January 6, 2021
Over the past week or so, how are you spending your time?
The UK is reporting that homeowners are spending twice as much on home improvements now than before lockdown, and that trend is reflected in the masked crowds at our local home improvement stores as well. When you spend more time at home, you realize how many chores there are, just to keep things from getting out of control.
How much of your time is spent on chores?
Over a weekend, this is fairly typical:
Three hours were spent gardening, and an additional 2 ½ hours on the lawn.
Three to four hours on Laundry
Four hours on meal prep and cleaning up afterwards
Four hours on house projects, ranging from small repairs, to cleaning out closets, to running to Home Depot for supplies for home projects.
And what didn’t you get to?
Maintenance-free living might be the answer
Moving to a maintenance-free community like Coniston and Cartmel means many of these time-consuming, no-fun chores are taken care of for you- our carriage homes even come with weekly housekeeping and linen service!
That leaves you with time to truly enjoy doing what you love best. Maybe that’s taking a walk on the over of seven miles of trails available on the shared campus with Kendal-Crosslands Communities. Summer canoe and kayak trips down the Brandywine are beautiful, and “socially distant”. There are lots of options to enjoy the outdoors, no matter the season with the many parks, preserves and great dog parks nearby. There are also great bike trails in the area, and just over the border in Delaware.
Maybe you like to spend time with friends and family- there are plenty of nearby restaurants offering take-out for great picnic opportunities, while staying safe. And when things get back to normal, there are plenty of opportunities to explore entertainment and cultural opportunities in nearby Philadelphia and Wilmington DE.
Many of our residents also take advantage of classes available through local universities and the Osher Lifelong Learning programs at the University of Delaware. There are also amazing classes available at Longwood Gardens and Winterthur.
Or maybe you’d like to explore a hobby or interest you just haven’t had time for. Maybe it’s gardening outside your cottage or in our community garden- the choice is yours!
We’ve all heard people say “No one says at the end of their life, I should have spent more time in the office”. The same thing is true about home chores- No one on their deathbed says “I wish I had spent more time mowing the lawn.”
While some people are reluctant to consider a move to a retirement community because they see it as a defeat, most Coniston and Cartmel residents view their move to the community as giving them freedom and security. Residents spend more time doing what they love, and less time worrying about whether the filters need to be changed or the gutters cleaned.
Most of all, residents at Coniston and Cartmel have chosen to live in a community of like-minded individuals, where the neighbors become friends, and everyone feels welcome and accepted. Weekly “happy hours” may now be on Zoom instead of at a neighbor’s home, but the community maintains their close connection and support. And we know the outdoor barbeques will resume as soon as safety allows.
If you’d like to learn more about our welcoming community and maintenance-free cottages for those 50+, just click the button below to download our digital brochure. You could be spending more time enjoying life and less time worrying about maintenance headaches.