A Lakeside Renovation Journey: Embracing Change

In the blink of an eye, our Texas house was sold, and with it came a mix of emotions that turned our world upside down. Accepting an offer on our home meant more than just a real estate transaction; it meant uprooting our lives once again. The realization hit hard – we were actually doing this… Again… It was a mix of emotions,  knowing a change was crucial, but it doesn’t mean that change came easy or without a lot of mom guilt and projects ahead.

A Texan Detour

Just a year earlier, we had moved from New York to Texas for a promising job opportunity. However, our Texas life wasn’t what I hoped for,  truthfully the entire time we were in Texas life wasn’t aligning with our values. I felt like I was constantly compromising how I wanted to raise my kids to try and make this community work for us.  The amount of guilt I felt moving our family to Texas and not having it worked out the way I thought consumed me for MONTHS.

We lived in the most beautiful master-planned community. Our home was over 5,000 square feet and had two staircases, the kids had toy rooms and even their own living room. The backyard was beautifully landscaped with a gorgeous pool. But deep down the picturesque master-planned community we lived in lacked the charm, character, and lakeside allure I craved. Not to mention, the recreational opportunities that we value were completely lacking. The ability to hike and explore nature or take the boat out just wasn’t a reality where we lived.

Staying in Texas meant not living life on my terms, and not sticking to my core values on how I wanted to raise my family. I knew something had to give…  

The Big Move

Thirteen months after leaving New York, we found ourselves packed up and on the road again. This time, our destination was a small town in South Carolina, a town we never heard of by a lake we had never laid eyes on – Lake Keowee. The anticipation, nerves, and overwhelming feelings accompanied us as we approached our new house.

I tried to prepare the kids for what life would be like… Our ability to boat and explore the water right from our backyard, and living at the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains meant hiking opportunities were plenty.  But just because the recreational opportunities were vast and exciting it didn’t mean the house we were living in was going to be… At least not at first.

Downsizing Dilemma

The stark contrast between our previous 5,000+ square foot Texan home and our new lake house couldn’t have been more apparent.  The lake house is about 1/3 the size (seriously the living room barely fits a standard couch), the rooms haven’t been painted in 27+ years, and the finishes are well… questionable at best. And when you pull up to this lakeside house, you are greeted with a tired home in desperate need of a facelift and some serious landscaping.

I knew this drastic change was going to be hard on the kids, heck it is hard on me. But I tried to remind myself it’s not the house itself that makes it a home, it’s the feeling when you walk in, it’s how you decorate it that turns a house from just being a house to one that is a home. 

Lindsey’s Heartfelt Question

As we were showing the kids around our new house, the innocence of my youngest, Lindsey, brought a wave of emotions. As she was holding back tears, as she looked around her new room she said, “Mom, are we poor now?” Transitioning from a grand Texas residence to a humble one in South Carolina was a challenge, especially for an eight-year-old with no concept of the costs involved in living lakeside. 

Transforming the Ordinary

Oof, that moment felt heavy, I tried so hard to put myself in her shoes. We just moved… again, and the comforts and size of a home she once knew completely changed. How was I going to not only make it “ok” for her but make this new space become the home she is proud of, comfortable in, and loves?

This is when I sat the kids down, I took out my Pinterest board, and started sharing the vision for the space. I asked for input, I asked them to share what they would love to see to make their home cozy and I shared the plans i hope to see come to furtuiontion. The space is small- but it’s not the walls or the house itself that make it feel like a home, rather it’s a feeling you get when you walk in.

I shared plans for the massive renovations along with the smaller ones that would happen faster. I shared that while our space is now a lot smaller, the things we longed for… the things that matter to us we will have a lot more of now.

A Lakeside Dream in the Making

Living lakeside has always been my dream, but ensuring our family loves our home has become a project I am obsessed with accomplishing. I am on a journey to turn our lakeside house into a home filled with love, character, and the charm we had longed for. Every Thursday there will be a new blog post up, come along as I attempt to DIY and transform a house into a home, one project at a time.