These three photos are of the sitting/eating area of my walk-out lower level after days of rearranging. I think I have it the way I want it and after I get rid of all the stuff in the photo below. I will start a deep cleaning soon. I probably should have done that first but I didn't do anything but vacuum. Everything down there came from garage sales, thrift shops, roadside finds, and gifts from friends. The table with the tablecloth was a roadside find and it turned out to be perfect with 4 of my bentwood chairs that used to be in my upstairs kitchen. It had been stored in my furnace room and now it has a new life. I recently completed my ongoing search for all black lampshades and I am thrilled with the look. The one on the lamp with the staircase behind is dark gray.
It's so much cooler today (72° at 8:30am) and very breezy. I will try and tackle this stuff and clear the area to the back door and then I will be able to clean. The kitchen counters are piled high too😱but I will persevere until everything is spick and span and I will be so very happy. I made great progress in the bedroom too and those photos will be published soon. Have a great weekend. xo
7 comments:
I have always thought of your cottage as small!
but it's actually quite large. you're doing a wonderful job of organizing and weeding out! and yes! it will FEEL so wonderful when you're finished! look at the difference even now! xo
What a bonus a basement can be! I like that you have collected items you like, along with gifts from friends, to furnish your lower level. Very comfy! Your hard work shows. Enjoy your weekend, Rosemary, and take care of yourself--you've been working so hard.
What, primarily, do you use your lower level/basement for, Rosemary? Your cottage looks SO neat, clean and well organized. When you are finished, will you please come over and help me with my late parents' old, almost 4000 square foot, house?
Lisa D. -- My mother lived with me for almost 10 years. That's why I bought this property. The unfinished basement with a built-in garage and workshop on the lower level turned out to be the perfect last home for her. The old kitchen appliances went into her kitchen. The garage became her sitting room and bedroom. The workshop became a full bath and a big closet. The hallway opposite the furnace room became a laundry room and half bath. I do most of my living on my main floor but lately I have been spending more time on the walk-out lower level because it's cooler down there in the summer. I also use the shower down there when I wash my hair and of course I do my laundry there too. I can age in place here and hire someone to take care of me and live down there should the need arise. The bedroom is behind the area with the piece of furniture with all the drawers I featured recently and it's under my bedroom. Currently, I have rearranged the placement of the twin beds so I can have an open workout area for my stretching exercises and it is working out beautifully. I put on older TV with a built-in DVD player on top of a chest of drawers. Good luck with your parents house. I didn't want any help from anyone with this project since I knew what I needed to do but there are many experts that specialize in downsizing and organizing.
xo, Rosemary
Pam -- Sometimes I wish my basement were unfinished but now that I'm almost through getting it together again, I'm glad it isn't. I might need it some day for a caretaker and in the meantime I can enjoy it and use it a lot more.
xo, Rosemary
My family is in the process of cleaning out my mother's home. So many memories. No one in the family has room for more furniture, so I guess it will be going to auction. Your basement looks lovely.
Jean Ellen -- When my mother decided to move in with me because of her eyesight, she put her condo on the market in Charlotte and made arrangements for the sale of the contents. I was there to celebrate her 80th birthday and helped clear out things to give away or donate. One antique dealer wanted virtually everything. One friend bought some of the more valuable pieces that belonged to my grandmother. I drove down again several days before the closing. I think we ended up keeping one piece but for the life of me I cannot remember which one. My SUV was piled high to the rafters on the drive to New Jersey. I can't believe how brave I was back then because not I refuse to drive on a highway. I have my GPS programed for back roads😂 Anna lived with me at my former house while the cottage was being renovated. She moved in with the cat in 2003 and I was back and forth until my own real estate closing in 2004. It all sounds like a dream but it's amazing what you can accomplish when you are relocating. Good luck with your mother's furnishings and the trip down memory lane as you clean out the house.
xo, Rosemary
Post a Comment