cleaners/ home collection

well, the finish line is so close i can taste it. the gardens are done...

the cleaners have been and the place looks immaculate

and we are good to go!

this is everything that is left. a bunch of bagged up clothing/ shoes and linen...

and some boxes of loose kitchen/ homeware items and tools. the tools and handy items are off to be donated to the mens shed and the rest will be collected by the good samaritan industries home collections. i still can't believe we have managed to get it all done, ready to hand the keys back to the owner this weekend.

it actually breaks my heart that this is all that is left of my in-laws. obviously we took all the sentimental items, the pictures, the momentos, jewellery and little things we and doug's sister wanted. but to be able to empty a home and have it all done in a month is insane. i feel bad, like it shouldn't have been this simple (believe me it was not easy) and that there should be so much more. but we have been careful and thoughtful - and this is it done.

emptying a house

further to my last post... we have gotten so much done! these bags are already ready to be donated to one of the local charity shops, heaps of items are sold or sold pending collection - and we still have a world of work to do, but we are getting there. the biggest issue is not having doug's sister here to help, i keep putting things to one side to call her about and hoping i can get her when one of us isn't sleeping. 

as things did when steve passed away, they are somehow working out. my parents have bought oli's car and a whole pile of other household items. friends from church have messaged with requests of things they are after and bought them. my brother has bought some items for his older children to have in their homes... it's all working out slowly.

the recycling bin is overflowing with years of old paperwork... and we are still going.