Today's Playlist: Home- Michael Buble Don't Know Why- Norah Jones Each Day Gets Better- John Legend (Because music is the perfect backdrop for everything...click on the links above to listen) I know it is a cliche saying, but there truly is "No Place Like Home." My home is my favorite place in the world; it is my safe place and a place where I want my family to feel comfortable and loved. They are what make it a home, but I like to try and add to the love by creating a cozy environment. I know that they appreciate it and that makes it worth it. I spend a lot of energy and time on my house, perhaps too much. In fact, I am a little obsessed with making it cozy and "just right." Over the years, I have developed a passion for decorating and I like to think I have a knack for putting design elements together just right. I love decorating for holidays and different seasons too, so my house always looks different depending on the time of year. Overall, I am not a materialistic person, but I do take pride in making my small home as nice and welcoming as possible and I would love to share my special space and ideas with you. I moved into my current house only about three years ago, when we relocated from our house near Columbus, Ohio back to my hometown in the Ohio Valley (on the border of the northern panhandle of WV). Although the move came at a really rocky time in my life, I am glad to be back in a small town and away from all the traffic and such that come with life near a big city. When we moved back to the Valley, we downsized our home by about half in an attempt to simplify our life (and our bills). The little home we bought is only about 1200 sq. feet on the main floor, with an additional unofficial 700 sq. feet of living space in the basement. With the help of some friends, we made some extra bedrooms in the basement to make the most of every inch of the house, which has actually ended up fitting us just right. Even though it looks tiny (from the front), we have five bedrooms and 2.5 baths. When we moved in, I was sharing my home with my husband, six children, my mother-in-law, and a dog. Slowly, that number is getting smaller as our family dynamics change; therefore, it already does not look the same as when we moved in. Before moving in, I took tons of pictures and began studying all the aspects of the home inside and out to envision how I would decorate it and make it my own. Starting with a blank slate was so much fun...here are some pictures of our new house before we moved in and when we first began some renovations. By the time we moved in, I had gotten tons of stuff at thrift stores and country/antique shops, along with some decorations I already had, and I was ready to make my new house a home. I already had some idea of what I wanted to do and it didn't take long for me to make some big changes. You would be amazed at what you can do with a limited budget and a little creativity. I found it really helpful to pin ideas to a board on Pinterest so I could then print off the board and take the pictures with me to thrift stores and yard sales. Here are some pictures of different areas in my house when I was done adding my personal touch. I hope you can get some good ideas! It was hard work getting all this done during what was the most difficult year of our life. (You can read more about that later on the Faith and Reflection blog page.) So, I was very pleased and content and definitely grateful for the times I got to be at home to relax and enjoy my new digs. It is fun to look back and see what everything looked like when I first decorated it. I don't know whether it is due to boredom or just a constant state of change in my life, but not a whole lot looks the same anymore. We have had to shuffle bedrooms several times in the last three years and the displays in my house move around on a daily basis sometimes. I get teased because things will often be in a different place by the end of the day if I don't think they look right. Being a perfectionist is exhausting (Lol). In an upcoming post, I will share with you some of the different ways I have changed the decorations and displays in my home since we first moved. See what my house looks like now and some ideas I have for the upcoming months. Until next time...
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AuthorHello and WELCOME to my site! My name is Amanda Yates and I am a 44year-old mom of six children from a blended family. I am a middle school teacher and a passionate follower of Christ. In my "free" time, I love decorating my home, organizing, studying scripture, camping, and making every attempt to get my life "just right." I am blessed beyond measure! Archives
March 2020
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Life Just Right. | Home & "Perfection" Blog |