Okay, so the decision is final. We are not going to buy the house (exaggerated sigh of disappointment here). We are also not going to rush into renting or buying in order to meet a deadline, although a new baby's arrival is a pretty good deadline. The plan is that I'll turn our house into a super-organized cozy home for 3 and we'll make it work for a few months while we look for an alternative.
Why not just rent? We're not really of the mindset to move and rent (which would be really expensive in Bowie for the size we need) just to move again several months later when we find something we want to buy and renovate. Also, for the entire pregnancy, I've been operating under the assumption that we'll move soon and just making do and putting stuff off. Now, it's time to clean out and strip down to the bare essentials and make things functional and organized (i.e. more efficient for me when the baby gets here). For example, these are all of the small appliances I had crammed into the corner cabinet that have maybe been used once since we moved in 2 1/2 years ago:
I've already gone through my clothes and will donate a very large portion to Goodwill. Everything in the desk and under the bed has been consolidated or stored. Really, as far as cleaning things out, all I have left to go is a few things in the closet and all of the glassware and decorative stuff in the kitchen that I need/want help packing away. All of this cleaning out is leaving empty drawers and cabinets for the baby's stuff, which I will also try to keep to a need it or store it basis. I have a plan to store a few items of furniture (table which we don't eat at and a large overstuffed chair we don't sit in) and make room for a crib, changing table and dresser set. I'll take before and after pics. Then, I may treat myself to having a cleaning lady come in and do all of the really awful cleaning (dusting all the stuff on the fridge, scrub the cabinets, clean the baseboards and deep clean the carpet) right before he gets here
And I don't think I'm really wasting my time with all of this packing up and cleaning out- it would have to be done before we move anyway. And then I'll know what is absolutely essential, so we can move the non-essential stuff first and then all of the must-have stuff in one day for the final move.
Okay, now I have a plan with a timeline and a checklist of things to do. [Insert brave smile here]
T-minus 2 months and counting.....
Good luck! You'll get it all done just in time for your little guy! We were in a very similar situation when we moved to DFW. Getting organized and nesting will help those last months pass quickly.
ReplyDeleteI think yall made the right choice! You guys dont need to be worried about space just yet with the new baby. Be able to enjoy the sweet baby and your time with your new family and then look down the road. I will tell you this, with out first I thought I needed everything for the baby and you dont....with the 2nd I didnt even want a changing table because I never used it. We always changed on our bed or the living room floor couch ect. Just a thought. Good luck with it all and cant wait till he gets here for yall to show off to us.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement, ladies! I kind of have a list of essentials in my mind and will focus on all of that stuff. Clutter drives me absolutely batty, so it will be a must to not just have things laying around. I took before pictures last night, so I'll get everything situated in the next month (hopefully before the baby shower?) and then do all the rest of my to-do list.
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