Paring Down

Looks like it’s time to get small.

We’ve been in this rental for nearly four years. Our oldest is out on her own, and our youngest has one more year of highschool. We were content to continue renting this big house for one more year, till he leaves for college – mainly because finding another rental situation in this town is nearly impossible, and adding one more move just doesn’t sound awesome. So, when the email came that the owners might be moving back in here soon, it wasn’t the most welcome news.

We’ve decided there’s no time like the present to begin really getting rid of our 23 years of accumulated stuff. It looks like we’ll be moving into a vacation rental owned by friends who want to take a break from vacation renting for the year. The house is much smaller, but still has three bedrooms (one for us, one for Sam, and an office), which is perfect, but it’s also completely furnished, meaning we either store our furniture, or get rid of it.

I feel an inciting incident coming…

Trouble is, it’s just not that easy to get rid of a whole houseful of stuff! There are the big things like livingroom and bedroom furniture, then the little things that hold so many memories and meaning. I find myself questioning this direction a lot, till I hear an old song, or a quote, or a journal entry… seize the day, it says, and I realize I couldn’t live with the regret of having never tried this road. It’s the road less taken for sure, but that poem always did stir me.

So, here we go. We’ll wade through the scammers and flakes on craigslist, we’ll mark down prices and watch the stuff of our 30s and 40s march out the door. We’re hoping we’ll feel that weight lift off our shoulders, and not regret letting it all go!