diff --git a/scripts/CSharp/Common/Inventory/InventoryInstance.cs b/scripts/CSharp/Common/Inventory/InventoryInstance.cs
index 3ec2ba0..5945ff7 100644
--- a/scripts/CSharp/Common/Inventory/InventoryInstance.cs
+++ b/scripts/CSharp/Common/Inventory/InventoryInstance.cs
@@ -3,9 +3,7 @@ using System;
 using Godot;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Linq;
-using Babushka.scripts.CSharp.Common.Farming;
 using Babushka.scripts.CSharp.Common.Savegame;
-using Godot.Collections;
 
 namespace Babushka.scripts.CSharp.Common.Inventory;
 
@@ -48,6 +46,19 @@ public partial class InventoryInstance : Node
         }
     }
 
+    public override void _EnterTree()
+    {
+        LoadFromSaveData();
+        InventoryContentsChanged += UpdateSaveData;
+        SlotAmountChanged += UpdateSaveData;
+    }
+
+    public override void _ExitTree()
+    {
+        InventoryContentsChanged -= UpdateSaveData;
+        SlotAmountChanged -= UpdateSaveData;
+    }
+
     public InventoryActionResult AddItem(ItemInstance newItem)
     {
         var result = AddItemAndStackRecursive(newItem, 0);
@@ -201,9 +212,14 @@ public partial class InventoryInstance : Node
         {
             for (int i = 0; i < _slots.Count; i++)
             {
-                if (save.TryGetValue(i.ToString(), out Variant inventoryItem))
+                if (save.TryGetValue(i.ToString(), out Variant inventoryItemData))
                 {
-                    // todo: we have the resource paths and amounts, but how do we get to ItemResources and ItemInstances?
+                    string[] savePayload = inventoryItemData.AsStringArray();
+                    ItemResource resource = ResourceLoader.Load<ItemResource>(savePayload[0]);
+                    int _amount =  int.Parse(savePayload[1]);
+                    
+                    ItemInstance instance = new ItemInstance { blueprint = resource, amount = _amount };
+                    AddItem(instance);
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/scripts/CSharp/Common/Inventory/InventoryManager.cs b/scripts/CSharp/Common/Inventory/InventoryManager.cs
index 86778da..36166b1 100644
--- a/scripts/CSharp/Common/Inventory/InventoryManager.cs
+++ b/scripts/CSharp/Common/Inventory/InventoryManager.cs
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ public partial class InventoryManager : Node
         }
     }
 
-    public InventoryInstance playerInventory = new InventoryInstance();
+    public InventoryInstance? playerInventory;
 
     private int _currentSelectedSlotIndex = 0;
 
@@ -34,7 +34,9 @@ public partial class InventoryManager : Node
 
     public override void _Ready()
     {
+        playerInventory = new InventoryInstance();
         playerInventory.SlotAmount = 37;
+        AddChild(playerInventory);
     }
 
     public InventoryActionResult CreateItem(