Pages

Monday, January 14, 2019

popping down

Many years ago, when I was a working girl with no kids, some co-workers and I would go for lunchbreak walks near our office park.  One walking buddy was just emptying his nest as his youngest kid was off to college.  He explained to us how he and his wife bought their little single-story house and then added the top level when their three kids started arriving.  Now it would just be him and the wife living there, with no need for the top story.

Another walking buddy was about my age, no kids.

"There should be pop-up houses", he mused, along the lines of pop-up campers.  "One level for couples that pop-up a second story for kid additions.  Then pop back down when the kids grow up!"

Yeah, so we all chuckled, but I'm starting to see the practicality of it.  For a while, after our kids reached their teens, our house often seemed too small.  Now?  I could do with half a house.

I've begun Operation Consolidation.

Our house is a raised ranch with finished basement.  Magnum and I are wanting to downsize to about half the size of our house now.  So, in preparation, I thought I'd consolidate all our stuff to the main floor.  Can  I do it?  Yes!  I think

Well... the laundry's gonna stay downstairs because... that's where it is.  And I'll keep my office downstairs because that's where the internet cable (better than wifi for online tuting) taps in, and I don't feel like drilling and rerouting.

BUT, everything* else is going up!

Which means, I need to de-clutter the main level to make room for necessities from the lower.  I'd been thinking that I've done a good job of it, but then I got this consolidation idea and am looking around...



This should be fun?  Okay, I'm starting today.

Step 1.  Motivation




It's a start.  And I'm actually still in touch with both of those walking buddies.  Empty nester is now a grandpa several times over, and Pop-up guy now has two sons similar in age to our kids.  I wonder if he has a pop-up?




4 comments:

Chatty Crone said...

Oh my goodness do I understand this. There was two - then three, four. Then two. Back to four. Now one might be going so down to 3.
We have 5 bedrooms and need it if we are all here and don't need it if we get smaller - what's a person to do?

Good idea checking out Pinterest - hahahahahaha. A good start anyway.

Annsterw said...

Having lived alone my whole life I have not had this experience but it makes sense. I can;t wait to find out what you do with the extra rooms you create...maybe a gym or home theater? Sounds like a fun project to me!! PS-maybe I missed it but did you post your completed window hangings?! Have a great day!

ShadowRun300 said...

We’ve moved 3 times in the last 6 years, each time into a smaller home. This last move is really going to test our abilities to consolidate. We’ll be in a one bed, one bath apartment - not much bigger than our hotel room in fact. We’re a little nervous, but somewhat excited to see if we can live without a bunch of stuff.
And to answer your question about Alaska. Nope. Never. No way.

Abby said...

Chatty, you've definitely dealt with the pop-ups and -downs.

Ann, I plan to create a vast nothingness of the extra rooms! And yes, the blinds have been up. We like them, but I guess they're nothing to "write home" about? I'll take pics :)

SR300, so you know my plight! I found a whole subculture of vandewellers - people who renovate their vans and live in them by choice. If they can do that, (you and) I can do this!