freeranger

Maybe it's just because it's spring, and there is lots to do around the house, that it seems I never can find time to ride anymore! If I could only get the grass in our 2 acre yard to slow down, might get a break. And it seems lately, around here, that if I do find some free time, that it's been raining! A condo would free up more time, but what would we do with all our accumulated "stuff"-couldn't bear to part with much of it-took forever to collect so much junk!! Guess I'll just have to set myself down and do some time mgmt study, or say to heck with the grass and sneak in a ride, if it doesn't rain!! (weekend forecast isn't looking so good)

Jet Travis

Plant a big hedge and let your yard go to hell. At least that's what works for me.

Beverly

Hire someone to do some of the yard work.

I own a double and give a reduction in rent for exchange of mowing and snow removal. Best deal I ever made. I did a short ride last night and returned to find the yard mowed

TRaffic Jammer

build a track

DnvrFox

Sell 1 and 3/4 acres!

BSLeVan

At my house (only 1 acre of grass to cut) the ride always comes before the mowing the grass. This often results in the grass being cut in stages over two days. BTW, I'm slowly working on landscaping that will hopefully eliminate a great deal of the lawn with plants, shrubs, and ground cover that require much less time to care for.

Now, if on the other hand, outside gardening is what floats your boat, then riding will have to take a back seat to these activities this time of year.

tsl

Pitch the stuff and get the condo.

I went from a three-bedroom with attic, basement and two-car garage (which still didn't have enough room for all my stuff) to a one-bedroom, no garage and an 8x10 storage bin (which I almost don't need).

One of the top-five best things I ever did for myself.

Beverly

+1 tsl

I didn't go condo but I did go much smaller and it was the best move I ever made, too. Let someone else take care of that big house with the big yard. I have too many other things to do

Longfemur

I'm one who abandoned the suburban house lifestyle about 4 years ago. No regrets at all. It's an unsustainable lifestyle for the future anyway. All of civilization should abandon that insane car/mall lifestyle which is a holder from the 1950's mentality. But boy, did we ever have to get rid of lots of accumulated junk and stuff that we never really used much anyway.

Relatively small downtown apartment, but it's great. Only downside is the limited storage for other bikes if you have more than one. I had 3 at one time, but I only need one, and I find it liberating to only have to worry about one bike. One thing though, make sure that you find a place where they won't bother you for keeping your bike in your unit. A bike room is no place for a nice bike.

No grass mowing, no snow removal, no impulse to constantly be renovating equals a lot more riding. If you choose your area well, you can also live semi car-free. My car almost never leaves the underground garage. Living in an urban core does not really allow a complete car-free life though, because many essential services have gone to the suburbs and not near public transit.

Old Hammer Boy

Man, I can sure relate. We own a big house, some rental property, We do a fair amount of volunteer work, and I'm employed (more than full-time). I will retire the end of this year, and I plan to ditch the rental property in a year or two, so a large load will be removed. Cycling has helped me maintain my sanity. As to staying in the big house and dealing with the yard, we'll see how that goes. My wife and I have no regrets because everything has worked out really well for us financially, but the last few years I have felt burdened by all of this responsibility, and frankly, I'm tired of it. It's time to scale back, get rid of lots of stuff, and it can't happen soon enough. Thank goodness for Ebay!!

I don't think we'd enjoy condo life, but a much smaller house with an easier landscape to maintain makes sense. Now all I have to do is convince my wife.

Wildwood 

easiest solution is to put some fenders on that bike, get a lightweight rain jacket and stop watching weather channel. You're not made out of granulated sugar. Some people think wet streets are unsafe and that's balderdash unless you're racing.

or you could mow the hay in the rain and save nice days for long bike rides.

See how easy time management becomes when you change a point of view.

Timtruro

Prioritize, Prioritize, Priortize! Riding of course would be high priority.

BluesDawg

I have 12 acres. About 3 acres have grass that has to be cut sometimes. About 1 acre needs to be cut on a fairly regular basis. I have been getting slacker and slacker about keeping it neat and trim. It takes too much time and costs too much to do it weekly. I keep the mower blade at max height and knock the tops off the grass when I get a chance.

I work my mowing in around my riding time, not the opposite. If the grass gets long and shaggy, so be it. Soon my son will take over this responsibility and it will be dione more often with less impact to my riding.

CACycling

+10 on condo - if it has a yard, pour concrete and make a big patio.

stapfam

About right. I have 1/4 acre but I do wish I had more.


Plant some trees- Not just the ordinary kind but some specimen trees anout 20ft apart. Once the Forest has grown up- The grass stops growing----Or do as one of my friends does. 3 young lambs in spring--Lamb dinners right through the winter.

PirateJim

Should you decide on the condo route, one suggestion would be to get yourself a decent size storage unit and save some of your accumulated "junk" for a year or so. Some stuff like lawn care gear is easily identifiable as unneeded, other stuff you don't identify as essential in the new home should go into storage. For that first year you'll find yourself running there periodically and you'll be glad you didn't throw some things away only to decide you needed them after all. After that year or so, go back through what is left in the storage locker. You'll marvel at how much of it you had totally forgotten about and wonder why you kept it. Now it's time for a garage sale and or donation/dump run.

SKYLAB

One word : Xeriscape.
Problem solved.

geofitz13

Dig up all the grass. Put down weed killer. Cover with synthetic grass.

Go ride.

bobbycorno

Another word: Astroturf.

SP

rae

Seriously, does the land really need to be mown grass? Think about letting some be groundcover, preferably something native, shrubbery, trees, tall grasses.

I wouldn't do well in a condo, I have an oppositional streak that would find some way to rile up the other members! Probably by painting the garage door pink or purple and keeping a pet skunk on the patio.

Retro Grouch 

So how much of that "stuff" do you really care about?

We moved into out condo about 8 years ago. At the time I took pick up loads of stuff to the dumpster at work. Amvets even made a special trip to our neighborhood on moving day to pick up some furniture that we wouoldn't be needing in our new, smaller place.

I wasn't sure at the time but, in retrospect, I wouldn't have it any other way. I travel through some pretty toney neighborhoods with my job. When I look at those big beautiful homes the thought occurs to me that, if we owned one we'd have to have an "internal condo" (kitchen, sitting room and bedroom) just to cut down room to room travel time.

The lawn and garden stuff is great! I have a little flower bed that I maintain myself. It's about the amount that I want to do. Also every week I have the opportunity to give pointers (much appreciated I'm sure) to the guys who mow the lawn.

BlazingPedals

That's what I do, too. I mow about 3 acres total. I am allowing some of mine to 'go natural' too - planting trees and brush as wildlife habitat. I hear deer really like forsythia, which is also pretty in the spring and good for privacy in the summer.

The Weak Link

Dave, see my Tombay post for inspiration. Maybe.

ib4it

Get a bigger lawn mower.

CB HI

Buy a goat. It will keep your grass short and you get free goats milk (assuming you bought the correct goat).