I have now spent three nights in our new house and I don't think I've ever slept so well. This whole house buying thing has been such a whirlwind, I don't think I realized how poorly I was sleeping before. Now that it is all over with and we are actually in our new house, I'm sleeping like a baby and anxious to get up each morning.
It really is amazing what a difference it makes to actually own your own house. Courtney and I have been married for 5 1/2 years and we've rented in four different housing styles - house, duplex, fourplex, and then lastly a traditional apartment. In each of the different living quarters, we found things we liked and didn't. We liked having a yard at our rental house. We liked only having one neighbor at our duplex and the fact that we still got to have 1/2 of a yard...and it was more like a house. We liked our fourplex because it was in an older home and had so much character and lots of cabinet space in the kitchen. We loved our apartment and the luxuries of having a maintenance man ready and willing to help at all times - as well as a pool and workout room. But there is just something so satisfying about actually owning our home. I know we've only been here a total of about a week (Courtney was here before me b/c I was in LA) - and a lot of you longtime home owners are probably laughing because you know these feelings are going to wear off and get old really soon. But, allow me to bask for a moment, if you will...
We spent almost 2 hours in Home Depot this afternoon. We were like kids in a candy store - looking at ceiling fans, faucets, and mirrors; picking out a nozzle for the water hose, screws with anchors to hang things on the walls and deck sealer. It was so much fun thinking and talking about all the different things we can do so easily, not only to make our house better for us, but have a better re-sale value down the line. We also got really inexpensive stuff for projects around the house that we can even do now.
The old home owners left an old white iron table on the deck, and a charcoal grill. The table was dirty and very unattractive, but we bought two cans of black spray paint and some spray enamel - and for $10 it looks practically brand new. We bought a wire brush and scrubbed down the grills racks, and then got some Fantastic and paper towels and cleaned it up. Courtney and Zach are getting it ready now for grilling steaks tonight. I bought a big umbrella with a wooden pole and a beautiful iron base at a yard sale for only $25. All it needed was a new rope that we picked up today for only about $3. So, for the cost of some elbow grease and about $15 in supplies, we have a grill, a table, and a great umbrella!
Things are slowly but surely taking shape inside the house as well. We've decided that we're going to paint an accent wall in our living and dining room, so I've halted all hanging projects (including curtains, shelves, pictures, etc). We are painting the wall a slate gray color (will go nicely with the other khaki/sand colored walls). Then I'm going to get these beige curtains I found on the Ikea website (thank you Christy for the tip). They are long - so they'll go floor to ceiling and are a heavy fabric, much like canvas - with bit grommets. I found some wooden dowels at Home Depot that I want to get - so I think they're going to look great. Eventually I'd like to get 2 inch wooden blinds to go in the living and dining room, and kitchen windows - but that will be down the road a little.
We found some great furniture that we really like, but I'm not going to describe it yet because I'm constantly changing my mind at this point. Plus, it will be a little while before we can get it - so who knows what will be available by that point!?!?! :)
Well, I better run and make sure the back yard isn't on fire! :0
In other news, I start teaching piano this week and Courtney starts back at UNCC and also a class a Queen's University. Zach doesn't start until next Tuesday (Sept. 2nd) - so he gets one more week of summer! So, we are back to school with all the kiddos and loving it!
Pictures will come, eventually.....
Comments (1)
I can't wait to see it all put together
You should try to do some before and after shots with the painting and stuff.