Seriously.
Just look at this mess!
I kind of want to cry, scream and jump for joy all at the same moment. Cry because I’m sad we’re leaving Orlando. Scream because in addition to boxing everything up, we’re also disinfecting EVERYTHING because I don’t want any trace of mice germs coming with us to Ocala. (It’s taking foreverrr.) And I want to jump for joy because I’m excited about this next part of our journey.
I’m not particularly good at handling the unexpected when it comes to big events.
When Ryan and I decided to move to Ocala for his new job, I figured the transition would go smoothly and we’d find ourselves moving into a nice home without a hitch. I didn’t anticipate moving our stuff into storage, living out of a suitcase and having no set home to move into on the horizon.
I like a plan and in my day-to-day life have most things in my personal and professional life ironed out way ahead of time. I’m punctual, organized and responsible and this whole moving experience is testing all of these traits and making me explore my more go-with-the-flow and whatever-happens-happens side.
I can’t wait until I’m blogging from my own home office! 
There is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Pig Bath
In other news, some of Sadie’s favorite toys got a bath this morning in preparation for the big move.
These little pigs were diiirty! Sadie has a serious love for her toy pigs and they were in desperate need of a run through the washing machine.
Much better!
Lunch
After boxing up all of our junk (we still have yet to touch the room of shit) and doing multiple loads of laundry, we took a break for lunch.
Ryan tackled the kitchen in his morning boxing session, so I limited my lunch options to the food that wasn’t boxed up yet and used mostly food from the fridge.
I made myself a big ol’ salad with peaches, turkey, mushrooms, Brussels sprouts and chia seeds, all dressed up in a balsamic vinaigrette.
The peaches were the best part! I love a pop of sweetness in my salads.
As I was typing up this blog post, we got a call about another house in Ocala, available August 1!!! We’ve basically ruled out the possibility of moving right into a place from our current apartment, so it would be AMAZING if this one works out.
We have an appointment to see it at 3 p.m., so I gotta boogie!
See ya for dinner, friends!
Question of the Afternoon
- Are you a planner or are you a more go-with-the-flow type of person?
If you’re more go-with-the-flow, please teach me your ways!
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Is that your wedding guest book in the one picture (the framed photo with signatures all around it)? I was thinking about doing something like that for my wedding in October but I don’t know if we’d actually hang it on the wall or if it would just get stuck in a closet somewhere or something.
Good luck with the house today!
When I moved up here I didn’t pack until the night before. Granted, it was just a few kitchen items + my bedroom, but still I was SO unprepared! I hate moving, so I don’t plan to do it again anytime soon if at all possible, but I need to get better at planning – especially when it comes down to moving, which is already stressful enough as it is!
I am a planner, becuase it gives that sense of comfort and reassurance and control to know what is happenening and where i’m going…but then I met my boyfriend and all that went a bit topsy turvy, lol! 😛
Stuff happens in life that disrupts plans…as you know! At the end of last year we started out thinking that we were moving to NZ. Then my bf got offered a job in UK. Which then took forever to finalise…like 6 months. So we were both left unemployed, waiting on this job for my bf in the UK, or his being accepted to university in NZ (our option B) – and not knowing which one was going to happen. Stressful! Then the job in the UK was confirmed, but Tom’s mother passed away in the NZ earthquake in February, and so we moved out to NZ for two months to be with his family and sort everything out. Now we are back in the UK, for the forseeable future. Yay for a little stability, lol! 🙂
Learning to go with the flow can be sooo hard, and disruptions and big transitions can be incredibly stressful, but doing these things together (like you and Ryan) makes you stronger both individually, but also as a couple and a partnership, which is a real huge blessing <3
wishing you the very best of luck…you are doing sooo well, just keep on keeping on! 😀 xyx
PS: Love Sadie's teddies…they are sooo cute!
Girl, I feel you! Moving is stressful! The offer on the house we really wanted was just accepted yesterday, and our lease is up Sep 1, so I am PRAYING that we can be all moved in to our new home by the time our lease is up. Being in limbo is worrisome!
I hope everything works out with this house! I can’t imagine all the excitment and frustration at the same time.
I’m definetly more of a planner though. I like to know what I’m doing ahead of time; it bothers me when last minute plans are made! lol.
Good luck with the house today! I am definitely a planner and I know how you feel! I feel like I’ve been in limbo these past few months and it’s definitely testing me. Hope the house work out for ya!
I am a HUGE planner and my husband just goes with everything. Never freaks out about ANYTHING! It drives me crazy! haha I never just go with the flow. it makes me nervous! lol!
I saw your tweet earlier about the house that’s 20 mins away! you don’t follow me so you can’t see my reply but I think if you love it then you should go for it! You can ALWAYS come up with new workouts for at home or go running outside in the mornings? Do they make body pump dvds? Not the same but still an option!
Hope it all comes together for you! xo
I’m a planner! I would also be ready to scream if I were you. Hang in there! 🙂 It will all work out for the better!
Good luck today – so hope it works out for you guys!! I’m a planner when it comes to certain things, but other things I’m just go with the flow. I guess I’m somewhere in the middle.
so stressful! My boyfriend and I just signed a lease for an Aug 1 apartment meaning my next two weeks are going to look very similar…so stressful!
I am a planner all the way. I commend you for handling this sanely! I would probably be having tons of anxiety attacks. But … handling curve balls that life throws are just part of the game, I suppose. Hope this house showing makes your game a little easier! 🙂
Eeps! Good luck with all the packing! I hate that part of moving. The good thing is that you can really get rid of things you don’t need!
I’m definitely a planner all the way. I’m a list person and would print all the helpful lists I can for a process like this!
I’m pretty good with going with the flow. I like to have a plan but I don’t get too upset if things don’t go according to plan. I moved A LOT growing up (I still have never lived anywhere more than 5 years and I’m almost 29) I think all that moving helped me be able to just follow along with whatever was going on. I went through so many different teaching styles, houses, friends ( I became an amazing pen pal)
“Adaptability” is one of my strengths from Strength Finder which means that I”m definitely a “live in the moment” kind of person. While I do like to have a plan in mind, I’m definitely one of those people who does best on my feet in the last minute – you just have to have an open mind, get creative and try really hard to take in what you do know instead of panicking. Good luck – you guys will get this all worked out!
I’m a total planner (and lover of to-do lists!) But I HATE packing. I just like making the lists! 🙂
Sending good house hunting vibes your way!! (I’ve been through that experience finding an apt in SF WAY too many times to count – to get a good apartment here you basically have to show up with your checkbook, ready to sign on the spot if you even think you want it!)
Ugh, moving is just so stressful and you never feel like you can settle down until you’re 100% moved into your other place. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you!!
Best of luck with the ongoing house hunt. I’m looking forward to moving back to Toronto in the next few months but also dreading it because I have to find a place while juggling full-time student status, a part-time job and a 2 hour drive with no car.
I’m definitely a go-with-the-flower. I don’t think it makes me any less responsible and I know I’m very punctual but my flexibility was built into me and is very beneficial, especially in my career choice.
Totally a planner! I tend to freak out if things don’t go as planned! I’m working to be better at going with the flow! 😀
Go with the flow! 🙂 I feel for ya! I hate the packing/organizing part. We may be moving to Denver soon, and I am NOT looking forward to that part!!!
Julie, I totally feel your pain right now. My husband and I just bought a house that we love, but it needed a little work. We had to be out of our apartment 2 weeks ago and the renovations will probably take at least another week and a half. Long story short, we’re living with my in-laws right now and all of our stuff is boxed in their garage. I’m going CRAZY!!!!!! I’m definitely a planner and an organizer, but these past few weeks have taught me a lot. My only advice, don’t let it affect your daily attitude, especially towards Ryan. GOOD LUCK!!
I used to be a rigid planner, but I’ve since trained myself to go with the flow…at least most of the time.
Yay! I hope it works out! I’ll be thinkin’ about you guys!!
That salad looks so good! Love me some sweet added to my salads too! I’m a HUGE planner….huge. I plan, make lists, make new lists…. I like to say I’m go with the flow but really I’m not. 🙂
Everyone has a lot of crap –they don’t realize it until they move! Good Luck Girl!
I am such a planner. I think there a benefits to being a planner and benefits to going with the flow. I am working on going with the flow more 🙂 Ya can’t control everything
Total planner here 🙂 And when things don’t go to according to plan I have to try hard not to panic so I feel for you. Sometimes it is best to go with the flow and everything always works out and we just have to remind ourselves that 🙂 I am sure you will find the perfect house!
Lol if you could see my loaded cubboards!
I’m definitely a planner and more than that, I like order in my apartment so I try to keep things tidied up in small spaces. I’m a planner because I like to know where I’m going, it’s reassuring. Of course I allow myself some moments when I don’t plan everything like during vacations, but most of the time I like to know what I’m doing during the day.
Good luck on the house hunt! Hopefully the one you are viewing now is awesome! 🙂
I am totally a planner. I can’t stand when things are disorganized or uncertain. So, you can imagine how I deal with moving! Good luck with the rest of packing. I really hope you find your permanent place soon!
Planner, planner, planner! ….I get panic attacks when I try to pack things up to move, true story.
GOOD luck with the house, crossing my fingers for you!!!
A planner for sure. With my meals, my schedule, everything. I understand how anxiety-provoking a full-blown just-go-with-everything can be. It can be wonderful and open our planner minds up, but it is most definitely stressful. You’ll absolutely get through it, and whatever happens will be EXACTLY where you three were meant to be.
I’m just hoping the house works out and your planner personality can take over =]
I am definitely a planner…which leads to a LOT of anxiety! I wish I was more go with the flow!
I plan everything…I even plan the planning.
I’m a planner, almost to a fault. We’re also in the process of moving into a house we’ve been remodeling for two months and let me tell you I’m not at my best. Like you I have way more stuff than I thought and the whole process is taking a long time. Good luck!
I think it is important to be both a planner and a ‘go with the flow’ type of person. Either one exclusively can cause unnecessary anxiety. Becoming too wedded to a certain plan or fantasy of how we want something to workout can lead to a great deal of disappointment when it doesn’t work out. Conversely, it isn’t a great idea to have no plan and just hope that the universe will provide. Life is always going to have stresses and unknowns but through my life’s uncertainties, I have found I am most able to handle things if I have done some planning but not every detail and remain open to changes. I have found out that everything will work out–maybe not the way I had originally planned, or thought, but things do workout and sometimes even better than you could have imagined. Hang in there Julie, moving really is the worst! All of you’re feelings are totally normal for undergoing big life changes.
I’m a roll-with-it kind of girl and always have been. I make loose plans, like “tomorrow I’m doing cardio” instead of “tomorrow I’ll do 20 min bike, 20 min tread, etc.” Having the flexibility to change my mind means that I almost always do exactly what I want and never get resentful of “THE PLAN.” I also feel like having duck feathers (you know, cuz they’re waterproofed so they don’t get bogged down and soaked–the water rolls right off they’re back) keeps my life adventuresome and fairly stress-free.
My only advice for you is this: look for the teaching moment in any tough/unplanned/crazy situation. What can you learn from this temporary living situation? Maybe its as simple as being grateful for the opportunity to move and rent a house. Maybe it will help you downsize the room of shit into just a box of shit 😉 Bottom line: take a deep breath and remember that surprises are almost always awesome….and you can’t have surprises if everything goes according to a plan!
Good luck with the rest of your packing!
Planner all the way! Especially when it comes to moving.
I’m going to stalk the blog tonight for an update about how today went! My fingers and toes are crossed for your sanity!
xo
Okay, we just moved (2 weeks ago), long distance, NYC to Tampa. While it’s SO frustrating and feels like so much is out of your control, you can do a few things to make it better. 1. use the opportunity to clean and trash and then trash some more 2. label what’s in your boxes on a pad or make notes on the outside–you don’t want movers knowing what valuables are on the inside!–use that list to help determine which room the boxes go in. 3. know that you get to restart, unpack, and remember what worked and what you want to improve on! The good news is, there is an end date and the stuff that’s out of your control will be over by that date. I’m bummed Ocala isn’t closer to Tampa!
I’m definitely a planner! I hate when I don’t know what to expect. I hope this house works out for you!
Haha I LOVE Sadie’s picture with all her baby pigs 🙂
I’m much more of a planner but I’ve been trying to embrace the spontaneous side of me lately… after we get married we have our *first* honeymoon — a week off to do whatever we please (our actual, or *second* honeymoon will be in February when we go to cancun!)… it’s killing me not to plan a bunch of stuff for our first honeymoon so instead, we wrote down a couple ideas of things we would like to do (or places we could drive to & stay overnight) and when the time comes, we will make up our minds as we go! ….crossing my fingers it goes well 🙂
and I really hope you get the house 🙂
I’m a planner! Doing things at the last minute drives me crazy!! My boyfriend is the opposite, so we have some interesting conversations when he springs something on me at the last minute, haha.
I am definitely more of a planner! I am moving to a different apartment and I have hardly started packing this time! I don’t wanna go! I think this time I am trying to hold on as long as I can bc my manfriend and I have lived together for a year and a half and now I am going to be alone again while he is student teaching!
I’m a planner FOR SURE!
How funny that Sadie cherishes her toys and keeps them in one piece. My dog loooves to rip them apart and throw all the stuffing about. He makes it snow!
I would say that I am 95% planner/5% spark of inspiration out of nowhere. I say it like that because that’s really where the change of plan comes from, an instant flash of something else that might be even MORE wonderful than I anticipated – kind of like adding peaches to my smoothie instead of blueberries =) Wild, I know.
Another dog that loves pigs! My pug is the same… The only toys he will play with are pink pigs! How funny! I wish you the best of luck with the whole move, love your blog!
hahaha! So funny how they’re all pigs! 😛
Hang in there girl!! Yes, there is a beacon of light right there–and someday you and Ryan will have fun talking about those “crazy times packing up and disinfecting!” 🙂
Errmmm I’m definitely a go-with-the-flow type of person! I really do wish I were a bit more of a planner, etc. It’s not that I’m careless, but I guess I let most things go easily? A balance would be great though!
Sorry! I am more of a planner kind o gal 🙂 loved those toy piggys! my dog has a love of stuffed animals too…mainly penguins haha! I have never tried peaches in salad before…so am NOW!
Gah! Good luck with the move and packing. I just went through it 3 months ago.
Your picture captions are hysterical.
I’m definitely a planner – unless someone else is. If someone else has control of the situation, I definitely can relax and take the back seat!!
i’m a planner and i married a go-with-the-flow’er. its harmony 🙂
i’ve moved a lot, around 20 times in my life so i know the frustration that comes with moving. good luck with the move!
ps- love the piggies 🙂 our puppy destroys any and all stuffed animals as soon as she gets a hold of them. she loves to rip a hole into them, pull out all the stuffing {and leave it all over the house for me} and then carry around the shell of the stuffed animal 🙂
those piggies are so cute!!
im definitely a go with the flower..my husband is a planner so im sure i drive him crazy sometimes. we’ve moved 4 times this year alone so i feel your pain. moving sucks..but it’ll be nice to get settled in your new home!