Wednesday, January 26, 2011

PREPARING FOR RENOVATIONS: MOVING DAY – PHOENIX, AZ

Tuesday, our moving day, went just as planned – better, even!  Leaving Tonopah, we filled the diesel tank - better to let the RV sit for a few weeks with a full tank, plus… it might be a smart investment!  Who knows what diesel prices will be when we are ready to leave Phoenix??

Moving DayWe had planned moving day carefully before we left for Q, scouting out our route to the loft, checking the parking lot mid-morning to see if we’d have room to move and park, and scoping out a backup position if needed.  All the planning paid off. 

We arrived shortly after 10 am, maneuvered into position in the parking lot, and went straight to the parking garage for shopping carts.  We emptied the refrigerator and freezer first, turning off the unit so it could defrost. Then it was back and forth, back and forth with the carts.

I mostly stayed in the Scoopy, filling and refilling boxes, our supply of cloth grocery bags, and anything else that could hold “stuff”.  I’d fill a cart and, when Odel arrived back with the empty one, he’d take off with the full one.

On to the sidewalk, through the gate.  Stop and enter the front door code on the keypad.  Click, open the heavy front door.  Park at the elevator and push the button.  Enter, up one floor, exit.  Down the hall to the loft.  Enter, unload – onto the bed, the floor, the counter, anywhere there was space.  Reverse direction and grab the next cart.  And then there were the big things: golf clubs, my lounge chair, our grill.  It was a steady stream of goods.

By the time we stopped for lunch, the job was almost done.  Thank god for the shopping carts and the elevator!!  We spent another half hour moving stuff out of the cabinets and drawers of the slides (which will be removed during the renovations) into the spaces newly emptied.  Done!

Shortly after 2 pm, we were on the way to RV Renovators, and back “home” – sans Scoopy – before 4 pm, just as the commute got into gear.

We figured out the washer and dryer, did the sheets, and made our bed, working around piles of stuff.  Dinner.  By the time Pres. Obama began his State of the Union Speech, we could hardly drag our tired selves around.  We turned off the TV, turned on the radio next to the bed, and were horizontal at 7:30, intending to listen to the SOTU.  Of course, we were snoring by 7:40!   It had been a very, very long day.

Today we go back to RV Renovators to move a few shelves into their storage room, and to remove the “windshield wrap” (the front curtains), which we will take to Blinds Co. to be duplicated.  We need to wash out the refrigerator and pick up a short list of items I have already missed.  Anything else on the “to do” list will have to wait until tomorrow! 

So far, so good.

15 comments:

  1. This sounds like yet another adventure to blog about..keep us informed as Scoopy gets a facelift!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. We had to move into a motel just for a few days when we were in Flagstaff so that repairs could be done on our rig. I was amazed at how much 'stuff' we needed to unload just for those few days, so I can only imagine what you'll need for your extended stay.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow... sounds like Odel got his 10,000 steps yesterday! When I moved my Mom into (and later out of) her apartment when she sold her house it was much the same. She was on the 4th floor, so we could at least catch our breath in the elevator... Much different than moving into most S&Bs though! We were exhausted...

    Enjoy your new adventure!

    Kerri in AL :-)
    HomeschoolingSolo.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Moving, even if short term, is always a lot of hard work! You deserve a rest. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anxious to see all of the new updates!

    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
    Karen and Steve
    (Our Blog) RVing: Small House... BIG Backyard
    http://kareninthewoods-kareninthewoods.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  6. Did folks thinks Odel was a "homeless" man with his shopping cart? Kodak moment...

    Good luck on this next adventure.
    - Judy

    ReplyDelete
  7. You wore me out just reading about the move! :) I hope your new neighbors are good ones since you won't be able to change sites as easily as we are used to being able to do.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Fairly soon you will be moving back in, and it will seem soooo new, with all the fun things you have planned.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Big change for you two.......first time staying in a house for more than a couple days in years!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Wow I am exhausted just reading this...
    Have fun in the condo, enjoy the extra room and stay safe
    Donna

    ReplyDelete
  11. This is so interesting you guys. I wasn't following you when you had the exterior reno done so I'm going back to try to find it since you said it was done 2 years ago, that's 2008?
    What a lucky rig to have an interior and an exterior facelift :-)

    Good luck with it being just what you hoped for and done right on time!

    Sherry
    www.directionofourdreams.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  12. I too am enjoying and learning from your experience in this. If nothing else it is giving me confidence in the idea that things Can be changed i a Motor Home. If we find one that is almost to our liking, we can probably change the rest!

    ReplyDelete
  13. you all had quite the busy day!..time for some rest and relaxation while the workers do their job!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I'm exhausted just reading all that. And you remembered in all that hustle and bustle to get a photo. Good for you. I would have surely forgotten. Enjoy the new digs for the few weeks you'll be there.

    ReplyDelete
  15. We had our carpeting removed and new tile floor put in a few months ago. We had to move everything out too. We were amazed at how much stuff we still owned. Who knew so much could fit in 350 square feet.

    It was a good opportunity to downsize some more. Take care! Soon you will have a whole new coach.

    ReplyDelete