Downsizing Update: We Bought a House… and Immediately Started Remodeling It!
On March 16, 2026, our lives changed forever! We bought a new home! What we didn’t expect? We’d be taking on a much bigger remodel than we ever planned.
After downsizing and living in an apartment for a season, we finally found the right home—and quickly realized it would need more work than we anticipated. I’m taking you inside what that process has looked like so far.
If you’ve been keeping up with our downsizing journey, you know that we sold the family home we built in 2004 and raised our children in, back in November 2025. I let you in on the decluttering process (which took us a year!) and even shared where I donated hard-to-donate items and disposed of hard-to-dispose-of items. I shared what I learned working with a professional stager to stage our home for sale, and told you how excited we were when it sold for the asking price in less than two weeks!
Most recently, I’ve taken you inside our life in a beautiful, light-filled apartment in an urban area, where we’ve been living as we waited for just the right home to pop on the market.
How We Were Ready to Move Quickly When the Right Home Came Along
It finally did. We looked at it on a Friday evening at 6 pm, and had an offer in by 9 pm. We were the first people to see it. Our offer was accepted the next day, with a closing date a month away, and a 1-month leaseback we’d offered to the current owner to sweeten the deal. Here’s why we were positioned to make it happen so quickly:
- We had a great realtor team who worked diligently with us and behind the scenes, leveraging well-established contacts and a large office of agents who also had listings.
- Homes in the high-demand area we wanted to be in sell quickly (typically in 24 hours or less), so we positioned ourselves to move fast.
- We’d worked hard for months to narrow down the exact neighborhood we wanted, the size we were looking for, and the amenities that we needed. We were looking for a zero-lot-line home in a gated and guarded community that was between 2700 and 3200 square feet. When we started looking, we realized that, although that size was fine, the house’s layout, especially the amount of natural light it received, was a big deal to us!
- We prayed that the Lord would bring us the home we needed in His perfect timing.
- We had our ducks in a row financially, with pre-approvals, etc.
- We interviewed and hired a contractor, understanding that we would most likely have to do some remodeling. (But without knowing how much.)
Looking back, that preparation made all the difference! Our new home is a zero-lot-line home, but it sits at the edge of a neighborhood, so instead of looking out at our neighbors’ homes, it actually looks out onto a beautiful little backyard, surrounded by a pretty stone wall maintained by the HOA. It’s filled with beautiful natural light.
What We Knew Needed to Change (And Why We’re Remodeling)
Although the bones and basic layout of the home were great, and the natural light was amazing for a zero lot line home, at 2338 square feet, the house was just too small to meet our needs.
The bathroom and closet space in the primary bedroom were inadequate, the guest bedroom was too small (this LouLou needs room for a Pack & Play!), the kitchen and living spaces were awkward, and there was no study for Bob.
Since we already had an agreement in place with our contractor, he was able to join us at the home during the option period, put together a preliminary budget for the proposed remodeling, and assure us that we could do what we wanted to do within budget.
Although we’d known we’d have to remodel, we had no idea the scope of our remodel would be this large! That was a bit of a surprise for us—and if I’m being honest, a little overwhelming at first.
We were actually going to have to add square footage to the home! I’m just sharing a few of the changes we’re making in this post, but I’ll go into more detail as we move forward in the process.
Now, maybe redoing and remodeling homes is your absolute favorite thing in the world, but it’s not ours! Both Bob and I already have very busy jobs we love, and with my book, speaking engagements, and our family, we knew we would need experts to work closely with us and guide us through the entire process.
So I spent the next month or so interviewing design firms that could help with space planning and design, working our existing furniture from our old home into our new one, updating textiles as needed, etc.
Hiring a Contractor and Designer: What We Looked For
I finally settled on a design firm I love, and we are hard at work as we speak! When it came to both the contractor and the designer, this is what we were looking for:
- Someone who listened well, was able to articulate what we said back to us, and really “got” what we were looking for.
- Firms that billed in a straightforward, clear manner, with easy-to-understand invoicing and fair pricing.
- Groups that were committed to a collaborative process, working not only with us, but with each other (and an architect) with respect and mutual appreciation for good ideas.
- People we enjoyed being with, had a sense of humor, were good at their jobs, and had a good work/home balance.
Where We Are Now in the Remodeling Process
With input from the entire team, the architect is finalizing the plans and will submit them to the city and the HOA for approval.
I’m working with the design team on decisions that affect the overall remodel. (For example, there is a crack in the cast-iron fireplace. Do we want to try to repair it, or just start over?) They’ve come to our apartment, measured the furniture we have here, and our moving/storage company has sent over the dimensions of all our belongings they’re holding in storage. Now that we know the home’s layout, we need to decide what will go into the new home and what will not.
We’re making decisions about which appliances to replace (comfort-height toilets, anyone? haha), where to add lighting, the layout for the new primary bath, and more! Meanwhile, every time we go over to the house, Bob is trying to figure out things like how the sprinkler system works, which trees need trimming, and so on. Poor guy!
Thanks so much for being part of this journey with us. It means more than you know to have you here as we walk through each step!
Check out this video for more details!
I’d truly love to hear from you. Have you ever taken on a remodel like this, or are you thinking about one? What questions do you have about this stage of the process?
I’ll be sharing much more about the design decisions, layout changes, and what we’re learning along the way in upcoming posts.
Leave me a comment below… I read every single one, and your questions often inspire future posts!
Wow- definitely an ambitious project, but I have not doubt that you have the right people in place to make it happen. I’m excited to follow along and can’t wait to see the results! I know it will be beautiful.
Shannon,
Yep! It’s definitely more than we bargained for, but we have a great team in place! Thank you so much for your kind words!
xoxo
Suzy
Hi Suzy~
It was so nice meeting you at your book signing at Cindy’s. Congratulations on your new home!!!
Lighting is the most impactful aspect of vision and should be a part of the design process and not an after thought. Our goal is to provide our knowledge and expertise to clients, interior designers and architects, by including lighting in the design process to achieve visually impactful results and maximize the unique design elements of the home .
I mentioned that our company, Focus Design is a lighting design firm that specializes in Art Lighting. We work with Laura Rathe Art, Samuel Lynne Gallery, ALG Fine Art, DHV Artwork and Ferrari Gallery so that when they sell a work of art we are then brought in to the client’s home to illuminate it so that it has the same or better appeal that it did in the gallery.
Our approach is a good, better, best in terms of pricing for fixtures and control. We are Lutron Certified for everything Lutron offers which is control, shades and light fixtures.
The process starts with a visit to your home to measure the artwork and the ceiling height. We input the measurements into AutoCAD so that we know exactly where the fixtures should be mounted to illuminate the artwork at 30° angle. From there we select the recessed fixtures, control system and we program the updates as well. We have referrals to painters and electricians that we normally work with but will work with the one you prefer as well.
Please feel free to reach out: Focus Design http://www.focusdesigncompany.com
Jill,
I still have your card and will be checking with the design team!
Thanks,
Suzy
So lovely to see your new home, Suzy! Looking forward to watching the remodel unfold as you make the house truly yours. All the best from the southwest corner of the UK!
Caroline,
Thank you for your kind words and good wishes! They are so sweet and encouraging!
xoxo
Suzy
Thanks, as always, for sharing your decluttering and moving details! Looking forward to following along on your remodel journey! How long do you anticipate the permitting and remodel will take (do you even have any idea?) before you can settle into your new home? We purchased our next home a year ago and will be finally moving in a few weeks. We didn’t have nearly the amount of remodeling you plan, just really making it “our own”, but I followed your posts along the way and truly took many of your suggestions. Best wishes as you move forward! God bless!
Helen,
Aw, I’m so glad some of my posts were helpful to you! We have no date and we are loving apartment life. We’ve told the contractor and designers that we want things done well, not quickly! hahaha
Who knows? But I will be sure to keep you all updated throughout with more posts!
Congratulations on your move-in date being just around the corner! Excited for you!
xoxo
Suzy
Suzy, looks like you and your husband found a beautiful place to make your own. Enjoy the adventure of choosing new things, sounds like fun. I will be following along as I always do to see your sweet smile. Miss seeing you.
Tamara,
Thank you so much for your sweet comment! I hope you two had fun on your recent cruise!
xoxo
Suzy
I’m so excited for you Suzy! Happy you were able to find the neighborhood, house size, amount of light, etc. that was important to you and Bob. We downsized way too much, but we were moving from one state to another, needed to be in between my elderly mom and kids with grandkids. Inventory was so limited and actually still is. All those needs had us in a house with about 600-800 sq ft less than what was ideal. We are making it work, though. The community we are in is wonderful, a mile from the train that takes us to downtown Chicago and other areas. So all in all, God put us right where we needed to be. I cannot wait to follow the renovations on your new home! Wishing you all the best!
xo Nancy
Nancy,
Thank you for your joy on our behalf! This house was smaller than we wanted too, which is part of the reason we are doing so much to it!
Sometimes proximity is the most important thing, and it sounds like you got that covered. I’m not sure this will be our final home, but it’s going to be just right for us right now.
I’m so grateful for your support and encouragement, my friend!
xoxo
Suzy
It is truly my pleasure! 🙂
Hi Suzy! We are leading similar lives! We just sold our large family home and are in the process of remodeling our new empty nest. It’s a large remodel, but thankfully my husband is great at it. We’ve remodeled several homes to fit our needs, and I’m looking forward to our new neighborhood. I also look forward to seeing your process and advice. God bless you and Bob! 💕🙏
Juliette,
Thank you so much for your kind words! Goodness! We are living similar lives right now. Amazing!
It’s exciting, and to be honest, I’m so thrilled to be able to focus on this remodeling adventure without needing to balance being a mom with kids at home. Now THAT was challenging! I’m planning to really enjoy the process, and I’m sure you are too!
Keep me up-to-date on your progress, okay? And thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
xoxo
Suzy
Yes, I will keep you updated on our remodel!🙌
Juliette,
I’m so glad! Thank you, my friend!
xoxo
Suzy
I’m excited to follow along and see how it goes for y’all. So many fun selects to make as you watch it all take shape and come together. We’ve done extensive remodels in the past, but we’re about to embark upon what I hope will be our last move since we’re buying a tear down house here at the lake to build our dream retirement home. We’re not so much downsizing in our empty nest as building exactly what we want so every space is purposefully ours and functions as we need it to. Keep the remodel posts coming – I’m so interested to see some of your selects!
Carrie,
Wowza! That is so exciting! I’m so happy for you. What a blessing to really be able to make it your own, right? I’ll keep sharing, and you keep sharing too, okay?
Thanks for your sweet comment!
xoxo
Suzy
Suzy, we live in a 119 yr old home, so projects are never -ending! Things have been on hold while my husband recovers from a brain injury, but I will be watching your progress with great interest!
Much love,
Sandi
Sandi,
You know I’ve been praying for your sweet husband, and I hope his recovery is going well.
I cannot believe your home is 119 years old. Wow! It must be so special!
Continuing to pray!
xoxo
Suzy
🥰
Dear Suzy,
What an exciting time for you and Bob! Even though it was more than you anticipated, I’m sure you will make it perfect for your needs! And I’m sure it will be lovely when it’s completed because you have such good taste. Looking forward to watching the progress along with you. Living through a large remodel like that can be a little overwhelming at times, but it’s worth it in the long run to get just what you want.
Happy May!
Betsie,
Thank you for your kind words. We’re excited to get started! We’ll see if we can maintain that level of excitement as we progress, hahaha!
I’m thankful we’re enjoying apartment life right where we are, and we’re only 5 minutes from the new house, so it’s easy to pop over frequently to check things out!
Hugs to you, my friend!
xoxo
Suzy
Suzy,
How wonderful you found a beautiful home for the next phase of your life! Remember to try to slow down to the speed of joy (glad you loved the book!) while you go through this process.
Just wanted to throw in a “must get” for your new home….make sure you buy a chandelier lift for your beautiful chandelier in the entry. It is one of the best purchases I ever made. With the flip of a switch the chandelier lowers to the floor for easy cleaning and bulb changes! No one needs to be up on a ladder for that!
It was a real game changer for me …..and the little grandkids think its the coolest thing as well! 🙂
Excited to follow your remodel journey. God bless you and your family!
xoxocassie
Cassie,
Wow! What great advice! Thank you! I’m meeting with our designers tomorrow and will mention that for sure!
I loved Slowing Down to the Speed of Joy! Such a good book! Glad you did too!
Gratefully,
Suzy
So exciting to find your dream home and then make it your own
I know it will be amazing and cannot wait to see the end results!
Jayne,
How kind of you! Thank you so much! That means a lot to me!
xoxo
Suzy
I’m late to the party here, but I never miss reading your posts. Your energy and positivity are contagious, Suzy. So happy your prayers were answered and the new home looks lovely. I can’t wait for your progress check-ins…and definitely comfort height toilets. 😄
Patsy,
Thank you so much for your message! Your encouragement means a lot to me. We feel so blessed and we’re ready to get going!
xoxo
Suzy