post-move brain dump!

Can you believe we are 23 days post-moving? If you’re new (welcome!), my family and I just left our beloved first home in State College, PA to journey back to our native land, Canada! 

Writing that number down doesn’t seem real. A lot (LOT!) has happened in those 23 days, and even more since my last post here. Back in SC, I knew time would run very quickly, so I chose to make the most of the days and hours we had left in our small town and home every chance I could.

Our last two weeks of summer in State College (aka Happy Valley) were maximized with playground trips, friend hangouts, and lots of local ice cream!

Now that we’re on the other side and have most of the not-so-fun-stuff checked off our list, I feel a space in my brain where new home/life ideas are unfolding. And rather than keep them to myself, I want to get you in on mu thoughts. Here’s what I’ve brainstormed so far:

• small space living. Lessons learned from our 23 day stay in a 2 bed/1 bath basement suite, including what each of us missed and appreciated most about our home.

• recs for vacay rentals. Thoughtful details that make guests feel at home and want to come back, as well as the "invisible" elements (like air conditioning!) that can make or break a rental experience.

• moving 101. A guide to getting through the before, during, and after of an international move. (**perhaps this could turn into an e-book…thoughts??)

• setting up space. Where and how to start home life in a new place, with a focus on big kids (8+ yo) and their transition.

• recycle reboot. Saskatoon has a ROBUST recycling system, and a plethora of resources for how, what, and where to recycle just about anything. It’s exciting to become part of an earth-conscious community. By speading the word, I hope to inspire others to learn and jump in on the recycling options available in theirs.

So, what do you think? Which of these peak your curiosity or speak to you personally? For me, establishing place in a small space is going to be a recurring theme for our first year here. Transitioning from our 2-storey colonial home into a 3 bedroom townhouse will be challenging physically, but even more so emotionally. I may be the only one in my crew that’s excited for it because finding what works within a defined space is what I LOVE to do!

Let me know your thoughts on my brain dump in the comments. Full transparency, it may be a minute before I get to write these posts up. We move into our one-year lease townhouse rental TOMORROW, so it’s gonna be a little chaotic for the next while. If you want to see pieces of the progress and process, follow me on Instagram @iplusdpa to catch my Stories!

Grateful you’re here and thanks so much for being on this next home journey with us!

Always,