Will the food be going in the moving van or your car? I could see taking what you have room for in the car. That would mean that you would have something to eat right when you get there. In the moving van, on the other hand . . . . They weigh the van. Every pound will cost you money. What is the cost per pound that the movers are charging you and what is the cost of the food? It might be cheaper to donate the food and buy all new when you arrive. The food might attract bugs, if it's going to be in the van for 4 or 5 days. If you want to ship the food in the van, check with the moving company to see if it's allowed. They might allow canned food, but not a paper sack of flour. I'd donate or toss a 5 lb. sack of flour, but would have second thoughts about a 25 lb. sack. As a veteran of a kazillon moves, I'd only move the minimum amount of food. I'd take canned soups and anything else that is pretty much heat-and-eat, because that will make life simpler the first few days you are in your new home. I'd take the spices in the car, because they are small and also expensive. I'd use up as much flour and sugar as possible, even if just on making cookies and muffins for snacks in the car on the drive to the new place. And I'd offer the remaining flour and sugar to a good friend and donate anything that isn't opened.

Oh, gosh thanks for all the ideas! Oceanna, I HAVE that very same picture! It is small though. That is toooo funny! msrose, the color is Desert Camel by Pittsburgh paints. Thanks. brutus, yes I need to do some tweaking yet. Thanks for your thougts. igloo, you are so funny!!! LOL I do have a picture of an old man smoking a pipe that is quite large. I may try that. I can use the mirror in another room. I think it would be too high up to put it above the dresser. What about above the chair?

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! Such wonderful tips you've shared, and now I'm feeling a bit more confident about the whole thing! I work best when I have an organized process going on. It's when things become jumbled and chaotic that I tend to feel like I'm going to lose it. And speaking of losing it - yesterday, DH and I were working together and found that we kept moving things. The scissors - which were JUST RIGHT HERE not five minutes ago, had somehow taken flight and flown two rooms away. The packing tape ... where'd the flippin' packing tape run off to? It went on like that for quite some time, until we determined it would work best if DH would go out and mow the lawn and leave me to the packing on my own. Sometimes having a helper isn't much ... help. Our boxes are all broken down into flat pieces at this point, and DH is going to "make" two or three of them that I can work on each evening. I think that methodically working my way through the breakables and getting them all boxed up will be a big load off my mind. I know this will all come together and we'll get it done. I appreciate the encouragement and the info shared here -- definitely ideas we will be putting to use as we get further along in this.

Based on the location of the property my guess is the only permits needed may be a septic permit. Possibly an electrical permit, but maybe they have added additional permits since I lived in the area about 15 years ago. At least I hope they have, but depending on when things were done it is very likely it may not have needed a permit. As for adding a bathroom - it may be cheaper to just add on to the structure to add a bathroom than trying to add one inside the existing structure as long as it is on the same side as the septic tank. Meaning it would be easier to tie it in to the septic tank if on the same side and adding on means not cutting into existing foundation besides tying into the foundation at the spot where you add on. Although 1995 may seem like the septic is at the end of it's life it may not be if it has been carefully used (ie just normal use and adhering to septic use guideline) and pumped and no driving on the septic field. My old house was built in the 1970's and had the original septic still when I sold it in 2007 and it had no issues for the 8 years I lived there.