A home for life? Not so likely

Get the 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 from Stuff's Homed team ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     [Support our Journalism]( [Support our Journalism »](   HOMED 06 April 2024   Kia ora {NAME}, We hear about people looking for a “forever home”, but really, does such a thing exist, and is it actually a good idea? We need different kinds of living accommodation at different times of our lives, and one house is never going to suit a household forever. Imagine the upkeep required for a big old bungalow when you are older and possibly living alone. Recently I have written a few stories about couples downsizing. As one woman listing a massive,[beautiful 390m² Arts and Crafts house]( said to me this week: “We came here 20 years ago with four children; now there are just two of us. It is too much.” But the concept of downsizing is also scary, because each time we do it, we lose a bit of ourselves - or more precisely we lose a lot of our stuff, but tied up with all of that are memories. I watched my widowed father downsize several times, until there was pretty much nothing left of his life except a bed and bedside table, a bookshelf, and a tiny table. And then he died. Of course it is all relative. This week we featured a story about a woman who[upsized from a housebus to a tiny home](. Upsizing makes sense for Matilda van Rijnberk. She is now in a home (albeit tiny) where she can see herself living indefinitely. You can see that it’s a house that could suit her and her three dogs for a very long time. Is there a happy medium as we age? Some people find it with[communal living]( others find it in a[retirement village](. I adore old villas, but I am now of an age when the idea of “low-maintenance” and “double glazing” holds a lot of appeal. But for now I will stick with my higher-maintenance old flat - it’s probably good for me to be still mowing a lawn, trimming bushes, hunting down a glazier, painting, and living in a location I love. Of course I may change my mind when winter hits. Have a good weekend. Colleen Hawkes Homed Senior Reporter Colleen Hawkes Homed Senior Reporter Enjoying this email? [Check out Stuff's other daily and weekly newsletters.](   [Interior designer's vintage Wairarapa cottage has a royal secret]( There’s a racecourse betting office in the back yard that was built in honour of Queen Elizabeth’s 1953 coronation tour. [Gardener transforms dairy farm into a five-star botanical wonderland]( This Taranaki garden is a wonderland encompassing woodland plantings, Japanese-themed and land art gardens, and on a fine day, a great mountain view post office building for sale in Wyndham]( An old post office building with living quarters on the first floor had become available for sale as the owner downsizes. home shortlisted for award fetched $3.08m]( This prominent hilltop house designed by Parsonson Architects was sold when the owners were poached to work in Australia - it’s now up for an NZIA award. coastal property listed - will a new owner unblock the walkway?]( Held by the Firth family for 100 years, this $6.81m heritage cottage on the Takapuna waterfront is where the coastal walkway is blocked. Support the Stuff you love. If you enjoy this content, please consider making a contribution. It can be as little as the cost of the coffees you drink while enjoying our news, podcasts and videos. [I'd like to contribute →]( [Discover more at Homed]( [Manage Stuff Account]( [Unsubscribe]( | [Terms & Conditions]( | [Privacy Policy]( You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to the Stuff Homed newsletter. Did a friend forward you this email? [Sign up to get the Stuff Homed newsletter in your inbox.]( Stuff, 4 Williamson Ave, Ponsonby, Auckland 1021, New Zealand [Instagram]( [TikTok]( [YouTube]( * You can email us at [feedback@stuff.co.nz](mailto:*%20You%20can%20email%20us%20at%20feedback@stuff.co.nz,%20or%20call%20us%20on%C2%A00800%20339%20000.), or call us on [0800 339 000](tel:0800%20339%20000).