We decided to move to Mexico after our May 2016 vacation and gave ourselves six months to prepare for the move, which included selling our house.
Our house sold at the end of October - and then I had to figure out the logistics for our stuff based on leaving our house in October yet not moving until December.
We also had to figure out where to stay in the interim while we both worked through November, plan the drive, and I was also an artist in the Chicago One of a Kind Art Show in December.
stuff logistics
The toughest part about moving overseas
Was, hands down
THE STUFF
The number of different stuff logistics:
1 SELL
2 DONATE TO FAMILY/CHARITIES
3 TO PARENTS HOUSE - art show products/display (but they won't go to Mexico)
4. SHIP TO MEXICO - coordinate this day based on the house sale & PV arrival date
5. DAILY ITEMS FOR LIVING - keep stuff needed to live in our house until it sells
6. KEEP FOR WORK - keep dressy work clothes that we'll need after we sell our house (sold in October) and while staying at a temporary hotel for six weeks (but will not go to Mexico)
7. KEEP FOR LAST 2 WEEKS ONLY - keep warm clothes needed for the last two weeks in cold Chicago while living at my parents house
8. KEEP FOR DRIVE - keep clothes needed for Art Show, the drive to PV and possibly clothes we might need in PV if our stuff doesn't arrive on time (but minimal number of clothes because they all have to fit in a pod on top of our car since our two big greyhounds will have the back space of our SUV)
9 FOR TEMPORARY HOUSING, PARENTS HOUSE, & PV DRIVE - dog beds, cooler for raw food, water & food bowls, dog snacks (and figure out where to get raw dog food on the drive)
10 BUY - one car pod that's large enough for three suitcases
Mind-boggling
And
I'm grateful that we shipped special furniture, rugs, and eight dog beds to Puerto Vallarta
the first surreal day
october 27, 2016
six weeks before the drive to Mexico
The day my husband, I and our two greyhounds moved out of our house
October 27, 2016
WAS THE FIRST SURREAL DAY
It was bittersweet, as it was our first house together
We had spent seven wonderful years in this house
Pouring our hearts out into renovating each room
When we first bought this Chicago bungalow
It took two weeks just to remove the wallpaper
one of a kind show - chicago merchandise mart
december 1-4, 2016
I designed and sewed couture dog collars
(in addition to my full-time corporate job)
And I'd signed up for this show before we knew we'd be moving
With over 65,000 people attending, I didn't want to miss it
By this time of the show, the move was only days away
We were VERY excited
And told all our customers we were moving to Mexico - Come Visit Us!
one more day before the drive to pv
december 6, 2016
We're really moving to Mexico!
We'd been staying with my parents the last two weeks
In the morning, we had an appointment with a special vet that was certified to give us the stamp of approval for our dogs to cross the Mexico border
We spent the afternoon prepping the car, attaching the pod, and other small last minute items on the checklist. I tried not to get teary-eyed at the thought of leaving my parents. The evening was occupied with last minute checks on the best routes for the drive down to Laredo, then to PV.
I checked the leather satchel which stored all the important documents we needed for the border crossing.
OUR CAR TITLE IS MISSING!
Todd had taken the car title to the Mexican Consulate to get our car sticker for Mexico, but the lines were too long so he decided not to wait - after that, he can't remember what he did with the title.
PANIC!
It's 9:30pm
Todd was calling anyone he could think of,
Maybe it's in the car we sold to a friend
He even drove over an hour to Chicago to search at places he'd been
At his old Dunkin’ Donuts store, everywhere
NADA
After six months of planning
We had one missing item
And we had to arrive in Puerto Vallarta on a certain day because our furniture was being delivered the day after we arrived.
My dad said we could pick up a new title in Joliet
Which wasn't far and was on the route of our trip
.We'd try in the morning.
Find out in the next article
did we get our car title?
did we have to delay the drive?
As exciting as this all was, the move was heartbreaking too - especially to leave my parents, other family and friends in Chicago.
Larleen has one very tough goodbye
Want more information about how to plan a move like this? Let me know in the comments below.
xo
Kathleen Naomi