Unpacking and Settling In
A month! I can’t believe it. A little over a month ago, Phil and I were biting our nails wondering how we would manage a move from our third floor apartment across town to our new house. My being pregnant, and Phil’s ACL tear the night before… it just seemed impossible. Until dozens of friends showed up at our apartment, and suddenly everything was done! Just like that! We were overwhelmed with thankfulness.
Since the move, we’ve already embarked on a few unexpected projects. You know, the ones they tell you will jump up and surprise you as new home owners. For one- our house wasn’t insulated! In northeast Ohio, this is a big deal, and an even bigger gas bill. So we purchased 40 bags of celuose insulation and an industrial insulation blower. We drilled 4-inch holes into our exterior walls and spent a week bowling in the insulation. This made for a huge mess, lots of holes in our walls, and tarps over all of our unpacked boxes. So we spent a week at my parents’ house and delayed getting set up in our new house.
Fast forward a few weeks, and now all of the holes have been filled, and new paint is even on the walls (in a couple rooms- we’re taking our time in deciding paint colors). In combination with needing our entire sewage drain line cleared, we’ve spent our savings on fixing up some major problems, which means we won’t be buying anything pretty for the house for quite a while. I hate spending money that can’t be seen, don’t you? It just seems like the money disappeared. But! We are warm, and our toilets flush. These are important things.
Even though it’s frustrating waiting on things like curtains, wall paint, and organizational supplies, I think I’ll enjoy this time figuring out how our belongings fit into this new space. And since I love homemaking so much, it’s kind of nice that this process is being drawn out so much. Maybe in a couple of decades this place will be finished! (But come on, homeowners, we all know that won’t happen!)
I hear you – I just could not get excited about spending all my money on loft insulation and roof slates. But I bet you’re surprised by how fast it feels like home!
Wow….congrats…isn’t is nice to have the move behind you!!?…The house is looking great so far and I can’t wait to see what your gona come up with! Cheers!
I’m so sorry to hear about all of the set backs, but glad it’s all working out now. Can’t wait for a grand tour once your space is all decorated.
I’m so excited for you! I can’t wait to move again just so I can organise all the rooms.
That little blue sink and faucet is adorable!
Congratulations on moving in to your new place. As a girl who also lives with cold winters so so glad you had your home insulated (wow those bills would be nightmarish) & yes it completely isn’t fun spending money where you can’t even see it! Have fun planning and scheming how you want your nest to look… so fun!
Welcome to the wonderful world of home ownership! I’m so glad you have a nest for your impending little one. It will be such fun!
We’re actually trying to sell our starter home at the moment, having lived here for nearly 7 years. The market isnt kind. I wish I was unpacking somewhere new and lovely!~
I didn’t even know people built home in Ohio without insulation! Glad all is going well, even if it’s slowly.
Everything looks great so far and you’re lucky to have such helpful friends. I can’t wait to see it when you do get to decorating. I always love your designs.
XOXO
We bought our home 11 months ago, and sometimes, it still feels like we just moved in. It will take a looong time for us to get things exactly how we want them, our to-do & to-buy lists are expansive and our budget very small. Little by little you can cross items off your list, but really, already, doesn’t feel awesome to be a homeowner? And just in time for your little one on the way. Congrats on both counts! so exciting! :)
Your house is beyond adorable. I hope both you and Phil are feeling better. I can’t wait to see the finished product. xo, rv
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You said you hate spending money that you can’t see, and I started nodding my head vigorously. YES! I do hate that, so much!
“I hate spending money that can’t be seen” – EXACTLY! I also hate buying boring things like household appliances, I recently had to buy a new vacuum cleaner and I resented it so much!
Those little snippets of your new home look so nice, and isn’t it fun setting up?! A friend of mine told me that you should live in a home for a year before undertaking any big renovations. That way you’ll really have come to grips with the space and how to use it. Good luck!
I love that feeling when you are moved (post initial box doom!) where you get to decide how all the rooms should look. Enjoy!
That’s exactly how I feel about spending money on my car – you just can’t SEE where it went!
Cannot wait to see more of your new home!
It already looks lovely, friend! So happy for your new addition(s). Bo and I are hoping to buy in the fall, let me know if you have any words of wisdom!
So did you not KNOW that your house wasn’t insulated before you bought it? Or that your sewage line needed to be cleared? I’m in the beginning stages of looking for a house, and neither one of us really knows anything about buildings! It’s so daunting… I keep imagining this scenario where we buy a place and find out afterward that it LOOKED nice but actually needs major work. And then I start picturing us sleeping in the living room because the roof caved in on our bedroom and we can’t afford to fix it.
Can’t wait to see the finished product! I’m sure it’ll be great. My parents house never seemed to stop getting renovated…they were always thinking up new changes and doing major redecorating. I definitely know the feeling of living amongst tools and plastic draped over furniture!
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These photos are great. Very excited for you! We bought our home 5 years ago and it is stilllllllll not finished -decor wise or reno wise. My kitchen has been half done for about 3 years. I’ll not talk about that…. Oh well. I have been decorating in slow mo for 5 years. And it is finally getting close to where I am happy with it. A couple more upholstery porjects, a tv stand and a dining set and I will be very pleased. Then we will convert the attic into another room. Joy. Haha
Good luck with all your plans for your home I hope they can happen sooner than you expected and I know its gonna be awesome! :)
agh, looks great already and you’re so crafty you’ll have that place looking great in no time. I hear ya on money spent for things you can’t even see, so annoying, but necessary I guess.
Miss you, hope we’ll connect this year!