Homes and the Holidays

Last night I was at my friend's housewarming/holiday party. She recently purchased a lovely home in one of the neighborhoods local to where I live. Joining the league of Pittsburgh homeowners is a membership I seek to be a part of one day (if I can commit to staying here long enough) but for now I live in a general state of house-envy.

Not only was my friend's new house AMAZING on the inside, but it was cleverly structured with foyers, storage spaces, and TWO back decks. I have only ever been to one other owned-house in this neighborhood and my friends who live there bought what would be classified as a "fixer-upper". One of the awesome things about Pittsburgh is that almost anyone can buy a house if they really want to. Some of my friends live in houses that cost less than $20,000 (I think I might even have one or two friends whose houses cost less than $10,000). Of course, those houses need work, but for most people it seems to work out in the end.

The party last night had everything festivities this time of year require: a nice spread of treats and "holiday cheer", a video of a yule log on TV, ladies and gentlemen wearing fancy party outfits and/or holiday sweaters, a white Christmas tree, and other seasonal decorations. The house was so cozy for someone just settling in to her first home while also being minimalistic and full of potential.

This might sound creepy, but I love walking around other people's homes to see how they live. Any time I am invited over to a new place, I demand a tour and try to look at everything. It's fascinating to see how other people make their homes work for them and how they decorate their space. I know that I'm not alone in this because the popularity of design blogs like Apartment Therapy have proved that the market for "interior design porn" is not only vast but it is also profitable.

Any time someone's home is intentionally minimal and their design is well-executed, I can't help but feel overcome with the desire to get rid of all of my earthly belongings and start fresh. The concept of "editing one's home" is one that I'm trying hard to master (while also failing wildly). I own a lot of shit that I could readily part with right this second if I really had to but will instead slowly wade through for a few more months before growing disgusted and stashing it in a box in the basement.

A few months ago, the Dude and I started exploring what would be required for us to buy a house. Both of us are tired of seeing our money go to landlords but neither of us are in a place to make that large of a commitment to a house, a mortgage, a neighborhood, each other, or this city.

My friend, Mary, very eloquently pointed out several months ago that paying for rent allows you the freedom to change your mind. While this concept should be obvious, it's easy to let it get lost in my everyday rationale. I've been chewing on this idea for a few weeks now and it has brought a sense of resolve to my unnecessary restlessness.

That being said, when I do indulge in my fantasies of living in a house that I own, they always include a few requirements:
- A big ass kitchen with counter space and adequate storage(preferably an eat-in one)
- A yard that gets enough sun to garden
- Windows with good natural light
- A foyer (I hate walking right into the first room I live in, with no place for shoes, bikes, and other things that should be left at the doorway)
- Closets or room for me to build out closets-- the house I currently live in has no communal closets or storage in general, other than the basement. There is a reasonably sized closet in the Dude's room, but it's of no use to me)
- Enough bedrooms for me to have a craft/art/hangout/clubhouse room.
- A dishwasher or room for one to be installed (I think this is tops on the Dude's list)
- A basement that doesn't leak and can be used for storage/use of musical equipment, tools, and weights (right now our basement is primarily used for the Dude's puck-shooting practice).
- Some carpeting-- I know that hard-wood floors are preferable for someone like me with a million allergies, but I like being able to lay on the floor comfortably.
- Outlets. So many houses in Pittsburgh have rooms with only one outlet and sometimes those outlets are only two-pronged because they are so old.

...And if I am really doing some serious dreaming, I wish for a carport, driveway, or garage.