I was looking forward to a feeling of great liberation when handing over the keys to my apartment, becoming houseless for the first time in my twenty six years! Instead, I just felt exhausted. I must have done at least fifty trips up and down the two flights of stairs outside my door. Huge shout out to Kimbo, V and Kaila for their help in ridding me of my queen mattress the night before. After struggling to get the thing out my front door, Kaila made the outlandish suggestion to throw the thing over the railing to the ground floor. Turns out it wasn’t such a crazy idea. We were responsible and had someone on the ground spotting for potential innocent bystanders, then pushed the big fluffy over the edge to land smack bang on the ground floor railing, before being pushed to the carpark level by V. We giggled like little girls all the way to the dumpster, under the discernful eye of some of my ex-neighbours.

The morning started with good music and me bouncing around like an idiot. This kept going for most of the day, until I got to the kitchen and started cleaning the oven. I made my first ever trip to Goodwill, the van filled to the roof with shit I don’t need. I donated fifteen rubbish bags (full-sized) of clothes and shoes to charity. Imagine what a real girly-girl would have in her wardrobe! Being able to carry three bags at a time, that meant five trips up and down the stairs. Five trips that I didn’t do because I threw them off the balcony down to the carpark, mattress-style. I only suffered one broken bag, typically it was the one with old bras and that crappy underwear you only use when you haven’t done laundry in ages. I’m sure my watchful neighbours formed a crease on their brow to see my undergarments spread willy-nilly all over the tarmac! Ha ha, no shame.

The cleaning continued until just after lunch, then it was time to load the now-empty van. I tried to put some method to it, but there will definitely be a major cabinet re-shuffle once I have less of a time limit. Thankfully, it didn’t go up to the ceiling, I think I got it about right. A few more trips up the stairs to mop the floors and bring down the mountain bike and the last of the rubbish and I was out. Nothing in the mail for me, keys returned, I am now homeless.

First thing was first, the rear tires needed air! With that sorted, I dropped off my borrowed vacuum cleaner to V then straight to Derek & Kylie’s house for dinner and playtime with Emma. Twelve-hour day, sore arms, sore back, I was happy to have a real bed one last time. I managed to get acquainted with Greg and start up this blog with Kylie’s help. Ticking the last few boxes before day one. I slept soundly, even with a one-month old baby in the house. Testament to what 50 flights of stairs will do to me.

PS, I shit you not, the Service Engine Soon light turned on as I left my apartment complex. We’ll just ignore that for now….