Monday, 29 September 2025

Real Retirement, Selling the Office Stuff

 


Alan is now embracing his retirement and relishing the late mornings and time to do things, it's taken him a while to settle into this.  He was supposed to retire in 2017, but as most of you know that didn't come to pass and our plans unexpectedly took a dramatic change.

Now he has one more trip back to headquarters to hand back his security passes and secure laptop and then that is completely IT!!

As all the work from home has now ended he has been sorting through his office over the last two weeks, shredding all the confidential documents and disposing of other less sensitive stuff.  Now that he no longer needs a desk that is almost seven foot long, he has moved the things that he still needs into the small box bedroom in his house.  Instead of a new smaller desk, he now has a kitchen worktop balanced on two of our old short filing cabinets to fill the window wall of the room completely, and his big desk has been listed on Facebook Marketplace.


As has this little set of office drawers which has moved house with us five times.  I'm not even slightly sad to see them both go.  Now when we come to sell this house the 'office' can be shown as a proper double bedroom which will hopefully be so much nicer.

It feels like the end of an era and the start of something much better.

My 'office' remains at it is, as I mostly worked from the little breakfast bar in my kitchen unless we were working together recording training courses.  So now it can be my 'blogging desk'.  😄


Sue xx


32 comments:

  1. That is one Big desk!
    I wonder where your next adventure will be.

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    1. He needed it as he used to work off two extra large computer screens and a laptop at the same time ... and he had a LOT of clutter behind them all. I've not seen it that clear since the day it was delivered and assembled.

      Hopefully it will be nearer the sea. :-)

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  2. When we retired, there were so many confidential documents to dispose of that towards the end, our shredder broke [beyond repair] We burned the last dozen or so in the garden incinerator. Enjoy the adjustment to a different lifestyle...

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    1. Oh gosh, luckily ours is an extra large office version and has survived a few years now. Hopefully, that will be the last things sold when we are sure everything that needs to be, has been shredded.

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  3. All change! Here's to the future.

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  4. Proper retirement- best job in the world!! That is one huge desk but with so many people working from home, I’m sure you will sell it no problem. We have a kitchen worktop screwed to the top of some craft cupboards with a space left for sitting-these house many of my crafting bits and the computer and printer sit on top. It will be easy to dismantle when we want to move and we know a single bed fits nicely as it used to be our daughter’s bedroom. I spent an hour shredding documents yesterday and tying up in a bag and into the black bin as our council doesn’t allow shredded paper in the recycling. Autumn make s me more inclined to sort and tidy than spring so I’m going to try an pd do some every day when I have time. Catriona

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    1. Unfortunately, it was a very expensive desk ... I only found out how just much when I asked Alan while I was listing it for sale. He will not recoup anything like what he paid for it. Luckily though it did go through the company as a business expense, so we would have claimed back the VAT.

      Our council didn't used to allow shredded paper either, now just in the nick of time they do and they actually like it bagged in black bin liners which get chucked into the bin wagon. I don't understand how the plastic doesn't contaminate the paper!

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  5. It must feel as though a load has been lifted from your shoulders. Wonderful feeling.

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    1. Definitely, it's nearly time to relax at last.

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    2. Enjoy retirement both of you, enjoy relaxing esp if you move to a coastal area, I love the sea there's just something so calming about it. I also hope you keep blogging though. I get the feeling your still going to savvy with money even in retirement
      😉

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    3. Well I've blogged through many changes and house moves, so I don't see any reason to stop now. Hopefully, we can find somewhere nice by the sea to put down our final roots. We are 'sort of' looking at the moment.

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  6. Here there’s a local firm that promises to dispose of confidential papers but I think I’d prefer my heavy duty shredder and do it myself.
    Next move, maybe coastal?
    I hope wherever you go next you’ll continue to blog - I need to know there’s someone out there who collects salt and pepper sachets like me!

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    1. I suggested that as there was so much, but sadly that wasn't an option for the documents we had to dispose of. Yes, we are both thinking that the next move should be coastal, not sure which country in the UK but we definitely want seaside. :-)

      I had to laugh at the salt and pepper sachets bit of your comment. I had a salt and pepper shower when I went into my little stash dish to get something out ... and all the salt and pepper sachets rained down on me.

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    2. Haha that reminds me of a scene off Friends where Ross is in his nanna's cupboard and suddenly loads of sweetener packets start raining down on him 😂

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    3. Funny you should say that, that's the image that came to my mind as I was replying to YS's comment. :-)

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  7. New horizons and a life reboot. Always good I think.

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    1. There's definitely a reboot going on at Alan's house, he's just been going through his wardrobes and condensing two into one AND dusting the tops of them for the first time since we moved here!!

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  8. A very classy desk someone will get a bargain!
    Looking forward to hearing all about your retirement adventures as this new phase of your lives opens up to you x
    Alison in Devon x

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    1. It's definitely an executive desk, I don't know why Alan needed such a posh one as there was only ever us two in the office at the most, no other visitors or interviewees!!

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  9. Enjoy your change of life!

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    1. I'll be even happier when I too have my State Pension ... and my bus pass. :-)

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  10. Sounds like all change again. I hope he continues to enjoy his retirement with no regrets. We are still waiting for ours to begin.... when we can have a day or two where we decide what we want to do without panic phone calls from mum and childcare duties taking over.

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    1. He is actually really glad to be retired now, as with all Government departments and similar, it's all change for changes sake these days, and he's had enough. We are still very tied at the moment with Mum, so we have to move forward slowly with our plans.

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  11. Replies
    1. I like my desk too. I have always thought that Alan's was ridiculously big, but then he did fill all the space with proper 'office stuff'. Mine is cluttered with a bit of paperwork, diaries, a pen-pot, a laptop and a microwave!! ;-)

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  12. Yes, so glad that retirement has actually happened for you both. Getting rid of office items is awesome and making room even better.

    God bless.

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    1. It will make his house look more like a proper three bedroom house with an office, rather than a two bedroom house with an office and a box room.

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  13. I wish you all the best. Warm greetings from a retired lady living in Montreal, Canada ❤️ 😊 🇨🇦

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    1. Thank you, I hope you are having a wonderful retirement, we work hard enough all our lives for it don't we. :-)

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  14. Sounds like retirement is really starting to happen! That is a beautiful desk! I hope retirement life suits you both and you find that ideal home near the sea. :)

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    1. I really do think we are crossing the finishing line this time. We will be looking around all the local seaside areas first I think. I see it as a good excuse for lots of promenade walks and visits to coffee shops ... just in the name of research of course. ;-)

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