Making a House a Home
Well, we closed on our house last week.
Normally, I would put an exclamation mark after a statement like that, but it doesn’t really deserve one since we still aren’t allowed to move in! We are waiting to pass the city inspection.
In the meantime, we are putting together our IKEA Karlstad couch and living in limbo. We hosted a meet-up for Austin-area families who implement Montessori at home, but hosting in an empty house (we had to bring over toilet paper for the occasion) just doesn’t feel the same.
Oh, well. I know the next couple days will fly by and we will be in our house before we know it. I’ll forget about these seemingly endless days leading up to our move. P.S. If you want more up-to-date info about our lives, you can find more on Instagram: @saracotner.
I can’t tell you how excited I am to move into our new house. Although I feel so grateful for many aspects of the rental house we’ve lived in for 1.5 years(!), I am eager to put down roots for the long haul. I am eager to organize everything from top to bottom and then to simply maintain a tranquil, beautiful, and orderly environment from day to day. And even though I firmly believe that “wherever we are together is home,” I also know myself and know that I am a home body. I like to have a consistent, comfortable “nest” to retreat to at the end of the day.
I’m also thinking about all the ways in which our house will become a home over the years. I want our home to be the kind of place where we invite people to stay for dinner at the last minute and can whip up something delicious. I want our home to be the kind of place where children can run, explore, connect with nature, and swim. I want our home to be the kind of place where our family can curl up together on Friday nights to watch movies. I want our home to be the kind of place where everyone crowds around the kitchen island to help with dinner. And the kind of place where we gather around the table for board games in the evening. I want our home to be the kind of place where robots are built out of cardboard, Halloween costumes are sewn, cookies are baked, science experiments are conducted, and bird feeders are built. I want our home to be the kind of place where out-of-town guests choose to stay and where they find fresh towels and Aveda shampoo waiting for them. I want our house to be the kind of place where Classical music flows and spontaneous dance parties erupt. The kind of place where marshmallows are toasted while chatting in Adirondack chairs. And the kind of place where vegetables are grown and fruit is harvested. I want our home to be full of laughter, love, and joy.
4 Comments
Kelsey
What a beautiful vision…and it's happening! This weekend we did a massive purging and got rid of so many superfluous items and clothes. It feels amazing and I'm surprised at how it's made me enjoy being in our house more, even though I can't see the difference (it's in the closets and drawers) it just feels more peaceful. So I know you will also enjoy having a house that only contains what you intentionally put there. Can't wait to see more as you move in! And can't wait to visit myself!
E.
Rather than providing fancy shampoo for your guests, can I suggest providing a basket of spare items? I have a basket in our guest bath with spare razors, those disposable toothbrushes, soap, washcloths, etc. You can stock it with sample sized shampoos, etc. for guests to pick between. It would have the same effect of making guests feel welcome without you needing to worry about the brand of shampoo you are providing (which I think is what you mean).
Sara
Such a sweet vision – make it happen!
Allison El Koubi
Hey Sara!
I love this post!! Probably even more so since we sold our beautiful home in Baton Rouge in order to move to another great space in…(wait for it)…LAFAYETTE!! We have lots of space to host – so hope to see you guys for one of the festivals. Our place is downtown, so although we sacrificed green space, we gained walkability. And after having to remove a tree for our buyers (which cost $6K+), I'm not pining for any trees any time soon 🙂
Good luck with the move…won't it feel GREAT to be settled in your new place?!? Can't wait to see it – hopefully sometime soon.