I have a friend whose husband began pitching boxes of stuff from their adult son’s closet AS HE WAS BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY to move to Florida.
Maybe that’s an extreme (and enthusiastic) response to becoming an empty nester, but you’ve got to give the guy credit: he wasn’t wasting any time reclaiming their space. Many of us have shared our homes with kids for at least 18 years, sometimes for far longer. Who could blame us if we want to toss the T-ball trophies and science fair posters to make room for our stuff?
If you’re new to the empty nest scene, or are years into it but still have prom photos, Legos and other odds and ends stuffed in closets and dresser drawers, we’ve got suggestions to get your house in order. For starters, it’s important to wrap your head around the fact that your kids have moved on to their own lives, often to far-off cities. The good news is, communication is easier than ever. I know parents who rarely talk to their adult children who live a half-hour away; others FaceTime daily with kids who live across the country. If you communicated often when they lived at home, chances are good that will continue, wherever they live.
The other thing to wrap your head around is what to do with all that space now that they’ve moved out. My husband and I set aside a bedroom for guests, and the other is my sewing/craft room. We don’t have the inclination (or budget) for major renovations, but I’ve upgraded some of our furnishings. Here’s a link to a terrific story that has more about becoming and embracing life as an empty nester.
