What Has Staying Home Taught You About Your Home.
There’s nothing like being in your home for 5 (or more) straight weeks to make you quickly realize what you absolutely love – and absolutely hate – about your current home. Realtor.com surveyed 1300 people in early April, just 2 or 3 weeks into the Shelter-In-Place order, to hear the highs and lows about their homes and neighborhoods.
Not surprisingly, while staying put, the top value was a quiet neighborhood with plenty of outdoor space. Fresh air, a place to walk outside and a quiet community all play into the physical and mental health break that families are finding they need.
Updated kitchens fared very well, as meal prep is suddenly at a premium. Natural light and flexible spaces for crafts, games, family activities, and exercise were other key findings of the survey.
So what’s not to like? I bet you don’t have to guess. Lack of SPACE. Our house is running a middle school, a high school, a college and a sales office. You are likely finding what it’s like to run multiple schools or companies in just a few small rooms at your place. People across the board wanted more room to just spread out.
Features that were the most desired included more square footage, updated kitchen and even a home gym. Sure, updated style and décor were important, but natural light, a patio or more outside area rounded out the most preferred needs. And of course, with our current shortage of toilet paper, an extra bathroom was the request of a few!
So how do you make do with what you have, if moving to gain those new amenities isn’t a possibility? Here’s a few tips.
- Clean out the closets, garage, basement and all the areas that are full of clutter. You might find some space for that exercise room you’ve been dreaming of, AND some good items for your local charity donation center.
- Look on your local “classifieds” for the item that make the space more practical. Craig’s List, Facebook marketplace and other sites may have the exercise bike, weights, treadmill that can turn your new space into the exercise room you’ve always wanted, and with some social distancing, you might not even have to leave your neighborhood. One man’s trash…
- Rearrange the furniture. Maybe your use of space can improve if you remove a few pieces or just set them up in a new way. It’s possible you have some time to try a few new configurations, and if you have teenagers, you have furniture movers!
We hope you are finding ways to enjoy the space you have, or even make it better and more practical. But if moving up is something you need to do, we are always here to help!
Best,
Audrey and the UFM Team
The Christian Mortgage Mom
