Welcome aboard a new way of living on the North Shore
Doug Taylor and his wife Jewel have discovered exactly what floats their boat.
Less home space and more fun.
To do that, the gregarious couple has downsized from a large family house in the Seymour area where they raised three kids to a brand-new floating home moored at North Vancouver’s Mosquito Creek Marina.
“Welcome aboard,” says Jewel.
It may seem like a well-rehearsed greeting but it’s actually the first time she’s ever welcomed a guest that way, she says laughing, as the couple gives a tour of their floating home.
“We like to tell people we live in a boat parking lot,” says Doug, opening up large bay windows in the downstairs master bedroom to reveal stunning ocean and city views framed by rows of moored boats. “It’s like a condo on the water.”
Along with a spacious master with his and hers closets and bathroom with a steam shower, there’s a second bedroom downstairs for guests or grandchildren. Upstairs boasts a modern kitchen, dining area and living room with large flat-screen TV and fireplace. Standing out on the large, south-facing deck, Doug points to another floating home.
“That’s a downsized,” he says referring to a neighbour who’s also moved from a larger home.
Since moving into their 1,350-square-foot floating home, which cost around $600,000, the couple feels re-energized and they plan to buy bikes and kayaks. They also love being within walking distance to shopping, eating and entertainment in Lower Lonsdale.
“Being here is like being in our twenties again.”
The couple, who’ve been married for 35 years, had grown tired of yard work and maintaining a home with several empty rooms that had become free storage space for their grown-up kids.
They admit it wasn’t easy culling through decades worth of “stuff” that’s accumulated but they now feel great having edited down their belongings to only the really important things, like family photos and videos and, of course, their ornate Mexican hutch.
Doug, a realtor, is now helping others make the transition to smaller digs by offering a free seminar called Downsize Your Home Upsize Your Life, which runs Jan. 31 in North Vancouver.
He understands that initially the idea of downsizing can be overwhelming so he’s prepared a practical guide that tackles everything from de-cluttering to financial planning and choosing a new place to call home.
His most important piece of advice? Don’t procrastinate.
Downsizing can be emotionally and physically exhausting, so it’s much easier to do in your 50s or 60s than in your 70s. And, he adds, good health, time and money — in that order — are needed to “upsize” your life.
“Don’t live in nostalgia-ville,” he says.
—Tonight’s Downsize Your Home Upsize Your Life seminar is sold out but call 604-398-2170 if you want information about future seminars or visit teamtaylorrealty.ca.
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