I’ve always said that moving is a 6 month process. Especially when it’s an overseas move.
There is a two month prequel of scheduling appoints, supervising movers, and clearing.
Then there is the part where you say goodbye to the place you’ve called home,
goodbye to dear friends who are your adopted family,
and begin your journey to a new place.
We chose to spend our time visiting family and traveling to some of our favorite places.
Like the southern shores of Lake Superior on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
During this time of transition, we were also doing all the paperwork to buy our first home.
So now we are here.
In our beautiful new home.
Our things are finally here.
And I’m completely overwhelmed at times.
There are boxes to be unpacked. Closets to organize.
Meals to be prepared. Laundry to be folded.
An adorable rambunctious puppy to train.
During this time of stress, I’ve found that I need to focus most on our family.
That there is fun to be had in surprise afternoon rain…
That it’s ok to rest in the shade and simply savor the sound of giggles…
That no matter how stressful life gets, family is what is most important.
What are your creative tips for making a house a home?
How do you keep your family in focus during stressful seasons in life?
July 31, 2012 at 10:34 am
Love you, sweetie. Can’t wait to see more of the house, I’m so thrilled for you guys!
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July 31, 2012 at 10:52 am
For making a house a home, we always PAINT! It instantly warms up a space! We always try to arrive before our stuff so we can paint without anything in the way (all paint supplies go in the car and come with us, not on the truck). Since the kids have been old enough to notice, we set up their rooms first, so they are ready to go and so they have a place to retreat to during the unpacking process. After the paint, it’s putting up the things everyone likes and remembers they make the house a HOME for the next few years…. and of course, filling it with old memories and new experiences. Good luck in your new adventures! We are still looking for our new home overseas….can’t wait to find it and settle in!!
July 31, 2012 at 2:34 pm
My daughter-in-love tries to quickly put up the family photos & decor so no matter where they are it still feels and looks like home
July 31, 2012 at 4:53 pm
I like to have my girls’ bedrooms done first! They love to get their things and make themselves at home quickly! For me, I take my time because I never know what I am going to use, have to get rid of, or buy new! But I would say our family room is my most important room to focus on! Also trying to establish our routine helps us feel at home! Yes moving from overseas by far is the hardest!
Moving these days is a pain for me! I am so over moving!
July 31, 2012 at 11:40 pm
Hi, I am glad you are in the new house and all seemed to work out well. We are moving back stateside from South Korea and it’s nuts. With a new baby, 5 weeks old, Orders not corrected yet, EFMP being late, no flight dates but having our DEROS in 3 days…it’s nuts. We scheduled movers, car shipment and everything else to happen in three days and we’ll see when we will actually get outta here.
Yours sounds less stressful HAHA … Can’t wait to see more of the new house and hope y’all have a blast!!
xoxo Silke
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August 1, 2012 at 6:47 am
Great ideas everyone! I will recommend to hubby that we set up kids’ rooms first. It makes perfect sense, especially since they’ve missed their “stuff” so much. lol
Ann Marie, I absolutely LOVE the file folders in the trunk!!! Miss you!
August 1, 2012 at 7:52 am
Like stated by Katie above we paint…military white walls out and some color in! I will be busy painting this weekend, as long as signing for the house goes as planned on Friday. Our HHG come on Monday and it so much easier to have nothing in the rooms before painting…although finding colors when everything is still in a storage locker may be a challange
Good luck as you continue settling in!
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August 1, 2012 at 4:47 pm
That photo of the kids in the kitchen surrounded by packing paper is absolutely priceless! Congratulations on surviving the transition & enjoying your new (own!) home!!!
August 1, 2012 at 4:52 pm
I’m in the process now (literally movers at the house!), exhausting!!!!! Congrats on your new adventure!
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August 4, 2012 at 9:35 am
Congrats on your home! Our overseas PCS went the other way – trying to sell our home, then trying to rent it when it didn’t sell, and adapting to a rental for the first time in over 6 years. For me, it’s the kitchen and the kid’s room first. Some good sleep and good food are a good start!
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August 6, 2012 at 12:41 am
Movie overseas is really quite stressful. In fact, there are many things to accomplish during this time and it needs a lot of effort and time so for sure you are experiencing hard time.
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August 6, 2012 at 5:25 pm
We moved overseas too, yes that really takes time
Andreja
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August 9, 2012 at 8:29 pm
It is really stressing moving overseas yet you still look beautiful.