I’m that annoying person who starts doubting my purchases the moment they become final. Its’s as though the fact that I own something, somehow makes it less desirable. Buyer’s remorse. That was my fear as I opened the massive 124-year-old door of my new home for the first time.

 

To my delight, the house seemed even more special now that it was mine. With all the furniture removed it seemed more timeless and more stately. In fact, I have found the more time I spend in this house, the more I appreciate it.

Soon the movers will be here with furniture, boxes and junk to bring me back to 2018, but for right now, this house possesses  a magical sense of timelessness.

 

And then came the stuff. How could we have accumulated so much stuff? Why did we accumulate so much stuff?

Moving from a giant new house to a more moderate historic home creates a keen sense of awareness of how much of the stuff we think we have to have is totally unnecessary. It also creates a sense of appreciation for modern wide stair cases and doors. By the end of the day, there were several pieces of furniture that were rejected by out 124 year old Victorian and destined for a garage sale.

The other thing you start to appreciate is modern electrical wiring. I fell in love with the original Tiffany sconces (apparently converted from gas lanterns) circling the dining room. The first time I walked around the room pulling each individual chain to turn them on, I thought it was quaint. By the end of the day, I was slightly annoyed but figured they were just accent lights so I could deal with it. When I realized the majority of the house was wired this way with outdated knob and tube wiring, a surge of Adrenalin ran through my body.

Of course, Dave had checked the basement the first time we looked at the house and knew it was equipped with knob and tube wiring. His budget had already included upgrading the electrical, so he was completely unphased.

After a long day of running up and down stairs, answering questions, making quick decisions, turning on individual lights,discovering broken keepsakes and learning little things about our new house, everyone went home and it was time for Dave and I to sit on the front porch and reflect. Yep. We have something really special here. But we need to come up with a game plan.

Whats on the top of the to do list ( knob and tube wiring) and what, for the sake of budget, can we learn to love? (90’s whirlpool tub in the basement bath)? Which items can we address now and which should wait until we start our addition a year later?