Before I quit my job, my workdays were spent staring at the clock and daydreaming about all the house projects that needed to be done. We were on a strict deadline between getting the house “seller ready” and finding a plot of land to place our yurt on. Tasks like ‘pack basement’ and ‘sand and paint deck’ looked fun on paper but as my list grew longer and more detailed, I felt paralyzed by choice. It’s the last week of April now and the deck has been sanded and repainted and some basement things have been packed.
On top of starting big projects like installing butcher block counters in the kitchen and fixing water damage in the living room, weekends were also spent visiting New Hampshire and Maine plots. Between wrangling the dogs to get them in the car for a ~4-hour drive one way and trying to make the most of our visits by seeing multiple lots, projects fell behind. What had once been motivation to do all the things, had become dreadful to think about and easier to ignore.
The last few visits north have been discouraging, to say the least. Properties looked much better on Zillow than in person and the romantic daydreams Mike and I created quickly evaporated as we drove home in quiet contemplation. We’re looking for our Forever Home, we’re sick of moving and living in a house that doesn’t fit us, on land that is limited and loud.
While taking a full year off wasn’t part of the plan 6 months ago, getting to enjoy the simple and overdue improvements will be rewarding. As long as Mike and I stay off Zillow, falling in love with dreamy homes, we should be okay.