Martini Musings

I’m Home!!!

I am back in the bedroom that was mine for the first time, 57 years ago!! Yep…I’m back in Louisville, currently living with my Mom and Dad and so far, so good!

To say that moving was an adventure would be an exaggeration, but it was definitely a crazy few days! In a nutshell, I went from hiring a moving company ($1500-$2000) to having my brother and brother-in-law insist that they could do it and for me to “save my money!” I did not want to have family and friends lifting the heavy furniture and the many bins but they insisted.

I checked into pricing and it was a significant difference! I rented a 12’ truck from Budget for $103, unlimited miles, and 2 full days, and in the process found out that you can hire moving helpers by the hour. I proceeded to research this and found that there are several local people in Cincinnati and in Louisville that do this…through a company called “Hire a Helper.” Because it was part of the Budget website, and there were several companies to choose from, I figured it was legit and thought this would be the best of both worlds…Steve could drive the truck, but the “helpers” would load it in Cincinnati and then when we arrived at the storage unit in Louisville, there would be two “helpers” to unload the truck and get it packed and stored in the storage area. This would leave a minimum number of bins for my personal helpers to help me with once I got to the house.

All of this was in place and ready for my move on Monday, 6/22. The “Hire-a-Helper” website indicated that the companies would contact me to confirm and my credit card would be charged 24 hours before the move. I heard from “Pack Mules Moving” in Louisville, but did not hear from “Best Movers” in Cincinnati. There was an email address and a phone number for them so I followed up but didn’t hear back from them. Katie talked me off of the nervous Nellie ledge, saying they were probably a small company and busy and she told me not to worry. Finally, on Sunday night before the move, I heard from “Best Movers” and he apologized for the delay, stating he would see me on Monday morning. Now, I was ready to move!

I didn’t sleep much on Sunday night…I was tired, but excited to make this happen. Joey, Steve, and Lyn would arrive between 7:30-8am, with Barb bringing donuts and coffee around the same time. Steve and I would pick up the truck at 9am and “Best Movers” would arrive at 9:30am. All of this was swirling in my head overnight. I woke up at 5am, and jumped into the shower so I could take the shower curtain down and pack up the rest of my morning routine items.

I had mattress protector bags for the move and thought I would go ahead and get those on before the tribe arrived. Well, that became a cluster as I felt like I was being wrapped up in cellophane. After a few minutes I gave up and thought I would wait for my help!

Everyone arrived on time and we enjoyed our breakfast treats! Things were off to a great start! Then, at 8:10am, Jesse from Budget called to say that the truck I ordered was not at his location and I would have to go to another location. It wasn’t too terribly far, but I specifically requested a more convenient location so I was a little pissy. However, it was going to be a good day, so I snapped out of it.

Next came the text message from Devin with “Best Movers” and his car would not start, it was making a clicking noise so he would be late because he needed to take his car to the shop. WTH??? Not going to happen. So I sent him a message asking him if he had any suggestions for me and where did he live. As luck would have it, he lived in Dayton and his partner was in Wilmington (between Dayton and Cincinnati) so one of us picking him up, or sending an Uber was not practical. I told him that he could take me off of his schedule and that was that.

Guess what? I was really pissy! The thing that I wanted to avoid was about to happen…my brother, brother-in-law and friends were going to have to help load that truck. It seemed that everyone knew exactly what to do and they told me to let it go and to rest assured they would take care of it. So, I did! I made a call to “Hire-a-helper” to make sure my credit card was credited for the services not provided.

My anxiety prompted me to call “Pack Mules” in Louisville to make sure they would be there when we arrived because I knew it wasn’t going to be pretty by the time everyone worked their butts off in Cincinnati. I’m happy to say “Pack Mules” was shocked that I was calling. Of course, they would be there and if by chance they were running late, they would call. Now…my moving day was back on track.

My 12’ truck started to fill up. It was looking like we wouldn’t be able to fit everything in there. OH NO!! So we focused on the furniture and the big boxes. Finally, in one hour and forty minutes, the truck was full, and my car was full! But, there were still many bins remaining. Joey and Steve agreed that we could make another trip on Tuesday (we had the truck until 9am on Wednesday).

After a quick lunch on the outside tables at Sonic, we headed to Louisville to meet the pack mules! Upon arrival, we located our storage bin at The Citadel (just a few minutes from Mom and Dad’s house) and met the movers!

These movers were a little shady looking but they worked their tails off and as I guided them about things towards the back and things towards the front of the unit, they packed my stuff in that 10 x 10 unit like champs! The job was completed in 90 minutes!!

Unfortunately, some of the items on the truck could not be squeezed into the unit so we had to unload a few bins at the house, but our very long day had come to an end.

Tuesday morning, we were on the road to Cincinnati at 5:30am and loaded up the truck with the remaining bins, I turned in my keys and returned the cable boxes! The truck had a solid layer of bins. Once again my car was loaded. In the heat and humidity, Joey and Steve unloaded boxes, taking them to the garage, the basement, the living room, or my room. It is crazy how much S### I have! Trust me, it’s getting re-evaluated! There’s nothing like a major move to have you determine what you really want/need.

Today, I am in my home for the next unknown period of time. I’m not sure how long I will be here, but I’m already well into organizing and setting aside donation, trash, and keep piles. I know when I do move again, it won’t be nearly as much! (I think I said that the last time!)

Things I learned…

1. Don’t underestimate the amount of stuff you have! When trying to determine the size of truck, always go for the next size up!! Same goes for your storage unit…I thought I would be able to run over and get stuff if I needed it, but honestly, the way it was stacked and packed, I won’t be doing that!

2. Listen to your gut! I felt something wasn’t right with the “Best Movers” in Cincinnati. After not hearing initially from them, I should have cancelled and booked another one!

3. I have the best brother, brother-in-law, and friends. I know that many of you reading this have also come to my rescue during the past couple of years…and many of you have just been there when I needed some support!

4. Moving is hard emotionally…leaving after 30 plus years, without being able to hug and celebrate with friends due to Covid-19 was not easy! I will be back for some party time at some point!!

5. Last night, I announced, "I'm fine, I just need to cry!" And the tear began to flow. I was tired, I was sore, but I was feeling so many different emotions...leaving Cincinnati was like the closure on a lifetime of memories, friendships, and my divorce. As I drove away, across the 71/75 bridge I had crossed to many times in 30 years, it hit me. My Cincinnati life is now over. Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled to be in Louisville, but leaving yesterday was just different.

6. And finally, to quote one of our favorites…There truly is no place like home!! It’s not what I imagined for myself on the eve of my 62^nd birthday, but I plan to embrace it and once I get un-packed and settled in, my decision to make this move will be confirmed!!

Enjoy some of the “highlights” of the move!! xoxoxo