My Life Unpacked – From Moving Boxes to Growing Roots

First Home

My first home was in Waterloo Ontario, on Pinegrove Street.  I can still remember a handful of my neighbours: the Amos’, the Ritchters, the Gubishives. I only lived there until I was 5, but I could tell you so many stories about time shared with some of these people.

Second Home

After my first year of kindergarten at Cedarbree elementary school, my parents divorced and I moved to a townhouse in Beechwood.  I went to Mary Johnston PS for grade 1 & 2 and then moved again.

Third Home

The third move was from Waterloo to Kitchener, to an older suburban family neighbourhood  where we lived on Westchester Street for grade 3 to 8. At the time Lackner Blvd. was more forest and industrial then it was residential homes like it is now. I would spend nights after school riding bikes with friends to the Grand River, until the construction trucks rolled in and began to develop the once small neighbourhood.

Didn’t Move Houses This Time, Just Schools

Right after grade 3, I found out that I would be attending Breslau PS, not because we moved, but because the current school I was in was over capacity so the kids on the west side of Lackner Blvd had to move schools. It was a wonderful blessing and I was there from grade 4-8.  Breslau was an incredible school and that change in boundary was a gift I didn’t know I wanted.

Fourth Move

I remember the day after grade 8 graduation, the class spent the evening at a classmates house for a pool party in Mary Hill, because kids from all the surrounding areas went to Breslau at the time. The next day, there was a giant moving truck in front of our house as everything was packed up and shipped to Wasaga Beach. Even though I lived in Wasaga Beach I attended a high school in the neighbouring town of Elmvale since Wasaga doesn’t actually have a high school, there was one elementary school at the time but no high school. So, if you lived in Wasaga and depending which side of the river you lived on that would dictate what high school you would attend. You either went to Collingwood if you lived on one side of the river or Elmvale if you lived on the other side.

Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth & Ninth Move

After high school I headed back towards Waterloo Region but stopped short in Guelph where I spent my first year in residence at UofG. While at university I moved four more times, some nice and not-so-nice places, and I will leave it at that.  After graduating I had two options, 1. go back to Wasaga and find a job up there or 2. look for work in Guelph or the Tri-Cities (Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge).  It was an easy decision to make, since there weren’t too many job opportunities that appealed to me in Wasaga, but there were more if I stayed, so that’s what I did, and made Cambridge home.  I have officially lived in Cambridge almost as long as all those previous places combined.  I have had a few homes in Cambridge, a couple rented and 3 owned, but it’s definitely the one place that won my heart. 

Why This Matters

I share all this because the my childhood was not picture perfect, we moved a lot, and I learned to adapt, be resilient, be open to change and expect the unexpected. At each new place I would get to decorate my room and I was the type of girl that would rearrange my furniture every few months, as my room was my special place that I found comfort and peace in. It gave me a creative outlet that today has grown into a passion and love for interior design.  The moving has also given me a great appreciation for my clients who sometimes have to move not because they want to but because they have to, or who are on the fence about moving because they don’t want to disrupt their kids school year and friend group. Moving is emotional, it can be an exciting and even if it’s exciting there’s always an element of stress as you plan and organize the logistics of it all.

Moving so often taught me that home isn’t just a place—it’s a feeling. It’s the people you meet, the memories you make, and the spaces you create for yourself and your loved ones. Every move I’ve made, whether as a child or an adult, has shaped my perspective and my heart for helping others find their perfect home.

Now, as a realtor, I see beyond the walls and the floorplans—I see the potential for joy, growth, and new beginnings. Whether you’re moving by choice or by necessity, I understand the emotions and challenges that come with it. My goal is to make the process as seamless and meaningful as possible because I know firsthand that every move has a story, and every story deserves a happy ending.

Here’s to finding not just a house, but a home that truly fits your next chapter.

If you want to discuss what’s happening in the market, or maybe the process of buying or selling, I am always ready to have that conversation.  All you have to do, is reach out by filling out the form below and we can chat more over coffee. And be sure to follow me on Facebook or Instagram for all the behind the scene and up to the minute news.