How? you might ask. That kitchen is frightening, the Jacuzzi tub is ancient, and the dropped ceiling is as ugly as homemade sin.
Well, those are valid concerns. And we'll address those cosmetic issues soon enough, so be patient! Now sit down and listen for once in your life!
Okay, oh wise one. Have you lost weight?
That's better. And yes, I've lost half a pound. So glad you noticed! Anyway, back to my original point. Our house is an upgrade from our last two places because of the space. The abode in Columbus was 1050 squarefeet and had two closets. The rental in KCMO, 1700 sqft or so, but no attic, 2 small bedroom closets, and a nasty basement. And for some reason, the dining room was the largest in the house. You could fit a grand piano, a large table with six chairs, two sideboards, a baby swing, and an enormous train table in that room. Not exactly the right layout for us.
The Roeland Park cottage, however, has a closet in each bedroom (exotic idea, right?), a living room for the piano, a family room for the TV, and two full bathrooms.
With a nasty Jacuzzi tub.
Shut up or else I'm never making you pecan pie again. So where was I? Oh yeah, this house has better storage. Thank goodness.
What does it not have? A playroom.
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek! How are you living like that with three children? I bet you don't even drive a Toyota SUV. I'm calling CPS immediately. Every house requires a playroom. And all families should drive gas guzzling Japanese limousines. How do I know this? That permed blond kid in the commercial told me so.
Hold the phone, Ralph. I didn't grow up with a playroom. Lots of homes don't have one. And I bet the kids are all right. Better than all right. Maybe they're even fantastic. As for the Toyota, Just Call Me Angel of the Morning!
So, back to what I was saying, in order to deal with this lack of dedicated playspace, we have to be vigilant about keeping the toys down to a dull roar. Quarterly trips to charity. Brutal honesty about whether we should keep that little stuffed kitty cat that your Aunt Tulip gave you when you were 6 months old (I'm talking to YOU, Ralph--your kids won't miss your old toys).
That's what we did over the weekend.
And here are the results.
We still have a small toy chest with a few larger toys, a dollhouse, a train table, and one basket of blocks, but this is what remains of the toys in the family room. No, it's not minimalism. And yet it sure ain't way too much stuff, either.
Yes, that is fake wood paneling you see. As well as our test wall for the paint we're trying out (we decided to paint Andrew's room that color instead. Still working on an acceptable color for the family cave).
Here's a funky little desk I picked up for the girls at the antique market held monthly in Westbottoms.
::snorts:: Is that carpet I see, too?
Oh, put a sock in it, Ralph.
I linked up to:
Finishing our basement was one of the best decisions that we've made with our house so far. Now that I have some experience under my belt, I'd be glad to lend a hand whenever you're ready. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nick. I think our family room could use new drywall, although the current fake paneling is quite unique, to say the least.
ReplyDeleteAnd you might wanna see our basement before offering assistance. It's a real basement. Dark, dank, and musty. It will require a little TLC. And lots of cash.