Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa are adjusting to the empty nest life now 

that all three of their children—Michael, Lola, and Joaquin—have moved out and begun their adult lives. 

But while the couple is settling into a quieter home, there’s one unexpected aspect of their new life 

that Mark revealed during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! 

that has drawn attention—and even a bit of surprise from his wife, Kelly.

On February 27, the Live with Kelly and Mark co-hosts appeared on the late-night talk show to discuss the transition of becoming empty-nesters. 

Their children, Michael (27), Lola (23), and Joaquin (22), have all flown the coop, and Consuelos and Ripa are now adjusting to life without their kids around. While the adjustment has had its ups and downs, there’s one part of the empty nest experience that Mark is particularly enjoying—although it might not be what Kelly expected.

Mark’s Surprise Revelation

Consuelos, 53, casually mentioned during the interview that while the children’s bedrooms are “pretty much exactly how they left them,” he has been taking a little creative liberty with the spaces. The revelation? Mark has been using the kids’ bathrooms, much to Kelly’s amusement (and perhaps a touch of confusion).

As he explained, “I’ve been going around and using their bathrooms.” He followed that with a humorous but candid explanation: “We paid for the house, and I’ve never sat there, so I wanted to sit there.” Mark’s reasoning was simple: after years of paying for the house, he finally wanted to experience the spaces that were once off-limits—namely, the children’s private bathrooms.

While it’s clear that Mark is finding joy in these small changes, Kelly seemed surprisingly supportive of his new habit. She jokingly added, “And, I, for one, am thankful.” It seems that the couple is embracing this new phase of their lives, even if it comes with some quirky adjustments.

The Family’s New Living Arrangements

For the Consuelos family, their youngest son Joaquin, who is 22, now attends the University of Michigan. Their daughter Lola, 23, splits her time between New York City and London, while their eldest son Michael, 27, lives in Brooklyn. The change in living arrangements has clearly made an impact on both Mark and Kelly, who now find themselves alone in the house after many years of raising their children.

In an interview with People back in April 2023, Kelly opened up about the emotional side of this transition. She described the first dinner they had after Joaquin left for school as an overwhelming experience, saying, “The first dinner I cooked, I’m not kidding, was for 12 people, and it was just the two of us.” The couple found themselves sitting at the table with an absurdly large amount of food, neither feeling particularly hungry. It was a humorous but poignant moment for the couple, highlighting just how much their lives had changed.

Kelly admitted that the first 48 hours without their children were filled with a sense of loss. “We were leaning into the despair,” she recalled. But after that initial adjustment period, they managed to shift their focus and began embracing the positive aspects of having an empty house. Kelly added, “We got over it!”

Finding New Joy in Their Space

While the couple initially struggled with the change, it seems that Mark and Kelly are learning to enjoy the quieter moments at home. The empty nest phase presents its challenges, but it also offers opportunities for new routines, more personal space, and the chance to reconnect with each other in ways they hadn’t before.

Mark’s newfound enjoyment of his kids’ bathrooms is just one example of how he’s embracing the freedom that comes with the new phase in their lives. Whether it’s spending time in spaces that were once off-limits or simply having more time for each other, Mark and Kelly seem to be making the most of their newfound freedom.

As Kelly and Mark continue to navigate life as empty-nesters, it’s clear that they’re finding joy in the little things—like bathroom usage—and rediscovering the positive side of this new chapter. After years of raising their children, the couple is embracing their space, each other, and the opportunities that come with a quieter, less crowded home.

Though the transition to an empty nest can be bittersweet, it seems that Mark and Kelly are making the most of it with humor, love, and a touch of playful mischief.

Follow us to see more useful information, as well as to give us more motivation to update more useful information for you.