Our family is moving into a hotel for a couple weeks starting today. (Willow is coming, too!) We looked at Airbnbs, month to month rentals and a hotel that allows pets seemed to be the biggest bang for our buck this time. We were lucky enough to find one closeby that had two adjoining rooms for two weeks that allowed dogs. Throw in free breakfast and a swimming pool and we're going to pretend like we're on a vacation. We'll call it a staycation. Our girls are actually SO excited and that makes me excited and takes a bit of the guilt and stress away that I've been feeling moving us out of our home in December.
We made the decision a little over a week ago after we confirmed that the new windows and doors would be arriving at our home December 4 or 5th. Our contractor has a team of people on standby ready to install them but it will still likely take a few days. Since we were needing to be out of the house anyway, we scheduled our flooring crew to come in and lay our new floors during that time as well. They actually made us a deal that they would do the removal of our current wood floors for free if they can keep them (sure!!) and they will be laying new wood floors throughout the first floor, up the stairs, in the hallways and into our bedroom and new closet.
And! We ordered new carpet for the girls' rooms and scheduled that also to be installed while we're in our hotel. So with all of these things happening, we felt it was best to group them all together and move into a hotel for a couple weeks while it's all going down. Part of me thinks it's a tall ask for all of these things to go smoothly enough to happen in the next two weeks, but our hopes are high!
Chris and I will still be working here most days, although our office is also getting wood flooring, so we'll shift when that happens, but we'll still be sharing progress along the way. While this move out definitely feels necessary for projects to be able to get done, I'm hoping it also gives us, our girls and Willow a little bit of rejuvenation and rest from living in a construction zone for the last 5 months. The two week countdown is on!
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I love that your making the best of your situation! Your story last night had me cracking up..the dog gets out & then your door shuts & your locked out. What a laughable moment. Lol
Having a pool in the cold weather must be nice for the kiddo's. Memories being made & a Dec. to never forget❤
Glad you were able to find a place that allows Willow to be with you and so happy that the girls are adjusting positively to the temporary quarters. Hope all goes according to plan and you are able to move back in a couple of weeks. So excited to see the changes!
Thinking of you and how hard this is at this time of year. Sending you love and strength. I understand it's a gift to remodel, but it's challenging...and it's your job. After the year you've had I hope this is fast and painless and your new memories are joyful. Thank you for being open and honest...I'm sure it's been more challenging than you've shared. I hope we all build one another up another this holiday season. Prayers for a seamless transition. You guys are rocking this!
Have you posted what flooring you are going to be putting down? Can’t wait to see everything come together!
Good luck!! I'm so excited to see all the progress, and I bet you will feel a million times better once you have a beautiful blank slate in your house to look at instead of all the not-so-beautiful features that were probably causing you visual stress. ❤️
(that said, this shot actually is really beautiful in its own way!!)
So excited for you all to be able to relax in your home and enjoy all the updates you have made. I am seriously on pins and needles waiting to see that great big window when it's done!
I'm so glad for you guys! It really WILL feel like a vacation I think, after all the ruckus and construction. I hope that it gives you rest and rejuvenation, and oh how good it will feel to have that new flooring under your feet, And that arch window! Oh I'm so excited for that!
So smart! Glad you guys made this decision, and I think it will be a December to remember! We had the most stressful December of our family's life 3 years ago, and now that we have some distance from it, we all remember it fondly!--including having moved into our home on Christmas Eve with only mattresses, Christmas gifts, and an area rug. Our new next-door neighbors, whom we'd never met, knew we didn't have a refrigerator yet and brought us breakfast on Christmas morning.
Wonder if it will be weird driving to work?! ;)
Hahaha, surely
Are you doing solid wood or wood tile again? Would you recommend doing wood tile again? I'm a little behind on y'alls renovation, but I've been considering wood tile ever since you installed it in your old home!
We actually LOVED our wood tile. I never worried for an instant about our floors. However, it is really expensive to install (we did it ourselves in our last house) but because this house is larger, we're going the wood route. We also don't have AS BIG of a dog as we had when we put those in.
We did something similar when I was kid and our home was being renovated. I was only 12 at the time but I remember it being a breath of fresh air during a very stressful so I know it must have been helpful to my parents. Here is hoping everything runs smoothly and stays on schedule!
In the middle of our home renovation we did a hotel for a week... all we could afford:/
It was such a needed break from concrete dust and workmen all around. I’ve heard since that you should include the “staycation” as part of your Reno budget. If I ever did a project of this size again I would never live in it till completed. Your family will get some much needed R&R now, happy for you and the kids and willow! Can’t wait to see the new floors!
Hope the hotel isn't too far away! It will be a memorable time for the girls, anything out of the ordinary will be memories that last- enjoy it while you can and I hope all the plans go smoothly!
It's very close. Just about five minutes!
Great idea. Having housekeeping make your bed and change and wash the sheets and towels is also a nice bonus!!
Our house flooded January 1, 2019 and we ended up living in a hotel for 3.5 months while it was rebuilt. Our hotel included breakfast, a pool, and free happy hour with a magician! Our 6 year old son still remembers it as the time of his life!! Have a fun staycation!
I'm thrilled your family will be someplace quiet and warm … and with a pool! I'll bet they'll have wonderful memories of this special Christmas.