One Daily Positive - Week 49. Back to Dubai

I had a lovely last few days in the UK catching up with family and friends as well as finishing off the house, ready for the professionals to do their magic. Back in the UK in January with the cat and dog and the furniture isn't arriving until June, to give us time to finish all the jobs.

335 Sunday Had a day off from the house and the flat and spent the day with child 1 and child 5 in Gloucester, took child 5 back to Cirencester where he lives then joined Mum of 3 World at the Panto in Tewkesbury that her daughter is performing in. It's been 10 years since I've been in the UK around Christmas and fancied doing something Chritmassy

336 Monday Back to South Wales to clean the flat and meet the agent. I met mum, my niece with Thing 3 &4 and child 2, his wife 2a and our granddaughter 2b for lunch. Thing 3 really didn't like seeing me with my granddaughter. I'm his Aunty Suzanne and he hid under the table from the 2's. He came back to the flat with me to help hoover, child 2 did some repair jobs and 2a transferred everything out to my car.

337 Tuesday Last day and off for coffee, sort post and change of address, purchase a stair gate and hand keys to the agent. They're doing the arbitration for the repairs, identified as tenant liability, which currently stand around £2,500, as the deposit is £900 less I'm guessing we'll be out of pocket. Returned the car hire, had dinner and a beer at the airport, was asleep for take off, woken for food and a G&T, back to sleep, woken for breakfast.

Rediscovered this family picture Thing 1 drew for me back in October.

338 Wednesday Fell back asleep during landing. Peter collected me and I went back to sleep for 4 hours, got up, had lunch, a bath and back to sleep for another 4 hours. So unlike me to get this much sleep but I obviously needed it.

Last year the cat ate all her advent calendar in one go, this year it's hidden in the cupboard, the lure of the cat nip is too strong.

339 Thursday Took the cat to the vets for her final jab before her move to the UK and get vet books up to date. Grabbed a coffee and posted Peter's postal vote, mine hasn't arrived and doubtful Peter's will get back in time either. There has to be a better way for Brits abroad to be able to vote. Most other countries allow you to vote at your embassy, not the UK. Afternoon spent on paperwork online.

340 Friday Awake at 4am, caught up with blogs and writing posts. We went out for breakfast to the Creek and had a lovely long walk. Afternoon spent tidying the garden and we started Christmas off with the ultimate Christmas movie 'yippee ki yay'

341 Saturday Had a lie in and we went out Christmas shopping, I had to try my present on, but Peter selected the style and colour. Home to wash the dog and all the bedding and rugs. Peter cooked dinner and I had a little wine induced nap. Starting my packing for our trip to South Africa next week. Originally only Peter was going with work and rather than leave me at home alone, we booked a flight for me also.

On the blog this week:

Differences I notice between the UK and Dubai as an expat

I forgot to link up week 47 and week 48, so if you're interested in how the rest of the golf went and the house repossession went, do take a look.

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Post Comment Love 6th - 8th December 2019

I'm back from the UK after a successful week clearing our family home of all the stuff our tenants have left behind, removing 101+ hooks, screws and nails from walls and damaged items. My friend cleaned the kitchen and downstairs loo and I cleaned the lounge, 1 bedroom and the top floor so all our furniture and the rest of my late fathers collections could be moved into place. The flat in South Wales is now on the rental market and all quotes for repairs, redecorating, gardening and rubbish removal are in place. Locks have been changed, utilities set up and heating on timer and frost setting for the winter.

I'll be back in the UK full time in January with the cat and dog and to give me time to finish sorting the house the furniture isn't arriving until mid June. All the major works will take place while I'm away.

It's lovely being back in Dubai. It's winter here, the sun shines, I can get out and about and most importantly I'm warm and have finally shaken the cough I had last week.

Hope you've all had a good week, look forward to reading this weeks blog posts from you all.

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Differences between Dubai and the UK as an expat

There are 4 main differences I've noticed this week on my UK visit between Dubai and the UK and have reached the conclusion that no where is perfect.

Weather. 
It's winter in both countries now but the differences are huge. I can't get over how cold the water runs from the taps in the UK, even in summer just cleaning my teeth is sensitive and I swear it takes longer for the kettle to boil and food to cook and I defiantly couldn't dry clothes and when mopping the floor it seemed to take forever to dry.

I had no idea how to manage the central heating system. In Dubai you have instant cold air when it gets too hot. In the UK it takes forever to warm the house up.

Dubai - I can't cool down in summer without the air conditioning. I have to spray the car windows from the water bottle to remove the sand. The sea and tap water run at 36c+. It's impossible to have a cool shower.

From the outdoor tap June 2015.

UK - It takes ages to warm up in the UK, but I can do it with extra clothing and keeping active without the need for putting the heating on. It's not pleasant, but it is doable. I have to sit in a freezing car, pressing various alien buttons to defrost the windows and had to buy deicer and a window scraper to see out.

Driving.
Both countries have their own style of driving, after 5 years in Dubai I automatically drive in both countries on opposite sides of the roads. I guess it's like learning a second language, it just becomes natural as you switch from country to country.

Dubai
We have 16 lane highways, they are permanently congested, there is little lane discipline and indicators are rarely used. Parking spaces are huge as are most of the vehicles here. To get across busy junctions you have to drive by and do a U turn rather than trying to cross busy intersections. New roads just pop up over night.

Two years ago we drove across the desert to take a short cut to our house, we now have this.

UK
Lanes are narrower and just as congested. Everything is in mph and I often wonder why it takes me twice as long to reach my destination, then I realise I've automatically assumed the signs are in kms per hour. I don't get confused with the speed limits as the vehicles for each country are in the correct format. Parking spaces are also narrow and far less available. I have to remember to put my own fuel in the car and go and pay.

Shopping.
I constantly think in Dirhams and convert all the time. I'm constantly surprised by UK prices as I haven't lived here for 9 years. It's all more expensive than I remember, but like I said it's been 9 years.

Dubai
On walking into any store you are greeted and asked if you require assistance, even if you say no, you are followed around, goods taken to the till and automatically packed. I don't do online shopping in Dubai as I find delivery times are too wide and someone has to be at home to receive the goods. Most people have live in maids, we don't and I've often waited from 8am for a delivery that's arrived at 8pm.

UK
Most small independent shops I walk into no one ever speaks. Trying to find an assistant in a supermarket or large store for help is almost impossible. Shopping online is easier, parcels will be left with neighbours or you can collect post the following day from the post office and it's easy online to rearrange a delivery.I do prefer wandering around the towns in the open air rather than be inside a mall all day although the views from the coffee shops differ greatly.

Monmouth

Dubai

Getting things done.
It's just as frustrating in both countries.

Dubai
It is easier to visit a branch, store to make a complaint or resolve an issue than it is to phone or email. We don't have street post delivery and the post can only be collected by Peter from his office, so if he is away I'm unable to enter the Freezone to find if anything has been delivered. All voice over internet is blocked in Dubai other than using an app which is expensive and uses up your mobile data as well as a monthly fee. It can take up to 6 weeks for post to reach both Dubai and the UK.

UK
To set up utilities I was on hold with nearly every phone call for 20+ minutes before I was then transferred to the correct department. All emails sent stated a response in 2-3 days or even up to 2 weeks.

Dubai or the UK?

Well from next month I'll have the best of both worlds with a home in 2 countries. I found winter in the UK to be as unpleasant as summer is in Dubai. While my main residence will be in the UK I still ahve the advantage of making regular trips to Dubai in winter and have the best of both worlds.

In regards to getting things done, I'll just have to keep switching between my Dubai and UK brain, as I do when I'm driving and hopefully it will all become 2nd nature to me quite quickly.

One Daily Positive - Week 48 Dubai to UK and getting our home back

Normally I start a new post on the Sunday and jot down what my plans are for the week and update and add photos as I go. It's Saturday morning and I have no real clue as to what order everything has gone in, but I have our house back, it's not as bad as previous tenants. We pay for a professional entry/exit independent report, so there is no arguing over what is tenants liability or acceptable wear and tear. I know from having several quotes in already that their deposit won't cover the full cost of repairs and we'll be out of pocket again. We always are as landlords at the end of each tenancy, but we do expect to have to redecorate every couple of years, regardless of tenant damage or not, so we have budgeted for it.

This isn't the end of our landlord experience, the flat is going on the rental market next week, to provide an income for me while I get the work done and before Peter joins me when he eventually retires.

328 Sunday Final day of the European Tour and the Race to Dubai. I got badly sunburnt on the back of my legs over the weekend so managed to find myself some shade for the first 2 hours in between holes. Sat on the 18th green to watch the final hole, it came down to the last putt of the game for John Rahm to win the tournament and the Race to Dubai, $8,000,000 and a Rolex watch. Not bad eh?

329 Monday Think I went out for a coffee, cleaned through the house, met with our financial advisor as part of the preparation and move to the UK as I have no real pension to speak of, so we sorted that out. Out for dinner in the evening.

330 Tuesday Early morning flight to the UK, delayed by 90 mins due to issue in the cockpit which was resolved by turning the plane off and back on again. An announcement was made for a Doctor, Nurse or Paramedic during the flight, which worried me as I've previously been on a flight when a patient 10 rows ahead of us had a heart attack and we were diverted mid flight. Collected car hire, it's a Merc, everything is in German and it keeps shouting things at me. Collected the keys from the agent. My first impressions were WTF? at the state of the house, but it's all doable and I've calmed down. Over to Monmouth to see mum and sleep in the flat for the night.

The Malvern Hills at night.

331 Wednesday Walked Thing 2 to school. Back to the house and to start the cleaning. Mum came with me but decided to go shopping rather than get her hands dirty. that's fine by me, she rarely gets out of Monmouth these days, so it was nice for her to visit somewhere different. I cleaned the one bedroom, the main bathroom and hoovered throughout. My friend K helped me pack the flat up and I went to friend C for dinner.

332 Thursday Whilst out with K for coffee, C phoned from my flat to ask was I helping her with the removal firm who she had booked lol. C then went to the house to clean the kitchen cupboards and make a start on the floor, I supervised the move then drove over to meet the lock smith, plumber, painter and decorator for quotes to get the house back to a reasonable standard. So weird sleeping in our former family home, on my own, knowing that is going to become our home again.

Flat furniture in the house

333 Friday Did some shopping, door mats, sugar soap, bin, littler tray for the cat when she comes over with the dog in January. Spent the afternoon setting up utilities, transferring TV licence, council tax etc. Informing everyone of change of address. Each utility call I made I was on hold for at least 25 mins before calls connected, so phone on speaker I went round the house removing nails from walls. Cleaned the top floor bedrooms and moved the furniture up there around, cheap Ikea wardrobes and chest of drawers purchased 15 years ago. It's a 6 bed house and our previous tenants have never really used those 2 rooms, so easy and quick to clean. Friend C and her partner called in to do a quote for the gardening and removal of the tenants rubbish from the property. They couldn't believe how clean a part of the kitchen floor was but I had to get on with it and bought a steam mop ready in time for the fridge freezer to be delivered.

This is the crap left behind, that I now have to arrange to get removed. I'll be taking the curtains and rails down over the weekend.

334 Saturday Due to the damaged light fitting and missing pull cords I can only have a bath during daylight hours or with the torch on my phone. I can't bring myself to tackle the ensuite rooms, I'm leaving that job to the professional cleaners after the decorating has been done the end of January. Out for coffee, then re cleaned lounge and dining room floors ahead of my dad's desk and mums dining room table and chairs being delivered along with Peter's grand mothers bay tree that friend C has looked after for the past 9 years. Child 2, 2a and 2b visited and my mate down the road called in and we booked her flights for Dubai in March.

On the blog this week:

Marshalling on the European Tour, the Race to Dubai. It's all about the golf and meeting Sergio Garcia.

I've started to Co-Host #PoCoLo Post Comment Love with Stephanie @lifeat139a, why don't you pop over and take a look.

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Marshalling on the European Tour. The Race to Dubai 2019.

I'll start by declaring I don't play golf, know much about the players or even the game, but I do love being out and about, meeting people and volunteering.

Living as an expat restricts my ability to work. We've chosen for Peter to work and for me to support him and the family. This means taking on a permanent job is impossible, so instead I blog, write, have regular weekly activities in Dubai I take part in and volunteer when I can.

I've always volunteered, from school PTA, to the kids sporting and after school activities, to education projects in South Africa and more recently in the last 12 months at the golf on the European Tour in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Part of the European Tour is the Race to Dubai, which starts next week in Malelane in South Africa, there are points awarded for finishing and they accumulate to the final event in Dubai at the DP World Tour Championship. With a prize fund of $8,000,000 it's the biggest win available in golf.

The European Tour takes place over 48 events in Europe, Africa, America, Asia, Australasia. There are also 8 tournaments that are part of the Rolex series. As well as the prize fund for the tournament, the winner is also presented with a Rolex watch.

We started watching the European Tour when we lived in South Africa and visited Sun City in the event prior to attending the DPWTC, we added the HSBC Abu Dhabi tournament and the Omega Desert Classic to our list of events to attend and from there I discovered the marshalling.

On tournament days this is as close as you get really to the players, they don't talk or interact and a successful marshal is one who the player and caddie say hello to and thank you at the end of the round, anything else usually means you've done something wrong and I'm pleased to say I only got shouted at by one caddie for kids screeching and running around in the presence of their parents, I think he understood it was out of my control, he was just frustrated., so was I.

My view of Rory McIlory and Mike Lorenzo Vera, the leaders on Day 3 from my position on the 17th green.

Rory up close on the 9th green, we do get some time off to watch the golf, but as we're in uniform we're expected to help so taking photo's has to be quick and definitely not when we're marshalling.

There are so many roles that can be taken at the tournament from being static (manning a crossing) or travelling (walking the course with the players) I've done both. Walking with Sergio Garcia last week on the ProAm day to spotting the ball on the 17th green. walking with a group. All I had to do with raise a red flag if the ball landed in the water behind the green and inform the player if it went straight in or bounced first, so they knew they had to take a second shot. All the balls landed on, near the green and the two water shots were in the front so the players knew they had to take a second shot from the drop zone and not from the tee. I got to watch that hole up close and personal.

I don't actually get to see much golf as the static positions at the crossings, or manning the first tee or covering the 18th green mean I'm there to manage the crowds so my back is to the players and I rely on the crowds expressions to know how well the hole went.

On the last hole, as Marshals we sit on the green and get to enjoy the final hole, made even more exciting by Jon Rahm, winning the Race to Dubai, the DPWTC title and the Rolex series on his final putt.

You also get fab views like this of the Presentation.

The winner posing for photos with the marshals.

Next up is the HSBC Tournament in Abu Dhabi and the Omega Desert Classic back in Dubai, so if you like golf or just seeing if you can spot me on the TV, tune in. I'll be there.

Post Comment Love 29 Nov - 1 Dec

Hi it's Suzanne here from Chickenruby. I've taken over Post Comment Love #PoCoLo from Morgan to co-host with Stephanie at Life at 139a.

Big thank you to Morgan for co-hosting as she leaves the world of blogging to concentrate on writing her book. Good luck with it and I hope to still see you around on Social Media.

I've been joining in with #PoCoLo now most weeks for a couple of years, so hopefully most of you are familiar with me. I love the concept of #PoCoLo linking up with a blog post written that week as it's a way to meet other bloggers who discuss different topics.

I'm currently in the UK, having reclaimed our family home from tenants from the past 9 years. I live in Dubai with my husband Peter, but I'm relocating to the UK in January 2020 with our cat and dog. Peter is remaining in Dubai for another 2-3 years and we'll be maintaining our 20 year relationship from a distance. We've been abroad for 9 years now, in Dubai and South Africa. Our 5 children are now adults and have left home, 2 are married, 1 has a child and another one lives in Australia. My blog is a mix of parenting, being a grandparent, living as an expat, travel and in general dealing with family and everyday life and the issues that affect us.

I look forward to finding out more about others in the blogging community.

Now, let's link up

Please remember these three rules:

1. To comment on at least two of the other posts and spread the #PoCoLo word on Twitter - you can find us on twitter here: Stephanie - @LifeAt139a and Suzanne @chickenruby
2. Your post has to have been written in the last week.
3. Please include the PoCoLo badge on your post.

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One daily Positive - Week 47 The European Golf Tour

The Race to Dubai is on. In terms of golf anyway with the European Golf Tour at the final tournament the DP World Tour Championships, part of the Rolex series with a prize fund of $8,000,000. I don't play, but I do watch and know the rules. Last year I volunteered as a marshal for the first time. I then went on to volunteer at The HSBC Championships in Abu Dhabi and the Omega Desert Classic back in Dubai. I'm back working all 3 events again this year and early January.

I've worked as a static marshal, a travelling marshal, manned the 1st tee, been a spotter, done crowd control and worked with the anti doping team.

I really enjoy it, it's long days and gets hot out there stood in the full sun and my arm aches from holding up a 'quiet please' sign and my voice gets croaky saying 'stand still' between tee times for up to 5 hours at a time.

321 Sunday Pet relocation company came out to measure Bob for a new crate, I went to the Marina Mall for a walk, then swimming in the afternoon. We spent the evening outdoors.

322 Monday Out for coffee and gel nails, home to get ready for the golf tomorrow and finish packing my case for the UK next week.

I'm not a big Costa fan, but I couldn't resist this view.

323 Tuesday Pro am day, early start at 6.15am. I marshalled for Sergio Garcia, he was really nice and posed for photos. Met a lot of interesting people during the day. Home at 4pm really tired from all the walking.

324 Wednesday Day off from the golf which was a good job as we had heavy rain and lightening. All the schools were closed in advance of the weather. Spent the morning sorting out our finances, paying rent and deposits for relocating the cat and dog and our furniture. Popped out to do a bit of shopping in between the rain. Peter and I met a friend in the evening for dinner who is over here on Business.

325 Thursday An early start at the golf on the first tee. I don't get to see much golf as I have my back to the players and marshal the spectators. Went round the course after the last player tee'd off and helped out on the 16th crossing from the green to the 17th tee. Home around 5pm, walked Bob, dinner, bath and bed. We had more rain today and throughout the night.

326 Friday Left home again at 7am to man the first tee. Peter and two of his friends came and found me then they wandered off round the course. After lunch I was on the 17th green which is an island. My job was to raise a red flag if the ball landed in the water behind the green so the players new to take a second shot from the tee. I got to see most of the players, tee off, I had to spot their ball, then make sure I was out of their eye line for their putt. Chaos getting out the car park at 6pm, home, walked the dog, watched the Crown, bath, glass of wine and bed.

327 Saturday I'm shattered. Been standing on my feet, smiling, raising a 'quiet please' sign every 10 minutes and requesting spectators stand still when the golfers too off or putt. Yes I know, the irony of me telling other to be quiet (Mary). Out at 7am, home at 7pm after marshalling the 18th green in the afternoon. Bumped into the team from Abu Dhabi HSBC organisers, they remembered me from last year. Always a good sign. Home, wine, chocolate, bath and bed.

On the blog this week:

To relocate to the UK without paying tax or duty I am required to Transfer my Residency and complete a ToR.

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Repatriation Part 3 - Transfer of Residence

A couple of weeks ago I acquired all the paperwork needed for Operation Relocation and my Transfer of Residence ToR and started the job of filling it all in.

I need a ToR to apply for approval to transfer my normal place of residence including animals which allows me to import goods into the UK and not pay import duties and charges.

I qualify to complete a Tor if I meet the following conditions:

• have lived outside the EU for 12 consecutive months
• have used and had possession of goods for at least 6 consecutive months
• have used the goods and are going to continue using them in the new place of residence in the UK for at least the next 12 months
• be importing the goods within 12 months of coming to live in the UK
• not lend out, pledge, give away, hire out or transfer the goods within the first 12 months after the date on which they were imported

I need to also provide the following documentation:

• black and white copy of the photo page from my passport
• a signed list of goods I wish to import
• proof of residency in the country I'm transferring from, with name and address of residency
• evidence of my right and intention to move to the UK. Contract of employment, purchase or rental agreement

In the meantime I've been to Dubai Islamic Bank to ensure my address reads as the Villa and not the PO Box number and obtained a statement to prove I've been living outside the UK/EU for the past 12 months. I will add a copy of my current visa. I'm not sure what paperwork I can provide for moving back to the UK. The family home was purchased in 2002 and is in Peter's name, not mine or joint and I won't be working.

I have to wait until I'm in the UK to obtain proof of residency there by setting up the council tax and utilities, which I can then add to the HMRC form to avoid paying tax/duty on the pets and our container.

I have to provide an itemised list of all our belongings and their replacement cost in the UK for insurance purposes. I kept the records from our first move to South Africa and then onto Dubai, some things we no longer own so they'll come off and new items will be added.

Not all our furniture is returning to the UK on this trip. Peter will need to furnish an apartment in Dubai for the next 2-3 years until he retires and as I will be splitting my time between the 2 countries it will be nice to create 2 proper homes rather than feeling like we're only half living in each place.

One Daily Positive Week 46 - Peter is home

I had my blood results back. I've only ever suffered with anaemia from low haemoglobin count of one occasion that was after an iron infusion to try and boost my ferritin levels. I suffered 9 day migraines after both infusions so not an option the Dr's or I am prepared to repeat. I don't store or absorb iron and after 18 months with an oncologist, a bone marrow biopsy and an endoscope that revealed a wheat allergy that caused some internal bleeding and no one is any nearer to discovering why. My white blood cell count is still elevated but no where near as high as it was before. The physical symptoms from the lack of iron is fatigue and breathlessness. However the migraines and the chronic pain have almost disappeared since I went wheat free. Stress and lack of sleep seem to be the trigger points at the moment.

I now have to wait till March for my next iron test, if levels have dropped then further investigations will be carried out, if they stay the same, then I'll just be monitored. I now have to keep a record of fatigue, breathing, headaches, pains, sleep pattern and a food diary.

314 Sunday Started the week with rain glorious rain. The skies were grey, it was windy, there was thunder and lightening. It felt like a proper Sunday, which was spent after a trip to the dog park with Bob, got back into my pjs, baked some cakes and put the TV on and spent the rest of the day on and off Ancestry.com who were offering a free weekend. Did a food shop, walked Bob, had dinner and a bath and watched TV.

315 Monday walked Bob and spent the day shopping, walking and exploring the Creek and the souks. Cooked fish and cauliflower cheese for an early dinner. Had a bit of a headache, but think that was from the heat and lack of fluids, although I did have 2 coffee stops. I got hopelessly lost driving today and ended up the wrong side of the Creek, driving through Deira and Naif. The back streets of beyond.

316 Tuesday Walked Bob, then cleaned the upstairs of the house. Headed off to Dubai Mall to go ice skating again, I really loved it last week. Then picked up a cake, balloons and decorations to get my friends house ready for her 50th birthday surprise which is today but she's not back in from Ireland until the morning.

317 Wednesday Walked Bob and then over to friends house for 9am to surprise her. Home by midday and got on with the rest of the house work. Spent the rest of the day in the garden. Peter started his journey home from Cape Town.

318 Thursday Peter home by 7am, it's my turn to travel in 12 days time. Peter unpacked, showered and went to bed as he has meetings in the afternoon. I did the washing, popped out for coffee and did some food shopping. I'm starting to organise what is going to the UK, what stays in Dubai and what gets donated. I tackled the storage cupboard under the stairs and didn't see the point of putting the Christmas decorations away, just to get them back out in 2 weeks time.

319 Friday Out mid morning to Festival City Mall for a coffee and a walk round, looking for 2 new outdoor lounger cushions, but can't find anything under £60 each, so I'm going to recover the current ones at £20 each. The rain isn't forecast until next week.

View of the Dubai skyline from Dubai Festival City.

320 Saturday Lazy morning, I actually slept from 10.30pm till 6am, but my neck is killing me. Walked Bob, it's chilly in the mornings. Popped over to Abu Dhabi on a beer run. Off out to meet friends for lunch then a walk on the beach.

Service station stop on the border with Abu Dhabi

On the blog this week:

Part 2 of our moving plans - Starting to get organised

Creating a garden in the desert - Recovering the garden after the summer

Organising the UK flat - Storage for small spaces 

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Storage for small spaces

We don't need storage solutions, there's my husband and I in a 3 bed house, in Dubai, with so many built in cupboards that we have the luxury of keeping the toaster in a cupboard.

However when we lived in the UK there was a period of time when we had 5 children in a 4 bed house and we had to make the most of every inch of space, from built in shelving in alcoves to storage boxes under bunk beds and regularly holding boot sales or donating items to charity.

In recent years, we bought a 1 bed flat in the UK to use as a base for visiting our families and as somewhere for our adult children to stay when we were over.

Sadly within 6 months of purchasing the flat my father died suddenly and mum had to move from her 4 bed house to a 2 bed flat as my father was a bit of a hoarder, lots of the more valuable items ended up in my flat for me to be able to sell on mums behalf at a later date.

Space in the flat is tight, with plastic storage boxes under the bed and a set of golf clubs and a suit case belonging to our middle child who is now living in Australia and my father's stamp collection in the built in cupboard and an old sewing table of my gran's in the lounge as I couldn't bare to part with it.

The 3 best buys I've had for the flat to ensure we can still live in it when we visit (up to 6 months of the year) was the wardrobe, the under sink cabinet in the bathroom and the sofa bed from Ikea.

The sofa bed stores all the spare bedding and pulls out as a double bed.

Washing is an issue and I've not mastered the art of drying things. We do have a washer dryer but the cost is high and the dryer part isn't that effective so I often do a service wash at the laundrette when anyone else is staying in the flat with me, other wise I hang bedding to dry over doorframes and chairs.

A cupboard under the sink now keeps the bathroom items on the shelf and cleaning chemicals hidden from sight, making it easier to keep the bathroom clean.

Moving my fathers stamp collection into the cupboard has freed up space in the bedroom.

I purchased a small wardrobe for this alcove behind the door to hang my clothes now the cupboard was full and our son's belongings now live under the bed.

Over the door hangers free up space in the lounge for hanging clothes to dry. This is also the cupboard housing my fathers stamp collection.

Do you have issues with storage? Having built in units in our former family home and our current one in Dubai mean we require far less furniture than we used to need and I'm sure when we move back to our former family, 6 bed, home in the UK next year with just the two of us, we won't have half the need for the furniture and storage solutions we've purchased over the years.