It’s exactly a week now untill we move back to Riyadh. We are moving to my mothers house to give me time to unpack and settle into our new house. So, God willing, We should be all settled in by the end of January.
I am adamant on getting the whole ‘system’ of the house right before we move in. When I got married I moved into a house which was fully furnished and had everything, big and small. already in it. Because I was studying in London till a couple of weeks before my wedding I really wasn’t involved in this process and didn’t even get a chance to see the house. All of this seemed perfectly fine and even easier to me. My family even unpacked my clothes there before I had even seen it. All I had to do was show up
Then, we moved to London. And I experienced starting in a house from scratch. I LOVED IT!
I went out and bought all the small things that I had never bought for our first house. I chose what kind of kitchen appliances we had. The type of hangers, sheets, towels. I found great air fresheners. I chose the bins we would use in the kitchen and the bathrooms. This might seem mundane to some people but I discovered that I liked choosing all the things, big or small, in my house. So, I got the energy efficient kettle. The bag-less vacuum, the natural soaps, the super absorbent hair towels and all of the little things that make life just a tiny bit easier.
Yes, it is a bit sad that I got more excited about the Lake Land store I saw in Bahrain last week than I did any of the clothes shops. But Lake Land rules! (http://www.lakeland.co.uk for some reason I can’t do links today) And yes, it’s even sadder that I get so excited about kitchen appliances since I am not exactly a kitchen friendly person. But I just feel like if I buy the chocolate moulds I will make home made chocolates!! It’s an addiction… Sue me.
But before I can even start buying any of these unnecessary necessities I have to unpack 4 years of stuff to see what of these things I still have, didn’t give away or break. This is what I have to look forward to in the next few weeks. And I actually am looking forward to it.
Leading up to the big move, I am obsessively writing down plans. Storage plans, cleaning plans, grocery buying plans, budgeting plans. It’s great because it feels like I get to start over in some sense and do it right this time. After almost 10 years of marriage and having my own house I know what I want it to be and it is easier to start from scratch then try and fix a system that is already in place. And believe me, we have NO system now.
What’s also happening next week is I officially enter my 3rd trimester! wooohooo!! I don’t have anything for the baby yet because I need to unpack all the things I already have so I don’t get more of what I don’t need! So it might be a lot to take on in my third trimester but I said this when I was pregnant with Baby B and it didn’t happen, and now I am pregnant with baby X and I say… again… I HAVE TO BE MOVED IN BEFORE THE BABY ARRIVES! (Inshallah).
yamaamaa.com 
A lot to do in your 3rd Trimester.!…..All the very best of luck. X
Hey!
I love your blog. I read Umm Lujian’s blog and then your blog caught my fancy. You write REALLY well, and it is a pity that you never did that degree/course in creative writing. you really are an exceptionally talented writer :) I love your insights into Saudi life/ culture and how it is to raise kids (I dont have any of my own- having been married 2 months ago). But this particular post really touched a nerve with me, because I have just moved to london from pakistan, and I am in the process of setting up house. And as exciting as it is, i am OCD about doing it properly. I think youre a bit lucky that you had help the first time round. Every day I figure out something new that ‘the house must have’ (Needless to say, the first thing that I did was google lakeland and I LOVE it). I want to know where to get the super absorbant towels, and the natural soaps!! SO far Zara and Anthropologie are my go to stores but I dont want my house to look like a catalogue haha. Any housekeeping tips for london living would be so helpful!
Keep blogging. You are a fabulous write!
Mahin
LMAO… wanna know when I moved in? AFTER I had my baby… he was 1 week old when I made the move… and now he is 7 months.. and most of my stuff is still at the other house :D I literally get things little by little.. If I bring it all at one time I fear I will go MAD!!!
No comment, I am not saying a word till I am safely in my house. Like I said, I thought I would be there before I had my now 2 year old!! And if I give birth before moving I guarantee you we will live out of boxes for the next two years!