We close on our current home mid-August and have agreed to vacate the premises the day of closing.  Realistically, we’re thinking we could have the Underdog livable in 2-3 months.  That’s with us {as in Handy Hubby} DIYing most of the work to save money on renovation costs.  If we didn’t have other work obligations or kids in the mix, we could probably get it finished sooner but that’s not the case.  So, that leaves us with a 2-3 month window in which we need interim housing. We’ll have sold our current home but not yet updated the Underdog to living status.  What to do?

We could live with my dad who has already graciously offered up his finished basement to us. The obvious advantage to this would be cost.  Although we couldn’t in our right minds live there free and clear {we’d offer to pay for groceries, utilities, etc.}, it would be cheaper than renting.  The downfall to this option would be location.  Living at my dad’s would make Handy Hubby’s commute an hour long and mine would be 45 minutes.  And that does not include dropping the kids off at school/preschool beforehand.  Basically, I would be driving about 30-35 minutes the opposite way {north} from my work to drop the kids off, then making another 30 minute commute in the total opposite direction {south} to work.  I don’t even want to talk about picking up the kids!  Plus, my dad’s house isn’t in the same area as the Underdog, so when HH would DIY over at the Underdog after work, he’d have another good half-hour drive home well after the sun was down making for a loooooong day.

Our other option is to rent near the Underdog in the school district where the kids will be attending school/preschool.  The location would be ideal and save us lots of driving time.  We would be minutes from the Underdog so we could easily run over after work and on weekends without too much hassle.  However, it would be more expensive than living at my dad’s. Although…once gas {for driving}, utilities and groceries are figured in {most likely we’d help my dad out with utilities and groceries since adding 4 people to a household increases those costs significantly}, we’d be spending only a few hundred dollars more each month versus living at my dad’s.  Not to mention that rent + crazy cheap Underdog house payment < our current house payment alone.  So, it’s not like we’d be strapped for money, but we do like saving when we can.

Do you see our conundrum?

I spent all day today calling apartment buildings near the Underdog.  It turns out there is one complex in an ideal location that offers a 3-month leasing option.  I’m scheduled to tour an available two-bedroom unit tomorrow morning.  I actually mentioned renting a one-bedroom unit to HH to save $$$.  I figured we could put a mattress in the living room for HH and me and give the boys the one bedroom to share.  HH didn’t like that idea.  He wants a real bed to collapse in after putting in long hours at work and the Underdog.  I don’t blame him.

So, this is the burning question for us at the moment.  Do we live with my dad or rent during the remainder of the renovation?  I think it could go either way.  Ah!  The things we do for dreams! Have you ever had to live elsewhere during a renovation?  With small children? Layne is really pushing for the apartment.  I think he thinks it sounds fancy and exciting. Boy, won’t he be surprised if he does get to experience apartment living?!

And while we’re at it, why can’t American apartment complexes take a hint from the Swedes?

I’ll take it!  I have a feeling the apartment I’m going to tour tomorrow will look absolutely nothing like that.

images:  1) Dana Miller for House*Tweaking  2-6) Home Edit

From the title it sounds like this could be some kind of science fiction twist on the Underdog. Luckily, it’s not.  I really don’t think I could handle aliens invading the Underdog at this point. Maybe in a few years when things have settled.

Back when Handy Hubby was down with his septoplasty, he wasn’t able to work on the Underdog at all and it was killing him.  So, he came up with a tedious Underdog-related project to keep him busy until he healed.  May I present to you…ta dah!…The Underdog Files…

Although I’m more of the house/everyday living organizer in the family, HH is definitely the paperwork/bill organizer.  It works out well for us.  HH is very detail-oriented when it comes to ideas, projects, estimates, and costs for the Underdog.  He is saving everything that relates to the renovation.  To keep it all organized {and to keep us from searching through piles and piles of paper}, he put together this accordion folder complete with labeled tabs.

There’s a tab for everything:  insulation, plumbing, roof, landscape, electrical, HVAC, framing, windows, receipts, permits, inspection and loan.  While some tabs have very little filed under them {plumbing} others are already bulging with information {electrical}.  I guess that just shows where we are in terms of renovation projects.  {I.e., we feel we can live with outdated, ugly bathrooms for a while but we should probably get the electrical system upgraded to avoid any safety issues.}

HH’s folder is pretty impressive.  So much so, that I’m thinking of starting one of my own for all of the decor related projects for the Underdog.  It would definitely help me to focus on the task at hand while still gathering information and ideas for other projects.  The only question is ‘How do I label it all?’  Do I go the obvious route and label files according to room {kitchen, living room, bedroom, etc.} or do I keep decor categories separate {flooring, lighting, fabrics, furniture, etc.}? Or do I combine both methods, labeling each room with subcategories under them?  For example, the living room tab would have flooring, lighting, fabric, furniture, etc. subcategories.  How would you approach the organization of so much decor information?  Any suggestions are appreciated!

images:  Dana Miller for House*Tweaking