So much on my plate, but doing OK
Pack your bags when:
1. You wake up in a foul mood, look around, and see work you are not up to doing. You want to run out the door and hold up in a motel until, by magic, it is all done by somebody else.
2. Home and Garden TV tells you that everything you have in your house is out of date, even though they told you it was the "in thing" last year.
3. The little bush you planted 10 years ago has grown and now blocks the view of the nuclear power plant towers.
4. Your basement is packed with your former life when you went wild in Marshalls or Home Goods. The "had to haves" are now "what was I thinking."
5. Those cute little kids who used to ride past your house on a tricycle have grown and now are into Harleys.
6. You hate the colors of your bathroom, bedrooms, and so on and so on and the thought of painting everything or even picking out new colors sends you running to bed where you can pull the covers over your head.
My thought is that 10 years is long enough to live in a house. At about that time, things are breaking, decor needs updating, clutter is accumulating and everything is starting to become a burden. Instead of you owning the house, the house owns you. You start dreaming of that small apartment, one with maid service, an indoor pool and maybe having dinner served to you. Oh my gosh, I am describing a nursing home. Never mind, I'll stay here.
We lived in our first home for 28 years and that is where I raised my children. There were times that I would have liked to move, but the kids opposed the idea, so we stayed. They had everything you could want there, many friends, close to school and a good neighborhood. So when the last one finished college and they all moved out, I started looking for that 200 year old home which had been my dream for years. Instead we bought a one year old house that did not need any work, except for what we wanted to do, not what we had to do. However, here I am with a lot of work again and an older body, but I love this house, just wish we had a yard man, a handyman and a housecleaner. A very tan, well-built young man would be nice as a poolman also, but alas, the only pool I have, you blow up.
My home is now 10 years old and we have lived here for nine. We bought it because it was almost new and it was professionally landscaped. My idea of a 200 year old house was impractical and too much of commitment for us. We had very little to do in the new home except move in and hang up our hat and coat . The gardens were perfect but over the years we have removed much of what had been done because they became crowded and overgrown. We also put in a few gardens of our own. Now we are older and those great ideas that I once had give me shivers when I contemplate what has to be done. Right now I am looking at a very large pile of mulch on my driveway that was delivered yesterday. It looks like a mountain that I don't have the energy to climb, but I am going to give it my best.
So when the mulch is all put down, the basement cleaned out, some walls painted, I will be happy again. Today though every bone in my body is hurting and I am grouchy.
Pack your bags when:
1. You wake up in a foul mood, look around, and see work you are not up to doing. You want to run out the door and hold up in a motel until, by magic, it is all done by somebody else.
2. Home and Garden TV tells you that everything you have in your house is out of date, even though they told you it was the "in thing" last year.
3. The little bush you planted 10 years ago has grown and now blocks the view of the nuclear power plant towers.
4. Your basement is packed with your former life when you went wild in Marshalls or Home Goods. The "had to haves" are now "what was I thinking."
5. Those cute little kids who used to ride past your house on a tricycle have grown and now are into Harleys.
6. You hate the colors of your bathroom, bedrooms, and so on and so on and the thought of painting everything or even picking out new colors sends you running to bed where you can pull the covers over your head.
My thought is that 10 years is long enough to live in a house. At about that time, things are breaking, decor needs updating, clutter is accumulating and everything is starting to become a burden. Instead of you owning the house, the house owns you. You start dreaming of that small apartment, one with maid service, an indoor pool and maybe having dinner served to you. Oh my gosh, I am describing a nursing home. Never mind, I'll stay here.
We lived in our first home for 28 years and that is where I raised my children. There were times that I would have liked to move, but the kids opposed the idea, so we stayed. They had everything you could want there, many friends, close to school and a good neighborhood. So when the last one finished college and they all moved out, I started looking for that 200 year old home which had been my dream for years. Instead we bought a one year old house that did not need any work, except for what we wanted to do, not what we had to do. However, here I am with a lot of work again and an older body, but I love this house, just wish we had a yard man, a handyman and a housecleaner. A very tan, well-built young man would be nice as a poolman also, but alas, the only pool I have, you blow up.
My home is now 10 years old and we have lived here for nine. We bought it because it was almost new and it was professionally landscaped. My idea of a 200 year old house was impractical and too much of commitment for us. We had very little to do in the new home except move in and hang up our hat and coat . The gardens were perfect but over the years we have removed much of what had been done because they became crowded and overgrown. We also put in a few gardens of our own. Now we are older and those great ideas that I once had give me shivers when I contemplate what has to be done. Right now I am looking at a very large pile of mulch on my driveway that was delivered yesterday. It looks like a mountain that I don't have the energy to climb, but I am going to give it my best.
So when the mulch is all put down, the basement cleaned out, some walls painted, I will be happy again. Today though every bone in my body is hurting and I am grouchy. 
Hmmmm I do recall those Marshalls and Home Goods purchases creeping over to my house..as when I leave to go home you kindly offer them with ideas on where they can go in my house....however I know you are in hopes that I will soon declutter your basement with your "what were you thinking" purchases...haha!
ReplyDeleteWe are currently trying to pass off a lot of clutter and family "heirlooms" on our daughter. Not having much luck. Been in this house for 25 years and I have itchy feet but the husband not so much....I guess we'll be here for a while yet.
ReplyDeleteHello:
ReplyDeleteYour theory expressed here is, we are sure, absolutely right. Whatever the age of house, after about ten years everything starts to look out of date and/or requires attention. One way out is, of course, to move. Our solution is to remain and continue to live in what we now think of as decaying splendour. Trés chic!!
We've been in this house for almost forty years. Last year, we even toyed with the notion of moving, but only briefly. Very briefly. Bottom line is: we have too much "stuff." The very idea of having to move all of this "stuff" is enough to give us nightmares. The way I figure, when my husband and I go to that great big playhouse in the sky, our kids will simply burn our house to the ground rather than contend with it.
ReplyDeleteWe have been in our house since 1989; it has a pool, and we had kids then. Once the last child moved out and stayed out, we had said we would move to a smaller place. We are still here. Now we are looking to move in 5 years, when my husband retires. Will we? Good post, and I identify with everything you wrote.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments everybody.
ReplyDeleteWe all have too much stuff!
Lance and Jane, I love your comment, "decaying splendor". I think that is how I will refer to all my growing collections in the basement. So much more elegant than "junk".
Susan S. - When we moved 10 years ago we did get rid of quite a bit, however some of what we did take still lies hidden in unopened boxes in our basement. We know most of it belongs to our kids, and we are the keepers of their memories. They keep telling us they will take their stuff, but......
Susan K - First we need room for our growing family, then we need room for their growing family.
MBJ - You know the menfolk always have the last word and they are less apt to go for change.
I love your blog and I know exactly what you're saying! We have lived in our old barn of a house for 34 years, but like you say it's got the edge on a nursing home :0)
ReplyDeleteI have a new blog site - someothermountain.blogspot.com - would love you to drop in
some stuff is lovely.... I have 10 things ONLY I would save from a fire
ReplyDeleteDitto on everything you said....have been here for 15 yrs....need new carpet or something new on the floors....just had some new lanscaping done a/o yesterday...that didn't bother me much it was outside and done by 3 young men...one of which had a Colin Ferrel (spelling?)look....not bad..but when it comes to doing the floors inside...I want to go far away...stuff in my basement has not been opened since we moved here...I have my path to the laundry machines and then I am out of there....we have a pool which we keep cleaner than anything else...today is a great day for the pool...even in Michigan...95!!!!
ReplyDeleteOh I so understand - I had such great dreams and did so much around and inside the house when I was younger - now I just want to lay by the pool and knit. Funny how your mood changes as you get older - (that pile of mulch looks daunting!)
ReplyDeleteloved this post -
Vicki
I love this post.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right, of course, but moving is also a great effort.
My house now owns me, there is far too much to be done which won't get done, but I love this house and garden. We have been talking about down-sizing for ages, but simply cannot get up the energy to do anything about it. We'll be here until we can't cope and then somebody else will have to shift us.
Thirteen years is not really a long time to be in one house, is it?
It's hard to change, especially when memories are tied to life/family. I have a hard time with that. Sounds like you're putting in a lot of good work though.
ReplyDelete