realcondolife

While the condo had everything we needed, there was still some packing to do.  It was a bit like packing for a holiday… except a bit easier, since we knew we’d have in-suite laundry available.

Starting with the boys – their clothes fit into one suitcase. I told them to pack some favourite toys, stuffed animals and books.  They only cared about the latter and packed a few books each. Sadly but conveniently, devices count for a lot these days. My prediction is that the shelves and drawers filled with toys will not be missed.

I noticed that my idol in Vancouver had a posting on toys and so I took some of his advice regarding single purpose toys. Don’t bring them. Bring toys that invite creativity. Fortunately, I had already been using one of his suggestions prior to the move, but realized with floor to ceiling windows, there was an entire new canvas on the horizon. (Don’t worry – they’re completely non-toxic and erasable).

As for the grown up packing, we had one suitcase each. Like most people, we wear a quarter of our wardrobe. It’s amazing how quickly you realize when you’ve packed what you need for a month, and still have a full closet… that you simply have too much.

Toiletries? I packed simple. And smart. Why haven’t I been shopping smart? Instead of everyone having their own electric toothbrush – we only packed two… one charger with three different heads for the boys, and another with two heads for hubby and I.

To be honest, I was getting excited. It reminded me of when it was just the two of us starting out… smaller quarters, queen size bed… and no far away rooms for him to hide in. He was always within sight. We would all be physically closer again.

Back to packing.  And so, the same rule applies to the pantry.  Just like a closet, in reality we only use a portion of it. And let’s face it, my kids (and us) have been eating the same thing for years. So all of those special spices, sauces and vinegars that I bought for a few select recipes…are not coming with me. Bye bye spice drawer. I was feeling lighter already.

I didn’t need to bring towels, cookware, robes, dish soap, laundry detergent, hangers… DelSuites had honestly thought of (almost) all of the details. I did need to pack a fifth chair for the dining room table and some step stools. Not only am I vertically challenged… but upper cabinets and sinks are still a bit of a stretch for the little ones.

Finally, I had to arrange for the bunk beds. Fortunately, I found a store that had two twin bunks with a trundle… AND A DELIVERY THIS COMING SUNDAY. (Thank you bunkhouse kids.) Perfect. I called the concierge to book the elevator and ran into another small hiccup. No move-ins on the weekends. Excuse me? Is this our policy? Why? If people live a life anything similar to mine, weekdays are challenging enough. This will definitely be something I bring forward. Fortunately, my work environment is one where we realize that rules are not necessarily rules, but suggested guidelines. They should be challenged and examined if necessary… and common sense should always prevail.

One last thing to take care of.  The school bus.  No sweat. Called the school to give them the new pick up address and it turns out that they already make a stop at our building for another student. Fait Accompli.