Now what?

I am at work, but also near tears. My apartment is right now neater than it's looked in months, and yet... the realtor tells me that her photographer says it still "shows too busy." In other words, he doesn't think he can take pictures to market it to its best effect until we put a ton of stuff in storage. My super still has not come through with the storage unit, but the realtor suggests that even the available unit might not be big enough and I should go with a public storage type place. She offered to take photos with her camera (ie, not the fancy photog) just to get them out there, but she still recommends decluttering (DUH).

--
While I was typing she called me back. She thinks it might be best to get it out there WITHOUT photos (or photo of the building/park only) and let people be drawn in by the price & description. Then when she brings them by, she can explain the situation. Makes sense, but still really, really demoralizing. She also did suggest it still might not be a bad idea to start packing stuff up and storing it (after all, we'll be packing to move anyway, right?)...

We shall see.

When's the Day? Wednesday!

That's the day the realtor is coming to take photos for the listing. YIKES. Given that I will spend a good portion of the upcoming long weekend cleaning and neatening, I'm still worried. My fear is that my toddler will undo everything I've done in the space of time between me leaving for work at 8am and the realtor's arrival at 11am. He's fast like that.

Remember that scene in Poltergeist where the mom pushes all the kitchen chairs neatly under the table, turns away for 2 seconds, and turns back to find THIS?

Yeah. That's what I call Brandon-style.

Ink and Paper (and Scanner and Email)

Monday morning I brought the marketing agreement to my husband who was trying to get back to sleep after moving the car to a legal parking spot (we had parked at a meter the night before, had to move the car by 7:30 am, one of the “pleasures” of street parking in NYC). I said “Here. Sign my Mother’s Day present.” He did. Later he called me up and asked if he had really signed it. But he had a smile in his voice.

Today (Tuesday) I scanned and emailed it to the broker. I’m a little nervous (okay, a lot). Also I just called my super who said he would get back to me about the storage space “sometime maybe next week” when he has the keys. I’m not hopeful, considering we had this same conversation at least a month ago. It may be time to start schlepping things to the inlaws’ house.

Other than that, I’ve just been dealing with a wicked bout of mastitis. That’s no fun at all.

Ways My 22 Month Old is Like a Puppy

This has nothing to do with moving, selling or clutter, but it's on my mind.

Keep in mind that I love children and I love dogs... would love to have a dog if I had the space, but I don't now. Plus my oldest is allergic, and my middle is afraid of them ever since my sister-in-law's shih-tzu bit her on the ear last spring, and my youngest... well... read on.

Ways My 22-Month Old is Like a Puppy

• If I am reading or working while spread out on the floor, he will come sit on whatever has my attention
• Runs to the refrigerator as soon as it is opened
• Insists on sharing my food
• Will steal any unattended food
• Runs to the door when I come home, blocking my entrance while greeting me
• Runs to the door if he senses I am about to leave
• Doesn't like to be on a leash (I tried out a kiddie-harness at BJ's. He got mad that I wouldn't let him hold the end himself. Did not buy.)
• Likes chasing dogs, squirrels, and balls
• Afraid of the vaccuum
• Makes a mess wherever he goes
• Full of energy
• Climbs on the furniture
• Adorable and cuddly

Tabled

The marketing agreement is still on my table. My husband is stalling me. "I just don't know where we are going to find a place," saith he. I know he's not good with change. I don't want to steamroll him. But we have to move sooner or later, so why not sooner?

It's not like we'll be out in the street, right? I mean if someone wants our apartment, and we can't find someplace else to live, we just postpone closing, right?

It's a buyers market, right?

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Apologies for the Saved By the Bell - The College Years reference... I now have a marketing agreement in hand, just awaiting my & hubby's signatures... I know signing and returning it will be setting everything in motion. If that's what I want, why am I stalling?

Nothing wrong with the agreement. My sister, a broker herself, looked it over and said it seems to be kosher. Six month "exclusive right to sell" agreement, commission will be paid at 4.5 percent (5.0 if another broker is part of the deal), apartment will be listed in the New York Times, the broker's website, Craiglist, the MLS, and more...

By the way, in one week, it has gone from "presentable" to "disaster area" once again. This is part of what terrifies me. How can I keep it neat enough to show on short notice, especially when I am out of the house from 8am to 7pm every day and my husband is home with Destructo Boy?