just start: where you are with what you have.
There’s something so exciting about moving to a new place that’s completely empty, just waiting to be filled with your furniture and personality and decorations. Just waiting to be made into your house.
But, it’s also a little intimidating. I mean, it takes a lot of time and energy and money and bargain hunting to make a house into something you love.
When we walked into this house for the first time, I knew it was our house. Everything in my gut just screamed that this was the one for us. So much so that I started panicking about someone else buying it before we had even seen all the rooms.
While Chris was on the phone with the bank (I’m serious, we decided RIGHT away), I walked around and looked in each room over and over again, imagining how we could make it ours. How it could become a reflection of us.
Everywhere I looked, it was obvious that the people living there had made it a home. There were little reflections of them everywhere. They had lived there for seven years and cultivated a space that-even though I’d never met them-I could tell felt like them.
And that was a little intimidating to me. Seven years they had spent making this home, and it was going to be emptied out and cleaned and given to us as a blank space. I wanted to make it our own, too. I didn’t want to just throw a couch and a table in there and call it done, I wanted it to feel like a home. Our home.
Now, how stupid would it be if I just decided that the amount of work it was going to take to make the house feel like home was just too much-that the shopping and the decision making and the buying and the rearranging was going to take too long, so I may as well just keep the house at ground zero? If I decided that shopping around and picking out a bed and setting it up and picking where I wanted to go was too much work, so we should just sleep on the floor forever?
Answer: So, so stupid.
…But don’t we do that all the time?
We have big dreams and ideas and goals, but starting at ground zero is really overwhelming. We allow ourselves to be intimidated by how big the steps to get there are, how many of those steps are between us and the end, and it just seems like it would be easier to just sit at the starting line instead.
Easier? Sure. Worth it? Not a chance.
This house is teaching me that all good things take hard work and time. Whether it’s something as silly as looking for a soap dispenser that matches your kitchen or as big as deciding to write that first chapter in the book living inside of you-it takes effort.
I’m hoping that one day in the very near future, our house will just feel like us. That we will have cultivated our perfect little home. It’ll take some work, sure. And so will your dream-the book or the house or the degree or the idea. It takes work.
But you have to start.
Start where you are, with what you have, and go from there.
It’s so, so worth it.
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This hits home for me right now! So much truth in this post. I was so scared to go back to school at 25 to pursue a new career that requires a master's degree…I felt like I wasn't established enough, "ready" enough. But I just decided to go for it. It's HARD work but I know it's going to be worth it. Enjoy making your house a home, girl 🙂 I can't wait to see updates!
Yes, we need to remember that even though big things are ahead it's also important to live in the moment! I can't wait to hear more about your perfect home!
YES, I love this analogy. I love that you knew your home was your home so quickly upon seeing it!
You're so right – you have to start and you will make it your own! xo, Biana –BlovedBoston
So right – good things are always worth the wait!
I've been keeping up on your blog, just haven't had time to actually comment in quite some time which is sad! I remember moving to a new state with my family in high school and it just felt right. Making a house a home is so much fun and it really is worth the wait!
This post really hits home for me! We have been working tirelessly ever since we purchased our house to make it ours and a reflection of us, and now that we are having our kitchen renovated, I could almost cry seeing it all come together! You have the right idea – sometimes, you have to live in a space for a little bit to know exactly what you want to do.
I love this post. You are a sensible & great & smart young woman! Everything you said is true. Enjoy making your new house your own. It may not be next week or 8 or more weeks from now, but enjoy your time doing it – shopping for the right thing, placing things in the right place, etc. No matter how much time it takes, it'll be yours & it'll be perfect for you, Chris & Jack. So happy for y'all! We love y'all very much!!
Love this post so much, as this is how I felt when we moved into our house a few years ago. Definitely worth the wait all the way <3
Green Fashionista
Love this analogy! It's so hard to start on things but so worth it in the end!
It definitely takes time to get everything just right and to where it feels like home, but it's so worth it in the end!
Such true words! It's important for me to remember my start is very different from others, too:)!
The first week at least in our new house I felt like we were just staying over at someone else's place. You really do need to just start with one thing at a time or you can get overwhelmed. I mean, we've been here a year and still have stuff to sort and clean and do here!
Sometimes you definitely do just know – so I am happy for your family that you got the house that was meant to be yours. I'm sure you'll make the journey into something memorable and make the home over time.
I think sometimes people write blog posts without knowing that someone, somewhere really needed to hear the words they were writing. This season of life hasn't been the easiest for Dane and I (moving/not moving/relocating/and back again) and it's just plain exhausting. The idea of building a life in a new town, in a new space is, in a word, terrifying. I love our life here in Hawaii and can't imagine doing it somewhere else. To be truthful — I don't want to! But like has so many other plans, so reading your words was so helpful to me 🙂 Thanks for sharing! XO
I love this post. So much yes!
XO Ellen from Ask Away
http://www.askawayblog.com
I love this! We're working on buying a house and this is a great reminder for where I'm at! <3
So true!! I don't own a home, but with my room I know exactly where your coming from, it takes time, and then it will become something truly unique and special!! 🙂 Have a wonderful day.
http://abeautifulheart07.blogspot.com/
My problem is that I let my perfectionism get in the way…if I can't get it right the first time, I keep putting it off until that elusive day in the future where I'll have the money/time/inspiration to do so. Finally a few years ago, I just had to reach the point where I said, "This is good enough for NOW," and then I make changes as we go along. Some of our rooms still don't have any decorations two years in (ha ha), but at least we've made SOME progress.
Congrats on the new house! I'm a little jealous—that particular milestone is YEARS away for us. But I'm super excited to see what you do with your new digs!
Making a house a home takes time and serious patience when it comes to decorating! I know y’alls place will be perfect. 🙂
I think a house is a living thing that is ever changing! It will take some time but eventually it will get to where you want it to be. I totally agree with your post!
Xo, Evelina @ Fortunate House
Starting is half the battle, isn't it? Even with every day projects or goals (especially if it's something I HATE to do!) just starting it creates enough momentum to complete it. What fun beginning to create a HOME! Enjoy the whole process!
Katie @ Cup of Tea
I feel like whenever I'm lacking for motivation I should just send you an email and you'll give it back to me, because your posts are always so motivating. Thanks for this!