“Mark Consuelos Shares the One Thing He Uses His Kids’ Rooms for After Becoming an Empty Nester”.Viet

Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa are adjusting to life as empty nesters after their three adult children, Joaquin, 22, Lola, 23, and Michael, 27, moved out of the house. On the February 28 episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live, the couple shared how life has changed since their kids left home. Consuelos, 53, revealed one surprising thing he’s been doing now that he has the house to himself.

“[Their rooms are] pretty much exactly how they left them, but I’ve been going around and using their bathroom

s,” Consuelos admitted to Kimmel. When Kimmel asked why he was using his kids’ bathrooms, Consuelos responded, “Because we paid for the house and I’ve never sat there, so I wanted to sit there.”

Ripa, 54, jokingly chimed in, “And, I, for one, am thankful.”

In a previous interview with PEOPLE in September 2022, Ripa opened up about the adjustments they’ve had to make since becoming empty nesters. She described the experience as “scary, thrilling, liberating, shocking… and quiet.” Ripa also shared how she had to adapt to cooking for just the two of them. “I didn’t know how to make dinner proportionally,” she said. “Now, it’s 10 p.m. and we’ll eat.”

She admitted to initially worrying about their relationship as they entered this new chapter. “There were moments when I was like, ‘We’re going to be that couple: Our third child goes to college and we get divorced because this is it,'” she joked. “But then there was this moment, where we went to the beach alone for the first time since our honeymoon with cheese and a baguette.”

For Ripa, having time alone with Consuelos was a refreshing change. “So I think for us, it was, ‘Oh, this next phase of our lives, this is kind of great,’” she shared.

The couple, who married in 1996 after meeting on the soap opera All My Children, have always emphasized the importance of family. In 2020, they spoke about their evolving parenting styles in PEOPLE’s inaugural Family Issue, noting how they’ve grown as parents over the years.

As for their kids, Ripa and Consuelos aren’t shy about having some fun with them. On a July 2024 episode of Live with Kelly and Mark, they joked about which of their children they thought was the funniest. Both agreed that their son Joaquin, despite their similarities, was the least funny.

“I think the two of you are so similar,” Ripa said to Consuelos.

“And that’s why I’m judging his humor harshly,” Consuelos added with a laugh.