Personal Space Issues

It's true -- I need my personal space. 

No, I am not referring to the area around me personally...just the actual storage space *or lack thereof* in our apartment.

I know what you are thinking -- either "Amen Sista" or "Stop complaining because my sister's friend lives in the city in a 600 sq ft studio with her husband, toddler, baby, and dog and they manage just fine."

And while I'd like to say "Wow, impressive," all that comes to mind is, "What is wrong with those people??"

Seriously.

We are barely scratching the surface of 1100 sq ft ourselves...and there's an extra 75 sq ft included for our ridiculously long hallway entrance that shouldn't count as living space.

Not to mention there are only 4 closets in the house, none of which are linen closets and none are actually big enough to walk into.

We accumulate so much with Hunter, too...more so than I thought possible...the place is never clean & organized looking anymore -- I just move toys and gyms and playmats from one part of the home to another to free up space and appear uncluttered...and it's starting to look like a storage unit will be our only salvation.

My issue is they are so overpriced and by the end of the year or two you've spent more on the storage than what the contents are actually worth...b/c if you could live withou

t it in your home for 2 years, chances are you could live without it forever. 

The reason I am ranting is because on our weekend getaway this past weekend, I was reminded of how CHEAP land is elsewhere.

Devastatingly and painfully cheap.

Take this house, for example: 209 Crawford Glen

It may not be a luxury home but it's a spacious, 4bed/4.5bath, 3700 sq ft new construction fully-upgraded home in Greenville, SC (where we flew into from Newark) in a beautiful, wooded neighborhood within walking distance of the local town. It's going for $529,000. That hurts. Our apartment would cost almost that much if it were for sale here!! 

I'm sure I sounded like a pompous, out-of-touch jacka** when I said this but ---> When we got off the plane in SC, I saw a large sign with a listing for 36 acres of land with a 5 bedroom ranch on it for less than $500,000 and I said "OMG, hunny -- it's not even half a mil! " 

I realize to someone living in SC, 500Gs is a serious life-long investment. It is to us, too...but when you've become accustomed to the overpriced living of NY, it seems like SUCH a great deal.

I don't ever want to become one of those women who takes money for granted. I don't think I ever could. I know how hard Travis works so that I can stay home and I know the state of economy could take away our lifestyle at any given moment. 

But is it too much to ask for a house? With a lawn? In the 'burbs? Evidently it is if we plan on living in the tri-state within commuting distance. Even Westchester is flaunting Manhattan prices these days. 

I'm signing off for the night...if you need me, I'll be devising a shelf and pulley system so we can utilize our ceiling space for additional storage.