chuckography

The Mind Is A Wonderful Thing To Change....

As already related, I sat down with Realtors to start steps to move from my long-time, 2-story home, into something smaller and all on one level.

It's called "downsizing" and often happens as one gets older and is living alone.

They researched and said my house would probably sell for $175,000 and I should net about$155,000.

So I started boxing up a lot of clutter that had accumulated during almost 20 years of living here.

Strong young men were hired to lug the many boxes downstairs for storage under the original 800 sf house.

My folks moved from the peninsula in 1962 and immediately my dad added a 50' x 20' workshop downstairs. That was this carpenter/cabinet maker's money-maker.

The Realtor sent over their "staging" lady who would advise me on what to remove or change so they could take photographs to show my place in the best possible manner.

She liked what I had done around my computer desk by removing and storing things but said the cat's 6-foot tall "Condo" climbing and scratching post had to go.

Cats don't deign to explain WHY they do things we don't understand but she was clearly miffed with its removal.

That might have been my first clue about the wisdom of selling this large house that my dad had bought and expanded.

Oh, sure, by removed things, I now showed a lot of open counter space in the oversized kitchen.

I don't "cook" very much - more of a defrost and microwave kinda chef - so that appliance stayed as did my toaster oven.

The Keurig coffee-maker remained because that is where every day begins.

With a large variety of coffee cups, which now were stored out of sight in cupboards.

The Realtor who was going to advise me when I became a "Buyer" (after selling my house) suggested we go take a look at an 1130 sf duplex in nearby Tanner Plantation.

It was a single story and in matchless condition, with a modern array of fashionable colors.

The living room even had a cathedral ceiling.

But, it did not have a garage nor a screened patio out back.

And, as I walked around inside I realized the total floor plan was about the size of my dad's downstairs workshop.

I would leave behind most all of the upstairs 2,000 sf of house I now have.

Three spacious bedrooms, 2 baths (one with a giant shower with 6 heads and tankless water heaters for endless hot water), two living rooms, a huge 21' x 16' kitchen, a large computer room and an even larger tv media room, a carport and a 35' x 10' wooden deck across the back with ceiling fans over the seating areas. YIKES.

And, I liked the new minimalist look of the house that I had worked hard to de-clutter.

So I alerted the Realtors I had had a change of heart. I would stay in The House That Dad Built and cope with stairs if and when my legs started to rebel.

I began the very selective process of bringing back upstairs items I now have stored downstairs.

Not cluttered and stacked haphazardly, but neat and organized.

Before things had slowly evolved, had piled up and had become messy. This was looking at my home with new eyes.

I plan to stay here a long, long time.

A few select framed photos are back up on the walls and the cat is happy to see her Condo is back where it belongs.

When I heard the Realtor's "stager" mention my bedroom was large enough to accommodate a king-size bed, I moved my queen across the room.

It too looks new to me.

(Click on the photos and links for more details.)

This has been a moving experience for me...without the hassle of actually moving.

Labels: "yuuge" kitchen, 1130 sf vs nearly 4, 2000 sf, 35-foot wooden deck out back, a "flipped" master bedroom., a moving experience, Being a Seller and then a Buyer, un- cluttering, workshop 50' x 20'

posted by chuckography @ 2:54 PM