It’s been 3 days since our move into our new place, and as expected, we’re still settling in. Our transition from a small, new construction apartment to a 70 year old home with nearly twice the square footage has presented a few adaptive challenges us. Here are a few things I’m still adjusting to.
1) A big kitchen. Sure it may not look huge to you, but I’ve never had a kitchen that afforded more than a 1 person occupancy. The trek from the stove to the fridge (beside me, not in photo) allows me to burn off calories as I prepare our meals. The window treatments and white appliances came with the house (Yes, that is my computer on top of the kitchen table. One day I’ll have a desk. One day).
2) A spooky basement. I grew up in Florida and only heard of basements as a child. For years I related them to the storm shelter Dorothy’s family ran into during the twister scene in the Wizard of Oz. I’m a big, big wuss, and I hate going down there. The stairs creak and the only light fixtures down there are rusted, pull chain light bulbs.
3) Bright wallpaper. Here is a shot of our dining room (we do not have a dining table yet). I actually like this pattern and created my daughters nursery linens with a similar French toile. But standing in this room, surrounded by all of this for more than a few minutes, kind of makes me nauseous. Not good for a space meant for eating.
4) Old door knobs. I love them! They are one of the reasons why I love this house. But the downside now that we live with them is they don’t really work. All of the doors and knobs are original to the home, and they now don’t close or work well. Plus, you can actually see through that keyhole! A bit creepy.
doorknob
5) Old electrical. The sellers did a great job hiding all of these from any prospective buyers. None of these old, non-grounded electrical outlets were exposed during open houses or inspections. These were all hidden behind their large, heavy furniture pieces.
oldoutlet
6) Narrow spaces. The age of this home shows in several places that attempt to maximize even the tiniest spaces. Here is our linen closet, directly beside our staircase. The shelves inside are only as wide as the door (approximately 1 folded towel).
7) Baby proofing-o-rama! The seller had this house baby proofed from floor to ceiling. Sure it’s sort of convenient since we have a toddler, but she’s old enough to know not to wedge her head into the toilet! So most of their leftover baby-proofing is more a nuisance for us. Here’s a shot of the toilet seat in our half bath with a safety guard that swings over the lid whenever it’s closed. In order for it to move, you must press the gray button (hard) with one hand and swing it open with another. A 2-step process just to get access to the can?! Much worse than finding the seat up.
8) Sunroom/Den/Family room/ Misc. room. I’m not 100% sure what’s this room is supposed to be. It is directly off the main living room, and it has access to the backyard. Again, we are lacking furniture for this room, so for now it’s just a toy haven that I can just shut the door and not have to look at the mess. The big downfall is it feels like a meat locker in there during the winter! Therefore, the door is closed tightly at the moment.
sunroom
9) Fireplace. I love the look of our fireplace in the living room. But the sellers never used it, so we will have to get someone to evaluate it before we light it. I’d love to be able to use it now since it’s been below freezing for weeks!
fireplace
10) Having my daughter this far from our bedroom.
hallway
11) Having my daughter wake up screaming because she’s that far from our bedroom.
12) Dealing with my daughter all of a sudden saying, “Oh no! Mommy, I saw a ghostses!” since we moved into the house.
13) Still unpacking alone with a toddler. But I’m almost there! Only 15 more boxes to go!