On Tuesday, my sister and her fiance closed on their VERY FIRST HOUSE. It is an adorable house – it’s just about a mile from my own house, which is kind of an unexpected bite of awesome, because I think I’m going to like having my sister nearby (and not just for the free babysitting).
In true local fashion, turns out my sister’s house was previously owned by a girl I went to high school with. A girl that I cheered with on our high school squad. A girl whose sister currently lives across the street from me. I’m not a stranger to her, nor her to me – so it’s been amusing how she’s acted like she’s had no clue who I am.
No matter, I suppose I get the last laugh (or is that… shudder?) at the state in which the house was left.
My. Poor. Sister.
I cannot imagine leaving a house to a new owner in any less than pristine condition, particularly if all parties are local and there’s a possibility the new home owners would be likely to tell people at the local bar how the house smelled like dog pee. My sister walked into that house Tuesday afternoon and was immediately overwhelmed by the mess, the smell and the work that was needing to be done.
Welcome to home ownership, sis.
Between my mom, her fiance’s family and other assorted peeps, it’s coming together pretty nicely. After a day of intense cleaning, the house smelled WORLDS better. (Also, after scrubbing all the CIGARETTE BUTTS OUT OF THE DRYER, my sister felt a little less squidgy about doing laundry there. Cigarette butts. In the dryer. Huh? Also: dirty undies. Behind the washing machine.).
Yesterday, she was finally ready to start dealing with decor – starting with window treatments. My mom and I joined her at Target to look at curtains and blinds. Immediately, she was overwhelmed by choices. I felt horrible for her, but kept my mouth shut unless specifically asked for an opinion. It made me realize that my sister and I are very different in so many ways – the little details really bog her down. When it comes to home stuff, I tend to be a bit lax about the details. Paint colors? Eh, who cares? If I don’t like it, I can redo it. Curtains? If I hate ’em, I’ll throw them back in the package and return them. I tend to surround myself with things I find aesthetically appealing and I know pretty instintively what I like – my dining table took me mere minutes to select, and I’m just as much in love with it now as I was a year ago when I picked it. I love every color on every wall I’ve painted.
But now I’m wondering – am I in the minority – or is my sister? How do you select the things in your home? Is it a well thought out deliberate process or instinct?
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