Many you have been following our extreme downsizing journey. I have to pause and just be grateful that we were able to accomplish our goal of selling our home in a short amount of time. In our housing market, houses in our price range can sit for years. The time we spent fixing up and staging really paid off in terms of a good selling price and a short contract time. I have to thank my husband, the realtor, for his insights on where to spend money to make the house look great, but also on our asking price.
In our small town, many of the homes date back to the late 1700s and 1800s. Our place is an 1800’s era home that has been beautifully restored….for our office, but now also our home. We don’t know much about the history of the house, but plan to do some research. It is on a map we have of the year 1900.
What I do know is that living above your place of business was a trend long ago that has been coming back into fashion….not just in the big cities but small towns as well. Next door to our office, they took down three older homes and built first floor office condos and second floor housing units.
Three months in and I am still loving my simpler life. Here are a few of the blessings that I have discovered:
- I am walking A LOT more. The Apple Watch my husband got me for our anniversary last month is blowing up with all of my steps. I walked 17 miles one day last week….enough to walk to my old home and back….something I have had dreams about in the past (yes, at night when I’m sleeping) but would never have thought to do
- My car is parked for days at a time…..I make it a challenge to see how little I can drive…good for my waistline for me to walk and also my wallet!
- I am saying YES to things that I would not have in the past because once I was home, I didn’t want to drive back into town
- We have taken a couple of Pickle Ball clinics and think we may have found a fun new sport we can enjoy together
- We love sitting on the front porch and watching the world go by and not feeling guilty because something needs our attention
- Waking up on a Saturday morning with no agenda or pressing obligations to take care of around a big house
- More time in general that I am not commuting
- Using the Giant Eagle and Dollar General as our “just in time” procurement centers without having to buy in bulk….need a battery, just walk and get one, but don’t stock up!
- Less stress….time stress, financial stress, drivetime stress….without having to “manage the care” of the other property we have more time, less bills to pay and more time and money freedom.
The biggest thing that I have learned is that I am content. No more striving for a bigger and nicer dream home. That ship has sailed. Our next home will be much smaller and have much less stuff. This is working for us so far….it’s not for everyone nor are my statements in any way meant to criticize how others live. That’s want makes our lives so interesting….not being just like everyone else. So, the journey continues….
Stay tuned,
Kim and the team at Legacy Wealth Solutions and Seeds of Abundance
Seeds of Abundance 