Wednesday, September 26, 2018
On the Road to Retirement!
On the Road to Retirement!
Six years ago, we purchased a home north of Orlando as our retirement house. Unfortunately for my husband, I was not sure that was the house I wanted to retire in. So we began to look for other homes and we found one about 9 miles from the current one (my daughter lives there.)
It does get confusing. She is thinking of buying it so right now we have three homes. We have made lots of updates to that house and our Davie house. I have finally gotten the Davie house just the way I want it, which is a little sad.
My poor husband was so excited with this new house, since in his words, "it is move in ready" and he had nothing to do. Unfortunately, we have a difference of opinion in what "move in ready" means.
The house overall is completely updated, but there are lots of other problems for me - one being paint color. The color on the walls is a beigy color with a hint of rust. I am not sure what color it really is, but it is dark and not my color.
I know most of you take lots of before and after pictures but I just wanted to get it done so I just started to paint. The house is 4 hours from our Davie house, so when we go there, we work. We are not staying there yet.
This picture doesn't truly show the wall color and the new color is a light silver/grey.
My husband agreed to help me paint, and as soon as a room was painted, he would say, "what a difference, - so much brighter".
Not sure what they were thinking on the lanai but the same paint that is on the outside of the house, was on the walls, floor and the external doors. Even the door hinges were painted that color. (That's the color inside the house.)
This pictures was taken with their furniture on the lanai. We painted the walls a white with a undertone of blue/grey. The floor we painted a medium grey and I painted all of the doors white. We are going to put in a pool off this lanai next year, if all goes well. So it might change again. Since I am not there as I am writing this, no photos of the updated lanai.
Everyone says that when you retire you need to downsize. I totally agree but when you go from a 3800 sq ft home to a 1900 sq ft home, I am trying to figure out how that is going to work. My great room in Davie is the size of my new kitchen, living room, dining room and kitchen table area all put together. As I look around my Davie home, I am not sure where things will go. Lots will be sold. I am not attached to all of it, but I do have many vintage pieces that have been in my family.
Sad for my husband, but I have many changes coming to the new house before we retire next year. The next time I am there, I will get some lanai photos, although with no furniture, they will not look great. I need to change the fireplace. The brown is not working for me.
I have been researching about painting the brick and if that doesn't work, we might resurface it. New mantel is needed as well. They did a great job of these house pictures because the wall paint looks light but it is not.
I guess we all need to make it our own. There is a part of me that is excited and another part that is sad. Change is never easy and this is going to be a big change. Not just a new home but a complete change in environment. I have every store you can imagine here in Davie, within minutes, but very little there unless I go around 45 minutes from the house.
Well, I will try to take more pictures and keep you informed about this new chapter in our lives.
Are you thinking of retiring? Have you retired? Any suggestions on downsizing?
The post On the Road to Retirement! first appeared on Eclectic Red Barn.
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Bev,
ReplyDeleteWOW!! I do not envy you....Sounds like a lot of hard work....Just so you will be happy in the end... We too live in an area where everything from shopping to restaurants and entertainment venues are only minutes away. We will not leave this area because our plan is to go down to one car when I retire and will not need a car for work. Within the next 8-10 years, we will most likely sell our townhouse and go into an apartment. I want the maintenance free life style of renting in an all inclusive complex. Our townhouse is only about 1200 sq, ft, and one of the apartments that I have been looking into is around 1100 sq. ft. so I will not have to do a lot of downsizing...Mostly a lot my seasonal and Holiday decorations will have to go but I will still decorate!! Good luck to you in your retirement plans!!
Hugs,
Debbie
Debbie,
ReplyDeleteWe like the area, but it will take some getting use to. I think we are gluttons for punishment. I think I am getting too old for all of this. lol! I don't mind the work really but trying to keep up with 3 houses is exhausting. I can't remember which house needs what!
maybe some day I will really down size but not any time soon. I am having a she shed built so I can't complain too much.
I will keep you posted as we move forward. Thanks for always stopping by.
Hugs,
Bev
I rightsized from a 3,000+. three-level house to a 1,400 sq foot apartment, with a patio.My husband, a lawyer, took care of getting rid of a lot of stored papers [years of tax returns; stacks of his--and his fathers!--old cases). He was not as enthusiastic about the move as I was so I did everything else. I went on a bag-a-day diet. that is, i filled a bag every day with either stuff to throw out, to give away or to send to my kids (that was almost zero). some days the bag was only a lunch bag, but most days I filled an outdoor-size garbage bag. I would ask myself, will my kids or grandkids want or look at this?. Once you get going it gets easier. I gave worn towels to an animal shelter; books to the library; clothes to charities that help in-need families, and furniture to a group called Wider Circle that helps in-need families furnish their apartments. Great feeling of satisfaction in knowing my stuff would help other people. That helped wioth motivation.
ReplyDeletebest of luck in curating your stuff. it's a heady and light feeling when you get through it.
Sounds like you had a lot of downsizing to do too. We are the opposite, he is more about the move than me, but it will work. Good plan. I have been going room by room and cupboard by cupboard. Kinda like you are doing, sorting to different areas.
DeleteI call this my first go around. I think I will have to do it again to get really down there. It's funny how kids don't feel about things the way we use to. They are not as sentimental.
Our church has some organizations that we will give to to help families in need.
Thanks for commenting, it helps to know others have gone through it too. I am sure it will work out. Just takes a little time.
Hugs,
Bev