Simple Satisfaction

Don't you love it when your cupboards and drawers are completely full of clean dishes, and the dishwasher/sink are completely empty? When the counters and the stove top are sparkling with the lingering smell of lemony bleach in the air? I find it very satisfying. The same way I feel when I see an empty laundry sorter and all the clothes are folded and put away, or when I make the bed everyday. I know, it doesn't seem like quite an accomplishment for someone in my position, but I've actually been quite busy. We all have our moments where things get piled up, right? It's nice to just be able to take a deep breath, knowing you are caught up. That's what spring is for, right?

So, I mentioned before that there would be a change in our living situation. For the past two years we have been living in a basement apartment that has served us well. But we are making a little bit of a move. Not to far, just up the stairs. You see, our landlady has partially moved, leaving the upstairs vacant nearly all the time. She visits about once every 2-3 weeks to check her mail, etc. Months ago she proposed that we switch living spaces since she only really needs a home base for the night every once in a while. It has three bedrooms, with much more space than we are currently living in, so it was inevitable that she would raise the rent if we chose the proposal. We gratefully declined, as we are very happy with the rent we are paying now. She said she would think of a few more ideas to try to make it work. She is helping with the payment of where she is currently living, so she wanted to find a way to keep us as tenants (people really like the Mormon tenants around here), and still be able to afford it. She had to raise our rent, understandably, but still less than we'd be paying else where. We did a lot of apartment hunting since it might be easier for her to find someone to rent the whole house rather than just one level, but figured we'd stay put unless something really inspired us. So that is what all the shenanigans about the TV and internet was. She canceled her services, making the raised rent a little less of a burden. We were content for the next little while.

So the other day, while I was chatting with her about resolving some pluming issues, she proposed the idea again. KC and I had been talking about trying to get someone to rent the basement, that she would be equally pleased with, while we take the upstairs, more than doubling the rent she has coming in. We know we could find someone. I was ready to make that offer since I knew we still didn't want to pay any more than we have to. But before I could say a word, she stated that she wouldn't raise the rent at all, she would just ask that we pay the utilities, since she is paying to have the whole house cooled/heated for only the two of us downstairs. It didn't take us long to decide to gratefully accept her offer, knowing full well of what a great offer it was. I have been trying to work with this tiny space for so long, that I can only imagine the possibilities with a little bit more. I'm looking into some more furniture, but frankly I feel a bit overwhelmed with what to do with all the space. It will be so nice to have our friends and visitors sit on actual living room furniture instead of someone inevitably sitting on a dining room, or folding chair when more than 3 people visit. I kind of feel like we're growing up a little. And we'll get all the spring cleaning done with the move. Two birds with one stone.