When I was younger any open space offered up opportunity. It seems the longer I live in my own place though, the more picky I become when looking for a new one. Having two people's opinions to factor in doesn't exactly make things easier either, even if our tastes align. (Because ultimately we place different value on those tastes: i.e. I could go for a partial carpet (like in the bed rooms) if the space and price are good. Chris will not sacrifice a square inch of hardwood floor. However, Chris doesn't need a separate dining room (even lacking an eat in kitchen) as long as a table fits somewhere whereas I need to have the table out of my immediate living space, dining room, kitchen or otherwise.)
I think the biggest difference, even bar the permanent roommate, from when I was younger, was I didn't have a lot to work with. When I saw those spaces, as small and humble or awkward as they may be, I also imagined furniture that would be a Perfect fit with the few pieces that I had or imagined I would have. Now when I stroll into a possible living room I'm imagining where all the things I actually have will fit, if they will fit, and if the way that they fit is a stand-able one for both parties involved. (Chris will not abide a sofa in the middle of the room).
It is not even that I am so particular or picky, though combined with Chris I bet we do sound like rather specific and high maintenance future tenants ("Yes we're looking for 1-2 bedroom no less than 950 square feet, all hardwood floor, garbage disposal & dishwasher, gas cooking, with a stove that ISN'T up against a wall or refrigerator, with decent closet space and washer dryer in unit." At least we don't bitch about window air units...)
What I am particular about is my stuff. And unfortunately my stuff is rather large. Not many typical living room spaces stand a chance when I try to size up my 7 1/2 foot by 3 1/2 foot day bed into the mix, assuming the couch will also go in there. And a typical bedroom seems a might bit smooshed when you try to imagine a king sized bed in there. It's not that we're attached to our particular bed though it is nice, but we are attached to the size. And when you take into account that I won't part with my 6 foot chest, or the bookshelf/desk Chris built me when we were dating (unusually tall) or that he won't leave behind his precious heavy ass HUGE table that he built, we've eaten up a lot of square footage and not even very creatively.
Another issue of course is location. When you don't have any ties yet it is easy to imagine adjusting almost anywhere. When you have work and favorite restaurants and routes and friends nearby, it's hard to make that argument.
Basically that's why we've stayed put, at least in this building, for so long. The rooms are large and the closets plentiful. The location is pretty darn good too- which is another thing. Our search would be a billion times easier and cheaper if we were willing to distance ourselves from the highway, which we can't since we work an hour away in opposite directions...
So why move? I'm beginning to wonder. Perhaps its that need for a better deal. The way they raise the rent around here is just getting ridiculous. We could afford the hike, but its hard to swallow when I've been living here 6 months in the same exact place for $115 cheaper on a shorter lease. It was Chris's idea to move this time (shocker!!), not mine, so its hard to say. I watch that scale of important things titter totter and the worse part is Chris doesn't even want to move. So is it tittering or tottering?
We just want to save some money. $115 more that bad? no. But in comparison to having roughly the same thing in a slightly different spot for $115 less?
Maybe its not my different view of space. Maybe it is merely the mindset I am viewing it in. If we move- it better be worth it. That can make one pretty scrutinizing and rather resistant to creative interior design.
I think the biggest difference, even bar the permanent roommate, from when I was younger, was I didn't have a lot to work with. When I saw those spaces, as small and humble or awkward as they may be, I also imagined furniture that would be a Perfect fit with the few pieces that I had or imagined I would have. Now when I stroll into a possible living room I'm imagining where all the things I actually have will fit, if they will fit, and if the way that they fit is a stand-able one for both parties involved. (Chris will not abide a sofa in the middle of the room).
It is not even that I am so particular or picky, though combined with Chris I bet we do sound like rather specific and high maintenance future tenants ("Yes we're looking for 1-2 bedroom no less than 950 square feet, all hardwood floor, garbage disposal & dishwasher, gas cooking, with a stove that ISN'T up against a wall or refrigerator, with decent closet space and washer dryer in unit." At least we don't bitch about window air units...)
What I am particular about is my stuff. And unfortunately my stuff is rather large. Not many typical living room spaces stand a chance when I try to size up my 7 1/2 foot by 3 1/2 foot day bed into the mix, assuming the couch will also go in there. And a typical bedroom seems a might bit smooshed when you try to imagine a king sized bed in there. It's not that we're attached to our particular bed though it is nice, but we are attached to the size. And when you take into account that I won't part with my 6 foot chest, or the bookshelf/desk Chris built me when we were dating (unusually tall) or that he won't leave behind his precious heavy ass HUGE table that he built, we've eaten up a lot of square footage and not even very creatively.
Another issue of course is location. When you don't have any ties yet it is easy to imagine adjusting almost anywhere. When you have work and favorite restaurants and routes and friends nearby, it's hard to make that argument.
Basically that's why we've stayed put, at least in this building, for so long. The rooms are large and the closets plentiful. The location is pretty darn good too- which is another thing. Our search would be a billion times easier and cheaper if we were willing to distance ourselves from the highway, which we can't since we work an hour away in opposite directions...
So why move? I'm beginning to wonder. Perhaps its that need for a better deal. The way they raise the rent around here is just getting ridiculous. We could afford the hike, but its hard to swallow when I've been living here 6 months in the same exact place for $115 cheaper on a shorter lease. It was Chris's idea to move this time (shocker!!), not mine, so its hard to say. I watch that scale of important things titter totter and the worse part is Chris doesn't even want to move. So is it tittering or tottering?
We just want to save some money. $115 more that bad? no. But in comparison to having roughly the same thing in a slightly different spot for $115 less?
Maybe its not my different view of space. Maybe it is merely the mindset I am viewing it in. If we move- it better be worth it. That can make one pretty scrutinizing and rather resistant to creative interior design.
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