Creating Home During Transition

It was a year and a half ago that Mitch and I moved into our house and I remember that year as one of great transition. We had graduated from Eastern University in May of 2012, both got jobs in close proximity to each other soon after, and were engaged in November of that same year. With a wedding date set for September of 2013, a fresh graduation under our belts, and new full time jobs, we were in no short supply of life changes. So what did we do? We bought a house. Because why not one more thing, right?

Right after we bought the house (June of 2013), Mitch moved in- literally, the day after we signed the papers. He had been renting a place in town and we decided to get him moved in as soon as possible to save from having to pay rent and a mortgage at the same time. Right after college, I moved back home with my parents and lived there until we were married in September, when I moved into the house with Mitch. What I remember of that year is a feeling of not being settled, not having a “final base”.

While it was great living with my parents and Mitch had a good set up at the house, our lives were very much in limbo. Commuting, working, planning a wedding, and renovating the house proved to be a perfect storm and there were definitely days when we pined for boredom. Longed for a time when there would be no back and forth.

It was difficult to create home during such a transition. But it’s important, and I know that now. My mom was great about it- she helped load all of our wedding shower presents into closets, cabinets, and drawers right away. I was hesitant. For some reason, I wanted to wait until every piece of the puzzle had worked itself out before I attempted to organize, set up furniture, hang a mirror in the bathroom, etc. I think I was waiting for the house to feel like home before I put the energy into creating our home.

What I learned from that season of life is that there is something really important about doing the small stuff to enjoy the moment instead of waiting for everything to land in its final place before we make the effort. I found that as soon as I began doing that- hanging a picture, organizing my jewelry, painting the bathroom cabinet (who cares if it ends up being a different color down the line?)- I was suddenly more at home in our house. Even if the things I did would change in the future, I learned that I couldn’t be so caught up in waiting for that to happen that I didn’t start living and creating now.

That’s a long introduction to the real story I wanted to tell you about… a good example of how just the smallest things (however temporary they might be) can make the biggest difference in feeling settled and content at any moment of your life. One of my good friends, Kristin- we were roommates in college our sophomore year- just bought a house with her husband Alex. Here, let me introduce you…

This is their first house and they are knee deep in paint, fixtures, and decor. Fun, right?! Part of me is jealous that they have such a blank canvas to create on. 🙂 The other week, I visited her house for the first time for a girls’ night and had so much fun taking the tour and listening to all of her dreams and plans for her home. We talked about what could go where, what color each room could be, and all of the changes they wanted to make. The biggest is removing the two walls that separate their kitchen from the dining room and the dining room from the living room.

Later that night, we were sitting on the couch by the fireplace and I asked Kristin what she was thinking of putting on the wall directly above the mantel. A picture? Mirror? She told me that eventually, the plan was to mount the TV (which is currently sitting on a cabinet on a different wall) up there, but that that would have to wait until the living room wall came down, which would have to wait until the kitchen wall came down, etc. So, for now, they didn’t want to invest in something that would later be removed, just to fill the space. Which is completely understandable- why spend money when you know you’re planning on something different in the future?

But the conversation got us to talking about the sentiment of creating home where you are, even if it’s temporary. We talked about what could go up there that wouldn’t cost any money. Something they already had. A mirror not being used for anything right now? A series of glass jars with candles in them? Or, my personal favorite, a collection of different sized frames/canvases/etc. all layered on top of each other? It was fun to dream, but we left it at that and continued with the night.

The very next day, back at home I got a text from Kristin with a picture attached, saying that our conversation had inspired her to dig around in what she had and put something together on the mantel. And, I have to say, it turned out beautifully. 

Is it a forever thing? Probably not, but it’s amazing how much more it feels like home, like them. There is a sense of peace that comes with creating a sanctuary among stress, transition, and change. It doesn’t matter if it’s random or temporary. The value of creating home wherever you are and in whatever season of life you find yourself- high school, dorm life, apartment, first home, last home, someone else’s home (within reason, of course)- is priceless.

So go for it- put out a bowl of all those postcards from your travels, hang those Christmas lights all around your dorm room, set the table even if no one is coming- your life and your contentment in the now is worth it.

I’d love to hear from you- what are the things in your life that make you feel most at home? That help you enjoy the moments you’re at when you’re at them?

PS. Want to be featured, just like Kristin? If you have a room reveal, project you’ve completed, or any example of how you’ve made your life and home (which could be house, apartment, bedroom, dorm room, whatever!) better reflect YOU we want to hear about it! And show you off to our readers! Click here to tell us more about it.