Now, I want some sympathy!!!

[Cataholic]

I have decided, after MUCH debating, to have my hardwood floors refinished. Okay, now, originally, that might not sound like such a big deal, eh? Well, let me tell you what this entails.

First, I have to move every single item in my house, every single item, to either the basement, the garage, or the back patio (and, pray for no rain). Oh, did I mention the closets have to be cleared out, too? Who else here stores (read hides) ALOT of junk in the closets?

So, I have hired movers to move me out, and back in 6 days later. Four days is the minimum amount of time for the floors to 'cure'. Still thinking no big deal? Did I mention I have a little boy? And, seven cats? They, too, are moving out with me. To where? To Lillycat's house, with her FOUR cats! EEK! 11 cats? A toddler, and me? Now, I am sure Lillycat is deserving of some sympathy, eh?

Oh, yeah, one more litte thing....I have to have my rugs cleaned, deoderized and repaired ASAP. That means I have to somehow get them out from under the furniture, taken to the rug doctor, (in a Honda Civic???), and retuned back to my house, after the floors are done, but, before the furniture is moved back in? A 12 hour window.


Oh, one more teeny, tiny thing...this is all being done while I am in TRIAL!


What have I done???

Please, give me some sympathy, or, at least make me laugh about this. :eek:

[catnapper]

Oh no! I sure hope you find your cape hidden in the closet somewhere. You are not Superwoman without it!

[Pawsitive Thinking]

Oh no! I sure hope you find your cape hidden in the closet somewhere. You are not Superwoman without it!

Move over Wonder Woman!

[Corinna]

HUG but from the flooring guys point of veiw your one in a million most people leave stuff he (hubby ) must move.Or work around the critters you wouldn't beleive the inconsidert people out there. You will be glad after they are done.

[Cataholic]

Corinna,
The flooring guys pretty much told me I had to move out, and that the kitties and hoomans could not live in the house for 4 days!

It is just orchastrating this event. I am officially adopting a NSITH policy afterwards.....(no shoes in the house, LOL).

Trust me, any superwoman or wonderwoman outfit hidden in the closet wouldn't even fit over my head anymore...sadly. So, I must do this all on just plain normal mommy power! :D

[Cinder & Smoke]

I have decided,
after MUCH debating,
to have my hardwood floors refinished.


:eek:

WHO had the "They're just FINE the way they are!" side of the debate??
:p

Poor Slob must have been a LOUZIE debater!

But it *IS* an opportunity to toss some Junque!
Spend another buck or two and hire a DUMPSTER to arrive on moving day ...
the stuff you're not too keen on moving twice can take the one-way trip
via the Dumpster!

When do you plan on telling LillyCat of the plan?
She'll prolly want to take a long trip outta towne! :p

:D

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

But it *IS* an opportunity to toss some Junque!
Spend another buck or two and hire a DUMPSTER to arrive on moving day ...
the stuff you're not too keen on moving twice can take the one-way trip
via the Dumpster!

EXCELLENT advice, Phred! After recently experiencing a major "downsizing" myself, I can attest to being one of those that stores/hides a lot of junk in closets.....and let me tell you, there is WAY more than what you think and when it really comes down to it, most of it really is junk and can be tossed/sold/donated with no regrets. Of course the tossing part of tossed/sold/donated involves the least amount of work, and it sounds like you've got enough work cut out for you the way it is. If you do do a little clean out during the process, just think how the move back in will be so much simpler because there will be so much less "junk" to put back in those closets. Also....maybe then Minnie will have more room in her little safe haven. ;)

Sure you don't want to put this off for just a year or two when Jonah will be just a tad older and could maybe help? ;)

Good luck super mom! Oh, and by the way, before and after pics would be great! I know you'll be so thrilled when it's all done. "New" floors, clean rugs, a lot of clutter gone....it'll be just like a new house again. :D

[Lady's Human]

cataholic,

what do you do for your next trick? I'm still trying to figure out how to put in new windows and a new furnace in the house in NY while I'm spending most of the summer in OK. :p

[Cataholic]

Also....maybe then Minnie will have more room in her little safe haven. ;)

I just LOVE that you remembered little Min Min in her closet. She does have the entire floor of the closet (4 deep by 2.5 wide, approx), and sleeps in her little day bed the whole day. She and Georgie may go to my dad's house, as there won't be a spare closet for her at Lillycat's house, and, well, Georgie needs to be separated from Monte. Sheesh. Monte. :mad:

It will look great, I know it. And, Phred, my floors are in horrid shape, they really are. AND, I do intend to de-junque. Really. :D

[Cataholic]

cataholic,

what do you do for your next trick? I'm still trying to figure out how to put in new windows and a new furnace in the house in NY while I'm spending most of the summer in OK. :p

It was one of those things that I just 'did'. I made the call to the flooring people, and got on their books, and began the panic mode.

Next? The kitchen WILL be completed by Christmas. It will be!!!

[Lady's Human]

LOL, I've been trying to get the counters in in the house for a year! :eek:

[Freckles]

I do intend to de-junque. Really. :D
Do you have digital cable TV? On a couple of the Discovery channels, I found a program titled "Neat". It's been the perfect incentive to downsize! :)

[jazzcat]

Good luck with that huge undertaking! I remember how big of a pain it was when we had hardwood and carpet installed two years ago. At least I just had to relocate my stuff from room to room, not actually out of the house. I was able to put all the cats (at that time just 3) in the sunroom while the workers were here and Disney hung out with me. Plus I could stay home all day while the work was going on, and sleep in my own bed at night.

I'm very curious about your new kitchen. We are thinking of remodeling ours but I'm not sure how easy that will be with 5 cats in the house. I can only shut them up in the sunroom for so long.

You better find that cape soon!

[sasvermont]

Sounds to me like you need a small army of college kids to come in and move stuff around for you.....and then move it all back.....along with the regular movers.

I have had floors redone while I lived in the house. It is much better to just bite the bullet and move out. I would have a cleaning crew come in right before you move back in, to wipe down all the walls, sills - well everything.... much like one would do in a disaster situation. Sorry. I may be adding insult to injury here!

It will all work out. It might not be pretty for awhile, but you will be fine. Just think, you will have new shinny floors and it will last for years and years.

Keep us posted.

Don't forget to ask for help, even if you must pay for it. Help is good. Really!

Sas and her campers

[Queen of Poop]

Ok, so the capes don't fit any more. No problem..... pull out your handy, dandy magic wand and wave your troubles away.

Seriously though, good luck to you thru all of this. Focus on how good it is going to look when it's done. :D

[Sara luvs her Tinky]

Ok, so the capes don't fit any more. No problem.....

maybe you have the bat signal tucked in one of those closets... :confused: :p


Good luck getting those rugs to the rug doctor.. i know a lot of people with honda civics... and you really have to plan to get big stuff in those cars...

YAY for the new floors... i looove hardwood floors... do the kitties like to run and slide on them???? Tinky loves to run and slide on the linoleum in the kitchen... she would probably loooooove to live with hardwood floors!

[Cataholic]

Thanks for the sympathy AND advice. I did think about the cleaning....and, would like to hire a cleaner to take down the dust. Friday night, I can walk- softly- on the floors. So, I may tackle that myself. THEN, Saturday, 8 am ( :eek: ) the movers will be there to move me back in. I wonder...could I come over and dust after they finish sanding on that first day?

Here is the plan: Friday and Saturday- move all the little crap.
Sunday- move cats, Jones and I to Lillycats
Monday- movers 8 am
Tuesday- floorers 8 am- Sand
Wednesday- Stain
Thurs/Friday- poly- two coats
Saturday- 8am- movers
Sunday- pass out from exhaustion, but, continue to unpack things.

[mruffruff]

I debated long and hard on this same project. After 2 years of going back and forth, I decided to put down laminate! It took me about a month, working all alone and replacing the quarter round. But I'm glad I did. No major dust and the floors should last longer than refinishing.

I wish you all the best. You're a braver woman than I.

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

Well, another idea is to put out a sign : "For burglars : free entry !""But then, you might also lose some of the valuable things too, sooooo, my idea was just an idea. Silly Lut!!!

[Cataholic]

Ick. This is going to be hard. Yesterday, I spent 2 hours on ONE room! I removed all the 'crap', except Jonah's toys, and the furniture from ONE room!!! I am going to do it one room at a time, and by NEXT Monday, at 8 am when the movers show up, I will be all moved out.

When Jonah came inside (I had my mother's helper watch him outside) and saw all the 'crap' gone, he got a bit distressed at the sight. We took all the rugs to the rug doctor Saturday am...and they will be cleaned, deodorized, fringe removed, tiny repairs made, and returned to me with new pads- HOPEFULLY by the time the floors are done.

I will NEED my vacation in July just to recover from the floor trauma. :D

[chrangharris]

Never underestimate Mommy Power!!! You will make it through this and then you get a nice vacation! Enjoy some fun drinks for me :D :D

[Logan]

Hard as it is, Johanna, you will be so glad you decided to move out to have it done. When I bought my house, I did the "double" thing, paying rent on one house, while having the new house painted and the floors completely refinished. Of course, that didn't include the kitchen, so Helen and I had to live with the dust and mess when they installed the oak floors in there. Lots of plastic sheeting over the doorways and lots of meals "out", we finally got our beautiful hardwood floor in the kitchen.

Good luck!

Logan

[ramanth]

Having to wait to have my back room recarpeted suddenly doesn't seem all that bad anymore. ;)

Good luck!!!

[RedHedd]

Oh how I empathize! I did the "temporary move" whilst they retrofit my apartment earlier this year. It IS a good opportunity to clear out that stuff you haven't used in .... for me it was over 20 years. The cats absolutely HATED being relocated, even temporarily. It took well over a month for them to feel secure again at home after we moved everything back as it all smelled different. It will be pain, you will need that cape and your wand (I'd loan you mine, but it got broken during my ordeal :p )

Just know that PT will be here for moral support.

As for your trial, I hope the case settles - don't they always do that on the eve of trial? :rolleyes: