I closed the door at our apartment for the last time at 6:20 AM this morning. CBS Films has left town and we are back in our house. The experience of living in the Pearl District in just over 1000 square feet with a wife, dog, toddler and home office proved very doable but at the same time we are glad to be home.
Things I will miss:
- The bright open feeling
- The views
- Covered, secure parking
- The right-out-the-door access to everything, including groceries
- The less than 15 minute walk to the Rose Garden for Blazer games
- The patio and high solid wall which minimized toddler interest
- Having a competent maintenance staff on on site
Things I won’t miss:
- The 18 floor elevator ride to the car followed by a three floor drive to street level
- Dacor
- The one butt kitchen
- The shower in the second bath and tub in the master bath
- Having a home office in the master bedroom
- The patio and high solid wall which was noisier (from I-405) than expected and blocked views when sitting on patio furniture
I’m sure as we settle back into our house there will be other items to add to both lists. For us, one of the biggest challenges was storage. There never seemed to be enough of it so making sure that there is space for your lifestyle is important.
Oh yes, one of the things that people often overlook when buying a property: adequate storage. You really don’t notice it until you need it, then it’s too late!
Personally; downsizing worked for me. I moved from a 1BR to a studio since I always ended up sleeping on the couch. I found that a 1br is actually too big for me since I live alone.