Over the last decade I have helped hundreds of clients downsize in Melbourne, so you would expect my own downsizing move would go smoothly?

Hell no!

Downsizing during a worldwide pandemic is definitely not recommended.

I found my dream island home in April 2020. I did exactly what I tell all my clients – pack up your must keeps (favourites and functional) and farewell everything else. I booked in my mover and just had to hope all went smoothly on settlement day (as my Melbourne home and Island home were settling on the same day).

All went to plan but it was sad to leave the home I had shared with my husband and the wonderful memories. With my car piled high, I pulled up my “big girl pants”, shed a tear and then my two Jack Russell pups and I hit the road heading to our new Island home. My roof rack had our mattress and bedding firmly secured to it, but I still worried crossing the bridge at San Remo that it may fly off.

The moving trucks weren’t coming until the next day, so it was hot chicken from Coles for dinner. I was so hoping the electricity was connected, because I had an electric pump to blow up our mattress for the night.

Like many who move permanently to what has been a holiday house, it wasn’t designed for permanent living or the way we live today.

My blue beach house had old plumbing and electricity, had no storage and a tiny kitchen! It is very hard to be organised when there is nowhere to put anything. My dreams were no longer of a beach house but of having a garage!

My reno started March 2021 for completion September 2021, but then lockdowns played havoc with timeframes.

My pups and I ended up living in one room at my reno after exhausting our rental options for over eight months. If you could see our current mess, you would have no idea I am a decluttering specialist!