I’m over at our new house in Maine because the hardwood floor project basically started in real time—like, I got a text that the wood was being delivered and suddenly I’m sprinting over there trying to capture true “before” shots of every room. In this vlog I walk you through the floor delivery, what it looks like when a “simple refinish” turns into a full demo situation, and all the little first-time-homeowner things I’m learning as we go (like calling the oil company the previous owners used and trying to understand schedules and options). The biggest moment for me was choosing the stain. You’re telling me I have to pick a single stain? I was genuinely agonizing—Pinterest is helpful, but stains look totally different depending on the wood, and we have red oak. I narrowed it down to four, but Early American was the no-brainer once I saw it in person: warm, traditional, and exactly the foundation I want for this cozy coastal home. I also share the behind-the-scenes stress of coordinating timelines (hello, my former project manager self), because we’re trying hard not to push move-in with mortgage starting soon. On top of all that, I’m packing one box a day and clearing out the apartment—slow progress, but it’s moving.