I want to move...

My younger sister and brother-in-law live 4 houses down from us.  In a few months (no date set), they're going to be moving into his parents' house after they move out.  I want their house.

I can't number the times my husband and I have said we hate this house.  It's almost identical to the house I grew up in, and I've really had trouble understanding how a family of the same size didn't kill each other.  I can't imagine how bad it will be when the girls are teenagers (not that I want to still live here then...).  When I mentioned this to my dad, he laughed at me.  He said this house is a much smaller version.  That explains it.  The living room is OK, but has always been a challenge to fit our furniture in it.  The kitchen is plenty big enough, but most of it is just empty space... there is minimal counter space, minimal cabinets.  Our pantry is only half a pantry because the water heater is in there.  The bathroom is hideous and too narrow with no storage space at all.  The bedrooms are OK, but the paint in the girls' bedrooms is atrocious and we can't paint them.  No carpet, which I didn't mind when the girls were smaller, but they aren't so messy anymore and I don't like walking on the bare floors.

What's better about my sister's house?

Well, the kitchen is enormous.  About triple the number of cabinets, far more counter space, plenty of room for an island (maybe they'll leave theirs...?).  There's a dishwasher.  I don't think it works, but crap, I'd be willing to buy a new one even if I was just renting the place.  I'm sick of hand washing dishes.  We don't even have anywhere they could put a dishwasher in this kitchen.  There is a full pantry.  And room for a table and chairs and then some. 

The living room is about twice the size of ours, with a fireplace.  And carpet. 

There is a garage.  Bill's always talking about how he wants a garage.  Not to put our cars in, but to have a place to put all his stuff and escape.  We could take all of our stuff out of storage, as well.  

Bill doesn't want to move though.  He'd rather stay put until we save up the money to buy a house.  I'd rather be somewhere I liked better in the meantime.

The are a few minor down sides.  There's only one bathroom.  The need for both of ours doesn't arise all that often here, but it does happen.  It will be more expensive, probably around $100 a month more.  But we'd be saving $50 in storage rent, and we could afford it without it being a strain.

And of course, moving just sucks.  Even if it's just down the road.  

I'm dog sitting for them this weekend, which got me thinking about it again.  Bill shot it down before, but I think I'll give it another go.