Home Sweet Home
May 28th, 2008 @ 12:03 pm by Mrs. Jasmine
This is my last week in my apartment in downtown Chicago. On Saturday, I leave for California where I’ll spend some quality time with my family before the wedding. And when I return to Chicago, I’ll be moving into Mr. Jasmine’s apartment.
I’ve lived in my current apartment for almost two years. It’s a tiny studio right where the Chicago River meets Lake Michigan. It’s cluttered and the bathtub drain always clogs. My small closet is overflowing with clothes and shoes. I eat, sleep, and entertain all in the same room. But the view is breathtaking. And over the last two years, it’s really become home.
It’s going to be strange moving into a new place. For one thing, I can no longer engage in my “secret single behavior“, as Carrie Bradshaw would say. No more blasting 80s tunes in the morning while I dance around in my nightie. No more eating microwave popcorn for dinner while catching up on an America’s Next Top Model marathon. I’m going to miss having my big queen size bed all to myself. And I’m going to miss monopolizing all the space in the closet.
But despite all the change, I’m thrilled to share a place with the man of my dreams. As much as I’ll miss my apartment, I’m excited to make a home with Mr. Jasmine.
What will you miss most about living alone?
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18 Responses to “Home Sweet Home”
I love the picture! I live in Denver but am coming “home” to Chicago for 2 weddings in a week. looking at your photo got me excited!
@AliCherri1: How could I forget to mention that? I’m going to miss having my products all over the bathroom counter. I don’t wanna share a bathroom with a boy!
What a sweet location, Jasmine! When Mr. Canary and I visited Chicago, we spent a lot of time in that area: great restaurants and fantastic shopping! We even did a river/architecture tour and it seems we may have passed right under your window!
I miss dancing around to old 80s pop in my skivvies too… though I do that when Mr. Canary is around anyway. Sometimes he joins in! Well, now I think he’s going to throttle me for letting his secret out!
I totally feel your pain. I moved from Chicago (Belmont/Halsted) to small-town Wisconsin when we got married in August. BOO. I had a hard time adjusting to my new location, but I will admit that living together is WONDERFUL.
It helped when we sold his/our condo last month and bought a house! We’re living in a great new neighborhood in a place that’s pretty much our dream home, and I’ve noticed that in the last month (since we’ve lived there) I’ve felt a LOT more settled. It’s a place that’s truly ours.
OK, but I realize not everyone can do that (or that they’d even want to!). But here’s what I still miss:
- silence when I get home (a la Aidan and Carrie’s apartment-sharing: “Where ya been? Who ya seen? Whatcha been up to?”)
- having to admit/justify my insanely crappy TV taste to another human being
However, making dinners together, working on our house and hanging with our dog make it all WAAAYYYY worth it! You’ll see 
Haha, my secret single behavior sounds a lot like yours:) No more belting out “Holiday” at the top of my lungs and dancing around the livingroom:( I’ve actually been living with my FI for about 9 months, but it’s definitely been an adjustment. Sharing the bathroom, having to do the dishes every day (instead of letting them pile up until I feel like doing them or run out of clean dishes), having to worry if he’s going to eat the last slice of pizza…
@Miss Canary: The architecture tour is so amazing– it does pass right below my window!
@Aliya: That must have been such an adjustment! It sounds like you guys are living blissfully though– congrats on the new home! Mr. Jasmine still lives in Chicago proper, just in a different neighborhood, so at least that helps in the transition a bit.
@futuremrswecker: I *love* singing along to Holiday
I miss having our dog cuddle with me on the couch! He’s not allowed on the couch anymore… =(
Hello soon-to-be-neighbor!! =)
Wow, what an awesome view you have!! I would miss that too…
I have good news for you. From time to time I turn to my husband and say, “Do you have man things to do, because I was thinking of eatting junk in front of the t.v. while catching up on girly shows” And he gladly agrees. He also doesn’t mind me playing my music and dancing around in the jammies (I think he enjoys it a bit). Hopefully, Mr.Jasmine will be as easy to move in with. I was just so happy to have someone who takes the trash out, stomps on spiders, and cleans the potty that I didn’t really miss anything about living alone. That’s right my husband cleans the toliet. I really wasn’t built for single life.
@Mrs. Emerald: Ahh, I’m super excited to be your neighbor Every time in Mr’s J neighborhood, I see your place coming up and get so excited for you guys.
@Lynn: That is super cute and comforting. And your man cleans the toilet?!?! Hold on to him for dear life!
I don’t miss a thing about being single. My husband cooks and does most of the housekeeping. I only hate having his dogs around the house.
I think your transition will be bliss.
About the bathroom - when we moved in together I was a little worried about sharing a bathroom. But, I bought a pretty white desk and a bench and created a vanity for myself. It was a perfect compromise to the shared bathroom dilemma. Now I would never go back to leaning over the sink to apply mascara. Why do that when I can use my pretty vanity in the bedroom?
My advice: carve out your girl-y space and enjoy blissful cohabitation! 
I miss having no responsibilities to anyone but myself. For instance, if I didn’t FEEL like cooking dinner - yet instead, eat an entire container of Ben & Jerrys all to myself and then spend an eternity in my bathtub reading US magazine - I could.
I definitely LOVE cooking dinner for my fiance every night before he comes home making sure to spend quality time with him after dinner’s been cleaned up - but I miss those no-responsibility-nights. I’m sure I’ll miss them even more once we have kids.
I was in Chicago for a business trip last year, and I had almost that EXACT same view from my hotel room! I took a picture of it! I stayed at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, if I recall correctly =)
we lived together and now I am back to my “single life” while I live away because of work ( yes, we are doing the long distance thing).
things I like about living solo: no sports on my huge flat screen; girly movie marathons; Oprah; playing the same song over and over again; silence, if I clean something; it stays clean; weekends spent in bed; closets all to myself.
things I hate about living solo: coming home to empty apartment, nobody cooks dinner for me, sleeping alone, having nobody to talk to during those weekends spent in bed.
final score : living together was waaaaayyyyy better. I can’t wait until we are back in the same city again.
I’m willing to bet that Mr Jasmine would think that you dancing around in your nightie to 80s tunes in the morning was very, very cute!
When we got hitched, I moved from a house with 9 (yep. Nine.) housemates into the apartment with the hubs, so I was actually excited to have more personal space than I had had before!
Your apartment downtown is in the perfect spot, but the West Loop ain’t so bad either. I think you two will have a lot of fun.
Enjoy your last days of singlehood!
Mrs. Jasmine, Chicago/LA
Age and Occupation: 25, Attorney
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Attorney
Engagement Date: March 24, 2007
Wedding Date: June 7, 2008
Blogging Since: September 20, 2007
Venue: Hotel on the westside of Los Angeles
About Me: I'm a happy-go-lucky, imaginative spirit trapped in the body of a lawyer. I love reading, shopping, dining out, and exploring my beloved adopted city of Chicago with my fiance. We're planning the wedding of our dreams in my hometown of Los Angeles and we're excited to incorporate our cherished Indian/Pakistani customs and traditions.
I’m going to miss my bathroom… I’m not a good bathroom sharer.