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I’M MOVING TO CHICAGO!

02.10

You’ve heard me talk about considering this and teasing it for awhile now, but now it’s official! I’M MOVING TO CHICAGO. While I am definitely doing it, I still have lots to get squared away here in Dallas before I can leave! Mostly that involves selling my house, which will be going on the market in just a few days time. I’m hoping to sell it quickly so I can be in Chicago by April or May, but you just never know how long these things will take! I’ll also be hosting a big closet sale and Dallas reader meet-up in March, which I’ll be sharing further details on later this week. Stay tuned!

I’ve received a ton of questions about this move, so I thought I would answer that here and explain the reason for such a big life change! To be honest, I just really need a change of pace. I grew up in Austin, and immediately moved to Dallas for college and then just never left. This coming August I’ll have been here for fifteen years! Sure, I’ve traveled a bunch since graduating from SMU in 2009, but it’s never been enough to quench my thirst for something new. The thing I love most about Dallas is the people in it – my friends. I know they will always be here and I plan to visit often – I don’t even plan to switch my hair colorist, so I can make sure I visit every couple of months! And who knows, maybe I’ll end up moving back to Dallas after a year. But after fifteen years in this city I’m ready to take a risk and try somewhere new! Part of me is scared to take the leap, but I’m also SO excited to get out of my comfort zone.

I'M MOVING TO CHICAGO!

Another question I’ve gotten a lot is “Why Chicago?” and a lot of “Why not New York”? I absolutely LOVE visiting New York. It is one of my very favorite cities in the world! I just don’t see myself living there. I go to New York usually twice a year, but have never felt a strong pull to move/live there. When I visited Chicago in August, something just clicked!

I love the slightly slower pace of Chicago, the Midwestern hospitality, and the fact that I won’t have to pay an exorbitant amount of money on rent for a tiny apartment. I’m 32 years old and have gotten used to living with more square footage and financial freedom – I’m not ready to let that go! I’ll be spending about the same amount I do on my mortgage each month on renting a spacious two bedroom apartment in Chicago, so there’s really no financial burden there (you know, other than throwing my money away on rent – ha!). Plus, Chicago is FUN. The restaurant scene rivals that of NYC, each area of Chicago feels so different (West Loop vs Gold Coast, for example), the architecture of the city and Lake Michigan are both beautiful… and the people are SO NICE. It just feels like an easy transition. I think of Chicago as a good mix between Austin and New York!

Sure, winter will be a tough adjustment… but that’s where working for myself really pays off. I don’t have to commute to work, I can leave town on whim (and often). I also look at it as being the opposite of Texas in the summer – it is too hot to spend any time outside from June-September here, so I’m just trading bad summers for bad winters. Plus, I keep being reassured that as long as you have the right equipment (aka good clothing/coats/boots), it’s totally doable and not terrible… just long! I already have my trusty parka and bought these cozy snow boots ahead of my trip – so comfy!

Like I do in New York, I have a pretty great network of friends both in and out of the blogging industry in Chicago. I also am SO excited to make some new friends and connections, check out the dating scene somewhere else, and reach a wider audience for my blog! I’m thrilled to explore new content opportunities and hopefully continue to grow my business. Last year was my biggest year yet and I’ve been saving a lot, so this financially stable period of my life makes a major change definitely doable. The biggest risk I’m taking is that I end up not liking it, and if that happens I’ll move back to Texas. Nothing is permanent or irreversible! I think the bigger risk would be to not move and end up being unhappy in Dallas long-term since I’ve felt restless for so long.

Anyway, all that is to say I am so excited for this new adventure and life chapter, and can’t wait for it to begin in *hopefully* a few months time. I hope you all will continue to follow along and join me in this journey! I’ll be sure to share more blog content around the move itself, and would love any recommendations you might have for cross-country moving companies! Comment below for any advice you might have in that arena… thank you!!


PS: I’m going to be doing a blog post with all of the Chicago apartments I looked at, photos, pros and cons of each for those of you who might also be considering a move to or within Chicago! I won’t be sharing which one I choose for obvious reasons, but thought the content could be helpful if you’re apartment hunting! I also won’t be able to settle on an apartment until my house is sold and I can finally sign a lease – the floorplans I want may or may not be available, so it’ll be a game time decision.

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