Moving Day: From One Home Sweet Home To Another

As I think everyone who reads this blog probably knows, Stuart and I waited until after we were married to move in together. There were some good things about this order of events and some not so good things, but more good than not so good. We didn’t wait to move in together because either of us was old-fashioned. If anything, I think it had more to do with my new-fashioned sense of independence and my complete and total love of my apartment.

I moved into my apartment in August 2005 when I moved to Topeka to start law school. My apartment was in the historic Devon Apartment Building. It was built in the 1880s and had tons of charm (and a few quirks). It was a perfect fit! It was the biggest place that I had ever lived in and it had twelve-foot ceilings. I had a living room, a dining room, kitchen, bedroom, long hallway, bathroom, and my own porch. There was a cute little courtyard in the back of the building too!! I moved out of my apartment in October of 2010, just a little over five years after first making it my home.

Over the years I spent a lot of time turning my wonderful little apartment into a home. I really enjoyed decorating it and hosting little gatherings of friends. I loved the space and I loved spending time there. I was really lucky to have lived in such a great place. I am also very lucky that I got to move on to another great place to call home. Here are some pictures of my sweet little apartment. Please indulge me a little on this post, once I got started with the pictures I couldn’t stop!!

Here is my cozy little living room.

Did I mention that there was a park right across the street from my apartment? It was a beautiful little park with a nice little swinging bench. I used to walk over there for study breaks during finals.

I love Christmas time and I loved decorating my apartment for Christmas every year. This was Christmas 2007. Part of my motivation to get through finals every year was that I wouldn't let myself start decorating until I had finished with all of my tests and then I would go pick out a tree!

Christmas 2007 again.

Christmas 2008. Fake tree this year.

I don't have very many pictures of my bedroom so I had to use this one with my lovely unmade bed.

My back porch!! This was a wonderful space that I used as much as I could. I sat out on the porch all of the time to study. We also grilled a lot out there too. I was a bit of an urban gardener as you can see.

More awesome little porch.

Porch at night. Sorry there are so many of these, but it was just such a great space!

Again at night.

Another picture of my cozy living room. The place was a little cluttered, but I'd like to think the clutter gave it character:)

Christmas 2009. No tree this year. Stuart and the kids and I all did a tree together at his house.

Christmas 2009 again.

The dining room. BTW, all of this furniture was either a garage sale or antique/junk store find. Garage sailing used to be a hobby, but I've since moved on to having my own garage sales to get rid of some of the stuff I've picked up garage sailing.

The view out my kitchen window in the spring. Didn't suck at all!!

The cats absolutely loved the porch and the courtyard.

Dining room with peonies that grew all over the courtyard.

Sweet little courtyard.