About the Rockets

Two little girls, all sugar and spice (Eliza and Gillian), a stay-at-home dad (David) and me, a working mother (Jody). Nice to meetcha.

What We Are

• System-izers. We find what works for us and implement it as a system. I’m sure our systems won’t work for everyone.
• Handy. RocketMan has a basic set of apartment-scaled tools–sander, small saw, hammer, toolset, etc.–and all the construction is done in our sunroom.
• Schleppers. We don’t have a car–we’ve had to borrow a friend’s truck and use City CarShare for some furniture delivery, but other than that, it’s schlepping for us.
• Renters with rent control. Everything we do is relatively affordable (for the most part, under $100), is modular, and is suitable for a rental. If your landlord’s persnickety about holes in the wall, you could lose a bit of your security deposit.
• Stay-at-home-dad family. You can’t be a stay-at-home dad in San Francisco without having a blog, we always say–although working mom’s the one writing this.

What We Are Not

• Minimalists. David is very tidy, and everything has a home, but rarely is that home stowed away in a cabinet or closet. The reasons are twofold: 1) we don’t have many cabinets or closets; and 2) I’m not very tidy, and I prefer to have things within easy reach. As such, some of our choices would drive a minimalist bonkers, so be warned!
• Designers. Neither of us are architects, visual artists, interior designers, or anything related to the visual arts industry.
• Neat freaks. I like a space that feels lived-in, provided the space is clean and everything is in its home.

What We Try To Be

• Sustainable. Recycle, reduce waste, reuse whatever we can (including aluminum foil and washing out plastic bags). Saying it’s a sustainable choice is giving us more credit than we deserve; my husband was raised by a Yankee. He’s cheap.
• Non-acquisitors. We try to buy as little as possible, build what we can. It’s just easier, and like I said, cheaper. Plus, it’s easier to repurpose plywood than it is a store-bought dresser. (Although I love what people do with Ikea. Genius.
• Small livers.This isn’t really a comment on consumerism so much as it’s limiting expectations. We love San Francisco, and if you love SF, you’ve got to learn to love small spaces. As such, we try to keep our possessions and needs within our 680-square-foot world. It’s working so far, even with a toddler and an infant.
• Happy. I like convenience. I like small luxuries. I like stuff that looks nice.

Lastly, we both like science fiction. If you hadn’t already guessed.