If you've followed me for a while you know how much Dave and I loved our patio and how much time we spent out there. One evening we were enjoying a cocktail on the patio and dreaming about moving up north, getting out of Phoenix and into a country setting with cooler weather. We'd had this conversation many times before. But this time was different. We looked at each other and said 'what are we waiting for'? We were so fortunate that Dave has a career spanned over many decades and knows people in the industry all over Arizona. He made a quick call, received a positive response and we were off!
Time to move!
The time to sell our house was fantastic, but the window was closing. We already had a great realtor who introduced us to a realtor up north. (we later discovered he's known Dave's family for years). Got our house listed in Phoenix, had one showing and they bought it. How lucky is that!? We had already made a contingent offer on a manufactured home in Dewey, AZ. on two acres and I can't even tell you how excited we were.
We were downsizing, the new house is 400 sq ft smaller and so we had to get rid of a few things. Two yard sales, some advertised items on Marketplace and a few pieces given to family. Packing was a bear, as it always is. Touching every single item you own and deciding if it's a need or a want is so time consuming and emotional in a funny way. 30 days later we were off!
It's always weird living in a new place, for the first couple of months for me. This was a big change for us. We were now an hour away from family, we didn't have a garage at the new place or a front or back deck or a shop for me to work in. So all of these things went into storage. We still have to stop and think when we can't find something. My shop is now 98% finished, the back deck about 50% and the front deck will start this month. Our garage will happen in April because it's too cold to pour concrete now. To say we can't wait to get rid of storage (we're in the wrong business because it is lucrative!) is an understatement. We often felt displaced, but all the while loving where we are. When things fall together so nicely you can't help but feel like it was the right decision.
Time to decorate!
So many fun decisions to make. We needed window coverings, rugs and lighting. I was in heaven.
My kitchen pendants are one of my favorite picks. They came from Shades of Light and you'll find them here. Our ceiling fan we bought for the family room and our bedroom. It was priced right and has several speeds on remote. You'll find the ceiling fan here. Go big, or go home is the style with dining lights and that's what I did! And, I love it! You'll find this fixture here.
I needed rugs for the kitchen, dining room and bathroom. I knew the style and my favorite brand and went right to them on Amazon.
On the left is my kitchen runner. Love these rugs because they lay flat, corners especially. I deliberately chose a darker design so it wouldn't show spots. I really love it, it's wearing well, all of them are. I'll list them if you're interested.
- Kitchen runner: https://amzn.to/3WJTEpw
- Happy Place runner: https://amzn.to/3VJiFzV
- Jute rug: https://amzn.to/3jQljXD
- Rug on top of jute: https://amzn.to/3Qb88fE
- Outdoor rug (can barely see it, but I love it!): https://bit.ly/3i5AWKd
You know I love to decorate. It was so fun decorating this house and I think it's my favorite. I look around every day and just love what I see. We have views and space and we feel so cozy inside.
My theory on decorating is to buy what you love. It seems to fall together this way for me. The colors live nicely together, and just fit almost accidently. I love this. So many pieces in our home are hand me downs and thrifted finds. We kept all of our favorites and now the house is one big beautiful sample of what we both love. It couldn't get much better!
PROJECTS!
Our first project to tackle was my workshop. At the time, we thought we could clean out one storage unit once the shop was finished. It didn't quite happen that way. We are very fortunate to have a nephew who helps us with our projects.
I love this space of mine. To work from home, refurbishing, painting and decorating is a dream.
The next project was to replace two large windows in our dining room with a sliding glass door.
We'll put a panel of wood across the top and down the sides to finish it. As of this post, this hasn't been done yet. All a work in progress!
Next up was/is the back deck ~
You can see the snow got in our way. We're so excited to have this outdoor space. I can't wait to set up furniture and decorate. Dave is going to build an outdoor kitchen...nothing fancy, it'll be rustic and useful.
So, in a matter of five months this is where we are. I've always wanted to live like this and I know how lucky we are to be able to pack up and do it. I'll be back in a few more months with all of the finished projects! Thanks for being here with me.
