A blank slate.

Moving house, city, state creates a confusion of emotions. Excitement. Anticipation. Anxiety ... which in my case surfaces as gastric reflux and heartburn, much to MLP's joy. Nothing better than having your partner belching ... loudly ... for over 2000 kms as you drive south! Its intensity escalating the closer we come to move-in day. But, so be it, my stomach can't be controlled.

Finally, however, we have the keys to our new rental and it's a blank slate. Brand new. Unlived in. Virgin territory.

Exciting? Yes. Terrifying? Yes! Especially when we come to the realisation that it's smaller than our last abode. Same number of rooms, just smaller ... in the main living areas and storage space. Storage space! Do architects, draughtsmen/people not live in houses? Do they not understand how much storage space every home needs? These ones didn't.

Some pieces of furniture will have to live in the garage for three years. But, which ones?

Some trinkets will have to be packed away to perhaps be rotated for display at a later time. But which ones?

Some things will take a happy trip to the Salvos to find a new life. But which ones?

And so the unpacking of many boxes, 80 plus, and the placement of furniture must begin.

But first, let's take a tour. Open the front door ...

Off to the right ...

A good size.  I think we'll fit in here. 

Then, of course ...

Yep, that towel rail looks REALLY useful!! Bath towels in NSW are obviously much shorter than they are in QLD.

But, I asked for another and a lovely man appeared on the Monday to install one in a more appropriate position.  I love DHA (Defence Housing Australia).

Better than the one in the last house.  We'll definitely fit our clothes, and the clothes will definitely be going in on backwards facing hangers.

At the end of the hallway ...

No, that's NOT a marble bench-top!

Less cupboards than our last kitchen.  MLP suggests using the bank of cupboards in the laundry, through the door you can see, as a butler's pantry.  He has some good ideas. But I'll need more shelves. I'm sure I can find a kitchen place to make me some.

In front of the non-marble-benched kitchen ...

Again smaller than our last house. This will take some thought.

Off to the right where the carpet is ...

MUCH smaller than our last house. But nice and bright. We'll cope.

The TV point is tucked neatly into a poky corner, so that if you have a 15cm TV, it would be perfect. I suggest it would be better on the long back wall of the family room. Mr DHA says he'll see what he can do.

And the three other bedrooms. All of similar size just with windows and cupboards in different positions ...

This one will be my sewing room. Good light and a view of the back garden, sorry, grass ... and one small tree. DHA are not into gardens.

Seen one bedroom, you've seen them all.

And finally ...

Again MUCH smaller than in our previous place, but we'll cope.

All of these spaces are now exploding with boxes and furniture. Like so ...

And the garage ... well ...

And that's after a lot of boxes have already been placed conveniently in the appropriate room by the jovial removalist men.

It's a conundrum.

The first few days are a nightmare.

And then the light begins to appear, faintly.

And then, hopefully, somewhere in the future it will transform into a home.

Our home ... with a guest room for friends and family.

Some of whom have already made bookings.

Why would they not?

There's the rivers to explore: the Hawkesbury and the Nepean.
Mountains to explore: those famous Blue Mountains.
The city to explore: the magnificent harbour city.
And historic towns to explore: Richmond and Windsor.

And only three years to do it in.

Thanks for reading my blog post. I'd love it if you left a comment so that I know that you've visited.