The New Meaning of “Home”

The pandemic of 2020 added new terms to our language, like “sheltering at home” and “social distancing”. The world changed and it hit home, quite literally. There’s now a new meaning of “home”.

Hit the rewind button and go back to January 2020. It was the start of a new year, and one with a great number. “20/20 vision” is perfect, so we could look ahead with a clear view of the months ahead.

But no one saw what was coming. We were blindsided by the pandemic. People suddenly were directed to stay home. They left their classrooms and workplaces with no idea of how long this situation would last. By several months after the first stay-at-home orders were issued, many people's sense of “home” had changed.

Feuding With Your Space

Your home probably felt fine before you became a full-time occupant for months with limited access to anything beyond your doorstep. Those escapes to the outside world cushioned you from certain features that have become a constant source of irritation.

When did the kitchen get so small? Well, when everyone in the household is home at once, and ALL the time, it feels tighter, doesn’t it?

Where did we get all this stuff and where can we put it? Staying at home drove many people to stock up, because of the uncertainty of the pandemic’s duration. Toilet paper, cleaning products and non-perishable foods overflowed the pantry and cabinets.

Can you please be quiet while I'm on this Zoom call? Working from home is a challenge for people who benefit from the discipline and scheduled pace of an office or classroom. You need a quiet place to focus. The other people in the family need to respect your new workspace, but your home was never planned for this lifestyle. You don’t have a stash of extra rooms to assign.

Why is the Internet so slow? Who’s streaming? There’s only so much bandwidth to go around in one home. The more people and devices accessing your Wi-Fi, the slower it’s going to work.

It’s quite likely that the only one who has relished this new existence was the dog. Your canine companion loves having his/her people around all the time.

The Upside of Hunkering Down

Yes, it was a tough road, paved with strange new habits, like wearing a mask, waiting days for a grocery delivery and rethinking everything you touched in a public place.

The experience tested our ability to adapt. It has reminded us that a little kindness is easy to offer but worth so much.

One outcome of the close quarters of all this coziness is that flexible people adapted to simpler things. Game night is a great way to enjoy one another and maybe even let off some steam. Take the game-playing outside—bocce ball, pickleball and tennis are a few ways to play together. And how about an outdoor movie night? All you need is a projector and a screen (and a sheet will do just fine).

We also learned that our home should be a source of comfort, a haven that supports the lifestyle we want and need. The newfound home bodies took on new challenges to bring that comfort. Yeast, of all things, was selling out in stores because novice bakers decided to bake bread. And with restaurants closed, families began working together to create some good, old-fashioned home cooking.

Ultimately, home is what you make of it. We think you should focus your mindset on making it a happy place.

Epcon Communities

Epcon Communities has always put its focus on building quality homes and lifestyle-rich communities in sought after locations around the country. We believe in the power of people coming together to help one another. We know that each home must provide essential comfort, so our floorplans include open floorplans and modern features. We design our homes for low-maintenance so you can take it easy and enjoy the new meaning of home.

If “home is where the heart is”, then love where you live. We invite you to contact us and explore the lifestyle experience you can have here.