Right after work on Friday afternoon, my roommate and I drove to our new apartment to pick up our keys! We were very excited, as evidenced in the above photo. We moved in a few of our boxes and then took a trip to the happiest place on earth – IKEA – so Roomie could buy a TV shelf and coffee table for our new place. It was quite an interesting experience trying to fit two super-long boxes and one square-shaped box into her Jetta. With the use of a bungee cord and me using skills I didn’t know I had to shove a box in the back of her car, we made it work. And drove s-l-o-w-l-y back home. Then, I did a quick shopping trip at my new Publix so I’d have food for next week (and won’t have to shop during the week, which I hate). By that time, it was nearly 6 p.m., and I still had packing to do (!), so I high-tailed back to my side of town.
It was time to get serious about packing on Friday night. I had packed up most of my stuff the weekend before but still had to pack up things I had left for the last minute – like clothes, bathroom items, etc. My first night in the new apartment would be Sunday, so I still had to keep a few items unpacked, but packed up about 95% of my stuff! If you’re also planning to move, hiring a professional moving company like Three Movers is highly recommended especially if you have a lot more things to do.
Saturday morning, I was up early because it was moving day! My brother and my mom pitched in to help me move all my big items (namely: my dresser and bed, as my roommate would be supplying the couch and dining room table). It was a super smooth move (even with a bit of rain while loading and unloading) and within 3 hours, we had finished our move! After that, we headed back to St. Pete to drop off the U-Haul, have lunch, and complete a few errands.
In the afternoon, I ventured back to my new apartment with Dutch in tow (so he could get used to the new place before coming back for good the next night!), where I spent a few hours unpacking boxes and taking slow walks with Dutch outside. I managed to unpack my kitchen boxes, got my bathroom put together, and unpacked a few things in my bedroom – making my bed and unpacking my clothes, mostly.
After a few hours at the new place, Dutch and I went back to St. Pete for the night. And I soaked my feet in a foot massaging bath and it. was. the. best. I needed it so much – my feet were killing me – and it really helped.
Sunday morning – after helping me move! – my mom ran a 5k. She did awesome! She’s been working super hard with her running pace and it’s been really showing. (She finished about 6 minutes faster than she did at our Savannah 5k in March!) Yay, Mom!
We celebrated my brother’s birthday on Sunday afternoon! We watched some football and ate some good food, like the above delicious cookie cake. I’m typically not a huge cookie cake fan, but this one (from Publix!) might have changed my mind. Soooo good!
And then, on Sunday evening, Dutch and I spent our first night in our new home. I’m struggling big time right now with this change, and I knew I would, but it just feels so much bigger and so much harder. I’m being reminded of my time in college a lot right now, which just makes me feel sick to my stomach. I thought I was past this, you know? Sunday night was tears, tears, tears. It’s hard when home doesn’t feel like home. I know it will soon and I just need to get past this, but I’m trying to be okay with not being okay right now. Feeling very grateful to have my buddy Dutch along for the ride, though. This would be a million times harder without him.
How was your weekend? Anybody else feel completely off-kilter when a big change – even good change! – happens? How do you deal?
I hope that Dutch is adjusting well to his new home, and that you start to feel better about the move soon. I am sure it’s a huge change after being used to living with your mom for so many years. Change is hard so be kind to yourself and patient with yourself. I struggled BIG TIME when I moved to Charlotte and cried a whole lot of tears. That situation was so different as I was never open to accepting that change! Since then, I’ve had smaller changes like changes jobs which has been stressful and scary but I’ve adapted pretty well all in all. I just have to do a lot of self talk and tell myself that things are going to be ok when I have an internal freak out about things. Hang in there – hopefully you adapt soon and come to love living with your best friend!
Congratulations! Seems like it was a busy weekend. I wanted to tell you what an awesome job you are doing with this move. I moved 2 years ago and I had a hard time adjusting at first too. And my move was easier because I was moving with my husband from our ridiculously tiny condo (600 sf) that we had outgrown to a house that I loved the second I saw it. Still, I had been in that condo for over 6 years and it felt like home. The new house was big and kind of spooky and I didn’t know where any of the light switches were unless I looked. 🙂
You will get acclimated. Just lean in to the tough parts. You aren’t 18 like you were in college and even if some of the homesickness feels similar, YOU are different this time. You’ve done an amazing job so far!
I love that first photo! Our move in date is September 25th and we’re scurrying about to get set up/pack/do utilities, etc.
I knew this would be big and painful but I trust and believe this will be good after you get over the hump. And if not I know you can figure that out too! Congrats on your life change and doing it with gracefully!
Sending you lots of love. I totally know that feeling when home doesn’t feel like home. If you ever need someone to vent to or some positive words about making a new home feel like home, you know where to find me. Good luck! <3
Wow what a busy weekend! No kidding your feet hurt! I really hope you adjust to your new place soon and feel more at home there. Like you said just let yourself feel what you feel during this process and eventually you WILL feel better and like you’re at home. In the meantime thank goodness for Dutch cuddles!
How is Dutch doing with the new place so far? I always worry about Jack when have a new adventure.
A big heck yes to feeling off-kilter when things change in my life, for better or worse. I think it is just par for the course. I’m not great at taking change in stride, I over analyze, I pine for things the way they used to be, etc. I totally get it.
Sending you so much love! (I also really love the duvet cover you have on your bed. Such a pretty color and it looks really soft.)