Monday, January 11, 2016

New Adventure! Downsizing


In the next few weeks, I will document our journey from 5 bedrooms, a den, basement, attic, 2 baths, lovely large backyard, and pool to a small 2 bedroom apartment. 

My husband Jim and I just celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary, and so we thought we would call "plot twist" and sell our 5 bedroom house and move to an apartment. Our reasons are many and varied, but the process is the same: sell old house, find a new place, get rid of all the stuff that we accumulated in the last 10 years at the house.


One of the most obvious first steps is to get rid of all the "stuff" that has accumulated in all the nooks and crannies of our home.

My first suggestion is to ask your children if there is anything they might want. People often keep this kind of information to themselves and then find themselves disappointed when Mom and Dad sell their favorite chair from the living room that they remember watching Rudolph in every Christmas.

Making your children and grandchildren part of the process can make it easier for them to see what you have had stored for so long and then let you know they are interested. You will be amazed at what they see as important.

But you also need to be prepared for them to want nothing. Don't take this as a personal assault. They are watching you try to get rid of things that perhaps you should never have brought in the house in the first place.

Every time I start a conversation with my older daughter that begins, "Would ou like...?" She doesn't even let me get to name the item. I guess, she has more self-control than her mother.

Next week.... what to do with all the rest