We’ve arrived in Florida and have plenty to share about our moving day and the first couple of weeks settling into our new home. In this post we cover how we made the 13-hour drive feel shorter, which of our moving predictions came true, what we really thought about those travel pee bags, and the unexpected challenges of unpacking into a smaller space. We also recap the items we overpacked (even after leaving nearly half our belongings behind) and explain why some of those extras aren’t working in the new house.
You can also find this episode on your favorite podcast app such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, TuneIn Radio, Stitcher, or Spotify.
What’s New
- We shared live Instagram updates from our moving day; those clips are saved to the “Moving Out” story highlight on our IG profile and show a good chunk of the day.
- On Instagram we also have a “Make Change” highlight with resources and concrete steps inspired by recent events and ways people can help.
- The photo above is our last look back at our Richmond house, taken as we pulled away from the driveway early on moving day.
- Our drive to Florida covered about 850 miles and took roughly 13.5 hours. It felt much quicker than expected because we made the trip fun by celebrating small milestones—every hour, every 50 miles, and each new state line added a little win to the day.
- One simple hit was a magnetic license plate game a neighbor passed along before we left. It was a low-effort, high-reward way to keep the kids entertained. We also tried a sticker-based version with several road-trip activities that was inexpensive and just as fun.
- One travel item that made a real difference on the drive was a set of portable “pee bags.” During the pandemic they helped us avoid public restrooms and they also sped up our travel time by reducing the number of long pit stops.
- If a neighborhood pet happens to make an appearance in our photos, we’ll try to grab a snapshot to share.
Updates: Astrocartography
- If you missed our earlier chat about astrocartography, that conversation is available in the episode titled “That Time A Psychic Came To Our House” (Episode #174).
- We’ll be sharing the results of Sherry’s astrocartography analysis once it’s complete.
- We also talked about an article by a celebrity astrologer listing ideal places for each star sign. Sherry felt the suggestions matched her pretty well; my map was less accurate for me personally.
The Unexpected Side Of Downsizing
- Even after we dramatically reduced our belongings before leaving Virginia, unpacking into a smaller Florida home proved more time-consuming than we expected. The scene above is a fair snapshot of the first ten days as we figured out storage and placement for everything.
- Getting our storage furniture set up (dressers, bookshelves, and so on) helped, but so did installing smarter closet systems to maximize the few closets we have. For example, we added a simple twin-rail shelving system to our hall linen closet. We may build custom wooden shelves later, but an adjustable kit gave us immediate flexibility without committing to fixed shelf heights.
- Our laundry closet arrived essentially empty aside from the washer and dryer, so one of our first projects was a floating countertop above the machines with deep shelves above that, built from plywood and 1x2s. It’s a straightforward, practical solution—similar in concept to the pantry shelves we’ve shared before.
- The countertop and shelves are still unfinished wood for now; we may seal rather than paint them so they blend nicely with the hardwood floors. The countertop floats on wall braces (not resting on the washer and dryer) and can be lifted off easily to access plugs and hoses when needed.
- Despite the hectic unpacking, it feels fantastic to have our POD empty and ready for pickup—just as we expected when we recorded the episode last week.
We’re Digging
- For Mother’s Day the kids and I ordered two mail-order plants to welcome Sherry to the new house. We chose a Bird’s Nest Fern in a mint pot and a Marble Queen Pothos in a cream pot. While mail-order plants aren’t the cheapest option, they’re comparable to sending flowers and they arrive in nice pots with plants that last much longer.
- We were impressed with the quality of the plants and pots we received. The Bird’s Nest Fern and Marble Queen Pothos added instant life to rooms that felt sparse after the move.
- We also installed a simple, roomy tub in the Florida bathroom—similar to the model we used in the duplex—which has been a pleasant upgrade and allows us to fully stretch out.
If you want to revisit something we mentioned on the podcast, we keep a master list of topics and items we’ve recommended over the years, including books featured on our Book Club page. Those lists make it easy to find an old episode or product mention you remember but can’t quite place.
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