My Dream Job

2020 has been weird! I won’t bore you with a recap of everything negative that has happened. We’ve all had our struggles this year and I am certainly no different. However, something really amazing happened to me at the start of this pandemic. Something that I had prayed for and dreamed about for a long time. A wish of mine was actually going to come true. That wish was my dream job!

I’ll never forget that day. It had been a LONG ONE. I had spent hours homeschooling my kids, trying to keep up with my household chores, cook, do all the things that our new “normal” required. It was time to text and call everyone back so I grabbed my phone. I had a missed call from my dear friend, neighbor, and interior designer Danielle. I also had some texts from a group chat she and I were both in. I finally responded hours after the text chain had stopped telling my girlfriends I was sorry for my late response and that I couldn’t seem to get anything done between homeschool and life in general. I knew they would understand as they are busy working moms also. When I called Danielle back, she said she had a huge favor to ask.

Danielle is one of my very best friends. There is so much I admire about her. She is kind, positive, thoughtful, generous and SO FUNNY!!! She is also one of the hardest working women I know. She works for Kiper Homes designing all of their model homes and she also owns her own business. Her business, Chez Moi Designs, specializes in affordable interior design services. You can visit her website HERE, her Instagram page HERE, and her Facebook page HERE.

Halloween 2019

Fun Fact: Our daughters are exactly two weeks apart and are best friends – they get it from their mama’s!

Over the phone, she explained to me how she was unbelievably busy with work and wanted to know if I would help her with a client. I was shocked. I couldn’t believe she wanted ME to help HER. I was beyond flattered and excited. Also, hesitant knowing that I could hardly find the time to call her back. How was I ever going to be able to find the time to help her. That hesitation didn’t last long though and I immediately said YES!

Danielle and I heading out to meet a new client. So much fun!

You see, I have been working for my dad now for 7 years managing janitorial services at various VA hospital locations. And while I like my job and I am extremely grateful for my job, I know it’s not my calling. I work nights and for years I spent those late nights driving home from work praying to God to please bless me with a career in interior design. I didn’t know how He would do it but I was always faithful He would.

Throughout the years, I had friends ask me to help them decorate their homes, even my realtor asked me a couple of times to help stage houses. I always said no. Then one day I thought why do I keep saying no? This is exactly what I want to be doing. I promised myself that the next time someone asked me to do anything that involved interior design I would say yes. That day was here. Danielle asked and even though it didn’t seem like good timing, I said YES!

God has a plan for us and He hears our prayers. He knows exactly what He is doing and it is all in His time, even if it doesn’t seem like the ideal time for us. He knows best! I look back to the year my son was born. It was without a doubt the hardest year of my life. To put it bluntly, I was miserable. I talk more about this in a previous blog post that you can read about HERE. I didn’t realize it at the time, but looking back I’m sure I was suffering from postpartum depression. I had gone from working full time as a teacher to full time being at home with a new baby and it was a hard adjustment. I had little to no friends as I was new to California and my family was across the country.

During that time I began to fall in love with all things home. I became obsessed with decorating and that was the year I started our SGIFHM Instagram page. It made me feel happy in those dark days. If it wasn’t for that difficult year I firmly believe I wouldn’t have found my true passion, interior design and I am so thankful that I can now see that year as such a blessing. I am beyond grateful to Him for answered prayers. Not only did God have faith in me, but my dear friend Danielle did also.

I must have asked her a million times if she was sure she wanted me to help her. I explained I wanted to help but I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. She assured me I would be fine and introduced me to my very first client. I have now been working with Danielle and clients for 6 months and while I still have a lot to learn let me tell you I am completely hooked. I eat, sleep, and breathe this job. I am truly in love with it and have had the time of my life. I will be forever in debt to my friend Danielle and her amazing business she’s created on her own Chez Moi Designs.

 

At a Honey’s That Hustle shopping event last July. Who knew a year later we would be ‘honey’s that hustle’ together.

I am so thankful she took a risk and asked me to work with her. We have so much fun together and boy do I think we do a great job!!! What you may not realize (because I certainly didn’t) is hiring an interior designer will actually save you money! Danielle and I do not charge any fees. We simply find you pieces for your home for less than what they retail for and by using these companies and websites we make a commission. It’s a win-win for everyone!

This is an example of a client’s room design. I am so excited about this one. It’s almost complete.

So here’s my plug (LOL), if you are local to the Bay Area and have thought about hiring an interior designer, give us a call. You literally have nothing to lose. We will come over for a free in-home consultation to talk about your needs and will immediately start looking for options. There’s no obligation to buy anything but I can guarantee satisfaction. Look I wouldn’t say I’m the most confident person in a lot of things but I am 100 percent confident in this! This is truly what I love to do and it’s what Danielle loves to do and I think our passion shows in our work.

 

This is a ‘Before and After’ of my first client’s family room

Dreams really can come true my friends! And who says you can’t start a completely new career path at 36 years old?! I am so excited to start this new journey and cannot wait to see what the future holds!!! I hope you will follow along with me on this incredible new beginning.