Digging our New Digs: part 2

What has saved us is the storage shed in the basement. We have only pulled out the bare minimum of our things. Although, this apartment is not technically that much smaller than our last one, it has so much less closet space. For you San Diegans, think North Mesa apt, but less functional.

This was hard for me. I imagined that I would get out of grad school, and get more space, not less.

But we have big dreams for the storage shed as well. We plan on putting shelving in it, and making it workable. We'll keep some extra toys for rainy days, and perhaps even an extra pantry. And since it's just down the stairs, I can pretend that I have an extra room.

Right next to the storage shed, is the washer and dryer. I'm the only stay-at-home Mom in the building, so it's practically like having my own laundry room. I really love being able to do the laundry a little at a time. No more marathon laundry sessions!!

This is the bathroom. Very small, but it does have a nice deep tub.

A funny thing happened on the way to our dreams of a big home. We've been downsizing, and downsizing some more. We have very few toys in the girls room, and have given away boxes of things.

And, for the first time, we have a peace and serenity that comes from an uncluttered environment. Audrey cleans her room every morning before I wake up. We used to have such battles over messy rooms. Turns out, she just had too much stuff to manage, and now she has the right amount and is proud of her ability to keep it clean.

I find that I read more, play the flute and piano more, and relax more with a house that's not full of stuff to trip over and pick up. Not to mention my housework takes all of 10 minutes! It's so easy to keep the kitchen and bathroom up. I'm seriously starting to wonder if I ever want to own a big house. My life is so simple and serene now. Who would have thought?!

The girls room: Audrey loves having her bed by the window, and will spend hours gazing out, and watching the insects and birds. We have enjoyed learning about cardinals, baltimore orioles, cicadas, etc..

In summation:

1) It's the smallest apartment that I've ever seen in my life.
2) I'm totally in love with it

The picture below pretty much explains why