Tag Archives: Cohousing

Urge to Purge: Rightsizing

“I have a notion that if you are going to be spiritually curious, you better not get cluttered up with too many material things.” — Mary Oliver

“Having a simplified uncluttered, home is a form of self-care.” — Emma Scheib

First, I confess, as a 75-year-old person who lives alone, I’m a cliché. Like many others of my generation, I spent years accumulating material things along with lived experiences, yielding a collection of stuff and memories. Today, the latter has value, the former not so much. As I look ahead to my remaining years, I want to simplify, downsize, let go of things, and rightsize my life.

Current Status

For the past year I’ve been dreaming of the possibility of living in a tiny home or accessory dwelling unit (ADU) for the last chapter of my life. A year ago, our family childhood home was sold after the death of our father, our remaining parent, and the last keepsakes and ephemera I wanted to save made a home with me. Before I could begin to consider living in a tiny home, I had to address the elephant in the rooms, too much stuff! Continue reading

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On the Move Again!

“The first step in getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are.”  — Unknown

It’s that time of year in Madison, Wisconsin when U-Hauls and Two Men and a Truck will soon clog the streets. Popup curbside flea markets appear overnight as university students dump their second-hand furniture and poorly-assembled IKEA desks and bookcases rather than move them. It’s so commonplace that when student leases expire on August 15th, we’ve dubbed it “Hippie Christmas.” Continue reading

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Cohousing at Union Corners

“(Does it worry you to be alone?)

How do I feel by the end of the day?

(Are you sad because you’re on your own?)

No I get by with a little help from my friends”

— The Beatles, With a Little Help from My Friends

First an introduction, besides being the author of this blog, I am a founding member of MESCoH (Madison East Side CoHousing). We are an intentionally-welcoming cohousing community who collaborate to create individual homes with shared common spaces at Union Corners on the eastside of Madison, Wisconsin. Union Corners is a prominent piece of property with a rich history; it is a gateway to the Capitol, the front door to our city in a vibrant, revitalized neighborhood. Continue reading

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LGBT-Friendly Cohousing in Madison

When I visualize my future as an LGBT senior living in Madison, Wisconsin and aging in place, I imagine residing in a community of like-minded individuals committed to mutual support and fellowship, while we share spaces to congregate, celebrate, recreate and engage in creative collaboration. I would also need a private, personal space — a room of my own —a place to retreat, rest, meditate and write. Continue reading

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