Project Mortgage Neutral Begins

ajmoney

The house is in chaos now as I empty the other two bedrooms for plastering work next week. I need to keep reminding myself it is only for one week and I can get my bed back in my room until the decorating starts. The bonus at decorating time is I only need one room empty at a time and my friend who is doing the work will be able to help me move between the rooms if needed. I should also be able to set my mattress in the other bedroom so I can be in as much comfort as possible. If I can get motivated around a pretty busy couple of weeks, I will do some more sorting.

I bought a coffee table today, I have wanted this one for a while and saw it £150 cheaper as it was ex-display. It is almost perfect. Once I have sorted through the rest of my stuff I will be able to work out what other furniture I want/need.

Tomorrow I am going to the kitchen showroom to see what designs they have come up with. I am trying to go with an open mind and willing to try different suggestions but an afternoon in Ikea has given me some initial ideas. I have a price in my head so I will be interested to see how much this will be.

KajiKita

When we bought our last kitchen we found the big chains hopeless and incredibly expensive. In the end we went with the local, independent builders merchant. 

Well worth buying the appliances separately too. 

KK

ajmoney

Today's quote was just under £15k, erm nope. I am not in a rush to do anything so am going to look at other options. I will continue with the original plan of finishing this phase of decorating and furnish my home, I certainly can't cope with things as they are. I can see how much is in the pot and come up with a plan. 

Watty1

The kitchen I have was designed by a really posh kitchen company, but, they would not let me have the design (obviously) so I asked for a print out of the pictures to show my partner which led to an awkward moment. I explained he could not get there - but I wanted to show what I was thinking of - the designer was then torn but did give me the pictures. I then sat in the car and wrote out everything we had discussed.  I think today I would simply snap pics on my phone.  

I then managed to recreate the design at sales time.   Also discovered that places like MagnEt have trade counters when you can buy end of lines.  Just mentioning this in case it helps as I didn't know about them and it was fraction of cost of showroom (no showroom, just pick the cupboard from the few on display).

ajmoney

The plastering has finished!!!! I have no idea on the timeframe for decorating but I am happy we have got to this point. I will reach out to my decorator tomorrow and see what the plan can be. I guess I need to choose some colours!

ajmoney

I am really struggling with motivation to o anything around the house. It probably isn't helped by the fact there is no organised room in the house at the moment. I think I will set a timer for 7pm, put on a podcast and try to do something.

Watty1

I often struggle so when I do I try to think of just one thing that will make a difference and just do that, which seems to work.  Or the old flylady approach of just do 15 mins and stop.

ajmoney

It's a bit of a strange time at the moment where I don't really feel like I fit in anywhere. I have been having a few low moments, especially as I still don't have much movement in my shoulder after falling 6 weeks ago so i am putting it down to that and trying to ignore the inner monolgue when I am low.

When I became mortgage neutral at the end of last year, I relaxed a lot with my views towards the motrgage and money. I am comfortable and so can have a bit of freedom to do what I want, when I want. The problem is, I am not really doing that. Tomorrow is another of these crunch points where the next few years of my work future will be set to the point I am thinking "what next". A bit of soul searchin and meditation required I think to work through this time.

KajiKita

I’m sorry you are having low moments but well done for seeing them for what they are and standing your ground with them. 

Would talking your shifting sense of identity through with someone; a friend, family, counsellor etc be an idea? When it’s something like this troubling us, I think an external perspective can be helpful. 

Also, when you were battling hard to get to mortgage neutral, what was it that you were denying yourself at that time in order to achieve it? Do anything of those things spark interest or joy in you, to think of now? 

Sending hugs x

KK

Watty1

Sorry things are tough.  Being in a 'state of change' can do that.  You have hit mortgage neutral and are doing major decoration work plus need to think about work.   It must seem a bit life defining, I know it did and still does for me.