October 2022
Sanne and Jette - two moves and one good neighborhood
"I don't miss having to mow a huge lawn. I don't miss taking care of a big house of 125 square meters..."
Jette is 65 years old and one of Ibihaven's very first residents. Together with her new neighbors, she received the keys to a brand new home in the community in 2020.
For Jette, the decision to give up her home and move out of her house and garden was preceded by many considerations. A process that began in earnest when Jette lost her husband in 2016.
After many good years in a large, demanding farmhouse in Viby Zealand, it was time for a new and exciting chapter for Jette.
"When I compare my new home to the one I had, I actually don't miss anything at all."
In the home next door to Jette lives 57-year-old Sanne. Sanne is a therapist and still goes to work - and like Jette, the home in Ibihaven is completely different from Sanne's previous home. A scenic abandoned agricultural property close to Kalundborg.
"What I decided when I moved out of the old house was that I wanted to move into something where it just works. Where it's new, where it's nice, where it's beautiful - and then there was also the concept of community." Sanne says about the choice of the new home in Ibihaven.
For Sanne, it was very much the atmosphere and the beautiful green surroundings that drew her in.
"I saw the pictures of the building and I thought, that looks good. It's nice, it's new - and it's full of life somehow."
Goodbye to what's no longer useful
For both Sanne and Jette, it was a relief to move to a smaller and newly built home, which now requires less maintenance and cleaning in everyday life.
But more time and freedom are just some of the benefits that emerged for the two neighbors when it was time to unpack the moving boxes.
"Coming from something much bigger and moving to something smaller, I was honestly a bit excited about it. When I went to the viewing, my first thought was that it seemed a bit small. And that I would have to pick and choose what to bring. But then I moved in, and now I have to say that it's really something now that it's just me. Of course, the house is one thing, but you also get a huge orangery under your own roof." Sanne tells us and invites us into her home, which she has decorated with burnt orange and warm natural colors.
"What's in the apartment now is all stuff I brought from the house. I've thought about it and picked out just the right things. And when it came here, it just got a completely new look - and I think it fits perfectly."
Jette also went through a cleanup process that turned out to be easier than she had first prepared for.
"When I made the decision, I started sorting. I had 3 piles - this I should include, this I might include and this I should not include. And then the pile of what I shouldn't include got bigger and bigger."
Jette says with a laugh and shows off a bright and open living room - with lots of pops of color.
"As I looked at a lot of my stuff, I realized I didn't need it anymore. Then I called a thrift store and they came and cleared out the rest - it was so easy."
Good neighbors provide quality of life
Today, the move is long behind the two neighbors, and everyday life has settled into the green atrium garden. Both Sanne and Jette thrive in the community and the social opportunities that exist in Ibihaven.
"For me, community means that you have a sense of belonging, the feeling that you can be yourself." Sanne explains about her relationship with Jette and the other neighbors who, for her, have become part of everyday life. "There are days when you're exuberant - most days are like that for me - but I also find that I can share the bad days with the neighbors I'm close to."
For Sanne, it's important that there is room for diversity and that people have the opportunity to participate in the community on the terms they want and have the energy to. Some neighbors you greet with a friendly hello - while with others you are close enough to get a hug on a bad day.
Jette also enjoys the life and presence of the residents in the green garden room.
"Community means the world to me. It means something that when I get home, someone shouts - Hi Jette - or - Are you home already - or - What the heck, it's been a long time since I've seen you. It means a lot to be seen and heard."
Most important of all, for both Sanne and Jette, is that in the community there is the freedom to choose. Choose when and how much they want to participate - and what kind of togetherness the good neighborhood should offer.
"It means something to me that I can be part of something bigger. At the same time, I can also retreat and say that I've been social enough for today. That's never frowned upon - and that's really just fine." Jette adds with a big smile.
