I find that lately I've been really anxious to move into the next phase of my life and make my dreams of rural land a reality. Winter always makes me a little bit melancholy, and periodic visits to my parent's place (neighboring barn shown above) make me yearn for a simpler life. I've had enough of driving into the city every day for work, enough of having loud, inconsiderate neighbors, enough of the mentality around me that the only path to happiness is found by buying things. If I hear one more person tell me that they absolutely NEED another purse, another pair of shoes, a bigger house, a newer car, I think I may scream! There is more to life that the pursuit of material goods.
My husband and I have been talking about the necessity of downsizing in order to live our dreams. We're currently in a house that's about 1000 sq feet, with no basement or attic. All of our belongings are literally stacked around the house in boxes because there's no place to store them. I think I can reasonably down size a great deal of what we have. The hardest decisions to make will be which books and which boxes of fabric will have to go.
I'm ready.
I moved from a 700 square foot condo into a 600 square foot apartment and discarded 1/2 of what I own. I then moved, on the same property, to the front bungalow, which is 500 square feet, and proceeded to unload about 1/2 of what I owned. I have since moved out, got rid of 1/2 of what remained, and stored the rest in the basement. It's a three family building that I own. And now, I want to move into a van! Imagine that! My philosophy is: If I haven't needed to touch or see something I own for sixth months, then it's time to unload it. I've never had regrets with that philosophy, other than with my boxes of photos ( which I won't unload).
ReplyDeleteThree piles: keep sell, toss! Peter Walsh is a great motivator. Is there anyway to make some fabulous things to sell with you fabric stash to help with the future barnheart remedy?? Or sell it as is??
ReplyDeleteMy barnheart is calling to yours :) We have the land but no house on it. It'll be a long process to get our there. We're 7 people in 1200 sq ft right now and are planning to build a house that's about 1600. But this will be our homestead, I dont' want to go to the city but once a month so storage room for provisions takes up space. The other junk can go, just leave me my kitchenaid.
ReplyDeleteDon't give up on your dreams. We have a dairy farm and I thought we would never be able to give up our outside jobs but now me and my husband have. It is hard at times but well worth it. Now we are working on raising most of our own food and loving it. I would never want to leave here for a city life.
ReplyDeleteThanks, all! One of the things that helps keep me on track is knowing that others have done it successfully.
ReplyDeleteCrystal- I know exactly what you mean! I'm reading "Food Preservation for the Faint of Heart" right now, and it's all so true... I could care less about a big living room, just give me a pantry with a chest freezer!
I think you're right, Twistie, I should start making stuff to sell with my fabric stash. It's not doing me any good just sitting there in boxes!