"Apartment Therapy"

I'm writing this post on my new couch.  I love it!  Johnny came over with his father's pickup truck to help us pick it up and carry it inside.  Thank goodness he was around!  I really have no idea how we were planning on getting it home.  I knew we were thinking rent a Uhaul to bring it home but I have absolutely no clue how we thought we were going to get it from the truck to the apartment.  I'm not exactly the strongest female in the world or in a 50 yard radius so it's not like I could really have helped but between Dave and John they maneuvered into the room with ease.  I held the door open really well too.

So happy birthday to us!  I've decided that this apartment makeover is our birthday gift to each other and ourselves.  His birthday is today!  Happy birthday darling.  With our birthdays only five days apart, we normally do something "big" for both of us rather than each of us getting each other something.  Normally we decide to finance a trip somewhere like Disneyworld.  Our budget for this place looks about the same as a Disney trip for a week staying in a value resort.   It helps me justify the purchases a bit more.  I kept thinking, "is this really the right time to begin such an investment? "  There was that part of me that rationalized that we already lived with these bare walls and used furniture for two years, we could handle one more.

Here's the thing though.  Had we moved to a different apartment, our rent would have increased by at least $200 or $2400 a year no matter which place we decided on.  We've got a really good deal here and that's why we stayed.  Of course, I have no intention of spending $2400 on this project but half that seems reasonable.  Like I said, everything we currently have was once other peoples with the exception of our bedroom set and mattress that we purchased when we initially moved in.  I'm really glad that we are doing this.  It makes me really happy.  Already with just the movement of furniture and a full size sofa that we can both sit in comfortably is making me super happy.

Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan, the author of Apartment Therapy, suggests hosting a housewarming party once the eight week cure is finished.  At first, I was very undecided about this part.  Of course, our housewarming will have to be small or broken up into a couple of get-togethers so that everyone who wants to come can.  I'll have to talk to Dave about it and think about a specific date but having an Apartment Cure housewarming is becoming a better and better idea.