Tag Archives: moving on up

Happy Housewarming Gifts

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Happy Housewarming Gifts

Hello!! It isn’t even our housewarming/birthaversary party yet and Johnny and I have already been gifted with so many amazing things from our loved ones. Some of our favorite gifts so far have definitely come from Johnny’s Aunt Eileen and her husband, who I had the pleasure of meeting for the first time a few weeks ago at Johnny’s concert. They so generously sent us all of these goodies and we have been making great use of them since:

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My Johnny is a HUGE history buff and enjoys his free time by watching documentaries, listening to podcasts, and reading up on his favorite subject. He is a wealth of knowledge and is always teaching me something new. So, he was especially excited by the BenShot glasses with a bullet in it! Aunt Eileen got us four of these glasses and Johnny has made sure that he has drank from every single one lol. Saying that we have a TON of glasses is an understatement and these are, easily, the coolest ones we have.

Aunt Eileen also gifted us with a video game themed clock and beer themed wall art (Two of our favorite things!) that Johnny hung up in our game room. It was just what we needed too since a majority of our wall art was used on the art wall. They are both perfect pieces of decor for our game room and now all we need is batteries to make them work… and a new Rolling Stones neon light which I accidentally broke. WHOOPS!

Johnny and I are so appreciative of everyone’s generosity as we celebrate our big move, wedding anniversary, and birthdays. Many thanks again to Aunt Eileen for the super thoughtful and very us gifts – we love them and you! ❤

What is your home decor style like? Do you have any exciting events to celebrate coming up? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Completed Art Wall!

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Completed Art Wall!

Hello! At mine and Johnny’s old apartment, I had a vision of an art wall going up the staircase. It never fully came to fruition because I ran out of Command strips, never bothered to get more, and didn’t want to put nails in the wall to hang things up with. Fast forward into our new digs and I began the art wall project once more with the full intention of completing it. And, I am pleased to say that it is finally done with Johnny’s help! It only took about three and a half years but, hey, better late than never:

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Johnny and I have been working hard in the new apartment to prepare for our housewarming/birthaversary party and have been diligently checking things off of our to do list. Completing the art wall was a huge win because it cleared up lots of space where all of the pictures you see above were just sitting there. In fact, this masterpiece allowed us to fully move the furniture we wanted to put in the game room, making us about eighty percent done with our unpacking.

I was so tickled that Johnny helped me finish this project that I started and I could not have done it without him. It also went by much quicker than when I was trying to hang everything up by myself! Johnny was my handy helper and he basically did everything, which was very nice for me. All I did was come up with the layout I wanted and he did the rest. What a guy!

I am beyond thrilled with how our art wall turned out and it is exactly what I had pictured in my head. I catch myself admiring our effort constantly when I’m at home and I am so happy to have our art collection on display. Thanks to Goodwill hauls, crafting nights with my bestie, and the pieces that Johnny contributed, we have a wide assortment for all of our guests to see. My personal favorite? The autographed picture of Randy and Mr. Lahey from Trailer Park Boys! Can you find it?

What kind of art work do you have hanging up at home? What is your favorite thing on my art wall? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Happy Housewarming Gift

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Happy Housewarming Gift

Hello! My bestie, Lea, came by a couple of weeks ago to check out mine and Johnny’s new place. Even though it isn’t perfect yet, I was so excited for her to see it. I was also excited that Johnny would have his own room to hang out in where he could shut the door so we wouldn’t have to listen to his war documentaries lol. Oh, the perks of our new place!

Lea was so sweet and brought by a little housewarming gift and, I admit, I didn’t really know what to do with it at first:

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Lea got us a Turtle Vine for the new place and I have never owned a house plant before! In my old apartment, there wasn’t really a good place to put plants so I just never bothered. The great news, is that I haven’t killed my little Turtle Vine yet… In fact, it’s thriving! When Lea brought it over, the vines didn’t have any length to them at all and I can’t believe how much it has grown in a few short weeks.

My dad is the one with the green thumb in our family and I almost contemplated just having him care for it. But, I think I am doing alright! I love this plant’s soft leaves and the pot that it lives in is so pretty. Whenever Lea comes by, all she needs to do is bring herself and I’m happy so I was tickled by her thoughtfulness. I don’t think I’ll turn into a full on plant mom any time soon but, now, I wouldn’t be opposed to my Turtle Vine having a friend or two. 😀

The best housewarming gift that Johnny and I have is actually being able to host friends comfortably in our bigger apartment. However, this sweet prezzie from my best friend is a very close second! ❤

Do you have a green thumb? How many house plants do you have? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Moving On Up: Art Wall

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Moving On Up: Art Wall

Hello! This past Wednesday, I was hanging out at home while Johnny was at band practice and wanted to spend the evening relaxing instead of unpacking. That changed tunes pretty quickly, though, because of an unfortunate mishap with the video game I was playing. Basically, I accidentally loaded a previous save point and everything I did after that point got deleted. I was SO upset!!

Rather than wallow in my frustration, I decided to get started on a new unpacking project: Creating an art wall. It’s looking very nice so far, if I do say so myself:

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^^^ There’s still a ways to go but it’s getting there!

Between an endless supply of paintings from Goodwill, crafts with my bestie, and Johnny’s own artwork collection, I had a lot to work with for my art wall. This was a project that I had wanted to do in my old apartment and just never got around to finishing it… Probably because I never bought more Command strips to hang the paintings with lol. Johnny had actually bought several packs of them during his last trip to Walmart, which is how this first go at the art wall was possible.

The end result will have artwork hanging up all the way along the stairs and it is going to look so cool! I’m really happy with how it’s looking so far, though, and it was the perfect project to sink my teeth into after an epic gaming failure. The concentration it took to hang everything just so definitely kept my mind off of three hours of Paper Mario getting lost in oblivion!

Progress with unpacking has been pretty good but it has slowed down because we need more shelving for a lot of the remainders. In fact, I was feeling a bit down about it and this project helped perk me up and kicked my motivation back into high gear – especially with our housewarming/birthaversary party right around the corner. 😀

Although my project isn’t complete yet, I can already picture the end result and I can’t wait to show all of you. This is how I always wanted the staircase in my old apartment to look and it feels good for that vision to finally come to life!

What have you been crafting lately? Have you been working on any home decor projects? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Housewarming Party Pro Tips

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Housewarming Party Pro Tips

Hello! Johnny and I have been working hard to get our new apartment in order after our big move with a housewarming/birthaversary party as our goal at the end of the month. With the party in mind, it has encouraged us to pick up the pace with our unpacking to get our place in as good of order as we can for when our guests show up. Here are some of my pro tips to help you prepare for a housewarming party that I have been following closely:

Preparing The Home:

Moving is incredibly stressful and a big bash afterwards is the best reward! While your new digs don’t have to be completely perfect, there are some things that need to be in order before your party:

Make use of closet space: Some things simply can’t be unpacked yet due to needing additional furniture, which is definitely the case for me and Johnny. Make good use of your closet space and place these items accordingly so they’re not taking up room around the house. Out of sight, out of mind!

Get rid of packing supplies: One thing that is taking up lots of room in our new apartment is empty boxes! Do not fall for the trap of “I might need them eventually” because I promise you will be able to acquire more. Post on social media if anyone else might need them or get them to your nearest recycling center. I am lucky enough that one of my best friends is moving so she is getting all of our packing supplies as we continue to unpack.

Have plenty of seating areas: As I said before, the place doesn’t need to be just right for your party and things can be stowed away for the time being in rooms that guests won’t be in, like bedrooms or offices. However, plenty of seating areas is a must for your guests. Arrange your chairs and couches so everyone has a comfortable place to be.

Invites:

I sent out a Facebook invite well in advance so that I know how much food I will have to prepare and order (Which we will discuss more in the next header). In the invites, I let our guests know that in the afternoon, it will be mainly family coming by and if you want to rage, then arrive in the evening. That way, your invitees will know which time slot better applies to them.

Food & Drinks:

While you don’t need a ten course meal for your party, food and drinks are an obvious must. I have been scouring Pinterest for yummy dips and finger foods to make and then Johnny and I will just order a couple of pizzas. As far as drinks go, do make sure you have nonalcoholic options too if you plan on having booze. Mocktails, pop, water, and juice are a necessity if you have friends and family who don’t indulge in the drink! I plan on making up some mocktails as well as a party punch for the guests who are so inclined.

Entertainment:

Parties where everyone sits around and talks are fine but everyone likes games! Have an area with some table top or video games set up for your guests to play. Classic games are sure to go over well like Uno, Catch Phrase, or the Five Second Rule. If you have games that others haven’t heard of, just make sure you’re around to explain the rules to make the gaming experience more fun. And, of course, don’t forget to have some great music playing but not too loudly!

Our party has Johnny and I working double time after our move and I am so not mad about it. The place is looking wonderful and I can’t wait to celebrate! 😀

What are some of your party planning pro tips? How did you reward yourself after a big move or life event? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

What Have We Been Up To?

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What Have We Been Up To?

Hello! Johnny and I have been diligently unpacking away after our big move at the end of April. While that has taken up a majority of our free time, we have still been enjoying ourselves and making time for fun things too. And, yes, part of the fun has shockingly come from the unpacking process itself – which I never thought I would say!

Unpacking:

Actually… Let me rephrase that… It’s not so much the unpacking that’s fun rather than all of the opportunities that come with it. Johnny moved into my apartment so there wasn’t much for us to decide on when it came to furniture placement and decorating together. Now, however, with much more room, it has been nice to come up with our apartment layout as a team.

For example, we have a little nook under our staircase that we decided would be perfect for bookshelves to house our massive collection. When I got home from work, it was a huge surprise because Johnny assembled and filled the new shelves while I was gone. This opened up considerable space having the shelves neatly tucked away and we were able to have a lot more options when it comes to placement of other furniture. It looks so nice!

Another fun part about the unpacking process is that we have a goal in mind: A housewarming/birthaversary party. We can’t wait to welcome friends and family into our new place at the end of the month to celebrate all kinds of big events: Our move, Johnny’s birthday, my birthday, and our one year wedding anniversary. I’m so excited! 😀

Entertainment:

Because of having a functional AC unit in our new apartment, it has become the place to chill both literally and metaphorically. We have been having a blast relaxing in a comfortable climate and watching all kinds of good movies and TV. We are currently binging The Man In The High Castle, which is absolutely EXCELLENT. We have also been enjoying lots of movies including The Imitation Game (One of my faves!), Schindler’s List, Indiana Jones, and Role Models (Both of our faves!).

Of course, this was something that we would have done at our old place regardless of the extreme heat. Actually feeling cold and snuggling up with blankets is a brand new sensation to us, though, and we still can’t get over the novelty of it!

Out & About:

Actual spring weather is finally here with some summer like temps peppered in for good measure. We have been making the most of it with outings in downtown Cuyahoga Falls, at hiking trails with my family, game nights with friends, and meeting our new neighbors. It was easy to stay cuddled up at home with the snowy and rainy days last month. But, there is no excuse now that the weather is nice out and we have been trying to have outings together at least once a week.

It has been an exciting and jam packed few weeks for us and I have been enjoying every minute of it… I’ll enjoy it even more, though, when we are fully unpacked and celebrating at our party!

What have you been up to? What are you currently binge watching? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

How To Find The Perfect Home

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How To Find The Perfect Home

Selling your house to buy a new one is a major decision that should not be made lightly, as it can take a significant amount of time, effort, and money to identify and find the ideal property for you. Fortunately, when you know how, choosing the right property doesn’t have to be as challenging as you might assume, and there are just a few important areas in which you should concentrate your efforts to guarantee that you can remain cool and calm during your move. If you’re looking for the perfect house and want to learn some of the most useful ideas and tactics for accomplishing your goals in no time, then read on:

Plan And Prepare:

One of the most common mistakes made by house movers is a lack of preparation. It’s surprising to learn that almost two-thirds of home buyers don’t have a list of questions to ask the real estate agent before they visit houses or apartments to view them. When planning, it’s helpful to make a list of your negotiables and non-negotiables. Other factors to consider include which house characteristics are essential to you and which you are ready to compromise on.

When searching for a new house, an extensive web search will save you time and provide a good starting point. We recommend contacting your local real estate agents as well, as they may have a house on the market – or even one that’s just about to come onto the market that is just right for you.

If you are coming up with a goose egg during your house hunt, you might want to consider building a home from scratch. This will surely set you up with the perfect house! You can design your dream home with Ware Design Build – Wisconsin Custom Homes or a pro in your area.

Know Your Budget:

You’re contemplating a move, but how much can you really afford? Find out how much your present home is worth by getting at least two or three estimates from local real estate professionals. You’ll have a better idea of how much money you have to work with if you do this. Your calculations should include:

  • Any outstanding bills or mortgage payments.
  • The cost of new furnishings.
  • Any additional funds that may be required in the future.

Working out your finances in detail can help you achieve your goal of moving. Knowing your budget from the beginning is essential if you want to erase debt and save for the future. Having a solid budget also helps as it shows you which options can be available to you. For example, you might find that building a brand new home with French Brothers homes (or a similar company in your area) could be cheaper or equivalent to a home on the market.

Think Ahead:

Smaller houses will not accommodate large families effectively, so if you want to grow your family soon, think accordingly and get that additional room. This is also true if you work remotely (or are planning to once you move). It would be beneficial to have an extra space that can be converted into a home office. A smaller house, on the other hand, can suffice if you are single or a couple who does not want to have children in the near future. If and when the time comes, you can always sell and move into a larger house.

We will touch more on looking into the neighborhood in the next section but there is one important thing to note if you have children or are planning on it. If you have a home in mind, you should check out this community beforehand to see if it is a family friendly setting. It can be a huge drag for your children if they are moving away from their school friends and have no kids in the neighborhood to play with!

Check Out The Neighborhood:

Searching online is one thing, and it’s almost certain that you’ll find a few houses that tick all the boxes for you. However, it’s crucial that you take the time to check out the neighborhood too – it might be that the house you love is in a place that won’t suit you, perhaps because it’s far away from work or school, the parking is a nightmare, or there isn’t enough green space (or too much of it – it all depends on your preferences).

When searching for a new home, it is all about the preparation and research on your end to keep the process running smoothly. Good luck!

Featured Image By: Ketut Subiyanto

What’s The Move? Let’s Talk Unpacking!

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What’s The Move? Let’s Talk Unpacking!

Hello everyone! When it comes to mine and Johnny’s move, I think packing has been way easier than the unpacking process. While we have both been steadily chipping away at our endless amount of boxes, it’s so easy to lose motivation since we’re already at our new place! Of course, it is a necessary evil and today we are going to talk about some pro tips for unpacking at your new digs:

Start With The Kitchen/Bathroom:

The first room that I fully unpacked was the kitchen and I am so glad that I did. I enjoy eating out as much as the next person but I don’t like to do it too often. With two take out meals in a row on Saturday and Sunday, I was in desperate need of real food. In fact, just the smell of the pizza we ordered in the fridge made me nauseous.

If you feel similarly, then starting with the kitchen is an absolute must. Or, you could prepare meals that just need to be put in the oven prior to your move so you can have actual food at the ready. The first meal I prepared in my new kitchen was baked ziti and I can’t tell if it was better than normal because I was so over take out or if it actually was just really good!

Unpacking the bathrooms as a priority is a no brainer and I’m about halfway there on that project. This one is a bit of a struggle because, despite now having two full bathrooms, the counter space in each of them is significantly less than my old apartment. It will get there eventually but do make sure you have a bag with your toiletries that you use every day at the ready so you don’t have to go digging for your toothbrush.

Declutter As You Go:

Johnny and I did a significant amount of decluttering before our move and had already taken several bags to Goodwill. Don’t stop there, though! It’s great to declutter before a move but I find it much easier to do it while unpacking. When I was packing up the old place, there wasn’t much of a rhyme or reason to it other than filling up boxes and getting rid of obviously unneeded things.

While unpacking, you get the opportunity to see each item in your new setting and can decide from there if it’s worth the space. With that alone in mind, I was able to fill up two trash bags of donated items just from unpacking my closet. Like many people, Johnny and I moved for the additional space. I want the new apartment to feel as open as possible and that means donating a whole lot more.

Unpack With Projects In Mind:

I find that Johnny and I are much more motivated to unpack with a set goal or project in mind. For example, Johnny decided yesterday that he wanted to prepare our game room closet and that was the first thing he did when he got home from work. It looks great and it is completely done! Whether it’s a big task or small doesn’t matter because it needs to get done eventually, anyways. Just work at a steady pace, keep checking things off of your to do list, and you will be amazed by how much progress you will make.

Don’t Forget Your Boxes:

One thing that’s taking up a lot of space in our new apartment is all of the empty boxes! Make sure to keep breaking them down as you go. This is more of a reminder for myself than anything because I hate that chore! Find the nearest recycling facility to dispose of them properly or it might be worth posting on your social media if anyone else might need them. I was actually able to get rid of all of my boxes from my first move because of Facebook and that was the case this time around too. One of my best girlfriends is moving and almost all of our empty boxes and packing supplies are going to her next week!

I can’t say that I’m having the time of my life unpacking but the end results will be so worth it. I can’t wait to show all of you!

What are some of your unpacking pro tips? What is your least favorite part about moving? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Lil Red’s Moving Pro Tips Pt. 2

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Lil Red’s Moving Pro Tips Pt. 2

Hello! Johnny and I had our big move last Saturday and it went as smoothly as it could have gone. However, there are definitely some things that I wish were done differently looking back. A few weeks ago, we looked at some pre moving pro tips and today, we are going to focus on the actual move itself. Let’s get to it:

Eat, Drink, & Be Merry:

One of both mine and Johnny’s biggest downfalls of the day was that we didn’t eat enough prior to getting our keys. While Johnny had a snack, I had nothing and I SO wish that I would have made a big breakfast for us. Rather, we chose to sleep in and that was a mistake. Having a good meal before the move seems like a no brainer but it’s honestly an easy thing to bypass when so many other things are happening that day. Do make sure to eat your fill before the move so you can avoid getting lightheaded, which is what happened to me!

And, of course, drink water, water, and more water. If your dishes are already packed up, it will help to have a travel mug handy that you can keep refilling. Even if your move is on a fairly chilly day like mine and Johnny’s, you’ll find yourself sweating very quickly and that fluid needs replenished. Our rule of thumb was to take a water break at least twice an hour to keep ourselves firing on pretty much all cylinders lol.

Move Boxes Accordingly:

Johnny and I moved in one day and our morning was cut short because we could only pick up our keys at ten. Had this been different, I would have been much more proactive about moving the boxes into the room they needed to be in as soon as they left the car. I tried to do this as much as possible but with our time crunch, it was easier to just put boxes into a spare room.

If this is the case for you, that’s totally fine… Just make sure you label the boxes! This is also something that Johnny and I didn’t do and it hasn’t cost us too much grief but it’s enough to be annoying. I packed up almost everything in the apartment so I have a fairly good idea of where things are. The stuff that Johnny packed, however, is a different story!

Ask For Help:

Moving is a big job and outside help is a necessity, whether that be in the form of hiring movers or assembling friends and family. Johnny and I hired Two Men And A Truck for our furniture and we would have been nowhere without them. Hiring movers can be expensive, which is why Johnny and I cut costs by moving everything else by ourselves. We were wishing all day that we had them move all of our boxes too, though!

My mom was also kind enough to come over and help with cleaning tasks so that Johnny and I could focus on getting boxes to the new apartment. This was a HUGE help because all I had to do was sweep up once we cleared out our old place. Then, one of our friends came by later in the evening to help set up some of our furniture and get our mattress on the bed. All of this additional help was much welcomed and so very appreciated especially considering how exhausted Johnny and I were.

If you have the budget to hire movers, then it can save a lot of stress and time too. Especially at the end when you’re tired and those boxes need to be taken to the right rooms! Besides professional movers, a self storage unit can also make things a little easier when moving house, especially if you’re concerned that you won’t have enough space in your new property or don’t want (and need) to exchange one cluttered space for another.

Set A Time Frame:

One thing that Johnny and I did really well when it came to our move was setting a time frame that we wanted to be done by. We both agreed that if we were done by around six, then that would be ideal. The day was a mad dash but we did finish everything by the time we wanted and that was a huge relief. You don’t have to have a set in stone schedule but a general idea of when the task should be done will help you keep your pace up throughout the day.

Despite some hiccups during moving day, I don’t think it could have gone any better with all things considering. I am so happy to be in our new place! 😀

What are some of your moving pro tips? Did anyone help you when you moved? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

The Big Move!

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The Big Move!

Hello!! Johnny and I moved to our new apartment this past Saturday and, let me tell you, it was an absolute doozy of a day. When I first moved into my apartment by myself, it wasn’t bad at all and I was actually able to unpack my belongings that day. Of course, I didn’t have all that much to move so I was totally unprepared for the task at hand of moving two people’s stuff out!

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^^^ YIKES!!!

Johnny and I weren’t able to pick up our apartment keys until ten o’clock on Saturday morning and from then until six or so at night, it was a mad dash. We were moving boxes like our lives depended on it until one or so when our moving team from Two Men And A Truck showed up. I had hired this company last time I moved and they were excellent then and now.

The team consisted of three young men and they were SO funny, kind, and efficient. In under two hours, they had moved all of our furniture from Point A to Point B and it was amazing to watch them work! They were moving all of these heavy pieces of furniture like it was nothing and never missed a beat for some playful banter. There wasn’t much that could be done on mine and Johnny’s end while they worked and it was a welcome break!

Once the movers were done, Johnny and I sprung back into action with another special guest: My mom! With sufficient space cleared out, she helped me with the cleaning process to get the apartment back into tip top shape. I had already done a super deep cleaning and she came to assist with finishing touches as well as cleaning supplies. We were both incredibly thankful for this helping hand and wouldn’t have been able to complete our one day move without her.

After my mom left, Johnny and I made several more trips back and forth to our new digs together. Then, I was able to fully sweep and Swiffer our hardwood surfaces. This was a surprisingly time consuming task because the sweepers weren’t picking up everything. After a couple passes, I had to collect the remaining debris with wet paper towel. My back was killing me by the end of it!

I worked my ass off during moving day but, honestly, it was nothing in comparison to Johnny and I am so appreciative to him for it. Johnny has a van which can hold way more than my little car ever could so he handled the brunt of the moving because I did almost all of the packing. He was also in charge of all of the heavy lifting because I just couldn’t do it.

Between moving instruments and equipment when his band plays and working in a factory, Johnny is used to this type of challenge. Myself, on the other hand? Not so much. I have never participated in a move of this level before and it showed. I was getting dizzy from the trips up and down stairs with bags and boxes in hand and Johnny made me sit down, drink water, and eat something every time this happened. He is an angel among men! ❤

By the time we were all settled in our new place amid a sea of boxes, we were beyond tired but so very proud of our work. It was a long, stressful day but there was nothing like sinking into our bed that first night and falling asleep as soon as our head’s hit the pillow. An air conditioning unit in our bedroom that actually works was also extremely conducive to a good night’s sleep. 😀

As we continue the unpacking process, keep it posted here on lifewithlilred for more on our new place. You will receive a grand tour, decorating projects, and some pro tips to make your move as pain free as possible!

What was the last time you moved like? What is the most difficult part about moving? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah