Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Our Second House-iversary

This week, Aaron and I celebrate our two year house-iversary. Hard to believe that it's already been 730 plus days since we packed up our two bedroom apartment and journeyed just down the road to our first home. We have really really enjoyed home-ownership and all that comes along with it: hosting friends and parties, sharing meals around the table, spending evenings in the hammock out back, and yes, even the silly old squirrels in our attic (because everyone needs a home-ownership laugh). Not only have we treasured having our home filled with love and laughter, but we've also really enjoyed truly making it ours. I like to say that home decor and upgrades are kind of like wedding planning with no deadline. We can take our sweet time thinking about, dreaming up, and eventually going through with our plans for our space. And this year has been no different.

Yes, there is a pontoon boat parked in our drive. No, it's not ours. It's Aaron's dad's, and Aaron is fixing it.

Year one involved a new roof (thanks to a hail storm!), painting our smallest bedroom, buying a new couch, re-staining the deck and replacing some boards, and fixing up one side of our fence. Not to mention just nesting and figuring out decor in general, while staying on a budget.

Year two has been a fun year that has allowed us to focus on some more cosmetic upgrades...as well as the oh so fun replacement of the compressor for our air conditioning. (It's just money...right??) But really, home ownership is wonderful overall, and we love it. Here are a few glimpses of what we've been up to this year!

OUTDOOR LANDSCAPING and DECOR



We had an amazing time putting some little touches in our backyard that made a huge difference: think globe lights, hanging baskets, and some fun light fixtures. Oh, and I may have gotten serious poison ivy three times, but it was worth it for our great new rosebushes and hydrangea (and a few questionably successful strawberry plants). See more about how we did it in this post.

Got this cute thing at Kohl's for free on Clearance with Kohl's cash and a coupon. Winning! 

THE GUEST ROOM

Over Christmas break 2014, I decided that the half blue/half dark brown with a stripe through the middle paint job wasn't really something I was feeling for our guests. We used a coupon and got a half price gallon of paint in "Hops" that made this sweet room much more cozy. I moved over the bedspread and $10 curtains from our bedroom, and we bought the side table on clearance from Nebraska Furniture Mart. I repainted an old bookshelf of my Grandpa's, and we found a great set of lamps on sale. I grabbed two old window frames at First Fridays to make this room complete on a budget. In just the last month, we have had 12 guests stay through our Airbnb listing, and we already have 7 more booked for this month! 

THE SHED

One of "our" main projects this summer (mainly Aaron's, and my Dad's, and Aaron's brother's) was building a shed in our backyard. Our garage didn't necessarily have a whole lot of space, so the thought was to turn the empty concrete slab in our backyard into a shed that would be big enough to house lawnmowers, weedeaters, snowblowers, and the like. Aaron was also hoping to have a place where he would work on all of his little projects, while at the same time freeing up our garage for more of his car work. Thus, the shed. Last summer we ended up jackhammering out the old, crooked, slab, and pouring our own new one. This summer involved holding up siding in muddy puddles, spending hot summer days shingling the roof, and getting in some good practice with nail and staple guns. The finish product still needs to be painted to match our house, but it looks pretty dang good. (And we saved a whole lot of money tackling it ourselves).

THE BASEMENT


This year we did a few (once again, cheap) decorative updates to our basement. If we're going to spend the majority of our time lounging down here, I wanted to like it! I painted the area above the mantle white so it would tie in with our "door" coffee table that Aaron made (which I also painted white). Aaron's grandma gave us some creamy white curtains of hers that were't being used. I found some throw pillows that I loved at Marshall's and IKEA, and we put the other lamp from Nebraska Furniture mart on the side table that Aaron built. Proof that a room can be comfy and cozy without haven't to buy very much at all! We love this space.

THE FRONT ROOM



This summer I finally tackled the gallery wall I'd been dreaming of and planning for quite some time. I had been patiently finding very very cheap things here and there that really accomplished the theme I was going for: Places We Love. I was able to find photos and maps that showed places like Cancun, the Southwest, Kansas City, and Columbia. My black and white color scheme with a red accent helped me tie it in with the rest of the front room (which we haven't purchase ANYTHING for other than that "Hey Y'all" pillow from Hobby Lobby and the gallery wall items which literally cost me less than $30 total). For more tips on how to make an amazing, personalized gallery wall, check out this post. Next on the list: lamps and possibly some red curtains.

THE DINING ROOM (A Work in Progress)


I hit some major sales at Kohl's and scored these two curtain panels for $0.25 total. Seriously, friends. They are a nice, neutral, more peaceful set than the ones that were up when we moved in. I'm planning to paint the top half of our dining room a peaceful pale green instead of the goldish color that it currently is. Excited to have it feel a little more homey and a little more "us". I haven't done anything in the dining room until now, and I'm feeling good about the change!


I am so thankful for our sweet first home. It is a place we love, especially when it's filled with those we love. Home ownership has taught us so much about patience, going with the flow, budgeting, hospitality, hard work, and learning to be thankful for everything you're given. Year two is in the books folks. (Shout out to our friend Michelle for taking our year one and year two pics!) Excited to see what year three will bring! From our home to yours, happy fall!

Currently,
Kelsie

18 comments:

  1. Congrats on being in your home 2 years! We've been in our new home about a year and a half and also ended up replacing our roof due to a hail storm.

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    1. Thanks so much, Julie! We were seriously doing our happy dance when it started hailing...a blessing for sure! Thanks for stopping by :)

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  2. What a cool post Kelsie and thanks for the visit! As someone that has lived in apartments for most of my adult life, I'm definitely inspired to find my own home someday!(Lord willing) It is amazing to see all the projects you have done so efficiently and beautifully too. I really love the basement! They do not have that many here in Texas but I loved the one we had back in Iowa! I pray that God continues to give you many more years in your beautiful home! God bless you and yours:)

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    1. Thanks so much, Horace! Apartments and homes definitely each have their pluses and minuses, but we really do love living in our home. Thank you for the compliment- the basement is definitely one of our very favorite spaces. It's so funny to me that some people don't have basements- I have always grown up with them. Again, thanks for your kind words and prayers! May God bless you as well :)

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  3. I love this mini home tour and I LOVE how budget-friendly all your decorating has been. Can't wait to see the dining room!

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    1. Thanks, Abby! Budget-friendly is definitely my style..and I just wait and wait on things until I find something that's a good deal and that I like. Excited to share how it ends up! Thanks for stopping by.

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  4. Congrats on your second year! My husband and I have been in our home a little under a year, and I love decorating on a budget too. Your deal on the dining room curtains was crazy good! I grew up in Iowa and Nebraska, so it was fun to read that you shopped at Nebraska Furniture Mart. I currently live in FL. :)

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    1. Thanks so much, Emily! Decorating on a budget is seriously the best...for your wallet too :) I LOVE Nebraska Furniture Mart! We got our comfy sectional couch there, as well as the lamps and side table for our guest room. We will probably bite the bullet and buy a king bed soon...so I'm sure we will be back there again!

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  5. Congrats girl!! Looks like you and your man are really making a house a home!!! Adorable, just like the two of you!! Can't wait for more pics!!!

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    1. Thanks so much, Andrea! We have really had a lot of fun with it. You're too sweet :) Excited to hopefully have more to share in the near future!

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  6. Hi Kelsie, Visiting from Tuesday Talk (co-host) and do you know why I enjoyed reading this post. Because it is so real and a look at what hard-working, grateful and not afraid of a little elbow work people do to take care of something they love. You both remind me of my husband and I when we were first starting out with homeownership. I will be featuring this post on my anniversary issue of Tuesday Talk next week. Please stop by Grammie Time and see. Lovely home, great work you all are doing.

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    1. Hi Michelle! WOW! Thanks you so very much! I am so excited and honored! I will definitely stop by and see. You are so right, a little hard work is so worth it to take care of our home. Thanks again for stopping by!

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  7. You have been busy but it looks all so lovely! Thanks for linking up to #jystanotherlinky xx

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    1. You are so right- busy but very worth it. Thanks so much for having me :)

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  8. Aah it's such a lovely home too :) The 'to-do' list when you own your own home is never ending isn't it? There's never enough time — or money — to finish it all!! ;) Thanks so much for linking up with us — hope to see you next time :) #TwinklyTuesday

    Caro | www.thetwinklediaries.co.uk

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    1. Well thanks so much, Caro! You are so right- the to-do list truly is never-ending. But it's fun. Thanks so much for hosting, I'm looking forward to linking up again soon!

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  9. Your home has come together so very lovely. I especially love the basement area! What a blessing :) Thank you for sharing with us on the Art of Home-Making Mondays!

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    1. Thanks so much, Jes! The basement is one of our very favorite areas as well. Thanks so much for having me- I enjoyed it!

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