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Haroldson House

Love the home you have.

Hi! We’re Josh and Stasia Haroldson.

After 8.5 years in Madison, WI, we decided to pack up and move back home to Minnesota where we bought the 80’s suburban house that Stasia grew up in.

So now with our cat Basil in tow and zero pre-existing construction skills whatsoever, we’re busy figuring out how to add as much character as we can to this suburban stunner…without breaking the bank (Stasia is a CPA after all).

All of course while working our full time jobs and adjusting to our new life back home! This is going to be fun, right?!?!*

Check out the rest of our story →

*Send coffee ASAP

  • Little Will’s just made the move into his nursery for sleeping and naps!! But, even though he’s been sleeping in a bassinet in our room until now we’ve been *SO* happy to have this space. We change him here, practice rolling, feed him, and read him books every night before bed (Pajama Time by Sandra Boynton ever night!!). We love the calm feeling of the space, but most importantly, when it came time to transition to his room, Will was totally comfortable here already. p.s. Are there any board books you’ve loved reading with your kiddos??
  • We're going tackle to kitchen this summer...thanks to the awesome newborn course by @takingcarababies we're on day 1 of sleep training for Will! That means we've got a few more moments of quiet around here while he naps...for only 30 minutes so far...but we'll take it!!! And of course that means we're starting to plan our summer project...refacing our kitchen cabinets! We love how central our kitchen is to the house, but with all the work we've done the cabinets keep sticking out more and more. It's just a lot of wood! Plus, we like the idea of doing this while we've got a non-crawling baby! Right now our goal is to just replace the doors with a shaker style and then paint the boxes. So, any tips for refacing or companies we should look at? #cljsquad
  • We're pretty sure our boy Will is making the leap...from quiet newborn to a being real, live baby that smiles, laughs, and has that sparkling baby "je nais se quoi"! Fortunately / unfortunately that means sleep = snuggles right now! He just wants to stick close as his perception of the world gets a little more refined and our wonderful bits of sleep have been woefully short the last couple nights! Thankfully, working from home (Josh) and maternity leave (Stasia) is making these long nights less stressful and a little more special. Not having to "get to work" is a total life saver right now that we're so grateful to have! It just gives you that extra hour and change that's the difference between tough and terrible. Anything fun we can look forward to now that we're around 5 weeks in??
  • House projects around here have been on hold for a little while...but we have to say, it's been tons of fun to just enjoy the spaces we've been creating for our family. Napping on the couches, snuggling by the fire, and having coffee (and milk!) in all of our bright rooms! Isn't that what this renovating stuff is all about?!? Hopefully you all can remember that there are fun memories ahead in the middle of your next project!!
  • It's been a minute...but we finally finished the nursery a couple of weeks ago! Welcome to #haroldsonhouse William! You've definitely turned out the best of any project we've ever worked on!
  • Can a renovation actually save you money?!? It seems counterintuitive, but sometimes yes! And not in the way you might think. Since one of us is a CPA, we've always been very thoughtful about spending our money wisely on our home. But, with a baby on the way we can't help but look at every project even more closely in terms of 💸 in and value out...AKA good ole "bang for the buck". Now, 10 people will have 10 different definitions for what that means, but for us a key question is..."Will spending money on *this* thing, make *another* thing less important, cheaper, or better?" And here in the living room the answer was a giant "YES!" when it came to extending the laminate floors into the rest of the living room. That's because not only did the floors add a ton of aesthetic value, but our 11 year old couch that was looking a little worn on the carpet...now looks totally fine on the new floors. So, instead of updating the flooring (to new carpet) AND buying a new couch, we're now hoping to get a few more years out of our favorite napping spot! All for around the same price as a nice, new sofa alone. Are there any upgrades you've made that have saved you money like that? Or that stopped you from spending big money elsewhere? Let us know! We're sure others would love to hear about them!! #cljsquad
  • BEFORE ➡️ AFTER // The process of any renovation project is a long one. There's the planning, the revisions, the road blocks, the doing...it seems never ending! But then, one day the finished product is right in front of you and you can't believe this thing you dreamed up is a real live thing! So, it's fitting to sit here and look at our nursery fill up with some amazing gifts from our friends as two projects...the room and the baby...are both just about ready to go! . . . 🛠 p.s. Are YOU are a remodelaholic and looking to connect with others? Come join us! 🏚✨🏡 . Here’s how to get started! 🛠 Follow our hosts: . Ashley @lakecityrenovation Becca @alpenglowinteriors Lindsey @capesingletary Ericka @thebirdhousebythelake Kiersten @thestoneheaddiy Joannie @jhambel.hambelsgetreal Juliana @onepleasantstreet Kate @the_walnut_cottage Kellie @project_langdon2018 . and this week’s co-hosts Josh & Stasia @haroldsonhouse (that's us)! . 🛠 Use the hashtag #MyHomeRenovationJourney on your home renovation pics. . 🛠 We will feature our favorites in our stories, and will choose one lucky individual to co-host with us next week! 🎉✨🏚
  • You know when you make plans to go out on a Friday night...but when it's time to leave you're suddenly like, "why did I agree to leave the house!!"...but then you go out and it's great and the best thing ever? That's kind of where we're at with the baby now! Now that everything's getting put into the nursery we're getting all the emotions about actually doing this thing! BUT...just like Friday night plans, we know this is going to be the **most** amazing experience and we can't wait to meet our new little roommate!! (...at least until 40 weeks...fingers crossed!!!) #cljsquad p.s. Anyone have a good crib mattress recommendation? We obviously still need to get one! 💤