Multigenerational Living

What started as a โ€œtemporaryโ€ setup 14 years agoโ€”just until we figured things outโ€”turned into a permanent way of life (by design, not accident). Since then, our multigenerational home has survived just about everything: dementia and Alzheimerโ€™s care, losing grandparents, a divorce, a new fiancรฉ moving in (can you imagine moving a fiancรฉ into your multigen house?), a teenager pushing every boundary through high school, and yesโ€”even me navigating menopause in the middle of it all.

Itโ€™s been messy, itโ€™s been loud, and itโ€™s been real. But itโ€™s also taught us how to design spaces that actually work, stretch a budget without losing our minds, and keep the multigen train movingโ€”now with plans for a brand-new build in 2025.

Along the way, weโ€™ve shared every DIY renovation project under the sunโ€”from refinished floors to gutted kitchensโ€”and most recently, custom home builds. And as it turns out, the universe had other plans by matching me with Jimbo (aka my fiancรฉ)โ€”who probably loves multigen living even more than I doโ€”and just so happens to be a general contractor. Together, we get to combine real life with real builds, creating multigen homes and family compounds not just for us, but for other families too.

Here, I share the projects, stories, and behind-the-scenes chaos that prove multigen living isnโ€™t insanityโ€”itโ€™s strategy (with a side of grit and grace).