Hiding the Everyday

 

Seemingly these days when you are having photos taken for a house sale, you don't just hide the clutter, you have to hide the everyday!!

The house was valued yesterday, I'll tell you the result when I share the estate agents details with you, but don't worry you won't have to wait long, things are moving at the speed of a hungry leopard.  

As soon as the estate agent left our phones started pinging with forms to fill in, instructions of what paperwork we needed and instructions from the photographer, videographer and social media wizard on what we should do to prepare for the photos being taken later on today.

You are advised to put away anything but the main component parts of each room, so that any viewers can imagine their things and themselves in your space.  I am now of the opinion that some people have very little imagination. 😄

We got up early and started almost immediately, now I can't find anything!!

Happily you are 'allowed' to leave a kettle out.

It did spur me on to finally remove the two Winter jackets that were still hanging by the front door though. 😁

Pet food bowls and all traces of animals are to be removed, but we won't do that until ten minutes before they are due to arrive ... we don't want to upset Ginger.  Cars have to be off the driveway or off-road parking area, but we won't do that until just before they come ... we don't want to annoy the neighbours.

  All the paraphernalia off my desk and from the bathroom is in the boot of my car along with a myriad of other things.  Happily I know where my glasses and my current book are, but I am not sure what to have for my lunch, it will have to be something very simple, as all the bits and bobs from the kitchen have been stashed away into the drawers, so no pans are accessible.

It will be nice to get back to normal, still tidy ready for viewings but just more normal.

Have you moved home recently and were you instructed to do all this?

Sue xx

How Much Are We Worth?

 

It's been a bit chaotic here over the last few days.

Ever since we got back off our little weekend away we have been sorting out, cleaning up and generally getting our current house ready to go on the market.  Some corners like this one at my front door were an easy clean and an easy fix.  Alan pulled my big SMEG fridge freezer away from the wall, and I cleaned behind it and quickly put it back in place, the rest of this area just needed a little clean, so it was a satisfying job to do.

At the opposite side a bit more was needed as my little 'desk' area will be shown as more of a breakfast bar for the estate agents photos.  It's been satisfying to do, but bitty and tiring.

We have managed to find quite a few things to add to Facebook Market place, including my printer as we will only need one when we move, and Alan's large Vax carpet cleaner ... once he had finished cleaning all his carpets of course.  😄

Of course as is usually the way with things, Alan's middle floor toilet decided to start leaking and he needed a washer. Only these days you can't generally buy just a washer, you have to buy a whole new set of innards for the toilet.  So what used to be a 20p fix turns into a £16 set of new component parts. 

 That's just one of the reasons I tried so hard to keep the original toilet from the bungalow. 😒

The estate agent is coming round tomorrow to look everything over and give us a valuation, that should be very interesting ... I wonder how much we are worth?

Sue xx

A Slow Cool Sunday Start

 

I'm just into a lovely cool, slow Sunday morning start.  

It's currently 8.45am as I am typing this, the first load of washing is out on the line and the machine is just finishing the second.  The doors are all open and a lovely cool breeze is gently taking the heat of the night out of the annexe.

It's easy to understand the oft repeated phrase 'deliciously cool' when it's like this.

After pegging out the first bit of washing, I took time to look at the garden.  It's a bit rag taggle at the moment.  Nothing perfect or Instagram worthy, but then it doesn't need to be.

We have enough vegetables to add to our meals, there are so many Spring Onions in this little bed, a few Romaine lettuces, some chives and some thyme.  Everything else went to seed during the hot dry spell and while we were away.

We have two cucumbers that are crying out to be picked, and two of the courgette plants are finally starting to produce sweet little courgettes,

We seem to be in our 'shades of yellow' period in the garden at the moment.

The Crocosmia are really overcrowded this year, so I will be putting some in a pot to take with us.

A little Aldi purchase that is waiting to go into the raised bed to fill a gap.

The water for the birds ... and Ginger ... is so clear after Alan spent half a day pressure washing everything that you can't even tell it's there. 😊

Well the machine has finished so it's time to fill up the washing line, have my second breakfast and then we will be hitting the road to go and visit Mum.

I hope you are having a gloriously warm, or deliciously cool day wherever you are.

Happy Sunday. 

Sue xx

A Much Needed Break - Part Two

I took two books away with me, but just about managed to get through this one, it was a really good read and I really enjoyed it. 

It was the perfect holiday book in fact.

While I read my book Alan sat and soaked up the rays, or read through the three newspapers he bought.  It's funny, but the only time he buys newspapers is when we are on holiday.

Sundays afternoon entertainment was a Westlife tribute act.  Although I was never really that into Westlife, they did sing the songs really well and sounded very authentic.

After a little bit more outside time it was time to go and get changed for the evening meal and the evening entertainment.

On Sunday night it was a Spice Girls tribute act.  They weren't bad, but they were possibly the worst of all the tribute acts we saw over the weekend.

Then it was time to retire, and have a final night in our lovely spacious, air-conditioned room.

Now that we are home, it's time to get our current house tidied, sorted and all ready to be photographed for going on the market at the start of next month.  We have managed to get through virtually all of our savings doing the work that we have done already on the bungalow, so it's imperative that we try and get a quick sale and replenish the coffers.

As always after a holiday of any length, I am so glad to be back home, in my own bed, with my own things all around me ... even if I do have to cook and wash pots.  😄

Sue xx

 

A Much Needed Break

Heythrop Park Hotel

Cotswolds, UK

A relaxing and much needed destination for a weekend away as we reach the halfway stage in the renovations at the bungalow. 

 We had a quick pit stop on the way, to have a much needed coffee each and share a tuna, sweetcorn and pasta salad.  It was a five hour, but relatively easy journey from home to the Cotswolds.  SatNavs are brilliant things. 😀

When we arrived we settled into our room and then a had a lovely meal before settling down for our 'Tribute Acts' weekend. 

The first night's entertainment was a Bryan Adams tribute  ... Bein' Adams.  He sounded just like the real thing according to Alan who is a big Adams fan.

After a multi-course breakfast on Saturday we had a lovely lazy day.  Exploring the hotel, reading,  drinking coffee and just generally unwinding.   Alan has needed this time-out for a while.

After a very lazy morning we both enjoyed the Kylie Minogue tribute 'Kylie Fied' in the afternoon. 

Followed by the Madonna tribute in the evening, before the masses piled into the theatre venue to watch the England world cup match live on the big screen. 

 We retired to our room, where I fell asleep instantly and Alan managed to stay awake long enough to see the first half.  Neither of us are football fans ... sorry.  😄

Meanwhile, back at home Ginger is very happy with Uncle Jason, who has been busy watering the garden for me and relaxing himself. 

I'm sure he was tuned into the football match, he's much more of a footie fan than us. ⚽️

Sue xx