Arrow Hill Cottage

Kids Clothing Declutter | How much to keep

We are just weeks away from our mega garage sale in preparation for our move. I have been finishing up going through the last bit of items in our house, and the focus this week was on decluttering kids clothing.

You know the saying about how socks seem to be eaten by the washing machine? I feel that they magically reappear in the form of extra pants and shirts, in the drawers of children. And for someone who is attempting to become more minimal, this multiplication can be extremely upsetting.

This past winter, I took the leap to create a capsule wardrobe for myself. I ended up paring my entire collection down to fifty total items, excluding a few items such as outerwear and jewelry. I found it so freeing, in fact, that I eventually convinced my husband to declutter his clothing as well. Neither of us have missed a single item and we both find it super easy to make our outfit selections.

WHY KIDS CLOTHING ACCUMULATES

For a variety of reasons, it seems that kids clothing accumulates faster than adults. By understanding the reasons it is easier for these items to enter our houses, we can be more mindful in the future to stop it from happening.

Kids clothing is cheap

For a small amount of money, you can build your child’s wardrobe. A dress here, a pair of pants there. And don’t forget all those cute shoes! There are also plenty of garage sales that feature extremely inexpensive kids clothing. At fifty cents per piece, it isn’t easy to pass up those closet filling bargains!

They take up little space

Unlike large toys or furniture pieces that might get in our way and remind us we need to pare down, clothing is relatively small. We know that we can usually fit ‘one more’ shirt in a dresser or one more coat in a closet. It’s when all of these little pieces are added together that we really start to notice a problem at all.

There are never ending hand-me-downs

If you have multiple children, or generous friends and family, the accumulation game becomes even more dynamic. You may be suddenly faced with multiple storage totes full of prospective outfits, whether your child is ready to fit into them or not.

STORING KIDS CLOTHING

It’s easy enough to get rid of the items that have been outgrown or those that are riddled with holes and stains. But, what if the seasons are shifting and your child has a number of perfectly good clothing items that still fit? Or older brother has grown out of a favorite sweatshirt, and there is another brother just a couple years younger?

I am definitely guilty of keeping clothes around with the thought that ‘someday’ one of the other kids might need it. Though, through my nearly thirteen years of parenting, there have been only a handful of times when that has truly been the case. Styles change, body shapes are different, kid’s preferences might be particular.

Because of the sheer amount of items that can accumulate, dealing with stored clothes can be downright overwhelming.

HOW MUCH DO THEY REALLY NEED?

In the end, I am left with this very question. How much clothing do the kids really need? Probably every family’s scenario is a bit different. I can only speak for our family. And I know that our kids have way more clothing than they actually need.

I will admit that this is probably going to take me a series of edits before we get to the magic amount. And yes, it will most likely be left up to me to decide, since not one of my kids care much at all about clothing.

There are a variety of guides online that discuss how to create a capsule wardrobe for kids. They even go so far to indicate the number of each type of item (shirts, pants, etc) that it should include. This blog post, for example, gives some great tips on how to pare down.

Generally speaking, the rule of thumb has to do with how many days you want to go without needing to do laundry. Ideally, for our family, the kids clothing supply would last, at a bare minimum, a week to week and a half.

Potentially, our kids clothing capsule might look a little something like this:

BOYS

16 short sleeved shirts (shared)

18 long sleeved shirts (our youngest would need 6 of his own, and his brothers could share the remaining 12)

4 sweatshirts/hoodies (each)

5 pairs of shorts (each)

5 pairs of comfortable pants (each)

2 pairs of dress pants/jeans (each)

GIRLS

8 dresses (shared)

16 short sleeved shirts (shared)

16 long sleeved shirts (shared)

2 sweatshirts/hoodies (each)

2 pairs of shorts/capris (each)

7 pairs of pants (each)

After the move, I will plan to go through my kids closets and dressers again. At that time, I think I will attempt this capsule scenario. Perhaps keeping a few additional ‘backup’ items, in case the inventory seems too low.

The great thing about having a minimal wardrobe is that if something becomes stained or worn you can replace it with something new, guilt free. Another benefit to a smaller wardrobe is being able to customize it for each child’s comfort and style preferences, without breaking the bank.

And dealing with an item or two, here or there, would definitely be favored over the four hour decluttering session I just went through in their closets! If I look exhausted at the end of the video, it’s because I was!

WATCH ME DECLUTTER

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WOOD FRAMING | HOUSE BUILD UPDATE NO. 5

Time for another building update! In this week’s update I share all about the wood framing of our custom home build! Though I was hoping to share the entire framing process, things aren’t moving quite as quickly as we had hoped. This post will discuss the portion of framing that has been completed. And I will be sure to update again once the rest is finished.

At the end of Update No. 4 the foundation had just been completed. Essentially we had a very pretty looking hole in the ground, and were ready to begin the wood framing. I mentioned how excited we were for this step, when the building will start to take shape and begin to actually look like the house we had envisioned!

WOOD FRAMING STEP 1 | FLOOR TRUSSES

The first step in the wood framing process is to attach a wooden sill plate to the foundation. The sill plate is anchored to the concrete with large bolts and creates a base for the floor trusses to be tied to.

Floor trusses work essentially the same way as standard 1x member construction, with a few advantages. They allow for longer clear spans, as well as offering space for mechanical duct-work and plumbing. For these reasons, as well as the ease of installation, trusses are favored over traditional hand framing in residential construction today.

To install the floor trusses for our main level, the framers had to do some fancy footwork. The younger of the two was set with the task of almost ‘tightrope’ walking across the walk-out side wall. With a drop of over eight feet, it was a dangerous mission. He admitted to me later that it was a bit un-nerving! They did eventually get all the trusses in place.

For our family, it was fun to go into the basement and look up at all of the installed trusses since this was the first time that we had a mostly enclosed space to go into. Sensing the personal/ human scale of the project is very important and was something that we hadn’t yet been able to experience, having the spaces open to the great outdoors.

ADDING THE SHEATHING

The next step in the wood framing process was to add the sheathing on top of the installed trusses. Once installed, the sheathing plus trusses work as a monolithic system, providing superior stability.

We were sure to take advantage of walking on our main level for the very first time. In fact, we made an evening excursion of it by picking up food from Dairy Queen and having a picnic on the site of our future dining space. The night was ideal, and the first moments we spent at our house together is a memory I will cherish forever.

WOOD FRAMING THE WALLS

Up next came the main floor wall framing. With the window locations set up, it was exciting for us to finally be able to see what the views from each of the rooms will be.

It came as no big surprise that the most awesome view of all is from the open living/dining space, overlooking the woods and pond. The western facing kitchen window though displays a great sunset view, which we weren’t expecting.

How cute is she, standing in the location of our future front door!

Walking through the shells of each room on the main level, I couldn’t help but imagine all of the memories that are about to be made here. We feel so blessed that we will soon be calling this place home.

Though I have given a bit of a mini walk through over on Instagram, I do plan to also film an entire ‘under construction’ house tour – once the wood framing is complete. Be watching for it!

CONSTRUCTION SITE VISITS

During the wood framing portion of the construction process, my husband and I settled into a nice site visit routine. I will typically stop by in the early afternoon, while out and about with the kiddos running errands. This is a chance for me to touch base with the crew, and answer any questions they may have. Craig will also swing by after he is done with work for the day. Typically the crew has left the site by that time, which allows him to take in the progress a bit more slowly. He generally takes a bunch of photos, then shares them with me.

These site visits help us to take in the day-to-day changes, as well as quickly catch any mistakes in the framing. One day Craig texted me a series of images and I discovered that the back three square windows weren’t centered properly. It’s something I hadn’t noticed earlier in the day, but from his pictures it was very obvious! The middle window should line up with a centered second story window, and it would have looked very goofy if the windows weren’t in alignment.

The center window should be centered on the back wall

And, though we are non-confrontational people, I contacted the framers right away to inform them of the mistake. Thankfully they acknowledged the problem and corrected it right away.

WALL SHEATHING + GARAGE

Next came the exterior wall sheathing. Covering the skeleton of wood studs really made the house shape come to life!

The garage framing was also put into place. During the construction of the garage we did make a couple of minor modifications. We raised the sidewall approximately six inches, which in turn created enough space for eight foot tall overhead garage doors. Previously we had seven foot tall doors, but figured the extra foot will come in handy if we ever decide to get a larger vehicle for our large family.

I am over the moon excited for my husband to finally have a fully functional garage, complete with good lighting, plenty of open floor space, and a proper tool bench. He has waited a very long time for this!

We are also anticipating that we will love having an attached garage during the bitterly cold Minnesota winters! Our oldest daughter, who has mobility issues, will be especially appreciative. The icy winter morning walks to our current detached garage have been full of anxiety and frustration!

The wood framing continued with the setting of the second floor trusses plus sheathing. Because we were so anxious to see the view from upstairs, one night we took a ladder and climbed up. Without any walls for protection, it felt like we were standing on top of a mountain! It was a mighty sight!

Of course, the view won’t be quite as expansive once the walls are up. There are only two windows upstairs. One in the boys bedroom, which faces the street. And one for the girls, with a spectacular view of the woods.

WOOD FRAMING | NEXT STEPS

This week we had a bit of a standstill on the site. The concrete guy was supposed to be back to form up the porch stoop and have it poured – so that the roof trusses for the house and porch could be set at the same time. Unfortunately, the roof trusses were delivered a day too early. This meant that there wasn’t enough space on the site for a concrete mixer truck to come in and pour.

The new game plan is to install the roof trusses for the house and garage first, starting early next week, then come back to finish the porch and get the roof on that portion.

I am beyond giddy for the roof to go up, and to see the house shape in it’s completion! However, that will have to wait for the next update.

Be sure to stick around to see this little house of ours come to life! Thanks for checking in today!

HOUSE BUILD UPDATE NO. 5 VIDEO

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WORKING WITH CLIQ STUDIOS | PART 2

In this post, I review the process of working with the online cabinet company Cliq Studios. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for my thoughts. I am in no way sponsored by or affiliated with the company.

Construction of our minimalist cottage has been moving along at a steady pace. With framing well underway, we are beginning to hit crunch time. Finish selections need to be made and ordered soon. In fact, we have already begun ordering the items that require a longer lead time. The cabinetry included.

We began our kitchen design over a year ago, as documented in this post. At the writing of Part 1, we were fairly confident that we would be using Cliq Studios for our cabinetry. And now that we have placed our order, I can confirm that I was right!

Today I want to share with you how the process of working with Cliq has gone for us so far.

WHY CLIQ STUDIOS?

I encourage you to go back and read Part 1 of this series for the full run-down. Essentially though, our decision to work with Cliq was primarily done because of budget constraints. Simply put – it isn’t cheap to build a house, and if you’re on a budget, something’s got to give!

We were confident that we would be able to attain a custom looking kitchen, for a fraction of the cost.

DESIGNING THE KITCHEN

When I first started the kitchen layout process with Cliq Studios, I was assigned a designer from the company. She was wonderfully patient and held my hand through a lot of revisions. And when I say a lot, I mean, A LOT. If you remember – our kitchen was in a completely different corner of the house at one point! This designer was very responsive, answered all of my questions, and gladly made any changes that I asked of her.

A few months ago, my designer took a job elsewhere and I was transitioned to someone new. This made me a bit nervous, wondering if the new designer would truly understand the ‘vision’ I had for the space.

The great news is – he totally got it!

Our Kitchen

I made a major last minute floor plan revision right around the time that he came on board. He was happy to start fresh with the new kitchen layout, while keeping in mind the design decisions that had already been made.

Our kitchen is roughly 10′-6″ x 13′-6″ and is a basic rectangular shape. It was always my intention to keep the design of the room extremely simple. The showcase of the space is the 1930’s era cast iron sink that we inherited. It will be centered on a large west facing window. Stainless steel appliances will complete the kitchen work triangle.

Because I personally don’t like the way upper cabinets tend to make a kitchen feel heavy and closed in, we opted for open shelving. These shelves will be custom made from trees harvested from our property, and hold the dishes we use on a daily basis. The one upper cabinet that is included in our kitchen design is located above the fridge. It’s depth will be perfect for large roasting pans and rarely used holiday platters.

Other Features

Another favorite thing in our future kitchen is the curved ‘artisian’ range hood. Though Cliq does offer this style, I have found another brand online at a better price. I’m all about finding the best deal.

Our microwave will be a smaller counter style. I would love to get one small enough that we can stash it in the cabinet below when it isn’t in use and keep the counters clear. We actually rarely use a microwave, and I value the counter space more.

As far as where the dishwasher will go… we won’t have one! There are a lot of strange looks when we tell people this. Truthfully though, we have never owned a dishwasher. This is another instance where we value the cabinet space over the appliance. Should we ever change our mind or sell the house, we have cabinets on either side of the sink that would accommodate a smaller model.

TIPS FOR WORKING WITH CLIQ STUDIOS

There are a few difference I have found between working with a custom cabinet maker and Cliq Studios. Should you choose to go the semi-custom route, keep these tips in mind.

Finish choices are limited

Though they offer quite a variety of wood grain and painted finishes, Cliq Studios can’t compete with a custom shop when it comes to selection. Certainly this is, in part, one of the reasons they are able to keep the consumer expenses down. I wanted simple, shaker style white cabinets for our kitchen. The ‘Rockford’ cabinet style, painted in ‘Cloud White’ was the perfect fit for us!

Size matters

Be aware that the more simple you can make the design of your kitchen, the less expensive it will be. Avoid having too many ‘custom’ sized items, which will drive up the cost. For example: The standard base cabinet is 2′-0″ deep. Requesting a cabinet that is 2′-6″ deep OR 1′-6″ deep will cost you more money.

Width of cabinets is another factor to keep in mind. Measurements need to be kept to an even inch, 24″ versus 24 1/2″, for example. I also found that there are max sizes on certain items, such as base drawer units, which don’t go over 3′-0″ wide.

Fillers are your friend

For those tricky spots where one of the standard sizes won’t fit, fillers are your friend. My designer was great about noting where fillers where going to be needed.

There is also the offer of larger side panels, such as those used to enclose a large fridge, for a more built-in look.

Add-on’s are extra

While Cliq studios does offer custom add-on’s such as garbage pull outs and drawer dividers, they are going to cost you extra. I did some research and found that the organization items I wanted could easily be added, after installation, for less. Another bonus of waiting is learning how the kitchen functions. After using it for a while, I may find that those upgraded features aren’t necessary.

Finally, your designer can assist you in selecting counter tops and hardware. Be advised though that the counters are only available through one company, Cambria, which sells a solid surface material. This limits your choices, and they may not have the look you are going for. Drawer pull selection is also limited, and a bit higher priced.

However, if you are fine with fewer options, and like the idea of a ‘one stop shop’ for the entire kitchen design, Cliq Studios can make it happen!

CABINETRY COSTS

After working through the redesign for a few weeks, I finally felt settled and ready to order. I had been given cost updates all along during the process, so the final numbers weren’t any huge surprise to me. Because I know that it might be helpful for someone reading this review to see the actual costs associated with ordering cabinets, I am sharing the break down of expenses.

Included in the kitchen

(2) 3′-0″ x 3′-0″ corner lazy susan cabinets

(2) 1′-9″ x 2′-0″ drawer bases

(1) 3′-0″ x 2′-0″ standard base cabinet

(3) 1′-6″ x 2′-0″ standard base cabinets

(1) 3′-0″ x 2′-0″ upper cabinet

(1) tall side panel for fridge

(2) cabinet doors + pieces to make a custom cabinet for under the farmhouse sink

Various filler pieces

TOTAL COST: $5,242

As a result of this wonderful cost savings, we were able to add a few additional cabinets. Both for the mud/laundry room and a small snack station for the basement family room.

Included in the laundry room

(2) 2′-6″ x 2′-0″ standard base cabinets

(2) 2′-6″ x 3′-0″ upper cabinets

side panels for both

TOTAL COST: $1,555

Included in the snack station

(1) 2′-0″ x 2′-0″ standard base cabinet

(2) 2′-0″ x 3′-6″ upper cabinets

side panels and filler piece

TOTAL COST: $913

OVERALL COST for our Cliq Studios cabinet order: $7,710. When ordering, the taxes for our zip code were calculated. This added an additional $500 to our cost. Being able to get such a large number of plywood construction cabinets, with soft close drawers, for that price was a steal!

NEXT STEPS

Because I wanted to make sure that we didn’t hold up the process at all, I ordered our cabinets well in advance. Notice came just the other day that the cabinets are in production and should be shipped mid August! Unfortunately we won’t be quite ready for them yet. They need to be delivered to a climate controlled house, and I can’t guarantee that at this point.

Worried that this could cause a problem, I contacted our designer and asked if there was any way to delay shipment. He asked around and was able to confirm that the shipping company can offer us a 30 day extension should we not be ready to receive the cabinets. After that point we would be charged a rate of $50 per month for them to store the shipment. Certainly, this gives us peace of mind!

Overall, so far we have been very pleased with Cliq Studios! Be sure to check back for Part 3 – when I discuss delivery, installation, and my thoughts about the overall quality of the cabinetry!

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AROUND HERE | JULY 2019

Around here, we have been…

VACATIONING to ND. We took a trip over the 4th of July weekend to visit Angela’s extended family. It was such a great relaxing trip and we were able to see relatives that we haven’t seen for quite a long time. Together we celebrated the early 95th birthday of great grandma Amy.

The cousins had a great time together playing, and taking in all the sights – including the annual Independence Day Parade. There is something really special about small towns!

SEEING our house take shape. Once the foundation was finished, things really started to go more quickly and now they are finishing up the framing! This has been the most exciting part of the process to date, as it is finally starting to look like a house!

CHOOSING items for the house. With the building in full swing, we are busy choosing the finishes and fixtures we want to be installed in the home. There are so many choices to make, including flooring, lighting, and even toilets!

At the same time, we are fixing up/refinishing items that will be going in the new house – such as this cast iron sink!

RUNNING with a goal. Craig had the idea to improve his mile time this summer. His overall goal was to run a mile under 7 minutes. And he reached it! He has since gone on to run it in 6:50. And his new goal is to get Angela under 7. We shall see about that…

This is just a glimpse at what our family has been up to. If you’d like a closer look, be sure to check out our weekly ‘mini vlogs’ on our family YouTube channel ARROW HILL FAMILY. Be well everyone!

Minimalist Cottage | Virtual Tour

Join me today as I give a virtual tour of our minimalist cottage! This is the home we hope to spend the rest of our lives in, and we have worked diligently to design it to meet all of our needs, now and in the future.

With framing in full swing, I thought it might be a good idea to do a quick virtual tour. This could prove helpful for anyone following along with our real life progress updates. I share day to day on Instagram Stories. And also give detailed updates every couple weeks on Youtube. It will be fun to look back and see how close to the original design intent the house ends up.

When this blog was originally started, about two years ago, we were under the impression that the house would be built within the first year. But, as you know, that wasn’t the case. And, though the delays were frustrating, I am able to look back with gratefulness for the extra design time.

DESIGN CHANGES

For reference, THIS is my very first post regarding the design of the house. It was quite a bit larger then. We realized fairly early on that we needed to make major square footage cuts to keep the budget in check.

In fact, it seemed that as time went on we continued to simplify the design MORE and MORE. But with each revision we became increasingly satisfied with the house. There hasn’t been a single change, or simplification, that we have regretted – including THIS surprise last minute revision that created a more open concept main level. Every single change has led us to where we are today.

And where exactly are we? Home. A structure so perfectly suited for our family of seven that I hesitate to call it a house. It genuinely already feels like home, and we can’t wait to move in!

OUR MINIMALIST COTTAGE

The design of Arrow Hill Cottage has forced us to look closely at the way our family lives. And to explore our spacial needs both now and in the future. We realized during this process that, in many ways, we are quite minimal. It is more important for us to have time together within the same spaces, rather than retreat to our own rooms. And the storing of rarely used items is not a priority for us either.

We were able to settle on a comfortable floor plan that is just over 2,000 finished square feet. This includes the basement, main and upper levels. It should meet our needs now, with five growing children, and also accommodate my husband and I with main floor living, as we age. There is even potential, when all the kids are grown and moved out, to rent out the lower level for additional income.

TAKE THE VIRTUAL TOUR

I encourage you to watch the video of our cottage. It is quite a bit longer than the typical video I put out, but there is a ton of information! And, I think it gives great insight into why certain design decisions were made. I hope you enjoy!

Be sure to keep checking back for more house progress updates in the near future!

Thoughts on contentment

It is almost impossible to be genuinely grateful for anything, when you compare to others. Today I am going to share with you my thoughts on contentment, and why it is a topic that is currently on my mind.

As I write this now – the stuffy, sticky, hotness of a mid-July afternoon surrounds me. I sit in a house that was built pre-central air conditioning, and long for the ability to flip a switch and make things more comfortable for myself. We have lived here for nearly five years. Five years in a house that I am quick to point out is ‘just a rental.’ Five years in a house that hasn’t ever truly felt like home.

And I will admit, as time has gone on it has become clear that the level of content with our living arrangements has been steadily decreasing. Not only for myself, but for the entire family. Lately, I’ve been asking myself ‘why.’

BEING CONTENT WHILE LOOKING AHEAD

When we first moved into this house, everyone was beyond excited. We had just sold the home we owned – in part, to fund the adoption of our youngest daughter, ‘M.’ Preparing for her arrival, we nested here. Painting walls, fixing sinks, and choosing bed linens. We were looking forward to a happy little future, and our present living condition didn’t seem all that bad. So what has changed? It’s still the same house.

Part of me feels like this mind shift has a lot to do with the ‘new house’ being just beyond the horizon. We are seeing something shiny, and we want to get to it as soon as possible. Our entire family is constantly daydreaming about what is to come. “In the new house we are going to (fill in the blank).” “I can’t wait until we have (fill in the blank) at the new house.”

And although looking ahead is a fun to do, it can also be a bit defeating. Surely, you have heard the phrase:

“Stop missing out on the present because you are focused on the future.”

So, is that it? Is contentment simply being happy with where you are? Never longing for an upgrade, a steadier state or a better future for yourself and your family? No, I don’t think so.

While that is a nice sentiment, I believe it is simply an impossible goal. Because even in the present, there are those people with the last name Jones. And we have an inherent desire to keep up with them.

CONTENTMENT WHILE COMPARING

I recently shared this article from Joshua Becker of Becoming Minimalist on my Facebook page. Doing so opened up what I feel was a healthy dialoge about what we choose to bring into our lives, and how it affects contentment.

I definitely encourage you to read the piece for yourself, but the cliff note – take away question is simple. What would this world be like if, instead of being embarrassed by the things we own – those things that don’t stack up to what society tells us we need – we were instead embarrassed by how worldly that view really is?

When I linked to the article in my Facebook post, I also made a simple confession. That I too have been the victim of embarrassment by comparison. Most specifically in regards to our old blue mini van. You see, this van has been with us since before we had children. It still runs quite smoothly, but the body is – how do you say – in disrepair. There are times when I pull into a packed parking lot and scan the rows, noticing all too easily that the vehicle I am driving is the odd duck out.

The responses to my confession post were a mixed bag. Half of the people were comforting – letting me know that they too had old vehicles, with many miles, and rust. Solidarity sister! The other half were a tad defensive, and quick to point out why they owned newer vehicles. For safety, reliability, or other reasons.

Everyone experiences jealousy…

Whichever side of the fence that people were on, I think it’s fair to say that everyone who responded to my post has had a similar feeling of jealousy. This day in age it is almost impossible not to play the comparison game. Keeping up with the Joneses has never been so difficult.

Mr. Becker would say, about my van scenario – that instead of being embarrassed about the van itself, be embarrassed at how often the luxury of having a vehicle is taken for granted. That mindset can really turn the tables on the feeling of jealousy, can’t it?

We live in a majorly privileged society. The salary of most Americans would put them in the top 1% of the world’s earners. Compared to the lives of people in other countries, we Americans are down right rich when it comes to worldly goods.

This brought about another question. Should those who have plenty be more content than those with little?

THE ATTITUDE OF CONTENTMENT

As you know, I have somewhat recently begun to embrace the minimalist tendencies I have had my entire life. Not because I think that living with less makes me a better person, or more content. But because, in having fewer things, there is an appreciation of each item unlike anything I have experienced before.

However, in no way is my family living an uncomfortable or deprived life. We have many luxuries that some can only dream of. Our dinner plates have always had a supply of healthy food. We are building a brand new, custom designed house for gosh sake. These circumstances though, could change in an instant.

Focus on the Family offers the definition of contentment that I, as a Christian, agree with most:

“Contentment is knowing God’s plan for your life, having a conviction to live it, and believing that His peace is greater than the world’s problems”

That’s it. Contentment is an attitude, not something that is searched for. If we spent our lives searching for contentment, we would never find it – in part because of comparison, and jealousy, and our human nature to always long for more/better.

In life, there will be good times and bad times. Days of plenty, and days of few. New cars, old cars. New homes, old homes. A full bank account and money worries. Sickness, health. It’s all a possibility. In order to truly be content, we need to harbor an attitude and belief that we are walking the path we are meant to walk, and trusting in Him along the way.

And so, moving forward, I will be carrying the words that Horatio Spafford penned in one of my all time favorite hymns, “It Is Well With My Soul.”

When peace like a river, attendeth my way

When sorrows like sea billows roll

Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say

It is well, it is well, with my soul

If this post got you thinking, consider reading more from my Intentional Living series.

FOUNDATION | HOUSE BUILDING UPDATE NO. 4

The foundation for our new house and attached garage/front porch is finished! It has taken a while to gather all of the footage and photos to document this portion of the build, but today I am ready to share with all of you this exciting step!

I have heard from those who have gone before us in this building process – that the foundation portion is perhaps the most slow moving. And, so far, that has been the case for us as well. I think it has to do with the fact that the process has to be done in multiple steps. First, the footings. Then, the foundation walls for the basement (if any), and finally the garage and porch foundation.

For our property we had an additional couple of steps because of the walkout portion of the basement.

OUR FOUNDATION

When it comes to foundations, there are a variety of options available. We chose to utilize a somewhat new technique called ICF foundations. Insulated Concrete Forms are becoming more of a standard in home construction. Though they are a bit more costly material wise, but the final product provides a very thick and sturdy foundation wall.

The main difference between an ICF foundation and a traditional poured foundation is that the forms they set before filling with concrete are permanent. They become a part of the foundation itself. With insulation on both sides, there is no need to add any after the fact. You can read more about Insulated Concrete Forms here.

PHOTOS OF THE FOUNDATION PROCESS

The very first step of foundation work is to set the footings. They are slightly wider than the foundation walls, and need to rest below the frost level. Here in good ol’ Minnesota, that means a minimum of five feet below finished grade. That is one of the reasons that most homes in our area have finished basements. The excavators are already digging so deep, that it isn’t a lot of extra work to add them!

Our basement includes one wall that is a walkout. This will be great for evenings out on the patio, and for the kids when they have friends over. Because the finished grade on the walkout side is lower than the rest of the site, they started the digging there.

They set the footing forms out of wood, then poured them with rebar inserted. You can see from this picture how the lower level is ‘stepped’ to include the walkout wall.

This picture shows the same walkout wall, now poured up to the finished basement floor height, in line with the rest of the basement.

The walls went up rather quickly using the ICF’s. This is, again, the walkout side of the house. We are really loving the privacy back here!

Viewing the foundation from the street-side though, I had a bit of a panic attack. One of my goals all along was to minimize the height of the house, to help it blend in with the neighborhood surroundings. And to me, the foundation looked like it was sitting so high out of the ground!

This happened in part because of our sewer dilemma. In order to avoid needing a sewage lift station in our basement, they raised the entire foundation by six inches. We discussed options to make up for these extra inches, including using shallower floor trusses. Ultimately though, we were reassured that the grading would help everything blend in nicely, and so we decided to just carry on.

BASEMENT PLUMBING

The plumbing crew came in and added the basement connections. They also added a radon mitigation system, which will run from below grade to above the roof. This is a new requirement for residential construction. Essentially it will help to release any radon gas that accumulates below grade, making it a safer place for us to occupy.

Once that was finished, they also connected the house to the city water and sewer system, which will run under the driveway. This created another freak out moment for me when I noticed a large PVC pipe sticking out of the ground right where the front of the porch would be!

Turns out this is the sewer clean-out. I was again reassured that grading would put this pipe at grade, and that it could be disguised with landscaping.

PORCH AND GARAGE FOUNDATION

The crew moved onto the porch and garage footings and foundation. Because there is no lower level below them, they didn’t need to dig quite as deep.

Meanwhile, they prepped the basement level for our in floor heating system. We are very excited to enjoy this feature in the cold winter months!

The crew was able to pour the porch and garage footings and the basement floor on the same day. That was very exciting! They came back the next day to set the foundation walls and poured them soon after.

This image shows the finished foundation walls. Standing in front of the porch and looking toward the house. The garage is set back, on the left.

PRELIMINARY GRADING

The excavating crew came back to smooth things out and, I have to say, they worked some magic. I was quite pleased to see that the grade did indeed help minimize the height of the foundation. It is still a bit higher than I would have liked, but ultimately there wasn’t much that could have been done. Looking on the bright side – being the highest house in the neighborhood should mean we will never have any water problems!

View from the street/ drive entrance looking toward house. You can use the pipe sticking out of the ground for reference. Watch the video below to see a more panoramic view of our site with the foundation finished.

UPDATE NO. 4 VIDEO

See our property take shape in this video!

That’s all for this update! I hope to be back in just a couple of weeks with the next step in our construction process- wood framing. We are super excited for this step, for a couple of reasons. One, it is supposed to go rather quickly. And two, because things will finally start taking the shape of a house! I know the kids are especially excited to walk around in the house and explore all the nooks and crannies!

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AROUND HERE | JUNE 2019

Around here we have been…

ENJOYING the first part of summer break! As soon as school was out, the kids had a bunch of fun activity ideas – including playing with shaving cream on the picnic table!

Some got a bit more into it than others!

{L} also started his summer with surgery. He had his tonsils and adenoids removed. And although the healing process was a bit tough, he is doing so well now and is sleeping great with NO snoring!

WATCHING our dreams come to life. The building of Arrow Hill Cottage is in full swing!

The crew has already poured the footings and foundations, and done some site grading.

Meanwhile, we are working hard at making material selections. It is tough when faced with thousands of options!

We spend some time almost every single day out at the site, just enjoying the process – and feeling so blessed that we are embarking on this very special journey as a family.

You can read the latest house building update HERE.

TRYING new things. Summer is a time of exploration and discovery, especially for kids. It has been fun to see them try new things and learn from the experiences.

{I} took a three week beginner orchestra camp, learning how to play the violin. He enjoyed it and is excited to continue lessons during the school year.

The older boys had their first experience using the grill. They were pretty proud of their ability to cook hot dogs without burning them.

And little {M} surprised us big time, by learning how to ride a bike! Her brothers were so attentive and encouraging, even borrowing her the same bike that they learned to ride on.

SHOWERING this guy with love and appreciation. This Father’s Day we continued the tradition of seeing if Craig could ‘bear the weight’ of all of his kids at once. He succeeded… but next year might be tricky!

STORAGE CLOSET DECLUTTER

We are in the final stage of decluttering our rental farmhouse. Only a few areas and categories remain to be sorted through before our big move! This week I took on the storage closet declutter, and am happy to have it behind me!

Embarrassing as it is, all of these items were stuffed in our hall storage closet

STORAGE CLOSET DECLUTTER – OUR WHY

My husband and I have lived in three houses during our marriage. The first, for only a year. The second, for ten years. And our current rental farmhouse for the past four and a half years. Each time we have moved we were shocked to find the amount of boxes that were transported from house to house, without being opened. Because of this, we were determined to really SEE what we own before our next (and hopefully final) move.

The goal when sorting through this storage closet was to determine which items we plan to keep. There is no sense in moving the weight of extra items that we don’t need or want anymore. By doing the sorting before the move, we are more likely to be critical. In contrast, if the boxes were to come with us to the new house without being looked through, they likely would have found a spot in a closet there. And sat, again unopened, for who knows how long!

We actually designed our custom cottage home to have relatively little storage. Some people may be shocked to learn that our master bedroom has no walk in closet, and our kitchen doesn’t feature a pantry. This conscious decision was made because my husband and I both recognize that we have a tendency to fill large storage spaces with unnecessary items.

TIPS ON DECLUTTERING A CLOSET

Decluttering a storage closet is a big undertaking. From my own experience, I am offering tips to help you achieve the best results, without too much stress.

CLEAR OUT THE SPACE

The very first step when decluttering a closet is to remove everything. It will seem daunting, to be sure; But it is very important to see the closet completely emptied. Seeing open shelves and space on the floor will give you a better sense of just how much room you have to work with. It can also help you recognize the dark, tricky corners where items can easily be lost and forgotten.

SORT ONE BOX AT A TIME

Tackling the clutter in bite sized pieces allows you to focus your mental energy without feeling overwhelmed. It can also help prevent decision fatigue. I suggest moving one or two bins/boxes into a separate room for sorting.

PUTTING ITEMS BACK IN

Think carefully about which items make their way back into your storage closet. Generally, it is best to store like-purposed items in the same space. If you must store many random types of things together in one closet, as we do, consider giving the closet ‘zones’. One shelf for camping gear, another as a spot to keep decorations, for example.

THE RESULT OF OUR STORAGE CLOSET DECLUTTER

I am happy to report that less than half of the items originally stuffed into our hall closet made their way back in. There is still a bit of randomness in there though. Camping gear, holiday decorations, DIY supplies. Quite a mix. We are hopeful that at Arrow Hill Cottage we will be able to be more intentional about where these items are stored. Camping gear will likely find a place in the garage, where it can be easily accessible, for example.

While sorting through the stored items, I found some real gems that we had completely forgotten about.

These adorable little shoes were worn by our oldest son, when he took his first steps.

And these chess pieces were hand painted by Craig’s mom, many years ago. Now that a couple of our kids have learned how to play, we plan to keep this set up and available for a game at any time.

As I was sorting, I made it a point to really think about these items. If they were things we wanted to keep, I needed to commit to finding a place for them at the new house – to give them prominence. Otherwise, we will be left with unopened storage boxes once again.

WATCH ME DECLUTTER

Need a little extra motivation to get started on your storage closet? Take a peek at what our closet looked like before. It was insanely stuffed. And watch me tackle it head-on. It took a lot of effort, but I am very happy with the result!

BONUS STORAGE CLOSET DECLUTTER TIPS

More great posts from other websites, offering you even more insight on how to approach these tricky spaces!

Declutter Storage Area |Home Storage Solutions

How To Declutter Your Storage Area Without Feeling Overwhelmed | Simple Lionheart Life

8 Surprising Decluttering Benefits | Lady Decluttered

PIN THIS POST

Keep this motivation and inspiration close by and add it to your relevant Pinterest board! Happy decluttering!

CHEESY HASHBROWN CASSEROLE

This four ingredient cheesy hashbrown casserole recipe is perfect for a quick and easy brunch. It’s sure to be a crowd pleaser that will have them coming back for more!

Do you ever find yourself scrambling for an easy meal to make? Perhaps it’s the weekend, and you have company. Or you are asked to bring a dish to share at a gathering. Whatever the reason, I encourage you to put this recipe in your list of go-to ideas.

CHEESY HASHBROWN CASSEROLE

I was first introduced to this dish after the birth of our first son. Friends had generously started a ‘meal-train’ of sorts, something that this brand new mommy was more than appreciative of! It came to me prepared, with baking instructions, so that I simply needed to pop it into the oven when I was ready for a hot, home cooked meal.

This cheesy hashbrown casserole has since become a dish that I can always count on. If someone is in need, or if we have company, I whip up a batch. And it turns out perfect. Every. Single. Time.

HOW TO MAKE CHEESY HASHBROWN CASSEROLE

Watch this quick step by step video for directions on how to make this delicious recipe, and read below for details on ingredients and instructions.

CASSEROLE INGREDIENTS

The combination of these four ingredients create a comfort food dish that you’ll be happy to share.

Ingredients

(16 oz) package frozen shredded hashbrowns

(8 oz) package cheddar cheese

1 can cream of potato soup

2 cups of cubed/diced ham*

*Tip: After preparing a large ham for a meal, cut up the remainder of meat into small pieces and freeze in two cup portions. These can then easily be defrosted to be used for recipes later on.

RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS

So simple, even your kids (or husband) can make it!

Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Grease a 9×13 baking dish
In the same dish, mix together frozen hashbrowns and soup
Fold in the cubed/diced ham pieces
Cover top of mixture with shredded cheese
Bake for 25 minutes

SERVE IT UP!

Our family has found this recipe to be even more perfect when served with cottage cheese and a side of fresh fruit. It is one of our favorite brunch ideas.

PRINT THIS CHEESY HASHBROWN CASSEROLE RECIPE

Cheesy Hashbrown Bake

This simple, four ingredient recipe is sure to be your go-to for Sunday brunch and last minute potluck invitations!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course: Breakfast

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1 16 oz bag of frozen hashbrowns
1 8oz shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups diced/cubed ham
1 can cream of potato soup

Method

Preheat oven to 425
Grease a 9x13 baking dish
Add frozen hashbrowns to baking dish, then soup. Mix well
Dice ham pieces and add to baking dish. Continue mixing
Top with cheddar cheese
Bake for 25 minutes
Serve with cottage cheese and fresh fruit

PIN THIS RECIPE

Keep this cheesy hashbrown casserole recipe at the ready by pinning it to your Pinterest board. While you’re there, check out my other healthy and simple meal ideas!