Tales
and advice are everywhere these days about downsizing your life.
Television and the media, magazines can certainly make the idea of
simplifying appear
intriguing and tempting. Stories and images of travel trailers and
motor homes, tiny houses, condos, town homes and their smiling
residents---or
are they gritting their teeth?---are
everywhere. These images make the prospect
of paring down look like a dream. In a country that is bloated with
stuff and things and responsibilities, who wouldn't be fascinated
with the possibility, the alternative lifestyle of less.
The big question is, Is
it right for you? Could you,
maybe you and a partner or family benefit from shrinking
your life, would it be
do-able, why would you want to? People of all ages and situations
are considering this lifestyle change. It may be living smaller but
it's definitely not a small decision to make. The hubby and I are
approximately 99% complete in our downsizing adventure. We haven't
regretted our decision, though it is certainly not for everyone. I
would like to share our experience, the lessons learned, present some
pros and cons and hopefully help some of you to make a good choice in
your life.
I
won't
sugar coat it, this has been a monstrous undertaking. If you check
the life calender for the two of us, we're in the late Fall
of our life. We've had plenty of years to accumulate. This
decision brought six long
months of hard choices and lots of hard work. Making an agreeable
plan, de-cluttering, giving up stuff and following through with the
plan has strained our backs and our nerves. We are just now, finally
able to look at each other in wonder and say “What have we done?
Are we crazy or clever as foxes?”
I'll let you make that determination. Happy reading and
good luck with all your adventures, big and small.