the kitchen and bath just left; I fled to my office. The home design shows my wife always watches had just become too real.

Mini was practicing on some plastic destructionism.

t

 

[majspud]

Weeded and 30 bags of Scott's black mulch later. The new hitch tray on the GTI was a Godsend; I could carry 8 bags of mulch at a time. Basically done outside for now. Wife is on vacation next week and we'll tackle the basement.

Late father's day present - a new record player.

t