I’ve been sleeping under my new roof for a full week now and it’s been amazing!!
Moving day was last Friday and I wore myself, two movers, my dad and my bestie out! We got everything moved and I turned in my apartment keys – I had a huge sigh of relief, especially since I had to be out by 5pm the very next day – talk about cutting it close! Once at the new house and after getting the news that it was recorded I called to turn on the power and water – and before I was off the phone the power was on – Thanks Tacoma Power – you guys rock!!! My water was on within the hour and I was tired and ecstatic all at the same time!!! Elinor came with me to pick up Darby dog at doggie daycare and grab some dinner which was a great help because at that point I was t.i.r.e.d. Darby loves her new house and I can’t wait to get the garbage picked up in the backyard so she can play! We are going to have a lot of fun here! Elinor helped my get the essentials done and she even cleaned my tub and toilet – let’s hear it for the bestest-friend ever!!! Anyway we sat and drank some champagne and then some wine and I finally relaxed. I spent my first night in my new house sleeping on the couch and loving every minute of it!
I woke up bright and early the next morning and grabbed some coffee and some snacks and was putting around trying to put things away – all before 7am! The first task was to start cleaning the master bedroom. Let’s just say that, as a short sale, the sellers did absolutely NO cleaning and left what equaled two bags of garbage throughout the house! So I tackled the master bedroom – first the shop vac, then the regular vac, then a bucket of soapy water to clean the moldings/dust and then the carpet cleaner – I was disgusted!!! But it came out pretty dang good. Just some sweat labor and I have my very own master bedroom sanctuary. Hint: I used vinegar, baking soda and a couple of drops of lavender oil in a standard carpet cleaner and it worked like a charm!
After a break to go get the Engle Family Christmas tree and enjoy a taco dinner I started in on the kitchen. Now mind you this is a bigger kitchen than I’ve ever had before so it was hard to figure out where to start! I grabbed the shop vac and started in the drawers in the corner, thinking that if I could get a couple done at a time then I could move dishes, plates, necessities in as I go. So I vacuumed the yuck out and cleaned the inside and outside of the drawers and shelves and doors with a mix of hot water and a bit of Lysol in a bucket. They cleaned up so well – I was excited! I knew there was a diamond under the yuck but WOW!!!
Sunday I got my bedroom put together and set up to sleep in it and I was thrilled to have one room ‘done’! It puts my mind at ease! I also got the appliances in the kitchen cleaned up and even made a great healthy pasta dish that makes a lot of leftovers – with all the chaos I don’t need to worry about what’s for dinner every night. I got the coffee pot set up and I was ready for the work week. What a whirlwind weekend!!!
I took Monday night off and just rested and watched a movie – I needed a break – I was beat.
Tuesday morning I awoke to my first snow in the new house – it was beautiful and I was so thankful to already be moved in! Plus my furnace is a rockstar and I’ve actually had to turn it down! So on Tuesday night I stopped at the mall on my way home to grab a sweater for a funeral I have to attend this weekend and some jack-ass broke my passenger window and took my lunch sack that was sitting on the seat. I’m sure they thought it was something much better – like a purse or ipad – but instead they got my leftover Pita Pit sandwich and some hummus from lunch – and I got a broken window in the rain! So I had to drive the car home (thankfully not very far) and I put it in the backyard so that I could cover the window and hopefully no one would steal it over night! But in order to do that I had to move a pile of crap that the previous homeowners left (and when I say crap I mean it). I was so annoyed and tired and cranky! Elinor’s husband was awesome and came over to help me – just knowing that I have wonderful friends is enough, but when they show up to help it makes me so grateful! I got the window fixed and the place was great to work with but there goes another $200 bucks…. At that point I was glad to have a fenced backyard but was really wishing for a garage – the one thing that this house doesn’t have…. Someday though =)
Anyway, it’s almost Christmas Break and I’m going to be off work for almost a week so I know I can get a lot more done! I love unpacking and making a place my own but I wish I didn’t have so much cleaning to do… oh well, such is life as a new homeowner who got a great deal!!! Now for some photos, please pardon the mess and the piles but at least you’ll be able to tell a difference in the after photos right?!?!?
~from the new house by the new me.
Jessica
Upcoming:
Pancake breakfast for Christmas morning with my brother and Dad.
Washer and dryer can you please come live with me?
Basement clean-out and exercise area setup.
Window treatment ideas?!?
