Home Inspiration: Starting Over

For the last six years I’ve had a folder on my computer labeled ‘dream homes’. Over time I’ve collected a lot of pictures of houses I love, or used to love. Some pictures still show my style while others are memories of what I liked before. Recently I deleted a lot that just wasn’t my style anymore. I always knew this folder would come in handy and now the day is finally here! I’m using it as my personal home inspiration guide to inspire and guide me when buying stuff for our new house.
A year and a half ago, we sold all of our belongings to fund our travels. And now we’re starting over. We don’t have anything, not even cutlery. There were so many things we’d been dragging along for years without really using them. We’re not doing that anymore. This time, we’re going to invest in quality pieces and grow our new life bit by bit. We’re going to completely skip the phase of buying a lot of cheap stuff, just so you have something to use. We’re starting with nothing and we’ll see where we end up. We’ll gladly eat on the floor if that means saving money to buy the perfect dining room table. I’m so excited to start hunting for great pieces.
In a few weeks we are moving back to the city we fell in love with many years ago, Haarlem. At the moment we’re living with Nick’s dad who lives on a small island. There isn’t much to do here which, granted, can be amazing at times. Even though we really love the countryside, we sure miss living near a city. We’re very excited to move back to the city and to live close to all of our friends again. It’s time to grow some roots.
18 Comments
Marit // // //
Some people I know don’t really mind that you are going to grow some roots so close to where they live. About three months ago they thought you would stay far away forever.
I also know someone who really would like to become a super aunty. I think she would be able to wait for about fifteen months.
Angela // // //
Hahahah thanks for the deadline 🙂
Colleen Brynn // // //
I want to cook in that first kitchen. Invite me over when it’s ready?
But seriously. I love this approach to furnishing a home. In my mind, that’s doing it right. You will be so much happier and cozier in the end, with pieces that will be so much more meaningful to you.
Angela // // //
Right? It’s so good! I think so too!
Franca // // //
It’s interesting that after traveling for so long you are going to settle down where everything started.
Sometimes seeing the world makes you appreciate more where you come from.
I’m happy for you guys, enjoy it! 🙂
Angela // // //
We’re settling down for now. I’m still not sure if I want to live here ‘forever’. We would love to live in Amsterdam but at such short notice and our budget it’s nearly impossible. We’ll see what happens in the next year!
Steph (@ 20 Years Hence) // // //
It’s so interesting to see how travel affects each of us differently. Before leaving on our trip, Tony & I were really invested in developing our perfect home filled with just the right items. Now, to be honest, those things just don’t matter much to us anymore as we’ve found that we can be happy with so much less. It’s hard to think about spending thousands of dollars on dining room tables and the like when we realize we are so much happier now without any of that stuff!
That said, I know you and Nick will definitely create an amazing home for yourselves that will perfectly express who you are. I’m really excited to see how your dream home evolves—I can live vicariously through you!
Angela // // //
It’s not about a thousand dollar dining room, we would never. It’s more about grounding somewhere, making some roots and having a place to call truely home. We really like having a community around us and to be part of that community. Travel made us realize we really need that. It also made us realize we don’t need that much, so we won’t be buying loads of stuff. Just enough to make it a home.
Thanks for always taking the time to post insightful comments Steph!
Kirstin // // //
I so so so agree with this post! Before moving to Kyrgyzstan, we packed up all of our belongings and stored them at my parents’ house, but then we had to buy cheap, ugly things to use when we lived in Bishkek over three years. Now that I’m moving to Belgium, I had to decide, keep and ship the cheap stuff from Bishkek? Ship my nicer stuff from the US? Or ditch all of it and start over? It’s a nice feeling, anticipating the start of a new chapter.
Angela // // //
And what are you going to decide? If it was up to me, I would ship the nice stuff, sort it out. Throw away everything you haven’t missed and start from there.
Sally // // //
This is so exciting, and I’m actually really envious that you’re starting from scratch! I find it so difficult to get rid of things, even things I barely even remembered I own! I’ve also reached that stage where I’d rather buy a few nice pieces than loads of cheap things! Good luck with it all 🙂
Also, this round up of images is gorgeous, totally love open shelves in kitchens!
Angela // // //
I was a mini hoarder before I met Nick. He made me throw away most of my ‘collections’ (so glad because I was collection everything). It was really difficult at first but when I started to get a feel for it, I loved it. Still do. I can help you, I will throw away everything for you!
Alli Campbell // // //
I love the quote from William Morris, “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” In as much as travel has taught me the pleasure in ‘doing without,’ this has also made me crave a space that is simple, beautiful, usable and soulful. We have followed a similar philosophy to you since returning home – collecting things we love as we see them, investing in some, making what we can, but mostly finding second hand treasures. Enjoy building your new home x
Nick // // //
I think you captured how we feel exactly in a lot less words.
Angela // // //
What Nick said. Thank you Alli!
Denise // // //
I totally agree that there’s no point in buying cheap stuff if you’re looking at settling. I had no bed for quote a few months when I first moved to Melbourne, and simply slept on a mattress on the floor. My flat, 1.5 years later, is *almost* furnished.
Angela // // //
Good to hear there are people out there who feel the same. A lot of people are asking us why we won’t just buy some Ikea stuff so we at least have sómething. I tell them I’d rather wait and buy the good stuff than have a bunch of crappy stuff.
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