Home Progress {Pictures}

"It takes hands to build a house, but only hearts can build a home." -unknown

The Hillers have taken up residence & are ready to build a home!

We moved into our new home on Friday, January 16. We are renting a 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom home with a fenced yard about three blocks from my husband's work. The home also includes a basement, which can be assessed from the outside. The basement is the size of the whole home, without the walls. Water and sewer are included in the rent. We pay the rent, electricity, heating oil, and trash pick up. If you missed my video tour of the home, you can view it here.

When we first viewed the home, we were not impressed with the exterior. In fact, it was a little... ugly. :-) But we definitely liked what we saw on the inside.

photography from a friend

Clean Up

As soon as I had the keys to our new home on Friday afternoon, I picked up my sisters and we went to scrubbing away. My younger sisters were such a blessing to me, as I cannot imagine how long it would have taken for me to clean the whole house myself. Not to mention I was already sore the next day. Being almost 34 weeks pregnant, I am sure climbing on counter tops wouldn't have helped me any.

A dear friend also stopped by and helped clean. She took a few photographs of us laughing, cutting up, talking cleaning.

We scrubbed the inside and outside of the cabinets and drawers, swept and mopped, scrubbed the baseboards/windows/ceiling fans. The kitchen and restroom were thoroughly cleaned. Everything was prepared for move in!

photography from a friend

photography from a friend

photography from a friend

Move In

Too bad I don't have any pictures of moving in. We were so busy! I didn't think to. My sisters went back to the motor home with me, helped me pack up (because I hadn't packed anything into boxes), loaded our mini van, and then unloaded the boxes at the new house. We made two runs before all of our things were in the new home.

Setting Up House

Did you ever play house as a child? You had everything right where you wanted it to be; and you had everything that you could want because your imagination ran wild. Or have you ever been to another woman's home as a young lady and thought, "Wow. This is what my house is going to look like."

Or... a recent craze... Pinterest. Enough said.

In each of these scenarios, we imagine what our home might be like, look like, feel like, even smell like. Then, we have reality-- the reality of the layout of our (actual) home and the reality of the things we (actually) have to use and put out.

I've been "setting up shop," knowing that I like simplicity, functionality, and an earthy-natural feel. The unique parts of my home will come in time.... I'll find a little thing here, a little thing there. Furniture will also come in time. I have plans for a piano, buffet, couches, dining room table, on and on. Little by little, things will come together and get loved on and become part of "home."

Without further ado, here's "home" less than a week after move-in.

The Kitchen

Perhaps my favorite area of the house! The kitchen is definitely the place I spend the most time, I'd say. Other than adding plants and decorations above the cabinets, there's not much I would like to add or change about this space. I like keeping my counter tops mostly clear for use. Only my cookbooks, cooking utensils, fruit, and a few canisters of grains/beans, etc are left out.

Also, I love my plant! My friend was so kind to give it to me as a house warming gift. It now resides just right of the sink (closer to the sink than the second picture indicates).

Saturday, January 17- My sisters and a friend baked pies for my birthday. I thought they made the kitchen look homey!

photography from a friend

A full view of the kitchen

The Living Area

I can already imagine living life out in this area. Food, fun, fellowship-- I can already see it! In fact, we had family and friends over for my birthday on Saturday, January 17- only a day after moving in. It must be a sign of what this home will be used for! In all seriousness, I want my home to be a welcoming place- a place people can gather, be themselves, and enjoy one another's company. I want my home to be used to bless people and to bless God.

A sweet friend offered her folding table and four camping chairs as a temporary dining room table/chairs. She also let us borrow her curtains (as seen in the second photograph down) while we waited to get some of our own.

We brought the two chairs and coffee table from Texas. Not many people realize it, but the brown chair on the left is actually a lawn chair I covered with a throw and pillow. haha :-)

As for the curtains... they're expensive! We thought we'd be able to do just one panel per set of windows. As you can see from the photographs, one panel did not cover the pair of windows. We went back to the store to buy three more panels of the same curtains. BUT... adventure, adventure... the store only had two more panels! So we bought the same curtains in a different color and put them on one pair of windows. The other two pairs of windows received the green curtains. You can see what I mean in the last photograph, although I only photographed one corner.

Our living area-- (sans the open area to the left because it's just wood floors and empty wall currently).

The curtains our friend let us borrow allowed so much sunshine in Sunday morning. It was glorious!!

Our new curtain set up. We also added a new pillow (the green circled one on the right), a decorative bowl, and game coasters. I like to keep our Bibles under the coffee table for when we have guests and Bible studies.

Abigail's Nursery/Guest Room

We currently have plans to co-sleep with Abigail; however, she needs a place for her toys, clothes, and other items. She will have the front room for those things. We recently bought a futon that will go in this room after my husband unloads it, and I clean it. The futon will be used for guests to sleep on when visiting. I also hope to include a rocking chair, but since that's an extra, we'll see if we want to spend money on it.

I have not unpacked this room at all yet.... It's on my to-do list!

If we have the space after the futon (and possible rocking chair), I might like to do a table for crafts and what not. It would be a nice place for me to scrapbook, make cards/write letters, sew, etc. Once Abigail is bigger, it'd also be a good place for her to paint, draw, sensory explore, etc.

The front of the room.

The back of the room-- we recently bought a rod to hang the grey curtains on this window, as well.

The Laundry Room/Pantry

We have a very large laundry room and pantry shelf. I couldn't get all of the room in my picture, but you get the idea. We have a window on the wall behind where I stood for this photograph. We also have two windows to the left of where I stood. A large white closet is against the wall that I am facing. You can see part of the large pantry shelf. This is the room that currently holds boxes of books-- books that need a bookshelf. It also holds the other items that we haven't put into the house or out of the house yet. The mudroom is off of the laundry room (see door with panels).

We need to buy a washer and dryer for the room. I would like to either buy a drying rack or hang a clothes line for drying. Depending on the room space after those items are added, I may also put a table for crafts in here (if not in Abigail's room). Just depends... :-)

The Bathroom

Nothing too fancy here, but I like a clean and clutter free restroom. I would like to eventually add decorations, but I'm not to that point just yet (with items or time).

Our restroom is extremely functional, though. We have a lot of storage space (see white cabinets in photograph). The medicine cabinet is spacious, too. I love that the sink is detached from the counter space because that gives me lots of space to do my hair or to set clothes out for after a shower, etc.

The bathroom can be accessed through the master bedroom or from the laundry room.

We have storage under the sink, counter top, and medicine cabinet; wowsers!

Our restroom only has a shower area-- no bath tub. The white cabinets have very deep storage area.

Our Bedroom

Finally, our bedroom-- our PURPLE bedroom!! :-) I love purple, and thankfully, this purple is very deep, so it's not too feminine. It looks regal. Our bedroom has a large closet with mirror sliding doors and one window. It also only has one power outlet, which is odd.

As of right now, our bed is on the floor. I have plans to get it off the floor, bring Zac's white chair in (that's currently in the living room), and put containers in the closet instead of a storage. I bought an end table recently to go beside the bed, but it's not in the photograph.

Our purple room!

Five Days Into It

So there you have it-- our home five days into it. I am looking forward to how the Lord is going to provide more necessary furnishings and how He is going to teach me how to keep the home in peace, love, meekness, and gentleness.

More than anything, my desire is that our home will be used to bless Him and bless others. I envision our home being used for Bible studies and fellowship. I envision our home being a place where our daughter and any future children can grow up, learn, laugh, and enjoy life. I envision our home being the first place our daughter and any future children see their father and mother living life for and with Christ-- see us and hear us in prayer, showing love/kindness to one another, being a friend to others.

Stay tuned for future "home progress" posts; we'll get a couch and dining room table one of these days! :-)

God bless you and keep you,

~Raquel