The timing is maybe not the best but we're moving this week. And if you remember how much I whined about downsizing my kitchen last time, I should probably warn you upfront. We're moving to a 450 sf apartment and the kitchen is just a nook off the living room and there's no full size oven.
The benefits hugely outweigh the costs, though. We'll be living in our dear friends' cute little back house (so, mandatory daily happy hour), which means we have a free standing place for the first time ever, along with our own washer and dryer (I get teary just thinking about it) and a sweet little yard that will mean Circe will have her own territory and won't need a dog walker. The neighborhood will work much better for our commutes, too. I'm amazed that the timing worked out exactly as it did, because they've had a long term tenant for years who just happened to move out the same month we decided we wanted to move to the neighborhood. I swear we didn't send her threatening notes.
In so many ways it is so good, but I'll admit I'm mildly terrified of cutting back this far. We don't plan to stay in a space this small forever, so we're on board with packing up some of our beloved items that simply won't fit and storing them (I've resisted storage units for.ev.er. because I generally think paying just to keep things you aren't using is a waste of money, but I'm okay with it for a limited amount of time). We'll also have a small storage shed in the yard, so we might be able to get by without too much additional space.
Deciding how to tackle this was intimidating. I eventually ended up deciding to list everything we own and then divide it into categories - take, storage shed, long term storage, discard. This sounded neat and tidy and efficient. I made it partway through the kitchen and gave up when I discovered that I still own two waffle irons (better than the four I owned last time we moved, but still demoralizing) and an obscene amount of glassware. Now we're just winging it.
I'm hoping we come out of this the other side with a renewed sense of clarity about our possessions and what we need to make us happy. Or, you know, maybe we should aim for just staying married.
Good luck! Moving is painful, but it sounds like the benefits outweigh the costs. Thinking of you during your grieving process -
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your move! I just wanted to comment that my boyfriend and I lived in a similar set up (cottage behind a larger house) with our puppy and while it was tight, it was totally doable! Also it was completely worth it to have access to a yard and to have our very own washer and dryer.
ReplyDeleteTwo few things we found really helpful were:
1) getting a gas grill - we had basically no counter space, only 2 burners, and no oven so we moved a lot of our cooking outside (pizzas on the grill are the best!)
2) storing our commonly used plates/bowls/cups on a drying rack that was mounted over our sink - this took the drying rack off the counter and made it easy for us to get to things we used most often
Thank you! We're definitely going to use the yard for entertaining, which I think will mean this space might feel more spacious than our current place. We need a grill for sure. We're super lucky and it has a double sink (my friends/landlords did a really smart remodel when they bought the house and the kitchen, while tiny, might be more functional than my current one!) which means we can keep using our beloved in sink dish rack. I got my sister one of those wall mounted ones for her tiny kitchen and she loves it!
DeleteThis is so hard. A few years ago my husband and I moved from Scotland. After 7 years in the same flat, we packed up 13 boxes and put them on a boat. We new we had to start a new home here, but had to weigh that against the cost of shipping. The funny thing is I hardly miss any of it, and haven't re-bought many of the things we had. I am so happy for you to have found a place easily that suits so many of your lifestyle needs. Having space for your dog and a manageable commute as an exchange for some space is totally worth it because every day your life is better because of those. I have read your blog for a few years now and you are an inspiration, not least because you share your struggle, but yet you still see all the beauty. Good luck with your move.
ReplyDeleteThat is so much more intense than my three mile move! It must have been really hard and really liberating. Even our relatively small downsizing will be a good thing, I think. And I will say that it was harder to go from 800 sf to 600 sf than it seems to be going from 600 to 400. But we'll see - it's always the last day that breaks me.
Deleteah, good luck! i'm looking to move this summer and the idea of going through my stuff is already overwhelming.
ReplyDeleteMoving is always bittersweet. Good luck!! You got this ;)
ReplyDeleteMoving is the worst, but I'm sure you two will figure it out. Sounds like it's too good a space to pass up. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteYay to a new start and a place that's even better for the furchild! If you need to sell those sweet coupe glasses you got a while back, just let me know. I've been looking for ages and still remember yours as completely lovely! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm embarrassed to admit that not only did I not get rid of them, but I was really bummed about moving them into long term storage. Ditto our wine glasses. And our highballs. Which is just so stupid because our regular glasses in three sizes can cover all your drink bases, so I really should let all the other glasses go. Sigh.
DeleteIf I ever decide to be rational and sell them, I'll come to you first!
Haha! I know - I need glassware like a(nother) hole in the head, but of course, I'm always stalking something new/cool/vintage/etc.
DeleteHeh. I totally get everything you just said, right down to the last sentence! Good luck, and see you on the other side
ReplyDeleteHi Rachel. Good luck with the move. I live in a smaller place now and you'll be surprised that you may not need as much room as you think. Seriously. Also- I think you should submit your new place to Apartment Therapy-- they always love features on small places, kitchens, etc. :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck! I fucking LOVE throwing stuff out now, a few moves down the line. I found when we were packing up for this move that I wanted to keep way less than I wanted to throw out and it was so liberating. I admit, I used 'does this spark joy' more than I care to own up to.
ReplyDeletegood luck with the move. my husband and I lived in 400 sq ft for a couple months and it was totally doable. I actually wish we had stayed longer to save money. It just meant we couldn't have more than a few people over at a time (which you can still do with the yard and good CA weather - jealous!). It's all about maximizing the layout and maximizing storage opportunities with the right furniture, shelving, vertical storage, etc.
ReplyDeleteThis may or may not be helpful, but the last time we moved we put everything (literally everything except the "must-haves", ie, a car's worth of stuff) into storage for TWELVE weeks. Everything. And I thought we threw out a SHITTON before the storage part happened, but 3 months later when we opened it up, we had forgotten 70% of what was in there - and realized we so didn't need almost all of it. It's amazing what a little out-of-sight out-of-mind will do for clarity. We've since been through 2 de-cluttering weekends again in our new place and we're in way better shape now. I wish we had thrown away more the first time, but it turns out those decisions are just really hard on the spot. The long-term storage will be GREAT for furniture, heirloom stuff, etc that really takes up space - but if you haven't worn thing x in 2 years, or you're saving that thing just because "what if you need it one day" but it's been with you for a year? Toss'em!!!* It will be super liberating, I promise.
ReplyDelete* and by toss of course I mean donate, recycle or sell, etc etc.
amazing! i'm honestly a little jealous of you. next time we move, it will be to a tinnnnny house with a huge ass yard. that is my dream for my little family. i hope your move isn't too stressful. so good that you don't have to pay a dog walker anymore, i'm still amazed that your dog walker costs so much more than my babysitter. what a crazy world! xoxo
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your move! I think you'll love having an outdoor space-for entertaining and especially for Circe. As for cooking/baking in a small space-have you heard of Rachel Khoo/Little Paris Kitchen? She does it all in the tiniest kitchen (and with what seems like one cute enamel bowl!)
ReplyDeleteWell, I'm glad you found a temporary home for now. I'm sure it's hard to be downsizing from what you've originally had, but I agree that it's a good step to take in order to realize what matters most in life. At any rate, I hope the move hasn't been too troublesome for you, Rachel. Good luck with that new adventure and I wish you all the best! :)
ReplyDeleteRobyn Harmon @ Hills Moving