We bought a house! After two years of house hunting, my hubby and I finally found our dream home, where we will live together after Sandy retires from TV in the next couple of years. It’s not the home we envisioned for ourselves when we set out on this journey. We saw ourselves living in something a bit larger than our current residence. We felt we owed it to ourselves, after a decade plus of living in just under 1000 square feet, to spread out a bit. We’d also planned to live in Ojai, California until the insane home prices there forced us to expand our search. At times, it seemed the overheated real estate market was conspiring against us even in Sacramento, where we focused our search. Also, a few of the homes we looked at spoke to us. We wanted a “character” home. We both love old houses, Sandy because he was a history major, and me because I like homes that tell a story. Many of the homes we looked at were victims of unfortunate remodels. Houses that fall into the category of “remuddle.”
Imagine our surprise and delight when we walked into a home in East Sacramento built in the 1940’s that had been owned by the same family for the past 70 years and still had most of its original features: gorgeous hardwood flooring, Art Deco fireplace, arched doorways, the kitchen and bathroom tiles, and cabinets. The one downside is that it’s small, not much bigger than our current abode, but we plan to convert the garage to guest accommodations and an office for Sandy down the line. There’s also a nice outdoor space in the tree-shaded backyard. In short, the house spoke to us. We put in an offer, crossed our fingers, and gave a cheer when it was accepted from among two other offers.
Some years ago, I read a book called The Not So Big House. The author, Sarah Susanka, is an architect known for designing and redesigning spaces to make them livable as opposed to showy. If you don’t use every room in your house every day, she writes, your house is probably bigger than you need. It got me thinking about what I actually need as opposed to what I might think I need. I liken the process of house hunting to the tale of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.” When Goldilocks enters the absent bears’ home, she tries every bed and chair in it before finding the one that is “just right.” When I walked into our future forever home, it felt just right. It fits me.
For me, the riches of my existence have always been contained in my interior life rather than my exterior trappings. Live simply and dream big: that’s my motto. I will be dreaming up plots for future novels while living in my not-so-big house!
My husband shares the sentiment. We look forward to the day when we’re both living full-time in our forever home, each of us pursuing our separate interests and meeting in the middle the rest of the time.
If you follow me on Facebook and Instagram you can see the before and after pics, I’ll be posting as we continue our journey. We don’t plan on doing much to the interior, except to create more storage space in one area, but the old plumbing and electrical systems need updating. Then there’s the somewhat neglected front yard and backyard to tackle. When it’s all done, it will be an oasis.
Stay tuned.
How would you describe yourself in terms of your living situation? Are you a homebody or are you happiest when you’re on the road? Do you enjoy entertaining? Does your home feel “just right” for you?
I love the yellow door! I can’t to visit. So happy for you and Sandy!
You’re welcome anytime!
I love that yellow door! Are you keeping it? Hope so!
Yes, we plan to keep the yellow door!
The yellow door is a good sign that the inside will warm and welcoming. You have to keep posting photos. I think you will definitely be happy with the size. We ‘downsized’ from a 5/3 to a 2/2. I did have to eliminate a good bit of ‘stuff’ (really did not need it anyway). I am very happy that all the space is used. If I am going to have more than 2 coming for a visit, we are fairly close to either a hotel or motel!! Enjoy your new home. ♥♥
We currently live in a 975 sq. foot condo, so anything bigger than that will seem luxurious.
Best Wishes and Good Luck in your new home!
Thank you!
Can’t wait to see more of the home remodels. Best to the both of you in your new home.
I’ll be posting pics as we go along. So exciting! Thanks for being part of my journey 🙂
I love the look of your new home!! So happy for you!! You have given me SO many “reading hours of pleasure”, I wish the best for you! I was EXTREMELY delighted to read that you will be “dreaming up plots for new novels”!!!!
GREAT NEWS!! I believe I have read nearly every book and novella that you have ever written!! (If not all)
Starting in 1989, when I had a second home on Martha’s Vineyard!! I live in L. A., and truly love your books!! Please do keep writing! Great good luck with your new home! Sacramento is a nice town! I once lived in Stockton…
Thank you, Audrey! I will be cooking up plots when I’m not whipping up meals in the kitchen.
Are you a homebody or are you happiest when you’re on the road? I am a homebody who loves to travel once in a while when funds allow.
Do you enjoy entertaining? We love to have people gather around our table for a meal. We’re often disappointed in restaurants because we think the foods offered are boring or safe. We cook great meals at home. We enjoy trying a new recipe each week from a cooking magazine or online.
Does your home feel “just right” for you?
Our house feels like a home. Our wish list would be to have better closet space and my dream house would have a sunroom.
You sound like my kind of lady. I too enjoy cooking to dining out. We entertain but infrequently, and never more than 2 other couples at a time. The house we bought has limited closet space but we plan to “steal” some from the hallway, which will give us a nice-sized master closet.
LOVE the look of your new “forever home!” May you and Sandy spend MANY happy years together there. Your “forever fan,” Maggie S
Thank you! It’s been a long-held dream of ours, and it’s come true at last.
Your new home looks perfect for what you want!!! I read that book to about the smaller home and when we built, I kept that in mind. We have less rooms with more space, no hallways!! It’s wheelchair accessible. Just would to put in one ramp, and take out tub. Three foot doors. I’m a retired nurse now but was working at the time and wanted to be sure we didn’t have to move if one of us went into wheelchair.
You were wise! Small and livable for any stage of life is the way to go. We plan to convert the garage to a studio apartment at some point, which we will use as an office/guest accommodations with an eye toward possible housing for a caregiver in the future.