Downsizing
May. 24th, 2017 01:53 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
talyen"Downsizing" is a really pretty word for going through everything you've kept as mementos, books you thought you'd read again, toys that are fun to play with, extra blankets or extra anything, and deciding how much you really need it. It is much more thorough and more tough than that word connotes.
Today's hard decisions were mostly concerning books. Books that I haven't unpacked in the four years we lived in this house, books that I haven't unpacked in the 11 years I've lived in Cincinnati, books that I actually have re-read in the last 4 years but read either in e-book or from the library. Books are heavy; the move is paid for by the pound; and we are moving into 700 sq ft with a 300 sq ft basement, which is about 1/3 the space we have now, not even including the garage. I suppose that means we need to get rid of over 2/3 of our things. I think our entire condo can fit into our current garage, but I am not sure.
So I donated some books to the library. There will probably be more. And I am re-evaluating other things we really won't need or have room for.
One of my children is also a pack rat (at such a young age! Maybe they all are? I don't know), so I have to both coach, and also secretly remove things that might not be noticed. This makes me feel like a bad parent. But I would be a worse parent if I spent money moving things we throw away at the end of the move. I think consciously donating as much as possible and being a good example are the best I can do.
Today's hard decisions were mostly concerning books. Books that I haven't unpacked in the four years we lived in this house, books that I haven't unpacked in the 11 years I've lived in Cincinnati, books that I actually have re-read in the last 4 years but read either in e-book or from the library. Books are heavy; the move is paid for by the pound; and we are moving into 700 sq ft with a 300 sq ft basement, which is about 1/3 the space we have now, not even including the garage. I suppose that means we need to get rid of over 2/3 of our things. I think our entire condo can fit into our current garage, but I am not sure.
So I donated some books to the library. There will probably be more. And I am re-evaluating other things we really won't need or have room for.
One of my children is also a pack rat (at such a young age! Maybe they all are? I don't know), so I have to both coach, and also secretly remove things that might not be noticed. This makes me feel like a bad parent. But I would be a worse parent if I spent money moving things we throw away at the end of the move. I think consciously donating as much as possible and being a good example are the best I can do.
