While in the process of our upside downsizing project, something kind of unexpected happened. The more we changed and updated the house, the more my mother seemed uncomfortable in her own home. It was like we changed it so much, it wasn't familiar to her any more.
We re-arranged furniture, changed room colors, de-cluttered and added little staging items, etc. I must admit it does look like a different house. I just never thought about how it would affect my mom's perception of her "home".
It's not that she doesn't like the changes. She's been on board all along. It's just that the comfortable feeling of home isn't quite there anymore. We kind of sterilized and sanitized it. I think she's afraid to set down a glass or leave a newspaper on the table. I never rally thought about how she would perceive everything.
I think eventually she'll get used to the changes and she is truly excited about the new house. We go every day to see the progress. Right now it's just a foundation. She'll be fine. I just need to be a little more sensitive to how she's feeling and not get caught up in the process itself.
Take care.
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