what I learned my first year of downsizing

That’s it. The beautiful home I sold last year, after 15 wonderful child-rearing, homework patrolling, fast food serving years. This was the most profound step in my quest to simplify my life. My downsizing. I know what you must be thinking, and you’re right. I had the life! Hell, my boys even had a Lego room. Now, living in 1600 square feet of urban life, adding one more Lego piece to my home becomes an exercise in thoughtful consideration. And… (drum roll, please)… I love it.

And because I know people are inherently nosy, here’s a glimpse of our new digs. (Keep in mind, not yet finished with decorating.)

With a new year lurking around the corner, I thought it only fitting that I write about what I’ve learned these past 12 months after downsizing. 

I’m a list-maker, so a pro and con list it shall be. The downside of downsizing?

• If pantry space were a tangible that could be shoplifted, I’d consider kleptomania. 
• Apartment size washer/dryer combos suck. (and yes, after just a few weeks, I bought a new, larger washer & dryer.)
• I have to take my pug on several walks each day, despite weather conditions.
• I don’t have a guest room, so it’s not easy to accommodate overnight guests.

The upside to downsizing?

• I have to take my pug on several walks each day, despite weather conditions.
• I don’t have a guest room, so it’s not easy to accommodate overnight guests.

And there’s more…

• I can thoroughly clean my entire condo in half a day.  For someone with OCD, this is a dream. I can’t tell you how therapeutic it feels to have my entire home clean and organized. I also no longer need to spend money for a housekeeper, and even then I never seemed to be able to have my former house all cleaned at one time.
• I have a clean garage ALL THE TIME. Yes, our building has a handyman. And yes, he keeps the landscaping and the garage clean year-round. And yes, he’s not too bad to look at, either. I say it’s a win/win. 
• My windows are washed at least twice a year.  And I’m not the one doing it. I don’t even have to schedule it. I don’t even have to wrinkle my nose like Bewitched. It just gets done. Magically.
• It is easy to find things.  I have a place for everything, and everything has a place. No more duplicates. No more coffee mugs in the double digits.

You can see the trend here. A smaller home is easier to maintain. Now here are the most important benefits…

• Our family interacts more.  When both sons are home, we are forced to hang out in the living room, where we (bet you don’t see this coming) play board games. Or talk. Or ask each other how his day has been. 
• I am able to reclaim my space as my own.  Having neighborhood kids in and out is fine. For a while. But it’s wonderful to have my privacy back. To not find random teenagers playing video games in the den. To not have twenty-somethings playing beer pong in my basement. To actually have human beings announce their arrival on an intercom or with an actual knock on the door.
• We enjoy our possessions more.  We actually notice our artwork on the walls, our pottery collection on the shelves, and our beautiful antique dining room table has never been used (loved) so much.
• We choose our friends more thoughtfully.  Because we are no longer able to host large social events, we’ve begun to curate our friend list. We’ve learned it is not about quantity but quality of those people with whom we choose to engage.
• I walk more and drive less.  That’s right. More exercise and less money spent on gas and car maintenance.
• We feel more connected to community.  We live in a diverse neighborhood rather than a suburban bubble, and we see first-hand the struggles and needs of everyday people. We are humbled daily.
• We buy less stuff.  We’ve learned the joy of spending money on experiences rather than things.
• We have our choice of restaurants on any given night within walking distance. (watch me nay-nay right now)

And this is the thing. 

• We have more time for living.