@xvz: Yes, small steps! It's funny how rearranging furniture can make a space feel so different.
I'm just anxious about financing and making sure what we buy doesn't turn into a major fixer-upper. I'm torn if I want to save for a nice down payment or save that money for emergencies, such as fixing stuff.
@Bonnie: I just grew up with Microsoft, so it's what I'm used to (although I'll say that not OS for Microsoft are not created equal lol). I've tried with Apple because my parents have those and I just...can't get used to them. One of my classes in college used Apple computers in a computer lab, and those drove me crazy as well.