One of the questions we are asked repeatedly is, “What are you looking for in your next house?!” A lot of people have asked this and is it too obscure to say “a feeling?” All of our homes have been very different and I suspect our next home will be different as well, but I want to walk in and feel at home from the start! I’d love something smaller in an area where every house is unique. I don’t need sprawling acreage like we have now or sprawling square footage. Our youngest two have even expressed interest in sharing a room which could take our bedroom count down. I would love something that has some character to it and lots of mature trees surrounding it. Something traditional? It would be really nice to have a separate place for our team to work–whether that be a studio/guest house out back or a room that has its own entrance. We’d love a spot for a pool for the girls and close access to lots of natural grocery stores and restaurants with vegan/grain free options. I always love a house that we can improve and make our own, but to be honest, I’m worried about one thing. The other night, we were laying in bed and I told Chris, “I’m not sure I have it in me to start over with a new gut renovation.” It was and is a very scary and vulnerable thing to say out loud. Especially since our renovations are also a part of our livelihood. Every time I see a fixer upper I get so excited and my brain won’t stop thinking of the possibilities. But I don’t think I’m interested in tackling changing an entire floor plan or exterior again right away. Sometimes I daydream about an older home that is full of charm and updates already and we can just go in and put our own spin on it and I think that would be my ideal. Â Occasionally, I even think about a new home. We’ve never bought/built a new home and that doesn’t excite me as much but maybe I just haven’t seen one that gives me that feeling. We’ve toyed with the idea of buying a house for us to live in and a house for us to work on which also sounds fun. I think ultimately, we’re looking for something liveable, that makes us feel at home from the start. A place where we can breathe and be calm and make it our own slowly (and a place where we can ABSOLUTELY renovate the kitchen–our favorite). So we’re starting there THIS WEEKEND! Wish us luck on the hunt.
Other fun things this week
• This house taught me that it’s WAY harder and WAY more expensive renovating the exterior of a house and so we’d love to prioritize the exterior being something we love. I find myself saving a lot more exteriors right now, including this one above via here. (this one also made my heart skip a beat.)
• Therapists review Disney relationships.
• This, the cutest mirror!, is finally back in stock. Here are a few other new favorites from UO home. (They’re killing it!)
• The outdoor chairs from the Oprah interview with Meghan and Harry are SO AFFORDABLE!
• This might be silly, but if you’re someone that has to take multiple medications throughout the day, this case is incredible!!! I haven’t stopped telling Chris how much I love it.
• This new sourcing trick on Google is blowing my mind!
Weekend Sales!
Abercrombie: Up to 30% off! (loving this)
CB2: Up to 20% off organization and 25% off lighting (need this color too)
J.Crew: Up to 40% off Spring Essentials + extra 15% off with code extra (a classic)
Mango: Bye Bye Winter Sale up to 50% off! (*adds to cart*)
McGee & Co.: Extra 25% off sale items with code EXTRAEXTRA (one of my favorite pillows)
Modsy: 20% off design packages with code SUNSHINE
Old Navy: Up to 50% off + extra 30% off at checkout! (need this and these for the girls)
Rejuvenation: Up to 50% off living room sale! (yes and yes)
Serena & Lily: 20% off with code NEWLEAF (gorg)
Target: 15% off bed & bath, 20% off tops, shorts & shoes with Target Circle, it’s free to join! (cutie lumbar)
I’ve seen that you mentioned the interest in a pool, do all your kids know how to swim, if not do you have any ideas for how you plan to keep them safe with a body of water in the yard? I am curious because my husband really wants to invest in a pool and my younger three do not know how to swim yet. The thought makes me very anxious and
I was wondering if you had any ideas.
All three of our girls have taken swim lessons since they were little but safety is always on our minds too!
I thought this house was your forever home? Why are you all moving so quickly?
Check out “Our Next Chapter” blog post.
Dear Julia
Last night, Sunday, March 14, you posted a Q & A on your channel, asking your viewers, “What feature about a house would keep you from buying it?” I thought it was a great question to ask and share with others, as I agreed with most of the responses sent to you.
Unfortunately, I did not write the responses down, and when I went back on to your channel today to do so, the highlight was missing.
By any chance did you make a list of the answers you received? If so, would you mind either posting them or sending me a copy of them all? I would really appreciate it.
Like you, I am feeling that I have to leave the home in which I am living, and although not perfect, there are so many things about my home I love. And, in my next home, I would love to avoid some of the things I might not have thought about before signing on the dotted line.
Thank you in advance for your assistance.
May you be blessed with better health and access to great healthcare where you decide to live.
I wish you and your family all the best.
I totally get the feeling thing. I looked at what felt like 5 million houses before I found mine and when I walked in the front door of my house I was like, “This is it. We belong together.”. It didn’t meet all my must haves, but that didn’t matter. The important things were in good shape, and it was just right. My realtor told me that I would just know, but I’m the most INDECISIVE person on the planet and I did not believe her. I’m glad she was right.
I’m very interested to see if you go modern cottage again. I’m assuming that you plan on decorating in your style, but also let the style of the house you choose lead you in a more specific direction. Is that the plan? Or are you hoping to jump right back into modern cottage vibes?
I definitely like to listen to the house and see how it feels. For sure would love a modern cottage vibe but we’ll see what we find