Along with the ominous task of downsizing from a 2,700 sq ft builder home to a less than 1,700 sq ft fixer-upper comes the even more challenging task of editing down our belongings {clothing, toys, furniture, decor, tools, etc.}. That’s right. By choosing to downsize we’re losing ~1,000 sq ft of living space – not mention a third garage stall, an outdoor shed, and more than 1,200 sq ft of unfinished basement space.
In preparation for the big move, I went through ALL of our stuff and donated/sold whatever I knew we could live without or whatever wasn’t going to fit in our future house. {That included ALL our infant/toddler necessities…before I knew we would be unexpectedly expecting a third kiddo. Whoops. But that’s a whole ‘nother story.} For selling power, some of our decor and furniture stayed with the sale of our home as agreed upon in the sales contract.
I thought you might be interested in seeing which larger decor items we no longer possess as a result of our decision to downsize. Here goes. I’ve labeled ‘sold’ stuff with a magenta X and ‘stayed’ stuff with a teal X.
As you can see, that’s a lot of stuff g-o-n-e. Most of the area rugs stayed with the sale of the home along with all secured lighting fixtures, the dining table and the desk in the guest room. The other items we sold via Craigslist and word of mouth. We still have two of the white slipcovered chairs from the sunroom that we’re using in the apartment for now, but we’ll be selling those as well when we move into the Underdog. We sold our big family room sectional sofa and matching ottoman since they would have been too large for our future family room. Right now we’re using the petite sofa from our former living room {see the first image} in the apartment. I’d like to keep the petite sofa and use it as a type of informal banquette seating in our future mudroom/dining room. The guest bed {see the last image} is sitting in storage waiting for Handy Hubby’s parents to come rescue it and use it in their own home.
And that’s just the big stuff. I donated a bunch of other items to Goodwill or gave them away to friends and family. We should get a pretty nice kickback come tax time since I saved all the Goodwill receipts! I have a feeling that once we move into the Underdog and I start unpacking boxes from storage, I’ll find even more things to be sold or given away.
So other than thinking you may be curious to see what we left behind and sold, I also wanted you to know what we have on hand because I’ll soon be sharing our quest to find new furnishings for the Underdog. The money we made by selling off numerous pieces of furniture will be used to purchase a few main pieces for the Underdog. Namely, we’re on the hunt for a new family room sofa, accent chairs, a dining table {which we’ve already acquired!} and area rugs.
We’ve had many family members and friends have pity on us when we answer their question, “So what all did you have to get rid of in order to downsize?” But we really don’t want or need their pity. We don’t feel sad or resentful about giving up any of that stuff. After all, it’s just stuff. While some of it was nice and we enjoyed it, it didn’t define who we are or make us truly happy.
Plus, now that I’m discovering and learning more and more about design everyday, my style is evolving and I’m looking forward to choosing items that reflect that. Of course, the pieces we incorporate into our home must stand up to our kids too. They can’t be simply stunning aesthetically. They’ve gotta be comfortable, easy-to-clean and durable. That makes the hunt a little more difficult but not impossible. And that’s something else I’m looking forward to sharing. There’s no reason why a house with kids living in it can’t be stylish yet practical. Gone are the days of impeccable, special occasion only, kid-free rooms. It’s just wasted space if you ask me. If I’m paying for it, I want to use it…frequently.
Don’t cry for me Argentina. I’m very much looking forward to the challenges and sacrifices that come with downsizing. Yes, we’re losing square footage. But we’re gaining so much more. An affordable home that is nothing more than we need. A non-superfluous environment in which to raise our children. The opportunity to turn a neglected, run-down, underdog house into a living and breathing fun family home. And maybe even the financial freedom to chase life dreams.
So, don’t feel bad for us. We feel extremely lucky and grateful for this new experience.
images: all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking
budget decor, DIY, kid-friendly