WOW!! A lot has happened since my last post! Yesterday was Thanksgiving - today is Black Friday - and just around the corner now is Christmas! I hope you enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving, surrounded by your family and friends. Since we just relocated (truck arrived ten days ago) we didn't go overboard for Thanksgiving. We kept it simple (since it's just us two out here!), and gave thanks for the roof over our head and our new place to make & call home. Traditionally, I do some baking, make the stuffing, and set the table the night before. Jeff brine's the bird, makes the mashed potatoes and veggies the day of. Yesterday, I did the baking in the morning - to help warm the house (it's COLD here in the mornings!! lol)
TG dinner before...
TG dinner after...
Big difference from our first meal
I made in our new place on paper plates :)
We're not 100% set up yet, but I did manage to get the tree up, fluffed and lit by last Saturday. The truck unloaded our things Tuesday, November 15 and I unpacked about 45 of our 325 cartons that day. The following two days, two people came to help me unpack - they unwrapped and discarded cartons while I put the items away. Thankfully, Jeff & I were able to get into the place before the truck arrived. For three days, Jeff would drop me off early in the morning, and I'd keep working on painting projects, he'd go to work, and meet me back at the house later on to keep painting. We probably could have gotten more painted, but the quality of the paint we bought (to save money) meant everything needed two coats. We both agreed, we'll never do that again! It's worth the extra dollars to buy better quality paint than to spend time doing things twice (that erks the crap outta me!!)
Scoring after taping helped to give crisp finish (and not peel paint!)
Removed and cleaned (with Clorox) all switch plates.
Changed out two WC seats in bathrooms too.
Inspiration files...
Labeling in kitchen helped with unpacking...
Labeling in house helped movers with boxes...
Even the garage got labeled and lanes for box piles taped to floor.
(Labeling placement for moves is something I would do at the store for big moves).
If you've been following along on Facebook, you've seen the photos of the moving process I've been sharing everyday. I'll be sharing the pics over here, along with some helpful tips I applied and learned along the way - to help with a quick move and set. It was kind of funny, but a lot of what I applied were the same processes I'd use to set merchandising moves while working in a store. Hey - whatever works! Right? The biggest help was this: "See the end before you begin." Knowing ahead of time what the goal was (target dates) and planning the days of projects to execute (being realistic & focused) helped to quickly turn this house into our new home, especially to transition during the holidays...
Wardrobes for closets stored in living room day one
... By sunset - they were put away - but closet configuration smaller - so tweaked the next day...
Moving day - Truck unloading...
Night one after truck unloaded...
Night one after truck unloaded...
Labeling furniture placement helped the movers know where to go.
Barware was in a buffet in Florida, now they are in upper cabinets in kitchen.
The red buffet they were in is upstairs in the loft, and to be re-used more for office storage.
Unpacked boxes and filled every surface...
Created space on two shelves in kitchen closet (with liner & bins) to store pieces and have them grouped together in one space to pull from...
This was Sephora's first time in the new place (after boxes gone).
Painted out white closet & pantry doors to black.
Got inspired and hit the picture room to bring up some pics and mirrors to hang...
Since we're in a detached home now, I don't really have solid walls to created galleries on... I'll probably be keeping them more within the stairway, and I have on planned for the upstairs loft...
This years "JOY" mirror location to be :)
Sephora - fitting right in...
Removed builder towel bar and replaced with hooks.
No door here and we're use to hanging towels to dry.
An eteger I picked up years ago on clearance - was in our garage in FL - now finally
got painted and put to use.
Added a pop of red in bedroom for holiday...
Painted out room in a light gray called Driftwood.
Making lists and checking them twice!
First level (of 3) foyer - Coming in through garage...
One of soon to be two guest rooms... right now being used for storage of small pictures. The other room is holding all the large pictures...
Space to be used for Home Office focused on finances...
Space for Sephora too since it has a rug and she's slipping on wood floors...
Not our FL green grass, but the astro-turf is MUCH nicer than the dust, dirt and rocks of the unfinished yards. Out back is "L" shaped, so I have a little painting booth on the side of the house :)
Chandler Home Depot we stopped at practically daily on the way to the house...
Bathroom to be painted, but in meantime,
had to fix this awkward window placement...
Removed valance and hung picture over it.
Helps for privacy.
Loft storage closet with our kitchenette (micro & small fridge.)
Folded jeans, tops, yoga pants, leggings and boots.
Slowly converting to skinny hangers to help with space...
Used a double hang bar off single closet hang section to
maximize space in my hall closet.
All drawers resorted and organized...
Jeff's section of WIC and our updated laundry sorter:
Darks, Lights, and his dry cleaning :)
Painting out this wall dark chocolate and adding two thrifted candle sconces...
Stair landing looking up to 3rd level from 2nd level...
Previous NYC & Rome clocks from kitchen to be re-used and labeled "Phoenix" and "Miami".
My last thrift item: Suede & fur coat on form with Jeff's wood trunk will make a nice travel vignette... Would like to find some old AZ maps to frame for wall coming up stairs...
We still need to get 3 Expedite bookcases, I'm going to line up (low profile) along this wall for books... And making a gallery wall above it.
Upstairs loft... work in progress...
Inside front door...
I think one of the scariest things about the move here to Arizona is driving around in a new and unfamiliar area. I'm scared of getting lost in the desert - but I have found my way to two nearby malls and already made donations to a local Goodwill. I'll get over it but it's just gonna take a little bit of time to adjust (I lived in Miami for 33 years). I'll post more pics and updates shortly, but now it's time to deck the halls, trim the tree and decorate the front door and stoop! Woo-Hoo! Happy Holidays!!
Thanks for stopping by!
