As we approach the second year mark in our new home, I can't help but celebrate the little things that come with owning your own home. Full disclosure, I don't own our home in any way, my boyfriend does, but it's thanks to him that I get to reap the benefits of owning too. Besides the obvious financial advantages that come along with it, I really enjoy things like not having to look for a new place to live every 12 months, or worrying about my rent going up, or begging the property management to not charge me a million dollars to own two, small dogs that more resemble squirrels. And it's thanks to my mister that we can really settle and there's something to be said for that.

Renting versus owning means freedom. Freedom to paint the walls, knock one down if you want to, take your time shopping for furniture, building your own personal style and making your home feel like your home. We've been decorating (and redecorating) and renovating since the day we moved in it seems. But, I love it! It's a fun thing that we can do together and I've enjoyed making our house a home every (tiresome, grueling) step of the way. Also, the comfort of knowing we have that home stuff taken care of has really given me the confidence and extra push to focus on things like this blog and even recently making a big career change. It's helped me to grow too, by learning how to take care of a home. I'm finally able to put all of the good "first-home" tips my family gave me along the way to good use.

Our open-style kitchen was what sealed the deal for us. The previous owner knocked down a wall and left us with a neutral pallet to work with, which was ahhh-mazing. It's also helped me to actually enjoy cooking now!

Our living room looks completely different now, but this was right after we pulled up all of the carpeting and my handy-dandy boyfriend installed black, laminate flooring throughout the whole house! He did a great job, and wow was that a mess. We also painted the living room a really great color that I know we'll love for years to come; Revere Pewter from Benjamin Moore.

I love to entertain now! Not having to pack up dishware every twelve months has helped me take the plunge and start buying adult-like things, such as large platters and every type of cocktail glass there is.

We're planning to re-do our closets soon with installed organization, but for now I'm enjoying buying small things like shoe bins and velvet hangers to make my closet a clean and organized space that I enjoy seeing every day.

Flower Pot is happy too, because now she doesn't have to pay pet rent and can just lounge all day long. :)

Maybe one day we can share my boyfriend's best tips for saving to own your home by the age of 26, since I can't really help you with that. Holler at me if you need help deciding which shoes to buy though! But I'm so glad I teamed up with State Farm to reflect back on those who have helped me a long the way. It's reminded me how happy and grateful I am for having that cute boyfriend of mine and for his hard work that's undoubtedly helped us get us to where we are today.

Like a good neighbor State Farm is there.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by State Farm via Mode Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of State Farm.

Starting Out

This post is a little longer than the usual here on The Fashionably Broke - It's all about your first, real home and the items that make it a "real" home. Read on for more about how I started out as an "adult," or, simply scroll to the bottom for some fun, throwback pictures of me. :)

I only graduated from college a few years ago, but it sort of feels like forever ago now. So much change happen once you enter the "real world." So, to avoid all of those things, I moved to the beach! We lived in a dinky beach house [see below], equipped with enough beds for everyone to sleep in, a bottle opener, and that's about it.

It wasn't until I moved back from the beach, and my boyfriend and I moved into an apartment together [seen here], that I had a few pretty big revelations about this new chapter of my life. The biggest one being that I had to start spending my own money on things, like toilet paper and Windex.

I slowly but surely realized there were going to be some things that I had to do and buy to make our home feel like a real home. Lucky for me, I have an awesome support system and I live very close to most of my family members. Quickly, birthday and Christmas presents from them went from shoes and make-up to crock pots and bath towels. My aunt especially has been a life saver. She is an interior designer and has amazing taste. Not only has she set me up with so many great home essentials, she even comes over from time to time to help me organize things and stage furniture for me. She has been such a huge help in making my house a home, so I wanted to share some of her advice with you guys. We chatted about what she and I think are the most essential items for your home when you're first starting out and here's what we came up with!

First, buy some cookbooks because, as you will realize how expensive eating out can get, you will need them. And now that you're cooking you should get yourself a complete set of pots and pans so you don't have to rewash the same one over and over. There are great starter kits that come with everything you need. Then, buy a good wine opener, because borrowing the neighbors is simply no longer going to cut it. While you're at it, snag a nice set of glasses for entertaining purposes. Find a set that works for day and night and "nice" doesn't have to mean "expensive." Then, my aunt specifically recommends a set of white plates, because you won't get sick of them and the food will look pretty on them before and while you're eating.

I know eating on the couch or in bed is way more fun, but having a kitchen table is important. Even just a small, bistro table and a couple chairs will do.

Oxygen is an essential, so find a living plant or two for inside your home. Home Depot is a great place to find house plants, like a Fiddle Fig or Snake Plant, which are both pretty easy to maintain.

Paint can completely change the entire look and feel of your home (my aunt is known for doing this). It also gives a more "lived in" feel and is a great way to personalize a space that may be on the smaller side and doesn't have a lot of room for decor.

Good lighting is mandatory. Without light, you can't see, read, do your make-up, etc. It also helps to create mood, so we recommend investing in some good lighting for every room. A cute, inexpensive option is string lights.

Invest in a comforter that you will love for a long time and then use it as the starting point for decorating the rest of your room. If you're like me, you make it easy on yourself and go with all white. Either way, the whole room's decor can stem from your comforter as you get more money to spend. It's the perfect place to start.

Find a good chair that is comfortable, one you can curl your legs up in to. We think that you don't even really need a sofa at first, just a chair where you can sit with your feet up or down.

Images via 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

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A few pictures from my Starting Out Phase:

Newly George Mason University Grads, 2010

The beach house, which I do not count as our "first home" for obvious reasons :)

I'm not sure that this counts as "Starting Out," yet?

But bring on the lamps and cooking supplies, courtesy of my Auntie Chantie of course!

Like a good neighbor State Farm is there.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by State Farm via Mode Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of State Farm.