New Jersey Nesties
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
how do you embrace a house you really don't like?
I like my house, to a degree. It is over 100 years old, and with that it has the lack of storage, and oldness that is not great with a family of modern times. it is fairly updated, but is starting to need work. We never thought we would be here this long, but here we are. So, I have decided I need to embrace my old house- HOW? I wish we could get some one in to help me set it up and organize it better- We have been on a kick with cleaning out, but it only helps so much-
I do want to paint the living room and play room- but they need some skim coating and that is just not in the budget right now-
How did you do it? cheap ideas to make it better- and what do keep and get rid of?
Kristen(formerly kristen8/16/03, but the nest stinks and I had to change my name)Wife to Mike, Mommy to Kieran 7/25/06 and Michael 7/14/10
The Journey of Me
Vacation, 2011
The Journey of Me
Vacation, 2011
Re: how do you embrace a house you really don't like?
as harsh as this sounds, you just really have to suck it up and accept life as it is...instead of looking at what you don't have, look at what you do have...you don't have a house, you have a home...a home that you and you're family have made...
It's hard. I think you have to start small. What little things do you want to change that are doable for you and Mike or can be done on the cheap. A coat of paint can make a world of difference.
With that said, other than the BIG stuff we had done prior to moving in, and crown molding (which wasn't that much $$ if you're looking for someone) we haven't done anything else inside. I loathe our bathrooms so I feel your pain. It was a dumb move to update the entire rest of the house but not the bathrooms. Especially downstairs since it's smack dab in the middle of the house.
we're in a similar situation. our house is old-ish, quirky and the layout sucks. plus it's small. but it's ours. i try to put fun touches up, like pictures and we painted the kitchen a great color.
it's funny because before the layoff we were talking about moving (since dave was promised a salary increase this year LOL...) and we'd drive and look at houses. trevor would always tell me "but we have a house. i LIKE our house" it made me smile and as much as i HATE our house sometimes i tried to see it through his eyes and just embrace it. but i year ya, it's hard.
Kieran is the same way, I think if I had a real playroom and better kitchen I would be happier here. It is not a horrible house, It is just old and has space in weird places that I have no idea how to use- I wouldn't say I hate my house, I just wish the excess space we have in the attic was spread out- I don't need huge rooms or anything fancy, just some more function-
The Journey of Me
Vacation, 2011
I can't attest to the learning to like your house bit, but as for the what to keep/get rid of, here's how I look at it. Most likely if you're questioning getting rid of something, you can do with out it. I am a bit of a thrower-outer and tend to get rid of a lot of stuff (my mom sells at flea markets and on eBay so it's great- I just load up bags and bring it to her).
I love my house but there were a lot of projects I had been neglecting that would make it more organized/liveable. I finally made a list of small projects and do one daily. By small I mean small. I broke up organizing my closet into 4 parts! For some that would seem ridiculous but when I see a huge task I avoid it, so for me doing a little bit a day has made a big impact and I find I love my house even more.
Good luck... I know it stinks not liking where you are- that's how I felt in our old apartment. But you know what? I really missed that place when we moved bc it was "ours."
I don't love my house. We bought it before we had a child and it's just not what I would have chosen had I known what it was like to have a kid. Also we wanted something in total move in condition and it was...but the paint colors are not what we would've picked either. We were not painting though. So we just added everything around the paint in our own style. They left a lighting fixture in the kitchen- a pottery barn type black chandelier that I'd never buy. It's generic and boring. So we put cool lampshades on it and it looks better. We have no overhead lighting because it's an old house so we put five really unique lamps with funky shades in the room with the ugliest (to me) color paint.
You just have to work with what you have and accents you really enjoy.