This weekend we go from 450m2 in our house down to 67m2 (45m2 on the boat and 12m2 in storage). It's a good thing we've already sold, given away or taken to the dump quite a bit of stuff. Will it all fit 😊?
The past week we have been preparing as much as possible. Some last things go away on the market. Stuff we want to keep we pack in boxes and furniture we protect with plastic (bubble) foil.

On Saturday we rent a big bus at Bo-Rent and in two trips with the bus and the X5 we bring everything to the storage with the help of our girls and Sam. The first trip mainly the heavier furniture; that's not easy and we are very happy with the help and strength of Sam. The second trip is a lot of stuff which we get rid of very quickly because there are five of us. We park the bus and car in the building and then have to bring everything with carts via the elevator and a little walk to our box on the first floor. Top girls and Sam how you helped us 👍💪☺️.

The storage space is just big enough. Everything fits in nicely with enough room to grab the things we need from time to time. Once back in Tilburg, we go into the sauna for the last time to relax our tired bodies. We eat the delicious take-out sushi in time, really super tasty 😋. Then quickly into the car before the wintry weather with code red breaks loose. Marinthe and Sam drive back to Maastricht in the Golf and Eline joins us to the boat.
This moment feels like a special milestone. Life on the boat really starts now, because the house is not habitable anymore 😊🥂⛵️. It is not completely empty yet, because next weekend the kitchen will be picked up (we were able to sell it after all and the buyers are happy with that) and we will get the last things out of the house that are still going to the storage or to the boat. Everything that remains will be taken away by 'our friend' Bart for others or for the dump. Finally, on 26 February we will hand over the keys.
So there are some last bits and pieces, but this weekend feels like the real step. It feels special and also very good. So we sleep great this first night in our new house 😃😃😃.
We are 'thrown in at the deep end' (according to sailor friends who have been living on their boat for a long time) when this morning the boat is covered with snow and the coming days it will only get colder. More about that in the next post.