In my post ‘an end to downsizing‘, I concluded with the following –
With 1 week to go, the house is nearly completely empty. By Thursday, the last item to be placed in the PODS container will be the one and only remaining mattress. For the past 2 weeks it has been on the floor in the master bedroom for us to sleep on. After Thursday once the PODS container is picked up, I guess we will be sleeping on the floor. Friday we plan to bring the 5th wheel back home and park it in our next door neighbor’s driveway. They will be out of town this next weekend and are allowing us to park the 5th wheel there. We will load the 5th wheel with the remaining items from the house and be ready to leave promptly on Tuesday of next week once house closing papers are signed.
With 1 week to go, a year’s effort of downsizing is coming to an end. This chapter that Gary and I have experienced for quite some time is coming to an end. And the next chapter soon will begin.
In today’s post, I begin with the following –
The next chapter is here and we are living in it now.
Over 2 months ago, Gary and I completed downsizing, selling a house and moving to our current location here in Pensacola, Florida. Since all these activities took place we have lived in our 5th wheel with minimal belongings and minimal space. You know what? We absolutely love it!
We do not miss the big 3,800 sq. ft. house with the yard maintenance and we do not miss all the stuff we had accumulated over the years. The big house and all that stuff belongs to someone else now and we could not be happier about that. Gary and I wanted and more importantly needed to rid ourselves of those belongings that weighed us down and prevented us from moving forward with our lives.
The moving forward with our lives includes adventures across the United States and other places which at this time is on hold due to my medical care. Like an anchor that prevents a ship from drifting due to wind or current – our previous house and belongings were having the same effect. But, the moving forward, the selling of the home and now having less stuff is freedom. Freedom to go with the flow and wherever the wind takes us.
We have no regrets for moving and letting go of belongings and we are happier because of it.
Less stuff is good and tiny is good.
Its amazing isn’t it? All that stuff, all that decluttering, turning out, sorting and considering. Now you have a tiny home with everything you need and you are free from the drudgery of maintaining that huge house and the pool and the yard. And you can get on with being, appreciating, not being distracted with things you have to do but don’t necessarily want to do. I’m delighted for you both that it has worked so well. The wide world beckons ….
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We are happy without the big house and all that stuff. I will admit, I do miss the pool, not cleaning it, but actually getting into it. Thanks Osyth, how is the foot?
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Terry I RAN a 5k race on Sunday in my brace. Slowly (about 7 minutes slower than the last one I did just before the accident) but it made me SO happy. I had another MRI yesterday and will see the specialist on Monday to decide whether I need surgery on the ankle. I think it is slowly improving – I can lift the foot a tiny bit when sitting now. I have faith in something (my bluddy mindedness probably) and my husband, like yours, is so patient and kind that it calls me on to get it better. How are you, more importantly? I hope your days are warm and sunny and that you are getting strength from your rest week 😊
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Osyth, I am happy to hear about your race. I am hoping the ankle is improving and will continue to send you healing vibes. It is sunny and warm today and I am doing fine. 🙂
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This makes me happy 🙂
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And…one day after the adventures and travels you’ll own another home and be settled into a comfortable, happy lifestyle! Sunshine Hugs
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Far into the future and the home may end up being a condo – time will tell. Thanks Cheryl for stopping by, have a great day. 🙂
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I am so glad you are happy with this decision! I love the idea of doing this someday (obviously not yet – I think we need a few more years of retirement savings (and/or a lottery win))!
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We are very happy without it all and it is freeing for us. We want to travel, but that will have to wait – and that is a little frustrating. Thanks Sarah, have a wonderful Thursday. 🙂
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Terry I am so pleased you are happy with the move and the decisions that you made. There is nothing wrong with going smaller, and getting rid of ‘the stuff’,that is when one realizes what is necessary and what is not. As I am sure you know, there is always some sort of maintaining, and I doubt you will be missing that for awhile 🙂 . Enjoy your little home and your little venture. I am so happy for you, Gary and Roxy. Take care and hope all is well with you, and that the sun is shining:-) x
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Thanks Lynne, we are very happy with our decision and are enjoying the tiny house. And Roxy especially likes it. Take care my friend, I appreciate you very much. 🙂
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I do envy you… Freedom. I have been looking for it for so long; I envy you in a nice way. I am trapped and feel emotionally held hostage. I am thankful for the “pen friend” side of the net which allowed me to meet brave people like you. I sir, bow with respect, in front of thee! 🙂
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Thank you Franck for your kindness toward me. I hope someday you can find that freedom and I to am thankful for connecting with friends such as yourself. I hope your week is going well and always appreciate you stopping by. 🙂
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Delighted that you are happy with your freedom from ‘things’ and hope your health gets better soon so that you can continue on your journey.
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Thank you Joan, I appreciate you very much. Have a great day. 🙂
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““It is the heart that makes a man rich. He is rich according to what he is, not according to what he has.” Henry Ward Beecher. 1813
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Yes, I agree – thank you Van. 🙂
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you got it right!
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I think we did Jodi – Happy Friday! 🙂
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What a beautiful living space! Less is better
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Thank you Lynn, yes I agree. Happy Friday! 🙂
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Happy Friday! Was that your trailer in the pictures? Sorry was on the road reading on my phone!
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Yes, that is our actual RV we live in. 🙂
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Wow very nice Terry! It’s so warm and so beautiful
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James and I can’t wait until we can downsize! And you actually inspired me a couple of months ago to start purging unnecessary rubbish! It’s going to be a process, a looooonnnggg process, but it’ll be totally worth it!! Glad you’re enjoying your new space!
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Paula, I am very glad I inspired you. It took Gary and I a year to downsize and rid ourselves of all the stuff we had – it is well worth it. Our space is great – we are happy. 🙂
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You are living my dream. Travel trailer or RV, sans house. 🙂 Maybe someday…
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It certainly is a dream not being tied down and living with minimal stuff. I think you will get there one day! 🙂
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Freeing isn’t it…..xxkat
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Oh yes, it certainly is kat – we are loving it all. 🙂
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Before we got married and had a kid, hubby and I quit our jobs, put all our belongings in storage, bought a teeny 17-foot Class C RV, and explored the US of A and beyond (including Nova Scotia and British Columbia) for 6 months before we settled all the way from Florida to here in Bend, OR. That was in 1993. We never left we love it here so much!!! I know you love the smaller lifestyle, it is certainly doable from experience!!!
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Kathryn, the smaller lifestyle is doable and very freeing. Our intention is to explore the US, but my health is preventing that at this time – someday it will happen. Thanks for stopping by – Happy Friday! 🙂
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Being tiny myself, I can only agree to tiny being good 😉
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LOL, you are correct! 🙂
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Hehe! 😉
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‘Life holds only two or three things worth having, and if you possess them the rest don’t matter, and if you do not possess them the rest are useless.’ Winston Graham.
Enjoy the things that matter. 🙂
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Great words and yes I am enjoying the things that matter – life is good. 🙂
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I’m new to WordPress so follow like and comment on both my websites. Thanks and I follow back.
alevelsweb.wordpress.com
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Thank you for taking the time to read, comment and follow my blog. I hope you have a happy day. 🙂
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Oh, downsizing sounds so good! (Except for my kitchenware,,,)
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I can understand with you being a cook, you need the kitchenware! Plus downsizing to a much smaller kitchen is difficult. Happy Monday Sadie! 🙂
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Great encouragement for me to keep moving forward. I am radically downsizing to prepare for life in a tiny house in the next year or so and am finding parts of the process harder than I thought! Today I blogged about the 5 boxes of loose photographs ….what do you do with those?! Happy travels.
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Hillary, I packed my photos in a box for my kids to take tome day. I did find other photographs that I felt were no longer needed and threw them away – it was difficult but now months later I have no regrets. Downsizing can certainly be difficult but later you will be a better person as a result of it. Good luck with your future tiny living. Thanks for stopping by – I truly appreciate it. 🙂
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Living tiny is great! Less is really more
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Yes, it certainly is Jo. Thank you for stopping by to read and comment – have a happy day! 🙂
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