It’s that time again. You ask, and I pretend to know things and answer your burning questions. It really is so much fun to open my inbox and see the wide variety of questions you guys have. Reminds me that my readers are so diverse and pretty dang awesome. So keep those questions coming and I’ll keep racking my brain for answers. As always, please pipe up if you have any input or are knowledgeable when it comes to any of the following questions:
Hi Mavis, I understand you are moving across country to a new place, and I’m wondering how you went about the process. We are wanting to move from the east coast to the mid-Atlantic Appalachian Mountains, but don’t have the time or money to check out each area. Is there a simpler process?
~Thanks, Debbie
Hi Debbie, what a great question. My husband spent his early childhood just outside of Boston and had fond memories of the area. We had always talked about going back for a visit at some point, but it didn’t pan out until 2013 when we decided to take the kids there for spring break. In a nutshell, we not only loved Boston, but we pretty much fell in love with the whole Northeast at that time as well. The kids were still in high school though, and my husband had a good paying job {and one that he had been at for 20+ years} so the thought of cashing in our Hey, you only live once card and moving 3,000 miles away from everything we knew, seemed like a pipe dream at the time.
The next year our daughter headed off to college on the east coast {but not in the Northeast} and every spring break The Girl and I would find ourselves driving up north and checking out different towns. We weren’t house hunting at that point, just going on adventures and enjoying the different areas. But, every time we came back from one of our adventures, the desire to move to the Northeast permanently, increased greatly.
So, for a period of about 3 years, we basically researched 4 different states, the different towns, taxes, laws, and the housing market in those areas. And then we narrowed it down to two states. And then to one. And then a few months ago, the stars just sort of aligned and we knew it was time to go for it.
If I had to give you an estimate, I’d say 95% of our research was done online. So if there are a few towns you are already looking at, it’s never to early to start researching. What does the job market look like? How much can you afford for housing and what does something in your price range look like? Will you be sending kids to school? What are the schools like in those areas? Is one state better than others when it comes to state laws, taxes and services?
I think once you can narrow where you want to live down a bit more based on that set of criteria {jobs, housing, state laws, and taxes and whatever else you are interested in}, the whole process becomes a lot easier. I hope that helps.
And please, if anyone has some tips to help Debbie, be sure and leave her a comment.
I just read in the Kitsap Sun that the tea room in Port Orchard has been sold.
~Mona
Yes! The Grey House has been sold and the new owners officially took over on March 15th. They plan to expand the Grey House menu with homemade baked goods and treats. Maybe we can get Mrs. HB to make a trip out there in a month or two and let us know what’s new. 😉
A few years ago while visiting my brother, we watched a series from Canada about an inept and funny community theater group. Does anyone have a clue as to the name? I’d like to watch it again, and unfortunately don’t have my brother to ask anymore.
Thank you in advance.
~ E in Upstate New York
Could it be Slings and Arrows? If not, hopefully someone else will chime in with an answer.
Hi there! Recently you posted about Lucy having a car seat but I can’t seem to find it on your site. Could you please tell me what kind it was and why you chose it over other kinds?
~ Thanks! Sarah
Sure thing Sarah. We shelled out about $60 for this K&H Pet Products Bucket Booster Pet Seat and let me tell you Bob, I wish we had bought one sooner. I really didn’t think she’d go for it, and I thought the car seat was going to end up being a giant chew toy, but to our surprise, Lucy LOVES her car seat.
We ordered a large, and it gives her just enough room to lounge while still being strapped in {there are two straps built in to the seat that hook to the back of a dogs harness}.
Hi Mavis, I’m curious as to what you ended up doing with your old computers? Did you find a place to recycle them? What did you do with the hard drive? Thank you!
~Julie
I am a horrible person. We ended up destroying the hard drives and then recycling the computers at the landfill instead of donating them. I just couldn’t get past the thought of handing over the laptops to someone to “wipe” clean.
Hi Mavis! We have a 2400 sqft house that Needs an interior paint job. When we first bought the house 17 years ago we had a designer to come in and help choose colors. Times of changed our Ming red walls need to go but we want to have a somewhat coordinated look. Do you have any suggestions on how to go about doing this? Any local people to hire in the greater south King County area? Online? We’ll do the work, just need color selection help!
~ Sarah
Hi Sarah,
I posted your question to FB yesterday and here are the responses I received:
So this isn’t local, but there is an interior designer who sells a paint pallet collection. {Lauren Bern Interiors} It can help you choose coordinating colors as well as furnishings. Something to check out if there is no one local to help! ~ Kristen
I know this sounds lame, but we went to Lowes and picked up the booklets of coordinating colors by theme/look (think Americana, southwest, international spice, etc) was sooo helpful to have fewer paint colors that someone else decided matched each other. ~Mary
I hope that helps! If anyone has any suggestions for Sarah, pipe up! We love comments around here.
Have a question for me? Submit them HERE and I’ll try to answer them.
Have a great weekend everyone,
~Mavis
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Lee says
Not sure if it is okay to post about another blog here, but I also follow YoungHouseLove. They took a break for a bit, but have returned to blogging. They have links at the top of their site “Shop our House” and “Shop our Beach House” that includes a photo of the room(s) and paint colors. It may help with some inspiration.
https://www.younghouselove.com/shop-our-house/
I also second going to Lowes and checking out those pallet cards. You can try google image searching for paint pallets too.
Barbara says
Hi Mavis, You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers this week as you travel to your new home in the northeast. May you have safe travels. I can’t wait to hear about your new adventure!
suzanne says
Lauren Bern has excellent color advice. Maria Killam and Carla Aston(?) as well. I believe they do online consultations. Basically You pick a shade that you love and make sure that the undertones go with your flooring and other hard surfaces that stay. Good Luck.
I hope the tea room stays great. I’m really looking forward to taking my grand daughter there for her birthday when she’s older.
Heidi P says
First I need to let Mavis know that I will miss her here in the beautiful pacific northwest. I’ve got to say I have a ping of sadness every time you post about moving. A bit strange. Hmmm…maybe I’m a bit more connected to this blog then I thought????
Okay I have a response for Sarah. When I repainted my interior a friend shared with me her trick. She had me go to three different paint stores and borrow one of their paint swatch books. Ya know the ones with all their paint swatches stacked into a thick narrow book? My friend took them and fanned them out so I could see all of the colors. She then asked me which colors I was drawn to. From there we narrowed it down to the shades I wanted. I’m about to do this again as its time to update.
Each room is a different color within the same color family. ie: my living room has three walls of the second darkest shades with one accent wall of the darkest color. My dining room is the next lighter shade with my kitchen being the lightest shade. Tough to describe. All the rooms are open and connected and this helps them feel cohesive.
I took two of the colors (darkest and second lightest) and painted my entry with BIG horizontal stripes. We have lots of artwork so not a lot shows but enough to add interest.
Good luck finding your colors. Paint can be so fun.
Meg C says
Do you have Sherwin Williams in the PNW? They have a personal service for color selection & then you get cash off the paint if/when you buy SW brand paint. Not sure of all the details but several of my friends have used the service & been very pleased with the results.
kcb says
I looked at the Facebook page for the new Grey House. It looks like it is not longer a place for tea, but is a café. I got a gift certificate to The Grey House as a Christmas gift. I hope I can still use it!
Cindi says
When we built our new house, I went to a local paint store (the kind that sells only paint and supplies) and they had someone on staff who helped me choose coordinating colors. I took in my house plans and she not only helped me choose colors, but figured out how much paint I’d need. And because I was buying a whole house worth of paint at once, I got a discount.
Linda says
I too will miss your PNW adventures. Maybe I liked the idea I could run into you. I am also super sad that you will be leaving our corner of the world. I will look forward to hearing how things are on the other coast once I get over you leaving 🙁
SandyF says
I just wanted to share that I ordered the Wandering Goose cookbook called “Big Food-Big Love” from your recommendation after your review of Bubble & Squeak breakfast. I tell you Bob-everything I had tried from the cookbook is INSANE. I mean good…
The bubble & squeak recipe /corned beef is currently in the oven. The tomato sauce was so good, as was one of the cakes I baked.
Her story is a delight to read as well.
Thank you for the suggestion and Bob Appetite! Safe travels and I am so excited to hear about your new home.
Ramona says
This is for Debbie. When I was thinking of moving to a different state I looked up the following. City data.com gives information on towns. Usually there is a place that posts questions and answers from people that live in the town. I also found the online newspaper and local t.v. news stations for the town I was looking into. This way you can see what is going on day to day. If you do find a place you are interested in I would go to planning and zoning and see what their overall plan is for county and city. I mention this because I moved to a small town in the county with a few acres. After a few years a neighboring property went to the county for a special use permit for heavy industrial use. All the property around was agriculture and homes at the time. Long story short ended up moving again, same town but before purchasing my now property I went to planning and zoning to see what the long term comprehensive plan was for property around me.
Debbie says
Thank you Ramona and thank you Mavis. I’m gonna start narrowing down location and then refine from there. Excellent advice from you both.
Elaine says
This is for Debbie,
Areavibes.com is also a great site for checking out thr unknown territory…and then when you start seeing places that look good, google the town and check out images and then with Google maps you can actually “drive” down roads! It’s addicting… I like areavibes because it gives amenities around so say if a library or hardware store is important to you you’ll know if a town has it. Good luck and happy (online) travels!
Amanda S says
Oh wow, your first trip to Boston was during the marathon bombing? I didn’t realize that was your first trip to the city! I remember reading how you were a few blocks away, felt a blast, and ducked into a store. You were probably around 4 days later for the massive manhunt as well, which was covered non-stop by all the news stations. And you wanted to come back after that?!?
I don’t think you’ve announced what state you are moving to. I’m really curious. Will you reveal it once you are there? I assume you won’t give the town/city name but I’m hoping at least for the state. I’m guessing New Hampshire, because I think the taxes are better there than Massachusetts, much of the state is close enough for you to get to Boston easily, it’s within good driving distance of Vermont and Maine, some of the state is along the coast or at least it’s easily accessible, there are lots of lakes and mountains, etc. Although I’m thinking Maine too but I think the taxes may be higher there and some of it is in the middle of nowhere (although you may like that!). Massachusetts would be the easy pick, but I’m not quite sure. (That’s where I live and I can’t imagine living anywhere else. My and my husband’s entire family is here and it’s a great place to live. Although I’m getting mighty sick of the snow. We got 2 feet last Tuesday!)
Where did your daughter go to college? Have you said that before?