The Move

Moving day was pretty horrible. My plan was to move out of the old condo in the morning, then move into the new condo in the late afternoon. Since I had sold all my furniture, I just rented a large rental cargo van for the day. Moving OUT was pretty straightforward. Cam and I got up ridiculously early and my Dad came at 7:00am. I picked up my van and was back at 8:00am, and then we moved everything into the van and we were done by 9:30am!

Thankfully the condo let me park the van outside all day (albeit I needed to maneuver that sucker into a tight space), so we just hung out inside while I waited for the keys to my new place. Late morning I found out there were a couple of hiccups with my mortgage money coming in and that the other lawyer for the sellers did not take wire transfers (which is the normal way to move funds in real estate transactions). So I spent all day sitting around in my old condo playing the waiting game! We ordered some pizza for lunch, my dad went home, and at 4pm Cam and I locked up and drove to the condo, hoping beyond hope that this stupid thing would be done by 5pm.

I had a few minutes to walk around and take some last photos!

It was really weird seeing the place empty. It felt kind of like a dorm room, with all the empty furniture. I was surprisingly not sad, but I definitely was pre-occupied with stressing over moving into the new condo.

I originally had the elevator booked at the new condo for 1-5pm...and that time was slowing slipping by. I had called the management office earlier and they let me extend my elevator booking until 8pm, even though they don't usually allow move-ins after 5pm. However, 5pm came with no keys. My lawyer and I had been in touch all day and I could tell he was getting more and more frustrated. Basically because he had to close the sale of my old condo and get the new mortgage funds (which got delayed because at the last minute they wanted new financials from the condo corporation), there simply wasn't enough time to courier a cheque out to Markham to close my new place! This is why lawyers ALL use wire transfers now!!! So my new place didn't close!

Anyway, I called Budget Rentals and extended my van rental for another day, then we drove back to my mom's in Pickering. I was so beyond stressed out and upset. I couldn't book the elevator for Friday or even Saturday because it was booked for TWO weeks solid. This meant I now had to move in one bin at a time and couldn't bring in furniture! At my mom's I consumed a bunch of wine and chinese food and went to bed super stressed. I should also mention that this was mine and Cam's anniversary and I had hoped we would be moved in and could go out to dinner...but instead he spent the night trying to help me relax.

Friday Cam and I drove out to Toronto and finally got my keys since the lawyers closed the deals first thing in the morning. Then we went to the condo and finally opened that door!! Mom and Lee showed up with the van later in the morning and beyond all miracles the guys who had booked the elevator finished early and we were allowed to use the moving elevator for 1 hour! Just enough time to get everything in!!

We got to work cleaning and I returned the van and got us some lunch! Then at 3:30pm my new bed showed up. Again, I hadn't been able to book the elevator and I was stressed about sweet-talking whoever had it booked to let me borrow it for 5 minutes, but thankfully those people also finished early and the bed people had no problems! I was finally able to stop stressing!!

Mom and Lee headed home and then Cam and I had a bunch of unpacking to do. The cable & internet guy came in the evening as well...and then finally we were able to kick back and relax with some take out sushi. Overall it was a super stressful move...but thankfully everything settled into place and now I just have a LOT of furniture shopping to do! Remind me of this day if I ever say I am moving again...