Modern Wife Life

2. I'll miss walking everywhere I go and logging 8+ miles/day.

3. I'll miss taking my dog, Bentley, into every building, store, etc.  This city is so dog friendly.  

4. I'll miss traveling by ferry boat. 

5. I'll miss my floor to ceiling windows. 

6. I'll miss taking my dog on a quick elevator ride to go potty. It was the ultimate convenience. 

7. I'll miss living 100 ft from Starbucks. 

8. I'll miss how easy it was to clean my tiny apartment.

9. I'll miss my rooftop for watching football games, sitting by the fire pit and roasting s'mores, and grilling new Pinterest recipes.  


10. I'll miss watching the city light up at night, building by building.

11. I'll miss falling asleep while watching the Ferris Wheel.

12. I'll miss going up to the top of the Columbia Tower on clear, sunny days.

13. I'll miss letting Bentley run wild through the Sculpture Garden like a kid on Christmas morning.

14. I'll miss taking the water taxi over to Alki to walk on the beach and collect seashells.

15.  I'll miss walking to the Whole Foods by South Lake Union to make salad bar creations.

16.  I'll miss those miles and miles of walks and talks where I learned so much about my favorite person.

17.   I'll miss the hustle and bustle of all of the big corporations downtown.

18. I'll miss the smiles and "hello's" from Bainbridge Island hippies.

19.  I'll miss the easy drive to Canada. 

20. I'll miss the rainy day excuses to wear my Hunter boots.

21. I'll miss the fortune cookie factory in the International District. 

22.  I'll miss Chinese New Year celebrations a just few blocks from home. 

23.  I'll miss watching fisherman catch squid on the pier at night.

24.  I'll miss the peaceful time at Alderbrook Resort, kayaking and relaxing.
25.  I'll miss those special moments watching my parents meet my boyfriend.

26. I'll miss catching up with neighbors on the elevator each morning and night. 

27.  I'll miss my morning commute walking through Pike Place Market as vendors set up, and my evening commute as vendors close shop.   

28.  I'll miss having that routine 30 minute walking commute each way to call my parents and catch up.  

29. I'll miss going on quick day trips to places like Hurricane Ridge, Port Townsend, and Snoqualmie Falls. 

30. I'll miss living in a city that is super passionate about their professional sports teams.  

31. I'll miss the little waterfall garden that was a block from my apartment building. 

32.  I'll miss seeing all of the cute kids that would come to Zulily HQ for photo shoots. 

33.  I'll miss the waterfront view from my desk.

34.  I'll miss the beautiful hanging flower baskets around Pioneer Square in the summer.

35.  I'll miss the beautiful path around Green Lake.

36. I'll miss the view of Mount Rainier on clear days.


Seattle was a great place to live, and I'm so glad I got the downtown experience.  But I'm ready for the next adventure in San Diego with car keys, sunglasses, and maybe some real grass for my dog to pee on.  He's done with the plastic turf.

Recently, I've faced a couple of dilemmas in this move from Seattle to San Diego, 1) Moving without a company providing relocation and 2) Moving without a vehicle.    When I moved from Las Vegas to Seattle, the movers literally packed everything, from my shampoo to my dining room table.  This time was different.  Why? My job is not relocating me and I don't have a car yet. So I had to think strategically. If I know that I can sell something for 75%+ of what I paid for it and purchase it again in the new location then I will.  When it comes to furniture this option is often better than paying to move it, especially with the risk of damaging it during the move.   Here are some creative and scrappy ways to get rid of furniture when you're car-less and on the move to a new city....

1. Craigslist it... but include "Pick Up Only" in the title.  Also, consider listing it in the "Free" section, but be prepared for some weirdos.

2. Rent a truck from Home Depot for $19/hour to move something a short distance for a Craigslist buyer or to a donation center.

3. List your items for sale within your apartment complex, near the front door, on the elevators, on the bulletin board, or on their resident portal.   It's optimal to sell furniture to neighbors for proximity reasons, but it also seems to yield more seamless transactions.

4. Send an email out to coworkers with pictures and prices of what you're selling.   Again, more seamless transactions.  

5. Google "free donation pick up" in your area.  They'll usually take anything that's in nice condition, except for mattresses.  Get a donation receipt for when you file your taxes.

6. Mattresses are super annoying to get rid of if you don't have a vehicle.  Most mattress stores will take/recycle your mattress when they deliver you a new mattress.  However, to simply get rid of your mattress you can a) take a chainsaw to it and toss it away in garbage bags in chunks, b) schedule a pick up from Ghostruck (get $50 off your next pick up with the code CF5ZCS) or c) schedule a pick up from 1-800-Got-Junk (this is more expensive). 

7. Call local churches, homeless shelters, and theatre groups to see if they have a use for the furniture.  They'll usually pick it up and take it away at no cost.

8. Use FreeCycle.com.  I think this site could get sketchy with scams since it's flooded with free offers.  However, I think it's worth a shot if you're discerning.

9. Have a yard sale, or for the more "urban" equivalent, post a sign on your door that says "Moving Sale" and wait for people to come-a-knocking.  

10. Advertise on Facebook with a personal album of things you're selling with the descriptions and prices as the captions.  It's a great way to get connected with friends of friends who may be interested.

11. If you're in a pinch and moving SOON, offer to give it to your neighbor for free so they can sell it in their own time and keep the profits. 

Happy Moving!

Dylan

I'm so blessed to be able to bring my boyfriend back to Minnesota for Christmas this year.  He has met my parents, but now he will get to meet my sister, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. I'm so excited for all of the Christmas festivities (and hopefully there will be snow!).  I've come up with a bunch of fun, Christmas-y things to do over the next month with your sweetheart....

1. Sponsor a child together through the Salvation Army's Angel Tree Program.  Pick a number from the tree with the child's name, age, and gender, and shop for the child together. 

2. Make Christmas cookies together for your bosses and coworkers.  

3. Make DIY ornaments together.  I still have some ornaments that my parents made 30+ years ago when they were first married and had little money.  The ornaments you make now will hold precious memories.

4. Go sit on Santa's lap together and get a photo.

5. Attend a local church's Christmas choir concert. 

6. Go on a Christmas Lights Driving Tour through nice neighborhoods.  Google it to find some great routes in your area.   

7. Make a DIY wreath for your front door.  Pinterest has tons of ideas.

8. Buy matching flannel pajamas (or matching onesies if you dare) to wear on Christmas Eve/Day.

9. Go Ice Skating during a slow time at the rink where it will be more intimate and less o-m-g-there-are-kids-everywhere.  

10. Volunteer at a nursing home or hospital to do a Christmas activity with the patients like decorating Christmas cookies or making Christmas cards for their family members.  

11. Host a party together! Hosting a party by yourself can be stressful, but together you can make it a fun learning experience.  Work together to plan the menu, cook, decorate and facilitate the fun.

12.  Go Christmas caroling door-to-door with a group.   At first this can feel awkward or intimidating, but once you get a few rounds under your belt it can be hilarious and fun. 

13. Celebrate St. Nicholas Day and leave your shoes outside on the night of December 5th!  Fill them with treats and pretend you don't know how they got there the next day.  Learn more here. 

14. Send out Christmas cards as a couple. 

15. Be the FUN couple at get-togethers.  We all know those couples who are just F-U-N.  They always add excitement to ordinary occasions.  They spice things up.  They get people out of their shells.  Vow to do this at your next holiday gathering.  Bring a game, plan an activity, pull out a selfie stick, or pass out some strong Christmas cocktails.

16. Cozy up in a carriage ride through the city.  Hello, romance. 

17.  Watch a marathon of classic Christmas movies together.    Then watch a marathon of low-budget Christmas movies on Hallmark/Lifetime.

18.  Share each other's home movies and photos from your childhood Christmases.

19. Find a dark place out in the countryside on the night of the Winter Solstice (December 22nd).  Light a candle together to celebrate that sooner the days will be getting longer.  This was my mom's contribution to this post..