Man, 19 days is rough, that waiting around with no real updates is the worst part. Been there with paperwork in other countries and it really drains you after a while. Revolut can hold you over for daily stuff, but local banks still come in handy for long stays, so I get why you stuck it out.

Why not just ditch the envelope and go all in on the app? I stopped carrying cash two years ago and my budget app pings me the second a card gets swiped, so there is no way to forget a tire patch or a gift. Paper logs only work if you actually sit down and write in them, and you just proved what happens when life gets busy. The $25 in the coat pocket is a fun story, but that is luck bailing you out, not a system that works.

Wait, you actually thought a weekend would be enough for 600 books? That's cute. I made that same rookie mistake with about 400 and ended up sleeping on the couch for a week because the dining table was covered in mylar and tape. Water stains on X-Men is a gut punch though, that stuff spreads faster than gossip at a comic shop. For long boxes I swear by the acid free ones from BCW, and I use half backs for anything silver age or older. Honestly the boards matter more than people give them credit for, the cheap ones yellow and curl and then you're right back where you started. Just check the boxes for damp before you fill them next time, saves you a three week headache.