New Home. New Adventures. New Memories.
Goodbye, Boise! You will be missed… 😢
You read that right — we’ve moved! My family and I recently made the short trek from Boise, ID to Reno, NV to start a new adventure together. To some, it might seem abrupt to pack up and move to a new state, but we’re so used to a traveling lifestyle from when my hubby was in the Marine Corps. So, after talking with our kiddos and deciding we were ready for a new and fun adventure, we set off to Reno to build memories and bond as a family in our new home.
Moving = Time to Purge
Prior to moving, we took a good look at all of our “stuff” and decided that downsizing our possessions before heading to Reno was the right fit for us. We purged the house of anything that wasn’t truly important to us so we could have a fresh start in the new home. 🏡
And by a new home, I mean a 1950’s ranch-style home that we’re planning to start renovating soon. This means my house is a construction zone that’s short on furniture, decor, and organization. We’ve got patio furniture in the living room and we’re using our Yeti cooler as a TV stand. 😆 That said, we’ll all win in the end since I’ll have so much to share with you all about my favorite budget home renovation and decor tips and tricks!
To save on moving costs and really feel like we’re getting a fresh start in Nevada, we sold and donated the majority of our stuff back in Boise. Even though we didn’t move in with a ton, we’re holding off on doing the majority of the unpacking until after the renovation is done.
So we’ve had to get a little crafty to make the most of it…
We’re learning to make due with less for the time being, and it’s teaching us to be grateful for what we have. ❤️ My daughter Piper and I had a blast picking flowers from our new garden and placed the stems in a lovely Pringles can vase 😂 — hey, it’s FREE and totally works!
She also has quite the obsession with snow globes. Every time we shop, she’s always looking for one to buy and recently found this “lucky” one for a buck at the thrift store (one of our favorite places to shop!). Move over Joanna Gaines… here’s the NEW Hip way to rock a centerpiece! 🤣
Upon moving in, we discovered that the AC unit in the house was and still is NOT working. Thankfully our realtor had purchased us a home warranty (and the AC unit is part of the coverage), so we are hoping to have it fixed within the next couple of weeks… but until then, we’re looking on the bright side and have fans blasting to help us through the heat!
You’ll probably also notice that our drapes are upside down. That’s because they’re hung with painter’s tape (we won’t be installing blinds until after the renovation is onlineplete). 🙃 Pretty, right?! 🤣
After selling so much in Boise prior to the move, we didn’t have many kitchen dishes – so off to the thrift store we went. By the way, my kiddos and I love thrift shopping — they could spend hours looking through all the stuff and have a blast searching for special finds. They came across these funny Christmas dinner plates (that are microwave and dishwasher safe! Score!), so we ended up getting a different design for each member of the family. Yes, we are dorks and will be using these plates starting NOW — no need to wait until Christmas. 🎄
I also picked up these adorable Opalhouse drinking glasses from Target on clearance recently, so you may be able to find them at your local Target too!
They were a steal at just $2.98 (regularly $9.99!). With that said, I grabbed a couple of sets! 🙌
With minimal furniture, my kids have gotten creative! As just one example, a large moving box is now a cozy hangout spot. I feel like we’ve all had so much fun as a family onlineing up with unique ways to use what we’ve got!
Oh, my sweet Ma. 💕 We’ve got her right on the mantle watching over us. I have so many treasured art pieces and family pictures, but they’ll have to wait to be hung until we’re finished with the renovation. However, I wanted to have something up, and my lovely grandmother’s eulogy represents a relationship I will always cherish. Looking at her smiling face reminds me to be thankful, grateful, and to always celebrate this beautiful life. ❤️
With a new home onlinees a new school district, meaning my kiddos are starting out fresh this school year. It can be tough to be the new kids at school, but they’re making the best of it (I’m such a proud mama)! They’re already on their second week, and I can’t help but get emotional thinking about how fast they’re growing up. 😭
We’ll only have a couple more years with my oldest son Nick until he heads off to college 😮, which makes each day more precious.
Oh, and I can’t forget to mention how the sixth member of our family is doing! Our dog Yoli is already settled in and loving the new house. 😆
So much about this whole move has made me grateful for my family and the bond we share together.💗 I think it’s safe to say that while it’s not always easy to pack up and start a new chapter, my family and I have found that staying positive throughout the process has truly been rewarding — and the happy memories we’ve already shared in our new home prove it!
New home.
New adventures.
New memories.
