At the moment we are looking at a serious pandemic of a virus called Covid-19, aka the Cornona Virus. It spreads very easily and has about a 2.5% mortality rate.
As a consequence, sporting events and performances are being cancelled or postponed. Schools and universities are switching over to online learning, or closing for 2 weeks to 2 months. People who think they may be ill are being asked to self-quarantine for 14 days.
It’s all A LOT.
But this is temporary. It will be a bumpy ride for the next few months. The stock market is going to look like a roller coaster. People are going to be afraid to eat out or see friends. But it’s all temporary.
As they say, “this, too, shall pass”.
But what to do if you are self-quarantined? Or if you are stuck at home with the kids to make sure they are doing their school work?
Maybe you are lucky enough to work from home, in which case, buckle down!
But if you are stuck at home all day for days on end, the things about your house that bug you may start to really bug you. What to do?
My recommendation is to evaluate what it is that bugs you and then consider the things that you could do to remedy the situation.
Declutter
The single most common complaint my clients have about their homes is that there isn’t enough storage.
My first recommendation – rarely followed – is to get rid of stuff. Seriously. Get rid of all the things you don’t use: the panini press that you bought on a whim and used twice, the extra set of snow shoes that ended up in the back of the closet, the clothes the kids outgrew, the clothes that you outgrew. (Ahem. No judgement. You should see what’s in my closet.)
If you’ve got 14 days at home with no sports to watch, you’ve got plenty of time to do your own Marie Kondo style decluttering.
You may find that once you’ve donated the stuff to Goodwill, or sold it on EBay, or buried it in the back yard, you might actually have space. Space that lets you see and enjoy the things you’ve kept. Space that lets you buy new things. Space that lets your mind breathe.
But, if you find that there still isn’t enough storage, and you are feeling cramped, and like your family is living on top of you, maybe it’s time to remodel or add on to your house, or even build a new home.
I can help you with any of those projects.
Do your research
Before you hire an architect, though, I suggest you read my two books: The Project Planning Checklist, and Working With An Architect. You can buy them by clicking on those links, or through my Books page.
You might want to have a drink, though, if you’re spouse is making you crazy, in which case I recommend one of my other books, Wine 101, which will help you hone your wine tasting skills.
Give me a call
Whatever makes you decide to remodel, add on, or build new, do a little research – my books are a good first start. If you live in Oakland, Berkeley, San Francisco, or in any of the cities near those, then give me a call or shoot me an email. Let’s talk about not about your frustrations. Lets talk about your dreams!
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