As you know, we are very intentional about consumption and would loosely define ourselves as "minimalists" (I say "loosely" as minimalism is very relative!) The ever-growing baby shopping list definitely overwhelmed us. We did a ton of research to find out what we really need and what we don't. As first time parents, it's impossible to know. I'm sure we over-bought some things and will be Amazon prime-ing some things we should have purchased! ​

Ty here! Happy to be back on the blog! When we get the opportunity to talk about travel with others, there are a number of spots that come up on most individuals travel radar. Many people have visited or plan to visit the the PNW or Colorado. These places are absolutely amazing--so it makes sense that they are high on our lists, too! However, there are a tremendous amount of small towns that get overlooked. That is the precise point of this post! In our adventures across America, we've had the opportunity to experience 48 states. We've found several extremely underrated spots that we think y'all might like!

After many conversations, we formulated a Top 10 list of places that we found to possess underrated beauty and travel worthiness!
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About two months ago, I was perusing real estate listings in the North GA and TN mountains. The exterior photo of this cabin, showcasing all of the deck space and two story windows stopped me in my tracks, but it wasn't until I saw this great room that I was attached. I had envisioned a cabin with a two story living room, stone fireplace, and wall of windows. This was exactly what I had been picturing since we began our search! I couldn't wait to get my hands on this space! After a wild ten days putting it together, we love how it turned out, but it wasn't without some hiccups along the way! We had to get creative to get this room finished on time, but that leaves some projects for the future...which I am always on board for! 

The first cabin room reveal is here!! We are starting with one of the coziest rooms in the house, the main floor primary bedroom. In the short time we have been at the cabin, this room has already welcome a few guests including my brother, parents, and some friends, all who came to help put this place together. Having ample room to host was such a joy. Our guests loved this space, and we think you will, too! We went with a whimsical camp theme and had so much adorning this space with both old and new pieces. 

Ah, the fun part!! In this post, you will see a glimpse into what is going on in my brain, basically every free minute of my life these days. I have been working hard to design every room of this cabin! We recently found out that I have to go to California for work for 5 out of the 9 days that we have to refurnish this place! Yikes! Thankfully, my brother is going to join Ty for the days I am gone. They will be building furniture, unboxing deliveries, and getting as much done as they can while I am away. Meaning, I have to design every little detail beforehand and leave clear instructions (because ya'll know I'm not likely to let them shop for decor without my presence, ha!) 

Time for the full cabin "before" tour! After looking at over 100 cabins online (literally!), all over the country, over the course of 9 months, I came across the above photo, and knew this was the one. The two story decks and wall of windows spoke to me! I showed Ty the listing. A few days later, we booked an Airbnb nearby, jumped in the car, and drove down to Georgia for the weekend to see it in person. It felt like a "home away from home" right away. We pictured cozy winters evenings in front of the fireplace, brisk fall mornings on the deck with hot coffee, and warm summer days filled with long hikes and dinner on the grill. In the podcast episode all about the cabin, we share that we will be updating this home in phases. Phase 1 will be furnishing, decorating, and stocking the kitchen. We have to get it livable quickly (in just one week!) and ready for renters! Phase 2 will be a full renovation....kitchen, bathrooms, flooring, lighting, exterior updates, and more! We would love to tackle it all right away, but have some renters booked coming up...oh, and a baby arriving in a few months, so the renovating will have to wait! The cabin is beautiful as is. We were searching for something that was already in great shape, but that we could slowly update over time as we visit versus our more typical "sprint" renovation style . This home was a perfect fit! 

FINALLY we get to share our next project with you all!!! This has been a long, long time coming.  Maybe not this cabin in particular, but our very first dedicated short term rental! This cabin, located 30 minutes outside of Chattanooga, TN is going to be a short term rental that we will use periodically! We published a podcast all about it here. In the podcast, we are sharing why we decided to transition from long term rentals to short term rentals, why we landed on this particular area of the country, and our many plans for this home! Oh, and It is actually already available to rent!