Monday, October 26, 2009

Post Card Perfect

The move is nearly finished. J has been making frequent trips to the old rental to bring home the "little things", as we see what will fit in our cabin and what won't. It's amazing what you decide you can live without when there really is no room for extra junk.

Already, the skeptics have offered their opinions. As we continue to downsize, we have gotten several well meaning comments and questions about "HOW" we are going to live in our new space.
Truth is, we love it.
We love the downsizing. We love realizing that we THOUGHT we "couldn't live without" something, and discovering that life is easier and more pleasant without that thing.
Example: We had to leave the microwave behind. There really is NO room for it. And it took me a full week to even notice it was gone. And when our leftover biscuits were warmed up in the already-warm oven that I cooked dinner in, J and I both wondered why we had ever used the microwave to do this task. The biscuits weren't soggy or chewy, the way a microwave can make them. They tasted like I had just baked them. Spread with some homemade apple butter (not mine, a gift from a neighbor), they were perfect.
Another Example: With limited closets, we had to downsize wardrobes. It's amazing what you can find in your closet when you look. We donated enough clothing to dress another family! And I promise, we still have "too much".
When we looked at what we own vs. what we use, it was nearly shameful. Even being more conscientious than most consumers, we are still so sadly wasteful. We gave away, sold, or donated nearly almost an entire household worth of stuff. Several friends are amazed and pleased with their new treasures, and I'm glad we found useful homes for our things that had to go, but it was with a heavy heart... NOT because I miss those things, but because at one point in life, J and I must have thought, "Our lives will not be complete or operate smoothly without that thing".
What an enormous amount of waste.
And amazing that we still have plenty of luxuries left over. I still have some of my fancy pants kitchen stuff. J still has some fancy pants tools and personal items. The girls still have more toys than they need.
*sigh*

So we are nearly finished with our move. The finishing touches and unpacking are in full swing. The experience has me seriously rethinking the necessities in life.
I took these thoughts outdoors with me this morning to stand in the fresh air and look at my new surroundings. Snow began falling some time in the night, and the cabin had a light dusting of snow. There was about an inch of the white stuff on the ground. I noticed a moose wandered through the yard and left some tracks shortly after the snow began falling. The trees were beginning to hold some snow, and it truly was postcard perfect.

The downsizing and organizing continues.
Until Next Time,
Happy Moose Trails!

6 comments:

Tracy said...

I am looking forward to our move in March so I can do some serious downsizing. But then there are the things I haven't quite figured out where to store, but don't want to get rid of. Like my yarn stash that I'm using up, homeschool books we aren't currently using, but know we will in the near future or over and over through the years, things like that. If I had a good storage place, it'd be easier. lol

Tammy Kauffman said...

I only wish I could get my hubby to downsize. We moved from KY to AL and we have two treadmills in the garage b/c he didn't get rid of the old one. Have a file cabinet that we havent used in 12 years but hubby won't give it away so it sits in the garage. Glad your hubby realized he could downsize.

Moose Nuggets said...

@Tracy: I'll admit, letting go of some of my things was a little tough. I was sad to see some of my own yarn stash go! My "rules" were: If you can't remember the specific project it was bought for, it goes. If you bought the project over a year ago and still haven't started it, it goes. If it doesn't fit in one (LARGE) tote, it has to go. That helped prioritize my projects and determine which ones I actually aim to work on this winter.
I donated the rest of the yarn to my knitting group, and it is nice to see my old yarns coming into our meetings as beautiful projects other women are doing.
AND... donating so much yarn has actually inspired me to do more knitting and crocheting, because I am anxious to finish up these new projects and buy some new ones.
teehee!
@ Tammy- J has a hard time letting go. We are both scroungers and recyclers at heart. The hardest part has been getting J to realize that even though lots of our things are still useful and could be refinished, repurposed, and reused... there's just not room for it. So it's best to pass it along to the next user!
If downsizing my yarn was tough, I know that J having to reduce his wood scraps and "useful things" was harder, the poor dear!

Anonymous said...

Hey- I've been reading your blog off and on since you started, led over from the Arctic Cam way back when... I've tried to comment before but could never manage to "pass" the word verification code. Anyhoo- so proud of you and J and the realization of your dream! I used to work in DNP and then lived in Homer, where I met and married my husband. We are in the lower 48 now but coming back soon- with dreams much like yours! Kudos, from Janet Ford

Kathy said...

I hear you big time about so much waste! When we downsized from a 2100 sq ft house to a 35' fifth wheel to full time RV in, it took 8 months to get rid of everything we couldn't take! It was a very "freeing" experience. Why do we hold on to "things" when we haven't used them in years?!
However, I am glad my trailer has a microwave! I don't like cooking with flames!!! lol
I enjoyed your description of the new farm! I could smell the crisp air and almost see the moose tracks!
Good luck with the organizing! That's a chore in itself!
Kathy
PS What is your name?

michiganjfrog said...

Hey Girlie! I haven't chatted with you in so long. Congrats on the new abode. Sounds beautiful. Email me soon. *hugs*
Jenn