Multigenerational Family Living

Today's Multigenerational Family Living post is brought to you by the Habitat for Humanity Home is the Key campaign. I signed up to be a part of this campaign because I believe so strongly in their purpose, and what they stand for. Ensuring everyone has a safe home is so important, and I couldn’t be more excited to partner with Habitat and O-Cedar to spread the word this spring. 

In December, we became a multigenerational family house. We moved my 83-year-old father in with us, after my mother's passing. Today, I'm sharing how we're adapting to our expanded household and making multigenerational family living work well for us. 

I'm also working with two of my favorite organizations, Habitat for Humanity and O-Cedar, to raise money and awareness for Habitat's Home is the Key campaign. This campaign is addressing the nation's rising housing crisis, as well as raising support to combat the crisis. See how you can help out below.

I feel very lucky to live in a home that also accommodates my father as we enjoy him during his senior years. So many folks can't afford proper housing today. Being able to live in a house with all five us doing life together is something we definitely do not take for granted. I'm sharing how we've integrated my dad into our busy home (including a tour of one of his spaces), as well as chatting with you about the Home is the Key campaign below.

Home is the Key

Whether your home houses just you or you're like us and your home is filled with kids, a grandparent, a dog, and two busy parents...home is the key. And for so many, home is not always within easy reach.

The US housing crisis is a growing concern for so many. One in six families pays at least half (or more) of their income for their housing. This means they can't always afford other essentials for family members like groceries, clothing, and more. Decent, affordable housing is life-changing. If you'd like to support Habitat for Humanity in their efforts to turn around this crisis, please visit the following links to offer your support. This spring, O-Cedar and other Habitat brand partners (listed above and below), are offering you several options to support by purchasing products that give back.

• From April 1 – May 31, O-Cedar will donate $1 to Habitat for Humanity for every ProMist MAX Microfiber Spray Mop sold by O-Cedar to any U.S. retail channel in the U.S. I have this mop and really do love it. And yes, I do mop.
• Be sure to stop by Habitat for Humanity HERE to make a donation.
• Every sale of a Slub Tee Shirt from Chico's through May 31st goes to support Habitat. Additionally, $5 from the sale of each gift card over $25 (up to $100,000).
• White House Black Market and Soma Intimates are also making wonderful donations here, as well, that you can support. 
• Shop your local At Home stores and purchase a set of special Home is the Key coasters. Each sale provides a donation of $4.55 to Habitat for Humanity.

The reason I paired this post with this fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity is to show how home really is key to us, especially with my father now living with us. Scroll down to the bottom of this post for more information on Habitat for Humanity and their Home is the Key campaign. You can also enter to win a mop from O-Cedar.

Multigenerational Family Living

Not just for us, but for my dad, home is the key. He and my mom were married nearly 63 years before her death. He has always been a homebody, but without her there, home was a tough place. So, we moved him in with us. While our house is bustling and busy, it's his home now, too. He doesn't have to be alone (he also lived in a city where there were no other family members nearby).  We originally purchased our home (see that story here) with a scenario like this in mind, but we didn't have a clue how it would have all played out at the time.

Keys to Making a Multigenerational Family Household Work

• Separated spaces have been a big part of this transition working for us.
• While we share the kitchen area, dining room, garage, and laundry spaces, we have separate living areas, as well as bedroom and bathroom spaces. I'm sharing my dad's bedroom with you today, with his complete permission. 
• My dad has one side of the house (mostly) to himself, although my kids especially, like to hang out with him over there, especially in his living area.
• When bringing in an elderly family member, make sure your home feels like theirs.
• While our home was already fully furnished and outfitted, we did some downsizing to make this work. You can see what my dad's room used to look like here when it was our guest room.
• We actually pulled out and sold a lot of our furniture that was in my dad's living and bedroom areas. We brought in his bedroom and living room furniture to make it feel like his space. 
• We repainted and made everything nice and new for him to move into.
• His living area is very similar to his previous one at their home. We used all of his furnishings and artwork to achieve that feeling for him. 
• Splitting household duties is essential. Everyone should help, as they're able.
• Early on, we didn't want my dad to lift a finger. We wanted him to be able to just enjoy his senior years. Very quickly, he was a bit bored and constantly telling us that he wanted to contribute. We realized our initial idea wasn't ideal, especially since my dad is still quite able-bodied (even at 83).
• My dad now does a lot of yard work at our home (outside is where he is happiest). He had a shed built in our backyard for all of his lawn equipment, and such. As I'm typing this, he's working to gather rocks around all of the trees in the backyard. 
• Having his own duties has given him purpose. And our yard has truly looked great since he's started helping with it.
• Keep family time important. While it would be easy to live separate lives in a house of this size, with my dad having an entire side of it to himself, we make family time everything to us. 
• We try to eat dinner together most evenings that the kids don't have activities. 
• We always have a nice Saturday evening meal in our dining room, with proper dinnerware and flatware. We do it family-style and pass serving platters and such. It's become an important night to all of us. Sometimes, we sit and visit for hours after a meal.
• We also do a Sunday brunch-lunch style meal every week. We attend a different church than my dad, so it's nice to meet up at home afterwards and prepare the meal together. This often flows into a lot of sermon comparing, which can lead to long, interesting conversations.
• Regarding all of this meal prep, we all pitch in. Dad often sets the table and takes care of the drinks. The kids help with these things, too, as well as clearing the table.

One thing that was important to my dad was to keep a lot of the things my mom picked out near and dear to him. Above is a Tiffany Lamp that she adored. Dad set it up in his front window. It looks beautiful from the outside every night, all aglow. 

This little trunk served as my mom's bedside table for as long as I can remember. He also wanted to continue using the black and white toile bedding she picked out several years ago, too.

We added the blackout drapes in here for him, as well. He has become a later-sleeper. Since his bedroom is in the front of our home, these drapes add lots of privacy for him.

We tried to duplicate the way my mom had their home set up. She's had these framed photos of my brothers and me for years (that's me on the left). We hung them the same way they were in their previous home, too, above the bed that they've had since I was a kid.

My mom always had this suede bench at the foot of their bed, too. She actually toyed with getting rid of it a few years ago. But she changed her mind and told me, "I didn't know where I'd set dad's t-shirts after I folded them for him to put away...so I kept it!" This totally made me laugh. That bench served a mighty purpose. 

Their bed and dresser were from the 1970s but are really great pieces. They've had them for as long as I can remember. I've never seen wood woven in the manner that it is on these pieces. Mom's jewelry box is still in its spot that it's always been. I borrowed my champagne bucket with flowers from the dining room to have some fresh pretties in here. Dad usually sets his ball cap right there. 

We used some of mom's handmade doilies throughout dad's rooms, too. You can read all about all of the vintage linens we found in my parent's home here. They were all made by my Aunt Margaret. My mom was more drawn to using all of the doilies, while I like the embroidered pieces. 

We have lots of family photos on display in these areas, as well. 

Habitat for Humanity Give Away

Again, today's post is to help families attain affordable housing. I've partnered with Habitat for Humanity and O-Cedar for this. Leave a comment below telling me your favorite thing about Habitat for Humanity (visit their site here) and you'll be entered to win this O-Cedar ProMist® MAX Microfiber Spray Mop. I own this eco-friendly mop and it's truly a gem.

• Started in 2017, Habitat’s Home is the Key campaign aims to demonstrate how a decent, affordable home creates a better life for families and individuals.
• Habitat for Humanity builds in local communities across all 50 states and 70+ countries around the world.
• With everyone helping together, Habitat helps another family improve their living conditions somewhere around the world every 17 seconds.
• Future homeowners put in a significant amount of sweat equity and then they pay an affordable mortgage.
• Future homeowners also receive financial education and training to help them succeed. 

Your help in the Home is the Key campaign can help others have a safe, secure place to call home.

How is your Home KEY to YOU?