Around the House

Looking for name change advice or some tips for newlywed life? The MissNowMrs experts have created state-specific name change articles and checklists for you. We’ve chronicled our recommendations for how to travel while changing your name AND how to handle voting during the transition.

We’ve also compiled our best guidance for how to handle difficult sister in laws, holidays as newlyweds, the ever-annoying baby questions, and much more. Why? Because, while we are name change experts, we’re also newlywed wives, moms, and sisters.

We hope our name change advice articles help smooth your transition to your new name, and a whole new phase of life. Congratulations and best wishes from the entire MissNowMrs team!

Make Room For Fall Fashion

Do you love fall fashion? One of the things I love most about living in the northeast is the drastic change of seasons, and with this comes that time of year that we all look forward to — rotating our wardrobe! At the end of each summer I am over my summer clothes, and my love for wearing shorts, and I look forward to the new fall fashions of the season!

Along with the excitement that comes when it’s time for my wardrobe rotation, I am also faced with a bit of separation anxiety when trying to decide which clothes I should store in my secret hide-away closet in the spare room, and which clothing items never came off the hanger this year… clearly telling me that I should get rid of them!

I don’t mean ‘throw them away,’ I generally take my clothes to the Salvation Army or another resource where they can be worn again and cherished by someone else. Alternatively- I recently discovered a new love for consignment, or recycled clothing shops where you can sell your slightly-used items, and find some really cute, unique items at a great price of course!

I always struggle with certain items and trying to decide what to get rid of, and I find myself folding them away for just… one more year! This year I’m telling myself, and my husband is telling me too, that I need to make some important decisions to get rid of some cherished items, (or as he would call it, “clutter”) and tidy up the house a bit!

I figure while I am going to take on the project of my wardrobe rotation, I should also incorporate some ‘fall cleaning’ at the same time. I did, however warn my husband that I have scheduled my ‘fall cleaning’ the first week of September, and if I am going to tidy up my wardrobe, then he is too! I know that more than half of the crumpled up t-shirts that are in the closet, he doesn’t even remember he has!

So I am coming to grips that he is right, and some things I need to let go of, but I think I’m OK with this, as my female mind works — I’m already thinking that I will just have more room for those new fall must-haves! Is anyone else super excited for fall fashion this year? Here are some of my fall favs to help you get excited too, check them out at ELLE & InStyle.

Looking for more fall fashion tips or newlywed advice? Our experts are her to help!

Newlyweds: How To Buy Your Dream House

The wedding day was perfection, the honeymoon was even better, but now you are back at home facing a series of decisions to be made as a couple. Perhaps the most difficult of those, is the decision to buy a new home.

Choosing the Right Fit – The first step in the home buying game is very likely the most fun. That is the choosing the right house to make into a home together. This is a very emotional game. While you can look at as many print outs and computer images as you would like, nothing will give the true look and feel of the house without visiting it. While you should always feel free to walk through open houses, it is a good idea (especially for first time buyers) to use a real estate agent. These professionals have access to nearly all houses for sale and can narrow results for you based on the criteria that fit your needs. But, better than that is the fact that they will help you to write an official offer, with the negotiations, and with the buying timeline. Here’s a great place to search for qualified real estate agents in your area.

Soothing the Financing Fears – Let’s face it, for the vast majority of buyers, the main fear in buying a home is the assumption of loan payments. Most mortgages are written for thirty years, and when one stops to consider re-financing in the future and secondary mortgages, those loans can last even longer than that, so it is important to ensure that you stay within a realistic budget. It is always wise to consult a mortgage broker before looking at houses. There is no point in getting your hopes up about the “perfect house” before you know if you can afford it. Mortgage brokers shop around to find you the best lending deal and give you pre-approval for an amount they determine to be the high end of your buying power. That should also mean to you that the amount you are pre-approved is not necessarily meant to be the price you buy at, as you may want to stay within a safer range.

Getting to the Close – Remember, the majority of house transactions come with minor complications along the way. So do not assume that you have the house just because you put it under contract. You will likely have to face other difficult decisions, stressful changes in schedule, and other obstacles before you reach the finish line- closing day. But, it will all be worth it when you walk through the doors of your very own home for the first time. Be sure to savor the momentous occasion with photos and maybe a candle lit take-out dinner on the floor of the empty house that is now your home!

Do you have any advice for newlyweds purchasing their first homes together? We’d love to share your advice with our readers, so please leave a comment!