Doing the house up, downsizing, old age prep

[Deleted User]

elona wrote: »

Kittie

Once i eventually downsize I will probably do as you plan, keep enough in the kitchen for a couple of people and have stuff boxed and clearly labelled in say the garage.l

yes Elona that really is the tricky bit. It took me long enough to stop buying food for five and only for two. Well now it has to be done in more depth and I have the perfect opportunity when I put things back into the kitchen. Its a bit of KM as well I suppose because I do have items that I love, like my gaggia ice cream maker. I have had this for 13 years and will never give it away and it is so heavy that it has to stand on a worktop. Anyway I haven`t had an ice cream for 6 months and am gasping for one but it has to be home made. So not very practical reasoning I know but sometimes heart has to rule too

Crockery and cutlery is quite easy for me as most only comes out at family gatherings

Giving things to the children has been a joy if I am honest, I always asked first and they always wanted things so I am glad to hand things on. Also in my county, there is a council run recycling centre where they take furniture and electricals, they will come out and fetch them, repair and check and sell them on cheaply to people who need them

Elona, nice to see your good progress. The small steps make all the difference and happiness comes out of it

Eenymeeny

Hi Kittie, I know that you solved your shoe storage problem but I keep a 'nice' shopping bag, which matches with the hall decor, hanging on the coat rack beside the door which hold a couple of pairs nicely. I've even got a scandi winter theme one which I use for gloves, scarves etc when needed. I like to keep the floors clear, particularly where it is, at the bottom of the stairs. Might be helpful to someone?

[Deleted User]

I like that idea of yours eenymeeny. I may well do that and keep the tray for when the grandchildren come. It will make the floor tidier

I have yukky backache just now. I spent hours revamping some pots outside, while the kitchen fitters are in. Semperviviums, I needed to raise the soil level and recover in grit. 11 large pots in all and 3 extra troughs. I used old soil mixed with a little new and quite a bit of sand and perlite. They all look bedded down now and I can sit back knowing that they will be good for years now with just a bit of water in spring. I have an old inverter (teeter) and it will take the ache away later, when I stretch my back. I have been trying to stay out of the way as much as I can, they are so very trustworthy, these fitters, I am very lucky.

So that is my back baking- hot sun - trap garden pretty well finished, just one pot of pinks to replace with something else. Sedums, acers, alstroemeria, semperviviums, apple trees, bergamot, delospermum. Blueberries. Herbs in self watering pots. Lilacs in great big pots. It looks lovely and lush and everything is in tall raised beds or pots with 3 colours of gravel or slate on the different levels. Not at all bad to water from now on

I hate back ache

lessonlearned

Your "new" garden sounds wonderful.

As you know im still livng with my son and have been creating a garden from scratch. It's taught me one thing, and that is when I come to buy my next house imwill to look to the long term and make my garden easy to maintain.

I viewed a house recently and although I loved it it was three storey so I thought better of it. I loved the garden there and wull definitely be pinching some ideas. It was a JApanese garden with some gorgeous acers, flowering cherry trees, some nice evergreens etc. The guy told me it took him about half an hour twice a year.

Ive been to IKEA todsy, my back is killing me.......

[Deleted User]

oh backs, LL

our last house was 3 storey, yes I liked it but no way would it have been practical for 70s +. Yes, head rules over heart. My friend has a japanese garden, so nice and tranquil.

I am going on the teeter in a mo, just gently back 60ish degrees and a few upper body twists, I can feel my hands start to reach the floor as I stretch. All done in one minute. Miraculous always

davidsdesire

we are unable to 'age in place' as well. my OH discovered that 3 stories wasn't a great idea when he wrenched his knee last winter. none of our bathrooms are truly suitable for a wheelchair or a walker. doorways are narrow. we will be building a more accessible home next year. we are looking forward to moving further away from the rat race.

Mojisola

davidsdesire wrote: »

we are looking forward to moving further away from the rat race.

If you're planning a home to grow old in, don't get too far away from shops, public transport, GPs, etc.

lessonlearned

I think this is crucial.....

I have found some lovely properties, but when I stopped to think about it logically I realised that shoukd I beckme unable to drive then they were just that bit too remote. I would be isolated.

It's hard, because as Kittie says, your heart says one thing, but your head tells you another.

Kittie - I have never heard if a "back inverter" so I googled them. Are they good.......

I visit a Physio regularly but sometimes I find even then that I still struggle at times. Yesterday I went shopping with my son. We walked round Ikea for what seemed like hours. By the end my back was killing me, it's not that great today.

You mentioned the word "teeter" so I had a look. I will look into it.

davidsdesire

Mojisola wrote: »

If you're planning a home to grow old in, don't get too far away from shops, public transport, GPs, etc.

we will actually be in a remote location...shops will be 20 mins away by car; there is no public transport. This is our dream. With Amazon, you can have almost anything delivered to you nowdays.

I will, however, be willing to move back to a town in the event that one or both of us are unable to remain in the isolated area.

there is a hospital in that town 20 mins away. as long as we are healthy and able to drive, we'll be ok. When that changes, we will re-assess our situation at that time.

davidsdesire

i also believe that my oldest son has plans to build a home on our property at some time in the future. so he would be available to help us.