Move-in is a work in progress

We have spent the last seven days moving our lives to our new home.  In the midst of it all, we have had an offer on our previous home fall through, requiring a shift in market strategy and home preparation (furnished homes are easier to sell).  Our battle cry for the last seven days has been "Empty a box!"; seriously, just any box, because they all need to be emptied before we are officially "moved-in".

This move is a bit different for us.  This is, the Lord willing, our last move.  We have no other house plans beyond this one.  As a result, our approach is different.  There is no need to hurry and stash things "out of site" so the house can be functional for the kids, schedules, etc.  We are placing everything in its right place, even if that right place is the garbage.  Even though we have ample attic storage, enough to contain the stores of a small South American country, nothing will be stored within their confines.  We have played that game before -- what goes up does not come down, unless it is special seasonal items (and even those items will now be accessible on the first floor).  Things either have a place in the house, or on the curb.

Oh yes, we are in the season of the punch list, and much of the time from my last post until the move-in day of January 15, 2016 was spent on those items.  The sixty-six  items had been reduced to 16 items, and yesterday was further reduced to 13 items.  The list is scheduled to be reduced to zero by sometime next week.

Landscaping continues, with fill dirt (23 truckloads), and grading being recently completed.  No planting as of yet, but that will come soon.  As rains have recently indicated, our property is now draining well.

Here are some pictures of the move-in to date.  I am not showing the messes of boxes past nor those remaining.  Here are a few pictures; when the move-in is complete, I will post a video walk-through in addition to pictures of each room.

One of my jobs was to mount these guitar hangers in the Conservatory.  Such
fine and detailed work is not my strength, but I managed to get them evenly spaced
and on the same line with one another.

The guitars are hung with care a couple of days before move-in begins.  The
blue Telecaster was not permitted to hang with the others due to it not being
an earth-tone color.  The racism of it all!

Post move-in view from the foyer shows the view unhindered by furniture.

The dining room tables arrived, each expandable from seven feet to 10.5 feet
(2.13m to 3.2m).  The chairs (18 of them) are scheduled to arrive next Friday.  You
are correct, no pictures have been hung.  This will be addressed today, with the
help of our daughter and her husband, who seem to have a knack and flair for it.

This the Conservatory post move-in (again, no pictures yet hung) and is more
or less in its final configuration.  There is a piano on the wall opposite the picture.

The Great Room furnished, but not yet finished.  We are enjoying the fireplace as the Houston area is experiencing near-freezing temperatures the past few days.