Guys.
…WE’RE HOMEOWNERS!
Cue the excited hysteria and adulting.
Honestly, this was just all God. Because I have no clue how it otherwise happened if it wasn’t just God doin’ his thang. More (waaaaay more) on house and home things to come, but for now, I wanted to chat with y’all about a really important tidbit that somehow always gets axed first when in a time pinch: self-care. Specifically, self-pampering…because pampering 100% qualifies as care! We get busy, we get panicked, and we start “handling” our time by nixing things like doing our hair and makeup, pulling together coordinated outfits, or spending time in a long hot shower (am I the only one who has *skipped* a shower before to just work more? Bad. So bad.)
This weekend was a total blur; within 72 hours, we had packed, organized and boxed J’s entire apartment, closed on the new house, stuffed said apartment into a U-Haul, drove said U-Haul to said new house, and unpacked (most) boxes to begin the organizing process.
By the end of Moving Day 1, I looked like I was straight out of Survivor – covered in sweat, literal bruises and scratches, and dirt and dust. #model. We tried watching a movie Friday night to celebrate our settlement, and I fell asleep after half an hour (from either the two solid days of lifting heavy boxes and moving, or the champagne…you decide 😉 ). The first two days alone were just exhausting, and all I wanted was a shower.
As a 22-year-old graduating from university, getting married, buying a house and launching a business all in a six month window, ain’t nobody got TIME to be spending hours on a complicated beauty routine. But, I NEED my moments of self-pampering and self-love to feel sane after crazy days! We owe it to ourselves to put in as much time and effort into our own selves as we do our schoolwork, 9-to-5 assignments, entrepreneurial ventures, etc. School ends, jobs change, dreams evolve…but we always have our bodies, and we have to take care of ’em!
Besides needing to know what to keep readily on hand for a big move, I was on the hunt for a one-stop-shop sort of beauty product for the days when I just don’t have time for complicated. When your head is spinning and you’ve got too much on your plate, you need a beauty routine that is simple, gets the job done, and leaves you feeling beautiful, rejuvenated, and inspired!
Here’s what I’d consider to be first house essentials to have on hand readily when you’re transitioning to your first place.
FIRST HOUSE ESSENTIALS CHECKLIST
- Scissors and tape. Two basic office supplies that go a *looooong* way when it comes to cutting open boxes and snipping tags on new house purchases.
- Water. Bless your heart if you can handle straight tap where you live – if not, a water filter goes a long way. You’ll be #parched from all the commotion, and instead of running to convenience stores 24/7, save the cash and just filter your own.
- Hand soap. Your bathrooms won’t be all spick and span (yet), but you’ll still want to wash your hands, obvi.
- Paper towels and toilet paper. Messes will happen, but you’ll also just want to clean the place down. Always a handy tool. And TP? You know the drill.
- Phone chargers. Because it’s the 21st century.
- Towels. For that much-needed shower we discussed earlier. 😉
- A laundry basket. As you start to unpack clothes, you’ll find things that need washing, and you’ll find things you might not even want or need anymore. Have a separate space to throw laundry, as well as one to put any “to donate” or “to get rid of” pieces so that they’re not going into your new closet space.
- Contact lens solution + prescriptions. The drugstore essentials that you just can’t go without on a daily basis.
- SNACKS. You guys know I’m a snacker through and through. Avoid hangriness (and/or a big bill from eating out every meal) by having looooots of snackables on hand for your convenience.
- Comfy clothes + bed stuff. After painfully long (and literally painful) days moving, you’re going to crash so hard. Have comfy clothes on hand to throw on, as well as blankets and pillows for a good night of zzzzz’s.
- All-purpose cleaner. Because it’s your brand spankin’ new house…you want it to be as clean as possible! Have a cleaner on-hand to wipe down any countertops or shared spaces, bathroom areas, etc. Also useful if you’re inheriting a fridge or any other big kitchen appliances!
- A first aid kit. Before moving, we were told to take a pain reliever before you begin lifting heavy boxes, to lessen the back pain you’ll feel after the process. Definitely something worthwhile to consider.
- Keys. I’d recommend bringing a little tin, dish, or jar to store your new keys. If your situation is anything like ours, the seller gave us, like, seven keys to the place, as well as garage beepers and spares. Don’t have the dreaded “oh my gosh where are the keys?!” dilemma; just store them in one safe space for easy grab-n’-go.
- A shower curtain. The shower though.
- Self-care products. I mean, c’mon people…you knew this one was coming, because I just think it’s *so* important! But actually though, your exhausted, dirty self will want nothing more than to take a shower. Make sure you’ve got a loufa and the right body products exactly where you need ’em so that your shower or bath is truly relaxing and not just another to-do on your mile-long list for moving day! These babies are move-in must-have worthy if there ever was one.
Taking a shower after all of that moving was the most relaaaaaaaaxing thing in the whole wide world. Moving wreaks HAVOC on your skin, and I swear you will never feel cleaner than you do after that first shower post-move! My go-to was the new Dove Dry Oil collection – it’s nourishing (it’s got Moroccan Argan oil beads infused within!) and protects your skin from dryness, cleaning your skin without leaving it feeling caked or dehydrated, and replenishing nutrients. #yesplease. The Dove Dry Oil Moisture Body Wash maintains and nourishes your skin’s protective layer (important, so you don’t get outta the shower feeling red and all dried out!) and replenishes 12x more of your skin’s natural nutrients than other similar products. As for the Dove Dry Oil Beauty Bar, it’s got ¼ moisturizing cream and Moroccan Argan Oil, meaning it’s that much more nourishing for your skin than generic bar cleansers. Heck, I don’t USE bars of anything unless it’s Dove, to be 100% frank. None of that icky post-cleanse residue for me, please!
I’m tellin’ ya – make SURE you’ve got the right bath and body products on hand for a simple, quick, actually RELAXING beauty routine mid-move. Trust. Been there done that, and ain’t nobody got time for crappy products. Treat yo’self for this one, folks.
What’s on your move-in must-have list? What are your first house essentials?
Especially if you’ve made a big move, pleasepleaseplease leave your tidbits of wisdom and move-in must-have items in a comment below! We’ve moved in J’s apartment to the house, but we’ve still got my own to move. Your tips could play a huge role in saving our sanity, so do your part and contribute goodness to this conversation, mkay? Mkay. 😉
*Thanks to Dove, a brand I lovelovelove, for sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions + thoughts presented are entirely my own. Thank YOU for supporting the brands that support Coming Up Roses! This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Dove, but all my opinions are my own. I’ve partnered with Dove to tell you all about their New Dove Dry Oil Collection featuring their Dove Dry Oil Beauty Bar and Dove Dry Oil Moisture Body Wash.
