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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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!
4. We prayed that the Lord would bring us the home we needed in His perfect timing.
5. We had our ducks in a row financially, with pre-approvals, etc.
6. 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:

1. Someone who listened well, was able to articulate what we said back to us, and really “got” what we were looking for.
2. Firms that billed in a straightforward, clear manner, with easy-to-understand invoicing and fair pricing.
3. 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.
4. 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!