Lucky Number 17

Since the beginning of my college career (almost exactly 7 years ago), I've moved 17 times.  Crazy right?!

At first glance, I know it sounds like I'm highly overestimating...  But having to move in every Fall, out every Spring, sometimes being home for 2 random weeks on either end of Summer internships, and then throw in a study abroad?  Yeah... DEFINITELY adds up...

Although, Number 17 has already had a few perks!  :)

First off?  I'm staying in the same building - I just moved from the first floor to the second floor!  1. This means that I'm out of the basement (the first floor has the ground level at the very bottom of the windows) - WAY more natural light and WAY less damp!  2. I didn't really have to "pack" very much - moving was a breeze!   Hmm... lies.  BUT!  I didn't have to load and unload a car or moving truck, which was definitely handy.  Just a million or so trips up and down stairs :)

Secondly, and perhaps most exciting, I'm now in a 2 bedroom apartment!  Krista's moving in and it will be OUR apartment!!!  :)  I'm super excited about being able to live with Little #4 for the next year - she's in Ohio for the summer for her internship but she'll be here by the end of August!!!  Can't. Wait.  :D

The final bonus about this apartment?  Because it's the same building, the apartment is basically the same layout!  The extra bedroom is just on the other side of the bathroom where the coat closet used to be...  (If you're really interested in comparing, see the original single here and here.)

Here are a few photos I took before we moved anything in:

Maybe at some point I'll draw up a formal layout like I did with the last apartment, but that day is not today.  Just not up for it... You get the gist without it, right? :-/

Those were all taken at the verrrrry end of June and I (plus family and friends) moved everything for the weekend of July 1st!  Matt and I moved some of the lighter furniture earlier in the week and then Mom, Dad, Rob, and his brother Tony, helped with the big move that Sunday.  And Dad even helped get some of my pictures up on the walls, so it felt like home right away! :)

I can't even tell you how grateful I am that Tony and Rob came to help.  For those of you who have not been up-close and personal with my furniture, trust me when I say it's beastly.  Especially the couch... It was a lot like this:

http://pinterest.com/pin/26529085275597469/

Only my couch is also 1000 lbs.  It's solid wood, which makes it very, very heavy and very, very not flexible.  The only difference from this scene from Friends?  I was in the background going "I'm sorry I have terrible furniture!" and "Thank you so so so much... I'll make cookies..."  Oh!  And we actually made it up the stairs just fine :)

Krista and her brothers visited and brought a few of her things a few weeks later.  

(Can't WAIT for her to move in for real!!)

Anyways!  Here's where we're at now:  :)

Not too bad, huh?

Remember my CDO post?  Where I explained in my disclaimer that I have plenty of clutter but it's alphabetized and color-coded?

Enter Exhibit A:

Yup... lots of drawers and bins...  It's not perfect, but until I can have a big house with a craft room and a basement?  It'll have to do!  (I realized I didn't take a photo of my closet... you would have been impressed with the volume of clothes and shoes I managed to get in there...)

And that's pretty much it! :)  Still some rearranging to do (hint: don't look in the closet by the front door yet), but we're well on our way. 

T-minus 19 days until Krista's back!  Yay!!!