We found a house!
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We found a house!
I'm soooooooo excited! We found a beautiful home on a small lake in our new town. It's out of town in the country, on a little over half an acre. It's huge compared to what we have - around 2700 sq. ft, with a total of 6 bedrooms between the main level and finished basement. It also has a 3 car garage and 2 full baths. We are so excited about it, and were pleasantly surprised that we didn't even get a counter offer. They just accepted our original offer. We close on it Aug. 8th. I'm completely overwhelmed with the move, and totally terrified, but it's exciting as well. The home is about 14 years old and only needs some fresh paint and a fence (which we prefer).
Just wanted to share the great news. We've been in the same house for 9 years, so it's strange to think of living in 'someone else's house', but I know in time it will feel like ours.
Any moving advice from those of you that have moved yourselves? We got very little relo since it's only an hour and a half from our current location, so we're doing it ourselves.
I can't wait to decorate my craft room, LOL!!!
Congratulations!! Wow what are you going to do with all of those bedrooms..
Umm, suggestions... We moved a lot when I was a kid, package everything by room, label each box, take the boxes into the proper rooms as they enter the house. Oh and My mom would always do an couple of emergency boxes, she marked them as such, and they would be loaded on the truck last. There would be things like towels, shampoo, hand soap, first aid kid, sets of sheets for each bed, so on and so forth, anything she could think we just might need in a 24-48 hour period that might not get unpacked before we would need them. Nothing worst then having to riffle through a mountain of boxes to find a bar of soap or a first aid kit.
Is it just going to be the two of you moving everything or do you have help?
Mom would also put key words on the boxes. Example: Kitchen/pans, kitchen/plates, bathroom/towels, living room/electronics (place remotes with the equipment they operate or you may never find them again, LOL). This makes it easier to remember what you put in which box and which box you need to make sure you unbox first. You can do the same thing with your crafting supplies, box everything by what it is, what it goes with and label them as such.
Another thing, If you are moving yourselves and you have to take trips, try moving a complete room each trip. When we moved we had help... I was able to always stay at the house and unpack as DH and who ever was helping went back and forth. I was able to nearly completely be moved in and unpacked in one day that way.
Wow that it awesome! It sounds like a great place.
Bobbie, thanks for the tips! Those were all things I was planning to do, but just thought of the 'emergency' box yesterday.
We'll have a little help, and are going to rent a moving truck (like 26'). We have SO MUCH STUFF. The attic itself is a move, between all my teaching stuff, baby storage, and misc. It will be interesting to say the least. The 6 bedrooms will be great because we can have spare room(s) for someone to stay the night in, and I can have my own craft room, along with other rooms to be our office and 'workout' room. Right now, those are combined into one.
Thanks guys!
I'm so happy for you guys!!!
Do you have a cleaning crew for your old house yet? Don't clean it yourself, especially if you're doing any of the moving. It's worth the $100 or so to have someone else do it.
Also, have nice furniture wrapped in bubble wrap and do it yourself. Men get too lazy with that stuff.
Make sure each box (like mentioned above) goes to a specific room and is labeled properly. Again, make sure the men label everything specifically...my father in law labeled all kitchen things just that, "Kitchen things"...ugh..where were my plates?? Who knew...LOL
And, the earlier you start packing everything, the better. Just store the boxes in a room at your old house until you're ready for the big move.
And, just to let you know, we had our "most breakage" moves during the times we were moving the shortest distance. it doesn't matter where you're moving to...pack it well!!
We have all ways had packers. But they label every box. One thing that I learned, is they take that big paper and pour half your junk drawer into it, then wrap, instead of a lot of individual stuff. I personally believe that the time to clean out is when you unpack. You can pack and load quickly (well you know..lol), if you are not looking at everything. But unloading, you already have to look at everything and then decide. So we save the purge process for the unpacking.
The other unpacking tip, unpack your kitchen first, it is pretty easy to get together and you will really feel like you have accomplished much. I always do my china next, for the same reason. I know right where it goes, so it is an easy job.
As for loading the truck. Our movers load boxes first, furniture last, because the furniture needs to go into the house first. Also find an extra room that you can put some of those misc boxes.
If you are having people help, I always hang signs on the doors. Andrew's room means something to me, but not to the movers, so I just tape a piece of paper up to label rooms. This might be especially helpful when it comes to craft room, work out room, storage room, etc.
Another tip, price movers. Here we can hire "two guys and a truck" for 50 an hour. They will do as much or as little as you would like. Most of my friends have had the big stuff moved, while they did the boxes.
When we moved to Sheboygan, the movers really overused the word misc. To them, it was miscellaneous, but to us, it was important stuff. They did NOTNOTNOT label which tall china box had my KitchenAid mixer in it and it was driving me nuts, where it was. It was WAY at the bottom of one of those tall kitchen boxes. A phone that was dead, was in the top of a box, while the phone that we needed, took us several weeks to unearth.
When we moved to this house, I packed myself, and trust me, boxes were labelled MUCH MUCH MUCH better. When my sister came to help, and her daughter wanted a drink of water, I knew exactly where the paper cups were!
Our friends helped us move most of the small stuff. We hired movers, just for the big stuff, but we were just moving across town. We paid for their gas and took them out to eat, later on.
I had a friend, who told me to make the beds right away, so I did. Later on, when it was time to go to bed, it was so nice to have beds that were ready.
Yes Dawn, beds put together and made are a must. LOL That is why mom would pack a set of sheets for each bed in the "emergency" box. They would be one of the last things loaded on the truck and they would take the time to set them up. It is easier to load the boxes etc around a bed when is already together, than it is to try to move boxes when you are dead tired to get the bed together, or opting to sleep on the floor.
Mom bought boxing tape and baggies, put every screw and wrench needed to put something together in the baggy and then taped the stuff to the frame of the bed, leg of a table etc.. Less chance of loosing pieces and parts. We had movers one time, they bagged all the screws in a big bag, NOT joking, we had to riffle through the bolts and nuts etc. to find the ones we needed as we where putting things together.. Extra work.
Oh and if you have any nice coffee tables etc. Wrap them in blankets and tape the tables all the way around to hold the blankets on. The blankets help prevent scratches.
If you put a x of tape across mirrors and things with glass in them (hutches and such) this helps with breaking from jarring (pot holes etc) and if they do break it keeps the glass from getting all over everything.
Another thing... You do not have to unload your dresser drawers and hutch drawers. Take out the drawers and take spare towels and pillow cases and cover over the clothing tucking down inside. Then when you load the dresser hutch into the truck put the drawers back in it. Then remove the drawers to carry the furniture back into the house. This means less packing, less boxes, less space on the truck, and one less thing you have to unpack once you get to the new house. Moving things with out the drawers in them make it easier to get a grip on them and they tend to be lighter.
We would also pack spare sheets, towels, and hanging clothes in labeled garbage bags, we would pack those things into the truck between things that we had concern over traveling. Like between the wall of the truck and the top of the kitchen table. Or the corner of the couch and the wall of the truck. Anything that might shift and get damaged in a quick stop or a pot hole.
6 bedrooms? I guess you better start working on filling those rooms with babies!!!
Congrats on the new house and have fun packing (my least favorite part)!
Deanna, I'm so excited for all of you!!! Your new house sounds wonderful. I would love the extra rooms, and with them the extra closet space! How wonderful to have a house near a lake! Do you enjoy boating? I think I would love it just for the view.:-)
I can't really give any better advice as far as packing. I am the worst when it comes to moving. I get stressed and SO emotional. Kaye has some great advice as far as dumping the contents of drawers in a box and sorting after the move. I have a hard time doing it, but it does make the moving part easier. I tend to organize and purge as I pack. I hate the thought of bringing clutter to a new home! Yet, it makes sense to do the purging later.
If you need to vent or have a good cry, know we are here for you.:-) It's overwhelming at first, I know. How does Natalie feel about her soon to be new home?:-) I'm so glad everything is coming together for all of you.
I would definately take the advice on putting the beds together and making them first thing.. then moving everything else in.. and putting a towel over the contents of drawers and putting them back in the dresser in the truck... because this saves A LOT of time and you don't have to worry about that stuff being put back.. it is already there.
Good luck... I am hoping to have to deal with a move in the next year.. if we can sell our house.
I am so jealous of the square footage! Enjoy it!
We moved ourselves and made sure the bedding, towels, and anything we wanted right away was last in the moving van (first out).
We also were very particular about what we moved and what we let go of. We didn't want to clutter up a new house or make the effort to move unwanted items.
CONGRATS!
Congrats on the new house!
And I have to say I am jealous I WANT A CRAFT ROOM!
I couldn't put my kitchen together, until the weekend, DAYS after my move, because the movers had put all the china boxes 2 high and I couldn't move them by myself. The kids were little and Gary was working! LOL!
(Emily had just turned one and Sarah was 3-1/2. Sarah was old enough to figure out there was only one bedroom for the kids and wondered where her room was. She'd had her own room, in the previous house. They had to share a room, for 3 years.)
Moving to this house was easier, because we had more control over where stuff was put and I knew were stuff was, because of the better labeling and I did the packing. I just felt more organized. We moved to Sheboygan in April 1993. This moving thread brought forth a torrent of memories as if it was yesterday.
Wow, sounds like a beautiful house! It is weird moving into someone else's house. You feel like you are vacation, for a while! It takes me a while to bond with a new house. Eventually, it feels like home.
Thanks a lot guys for all the great tips!
Bellajoe...you KNOW I'm not putting kids in those rooms, LOL!!
I am pricing a couple of moving places right now, but honestly I just don't feel comfortable with it. Isn't that weird? Probably because I'm a control freak. When we moved here, we put beds together first, put up a shower curtain, and unpacked the kitchen. You're so right Kaye - getting the kitchen put away and the china was a GREAT accomplishment and pushes you through to the next phase. I've cleaned out tons, just because I like to do that regularly anyway, although I'm sure we'll still find some things that need to go. I think I will be more likely to do that after we get there though, again like Kaye.
Nicki - My DH has always wanted to live on a lake. It's not a large lake by any means, but very private and fine for slow boating. We are a mile from one of the big lakes where you can ski, boat, and jet ski. Dh is looking forward to getting a couple of jet skis when I go back to work in a few years. In the meantime, we have a private swimming beach, tennis courts, playground, and a few boats to use just for the subdivision only, which is beautiful. I can see the lake through the front door, which is so pretty.
Dawn - What a great way to put it...taking a while to "bond" with a house. I think that's exactly how I will feel. I'm a creature of habit for sure, and as much as the new house is so great, I'm nervous about leaving the comfort zone here. I know exactly what's wrong with this house, you know? All of its little quirks, etc. I know what every little noise means and I know how to get to every place in this town because I grew up here.
The dresser drawers ideas are great ones!
Natalie is not doing well with it. She's just not done well with the whole deal. Daddy is commuting 3 hours a day and we see him very little compared to before. Then he had 6 weeks off when he quit his old job, which just made it worse. She's very close to her Daddy and she cries literally every single day because she misses him. They have very little time together in the evenings, so I really can't wait to get there. Right now though, it seems like it will be such a while before things feel 'normal' again, which is upsetting to, again, this creature of habit. Plus we will have to wait until preschool actually starts to select one,since I won't send her anywhere that I haven't observed first. That's bugging me, too, but it can't be helped. We will be moving in (literally) and school will be starting, so I have to leave the boxes and start looking.
Nicki- I will be so emotional. I don't handle big changes well. It's funny because DH can handle major life changes SO WELL, but wigs out over small daily changes that I think are petty. I however am a basket case over big life changes but roll with punches and changes every 15 min. extremely well. Thankfully we balance each other out or we'd be a house full of nut cases!!
Dawn- My little sister and I had to share a room for about 6 years or maybe more!!
I'm taking a ton of pics at our inspection and will post them!
I can't wait to see your photos!
My dd would be having a hard time with the changes, so I sort of wondered how little Natalie was doing. I imagine she may have mixed feelings, much like yourself. Having her dad away more must be so hard on both of you! I will keep all of you in my thoughts. How you must wish it were all over so you could get back to some sort of normalcy.
My husband is much like your dh when it comes to change. He is so cool and collected, and actually likes the excitement of a major move. He balances me out, as well. He knows I need my time to work through the emotions and expects the crying spells! Last move, Lara was not even one, so when he would see me start to lose it, he'd take her for a walk or to the store so I could get it out of my system, lol. Deanna, you strike me as someone who puts their whole heart into everything you do, and I imagine that has included your house, your yard and especially your friendships. You must feel like you are leaving a part of yourself behind. For me, it was hard to leave the house where my dd was born, or I mean the town.:-) Things like that got to me. I understand how hard this is for you!
Your new place sounds great! I think there's something about living near water that is so peaceful not to mention beautiful. It sounds like such an ideal place for you, and a great place to raise Natalie.
Nicki - You are so right about me! I think of leaving this house with all of our memories of Natalie so far. She'll end up forgetting all about it, but we will always remember it. Our first house and the house we lived in when she was born and all the changes in the first 4 years of her life. Thanks for understanding!
I think it's going to be hard for me to be a model for her, but I really want to be. I really need for her to see that I can handle all the changes and the work to get settled, and that it's all going to be fine. I tend to get really grouchy when I'm really overwhelmed, blow up at someone, then break down into tears before I regain and get myself pulled together and realize all will be well. Just lots of uncertainty and I can't STAND that. New job for DH, new town, new school, new house, new budget, new everything.
Deanna, really it will all be okay. Once Natalie gets to spend good daddy time, she will love the new place! We spent several years being expert movers. This last move was so easy on us, because we had all been through it. What I really try to keep in mind, the house is just walls, all those memories come with you. Take plenty of pictures of your current house, you can make wonderful scrapbooks and write down all those great memories.
Also, the move here was made when my kids were 9, 7, and 5. I was amazed at really how quickly we unpacked. My 9 year old was great with helping (while my hubby was at work). So if Scott can get a day or two off, you will be amazed. Literally we got our stuff delivered on monday, it took all day. Wednesday my dad and his wife came to stay the night and we were ready for them. We got horrible news on Thurday, spent friday finishing up the unpacking and my dad and wife moved in on monday. Our house was 95 percent done, with about 3 days of unpacking.
As for movers, again, after moving several times I realize that most of our stuff is just that, stuff. Our movers are well insured and things are replacable. Specifically we had "sets and pairs" replacement, which means when they dropped our entertainment center for our bedroom, we got an entirely new bedroom set. I hand carry a few things, but I have learned what those things are for me.
Anyway, it will be okay. Just try to focus on how nice it will be to be all back together, how nice new memories will be made.
Deanna, did I miss read, aren't you two moving yourselves?
"I think it's going to be hard for me to be a model for her, but I really want to be."
Deanna,isn't this so very hard to do, especially when you are emotionally struggling yourself, and your support (your dh) is not available as much? I know what you are saying. I feel this often. Sometimes I think it's kind of a good thing, because it forces me to put on a happy face and push on. Yet, I think it catches up with us, and I hope you won't be hard on yourself if Natalie sees you at a weak moment. When this happens to Lara and I, I try to use the moment to let her know I too am struggling, but together we'll get through. We hug and then we try to make each other laugh.:-) It makes Lara feel so good if she can get me to smile.
Deanna, will your dh be able to take a little more time off closer to the actual move? I hate the thought of you having to do all this alone! Yet, I know he just started this position.
I am so like you as far as getting grouchy under stress. Like you, I hold it together really well, (or at least I think I am), then something pushes me over the edge. I lose it, cry and then feel better. Oh, I wish I had some advice for you! I think you are wise to talk about your feelings here.:-)
((Hugs))for you and Natalie.
Congratulations. It sounds gorgeous. Post pics when you can. You probably state this somewhere in a post but are you still in Indiana?
Congratulations! Sounds like *quite* the house. Can't wait to see pics.
Thanks everyone for the words of support. It does really mean a lot. I'm anxious to take pics at the inspection next week.
The only thing that needs work really is the kitchen. It's very WEIRD...it's got tons of great cabinet space, new appliances, laid out fairly well BUT....someone made a very poor decorative choice at some point because the countertops are PINK. Yes, baby p-i-n-k. The cabinets are 'pickled' and have a slight rose tone. They're not really ugly and they are nice cabinets, just ODD to say the least. The backsplash is white ceramic tile with vegetables here and there. ???? I'm hoping to re-do the cabinets and countertops very cheaply (but neutral!!!) sometime next year, and I can do the backsplash myself to match, again neutral. It's so strange! The house is 14 years old and the realtor said that about 6 years ago there was a house in the Home Show with a similar kitchen. She thought the owners at the time got inspired and changed them then. Yikes!
We have pickled cabinets, actually this house and the last one. The last house had a white tile counter top, this one has hunter green. I understand why someone might think pink would be perfect, but ewww! My point is, the cabinets really look fine, look at lowes and such and you might find that just doing the counter tops are enough. Also a neighbor just had their backspash fixed, it was the white tile, with occasional pink tiles, they had the changed to white. Anyway, you have some options I think to do a quick fix up and then remodel in a few years if money is an issue.
Kaye, I agree. We have talked about doing just the countertops because I *do* think it will make the cabinets look totally different. Countertops and door cabinet handles will change the whole look I'm sure. We'll see once we've been there for a bit.
I started googling and found some that look similar to these. If I just change the countertop, could I still replace the cabinets later without replacing the counters again?
You could always reface the cabinets. Or even just change the doors.
If you were to rip out your old cabinets, there is always the chance of damaging a countertop. I would say NO--- you may not be able to keep a countertop, if you replace the cabinets at a later date.
It woudl be iffy. But you could replace with a cheap formica to buy a few years until you had a bit more money. I would be you could do countertops for 500, if you went with formica.
I personally wouldn't do the countertops if there is even a slight chance you might replace cabinets. There is a good chance of them getting damaged, or even that the new cabinets would be slightly different in measurments.
Congrats on the new house! How exciting!!!
Vicki- That's what I thought originally. I'm not sure what we will do. My first impression honestly was just that new countertops would make it fine. I'm going to really look at it again next week...not that it matters at the moment! New cabinets or countertops are a pipe dream right now, LOL!! Too many other things to think about.
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