The Upside of Downsizing, Part 4

Never did I think this move would take me so long. Never had a move taken me so long! But this was different. This involved downsizing. And, while one would think that would be a simple thing, making everything "less" takes so much more work.

It took me two weeks, and second yard sale, to complete the move. Every morning, I would return the empty boxes and those filled with things to sell or go into storage, and bring over six more on my way home from work. My place is so tiny, there wasn't much room to bring over any more, and expect the futon to lie flat. So, everything needed to be unpacked and/or reboxed before bed so it would be ready to go in the morning. There was still a lot to bring over. It was hard to decide where to begin.

But, let's start with the closet, shall we? I did. It was what I was most concerned about. What if everything didn't fit? Even with all that I set aside to sell and/or donate, I still had one coat closet and one full double closet to shrink into that itty-bitty space. The rod is only 25 inches long. Feel free to take out your measuring tape to put that into perspective. I know, right? Thankfully, I found the Real Simple Slimline Hangers, which live up to their name and have a hook with which you can "cascade" other hangers to pack more into the space. While I see they have disappointing reviews, I love them. I purchased the shirt, pants and skirt hangers, and they work beautifully. Not only did everything fit (including 3 coats and 4 jackets), I still have room.

My next worry was shoes. There was no way a floor rack would work, so I got a 24-pair over-the-door shoe rack. I did a lot of downsizing on my shoe collection and, even with having to take the rods to the hardware store to get two inches taken off so the rack would fit and let my 22-inch door close, all my shoes fit! Three pairs of boots and two sets of platform sandals sit on the floor, but my flats, heels and sneakers all fit on the rack wonderfully. I followed some of the comments (which gave me the tip of cutting the rods), so I could understand better the pros and cons of these systems. I let the adhesive tape sit all afternoon, secured with blue tape (which became my best friend during this move), and kept the tape on for two more days, even after the shoes were in place. So far, so good. The only problem is, with the shoes on the door, I have to step into my closet sideways. It's pretty comical.

In the back of the closet, I was able to fit my carry-on rollie, so I can leave for an adventure at a moment's notice. Inside the carry-on is all of my travel bags and TSA-approved containers. What they say is true: In a small space, everything needs to have more than one function.

I was also able to fit a pop-up "hamper" inside the closet, too. There was still room on the floor for my gym bag, and my gym shoes, since those go on every day.

On the outside of the closet door, I put an over-the-door mirror, so I'm able to avoid any fashion mishaps. I was pleased my little "dressing center" was complete and fully functional. Not quite the dreamy walk-in closet most would fantasize about but, for right now, it's perfect.

My next concern was "the office". I still needed to have one, but I also needed it not to take over the aesthetic of the entire room. Well, for a bit, it did.

The utter chaos that was unpacking.

At the end of the day, I was able to downsize even that. All of those labels and sleeves, extra paper and extra supplies were set for the second yard sale. What I really needed was my printer/scanner/fax machine, current files and functional daily supplies (envelopes, paper, stapler, tape dispense, etc.) Ages ago, I found a wood hanging file rack at Ikea that I used to set my turntable on. I had set it out for the first yard sale, but it had no takers. I even left it out on the curb as a freebie. No takers. Then, I realized I would need a file system and rescued it. Thank goodness. It fits perfectly in the corner. What I still needed was drawers to contain those daily supplies. I found a great deal at Ikea that would be functional and blend in, so I got two. Of course, one was defective, so that meant another trip to Ikea.

And when I wasn't unpacking, organizing for the second yard sale, setting aside what would be going into storage, I was driving to Ikea, Home Depot or Bed, Bath and Beyond, which became a home away from both homes. Their coupons helped keep my growing budget less scary. One of the returns was the laptop table I got from Ikea. I traded that in for a snack table from BBB -- much like the one I used before and sold for $5 at my yard sale. I thought I could fold the table and put it behind my "armoire". There wasn't enough space for that and my ironing board. Once I came to terms with the fact the laptop's table would need to be a more permanent piece of furniture, I took back the snack table and splurged on this from Cost Plus World Market with a 10% off coupon and money brought in from some of my returns.

The kitchen almost took care of itself. I worried that I would not be able to fit in my Tupperware, but the middle shelf on my kitchen cart came to the rescue. Yes, I make my toast about 5 inches off the ground (the toaster goes on the bottom shelf), but it's working out well. The kitchen itself has no drawers. The cart has one, which is used for all of those "utility" utensils (microplane grater, collapsible funnel, clips, church keys, etc.). Forks, spoons and dinner knives are in my old drawer organizer and sits in the space between the mini-fridge and the counter, fitting perfectly. It's coating makes it slide easily without scuffing the top of the refrigerator.

A former closet organizer now serves as the stand for the water dispenser. It's three cubbies house my dishtowels and cloth napkins, aluminum foil and cling wrap, and a square basket at the bottom serves as a "drawer" for my aprons. At least the ones I have left.

The bathroom needed the most work. I'll spare you the photos of the faucet. That, I replaced on my own. The shower is aluminum, as are the towel racks. So why the landlord decided to get a vanity with brass hardware is a little confusing. Instead of going with brass for the faucet, I went with nickel. I added crystal nobs to the cupboards high over the commode. Eventually, I will sort out what to do with the gold. What I have to keep in mind is that I only have a year lease. I want to make my home beautiful, but not break the bank or my back doing it.

I took some of the silver spray paint to a two-tier corner shelf that I've had for nearly twenty years. It breathed new life into the fading piece. A visit to the "as is" shelf at BBB saved me $10 on a shower caddy. I don't like them hanging under my shower head, so a $5 over-the-door hook solved that problem. Then, I treated myself to an Aquis microfiber hair towel, which takes up less space to do its job.

The last issue to tackle was cabinet organization, and those cute little shelves and drawers cost a pretty penny. So, I re-purposed my pantry shelves for this. Under the bathroom sink, I added my former office organizer on top of a pantry shelf, and underneath it, created a "drawer" with a wooden box. The clear office organizer is perfect. It houses my hairdryer, brushes, contacts, makeup, and some first aid supplies on its three tiers. A wood set of drawers went under my kitchen sink to hold additional kitchen supplies. All of that cost me zero dollars. And thank goodness for that. I still needed more organizing for the bathroom, and something that could fit in a narrow space. For BBB to the rescue again with this.

Fourteen days after I moved in, I was completely moved out of the old place. The Vietnam Veterans of America came over to pick up my very large donation. The old place was cleaned, and the last trip to the storage unit was made. There only remains one box unpacked in my new home, and that holds all my tax prep. Yes, that still needs to be done. But the move was complete and my new home really was becoming one, especially after I hung the print my Irish faerie godmother gave me.

I smile every time I look at this.

There was only one thing left to do: Entertain. And that would come in the form of a Thank You party (called The World's Smallest Cocktail Party) for those who helped with the two yard sales. Once my taxes were done.

The Upside of Downsizing, Part 3

There comes a point in your move when you end up "camping" in your home. Everything but the bare essentials packed. There comes a point when you have nothing else to do but actually move. I reached that point on Monday. I wasn't set to move until Wednesday. Sometimes, being super prepared isn't all it's cracked up to be.

I signed the lease on Tuesday morning (19 February), paid the deposit, the prorated February rent and March's rent, too. Then, they handed me the keys and went right over to my new home before going to work. I walked in, and I swear the place had shrunk since the last time I was there, just the week before, to measure and discovered the living area (which truly describes it, as that is where I will be living, sleeping, working, entertaining and dining) is a mere 11x13.

After putting in my day of work, I went to Home Depot, got the primer and paint, and went back to my little mint tin to paint the kitchen cabinets and living area. The kitchen had an unfortunate (and slightly unlivable) scheme: wood cabinetry that was neither pine nor oak paired with an industrial grey counter top, stainless steel sink, black "dorm" sized refrigerator, white stove and brass cabinet pulls. It was a lot for the eyes to take in, and I'm failing to mention the beige hood that resides over the range because I try to keep that out of my mind (it was the one thing I couldn't easily remedy). White paint was going over that unidentifiable wood. The pulls would be spray painted silver (because I'm on a budget; new pulls would have cost nearly $30, while a can of paint was under $4). I would have to live with the black refrigerator next to the white stove.


The plan was to paint the living room and kitchen the night before so everything would be dry before the move on Wednesday morning. Once I got the doors off the cabinets and a coat of primer on them, I realized I would not have the time, energy or lingering desire to put that beautiful shade of "Prelude" on the living room walls.

[Editor's Note: Don't bother buying a gallon of wall color until you are absolutely sure you are going to paint, because you can't return it once it's mixed. The best way to be absolutely certain you are going to paint is to have the mouldings taped and the floor covered. If, after you've done that, you are still excited to wet your roller brush, head over to the paint department. Otherwise, save yourself that $40.]

A sort of "before" pic. I was moving so fast, I forgot to document the process/progress.

 

After the second coat of semi-gloss was applied, I went home and tried to sleep. Of course, there was always one more thing to do. I didn't get to bed until after 2:00. Up before 6:00, I showered and went back to the new abode to finish the cabinets. Instead of the scent of paint, I was slapped in the face by the smell of gas. Perfect. Nothing like a gas leak to start the day. I called The Gas Company and reported the incident, opened the windows and went about putting the hinges back on the doors and spray painting the pulls. Within 20 minutes, the gas man appeared. He fixed not one but three leaks in my heater, and finished it all in time for me to meet my friend, Gerard, back at my old place at 9:30 AM to begin the move.

I truly thought this was going to be the easiest move in the history of my moving. There would be one run from my old place with a few of the pieces I was taking with me (a chair, lamp and armoire), then a run to Ikea (dresser, kitchen cart and laptop table), and a run to pick up my futon. We had to be back by 1:00 to meet the cable guy, then all that would be left was to take out the old ceiling fan, put in the new, install the wall shelves and build the dresser. Oh, and put back on the cabinet doors. Pretty simple, right?

The initial run went fine. Everything in in about 5 minutes. After a stop at Starbucks, we were on our way to Ikea. As we got on the freeway, I realized that I had left my cash from the yard sale in the bank bag in my bedroom. We'd have to turn around. "Forget that," Gerard said. "I'll put it on my credit card and you can pay me back." What a guy. We made it to the Carson Ikea in no time, walked right into the self-service section and found that they did not have my dresser in stock (in spite of my obsessively checking its availabitliy online). That meant, we had to travel another 35 minutes south to Costa Mesa. Gerard was a sport about it. I, however, let out a litany of expletives that would make a sailor blush. Clearly, my lack of sleep was catching up with me.

On our way back, we made a quick stop at Home Depot to get new batteries for Gerard's drill, since it wasn't charging properly. When we discovered they didn't carry that battery, Gerard talked me into getting an electric screwdriver/mini drill to speed up the assembly process. After taking down the cabinets and reattaching the hinges by hand, he didn't have to twist my arm too hard. I believe it was the best $30 I spent during the move.

The greatest thing ever.

Once we got back, we started with installing the ceiling fan. That's not as easy as one would think, especially with original wiring. The wall shelves were next. Goodness. Whatever you do, if you forget your level, don't trust an iPhone app. But this was no longer about doing it right; it was about getting it done. Last, but not least, we put on the cabinet doors. By this point, it was 3:30, the cable guys had come and gone, and time to pick up the futon before traffic got in the way.


At a certain point, Ikea assembly is a one-person job. Gerard went to work on the dresser, as I made my way over to my old place to meet the woman who bought my bike for her to pick it up, and my dear friend, Stef, for her to get the garment rack. I then stuffed my car with clothes, bedding, and enough kitchen supplies to make it through the morning. I ran by Rainbow Acres to get myself some dinner, and, um, Taco Bell for Gerard's feast (God bless a guy who, when asked, "Whatever you want for dinner, I will be happy to get," asks for something from a drive-thru). I was back by 7:45. The dresser was taking form, but still far from being done. We took our dinner break and then worked together to finish my epic dresser. Gerard joked, "Did you really have to get the one with eight drawers?" Sadly, I did.



It was 10:00 PM by the time the last drawer slid in. Gerard had to be exhausted, but he didn't let it show. I am unbelievably grateful for all that he did on that very long day. My simple little move would have been impossible without him.


After Gerard left, I started to unpack what I had brought over. Feathered the nest, if you will. Then, I pulled out the futon and went to bed happy. I was home. But the move was still far from done.

The Upside of Downsizing, Part 2

They say that moving is one of the most stressful life events, outside of death, divorce or illness. But I've never seen it that way. Moving was always easy for me. Nothing to dread; just do it. My process was simple. I would buy file boxes so they would stack neatly and not require tape, move my most precious items myself (computer, TV, clothes and dishes), then hire movers to do the rest. Because I was all packed and ready to go, the move with the movers would usually come under the two-hour minimum, so it would be cost- and time-efficient. This move, however, was different for two reasons: 1) For the first time, I was moving into a smaller place; and 2) I was having a huge moving sale.

Moving is easy. You just pack everything up and go. Moving sales? Oh my. That just means that, not only are you navigating around your packed boxes, you must also deal with the mounds of merchandise you are planning to sell.

I had put up an ad on Craigslist for an "Epically Awesome Moving Sale -- Everything MUST Go! Saturday 9-3", which seemed to be the key. In the ad, I listed the larger items (furniture, bike, Fluidity Bar, etc.), with their prices and let people know that, if they were interested in a big ticket item, email me and I would hold it until 9:30 AM. Right away, I had one gentleman, who recently moved to L.A., email me and asked for most of my furniture. Another email came in from a woman who truly wanted my bike. The Fluidity Bar, however, was the first to go -- happily to a dear friend. The sale was already off to a successful start, and it was only Thursday night!

[Editor's Note: If you are at all interested in a Fluidity Bar, get it. Not only did I love it, but you will have no problem selling it. I'm still getting inquiries.]

The budget I needed for the futon, dresser and other necessities for the new home was $800. And, if I sold all my big ticket items at the asking price (which were indeed priced to sell), I would just make that. But, as I packed and sorted, I started pulling everything else that I realized wouldn't fit in my new home and didn't make sense to store (even though I might really, really love it). Soon, even more was going up on the selling block: my second set of pots and pans, serving platters, glasses, VHS tapes and VCR (technological antiques), coats, purses, shoes, aprons (so many of my beloved aprons!), vases, knick-knacks...you name it, it was going up for sale.

Not my yard sale...but sort of what it looked/felt like.

I had rustled up some wonderful friends to help me set up the sale and keep and eye on things, because it was going to be so big. The gents were coming over at 8:00 AM to move the bigger furnishings, my big buyer for the furniture was coming over at 8:30 -- I was going to have to hustle. I got up that Saturday morning at 6:00 AM, put up my signage, ran to the store to pick up doughnuts and bagels, then over to Starbucks for a "traveller" of much-needed coffee that was to be ready for me at 7:30.

When I got to Starbucks, there was a homeless gentleman sitting at the outside table in front of the store. I saw him as I parked and noticed how his hands were shaking. He was not in good shape. He was only about my age. As I walked up to the door, he politely asked for money. I told him, "Let me see what I can do." I got the man some food and drink to carry him through the day and walked it out to him while the Starbucks team finished my order. "I hope this helps," I told him. He thanked me as he looked in the bag. When I came back out just a moment later (truly, only a few seconds later), he was gone. Nowhere in sight. Vanished. Not a trace. I hoped what I did would be enough for him that day. I was lucky to be moving into a new home. And everyone deserves a home.

*********

I made it back to my place just before Lawrence arrived, and we went right to work. Serge showed up a few minutes later and, of course, Sheila showed up early. Now, there were four of us in motion. The big buyer came right on time, put down a deposit, and would be back the next day with a friend and a moving truck to pick up all the furniture. Things were off to a good start.

Unfortunately, I still hadn't priced everything and it was going out faster than I could keep up. In spite of the 9:00 start time, people were ready to buy as soon as the stuff went out. Thank God for my friends. Lawrence, Serge and Sheila did an incredible job setting up and managing the crowd. I was out of breath running back and forth, answering questions from the guys still hauling stuff out, and Sheila fielding inquiries from the buyers. I don't know what I would have done without them. They are pure gold.

My plan for the sale was to keep things as simple as possible. Because of all the change I was going through, the last thing I wanted to do was make change. I priced everything at $1 or more. If someone wanted a discount, I asked them to purchase something else and we would negotiate. This wasn't about greed; it was about volume. I needed everything to go, because it couldn't go with me. No one seemed to mind, and I believe that's because I really did under-price most of the items. There wasn't much haggling, and thank goodness for that.

Finally, the sun broke out, the day heated up, and the rush died down. It had been a while since anyone had stopped by or purchased anything. Lawrence had left to go rollerblading by the beach, Sheila left to meet up with friends for lunch, and Daniele had stopped by to keep me company along with steadfast Serge. I grew a little worried that was all the business I would do, concerned there was only a short time left to sell, and so much merchandise to move. I snuck into the house to count my takings to see if I had at least made enough for the futon and the dresser (the true necessities for the new home)...and then I looked up at the clock. I was convinced it was at least 1:30 PM. Nope. It wasn't even 11:30 AM. I was already exhausted, and there was still hours to go.

Things continued to be slow for another hour. Daniele and I just chatted and greeted the looky-loos. Then, this wonderful young woman came up. Her name was Butterfly and, as luck would have it, I have an affinity for butterflies and have received many gifts in that theme. She scooped them all up. When she told me her name, I excused myself and dashed into my house. I took down my treasured butterfly mobile that hung in the corner of my dining nook and danced in the spring and summer breezes. It was given to me by a dear friend, and I wanted Butterfly to have it. She was very touched when I brought it out to her. I told her it was meant to be. I tallied up her purchases...and then she added more things, and more things. We have the same shoe size; she purchased my beloved British, black leather boots. She bought clothes and books and soon there was a huge heap that was hers. I tallied it up, discounting and gifting her as I went. Still, it came to $471 (her purchases filled three boxes). I brought that down to $450. She gave me a deposit and said she would be back in an hour with the rest of the cash.

I couldn't believe what had just happened. Daniele and I looked at each other. "That was an angel," Daniele declared. "Yes, she is," I agreed.

As the day wore on, the deals got better. "Take it," I would say. "I just want it to have a good home." Which was true. This was stuff (and, yes, it's just stuff), that I had chosen, loved, that had in some way enriched my life. I couldn't take it with me, so if it made it into the hands of someone who wanted it or -- more importantly -- needed it, I was grateful.

At the end of the day, there were some big ticket items that didn't sell. My bed frame, my desk and my sofa were the biggest. I left my desk and sofa out on the corner with "free" signs on them. I was too tired to even consider carrying them back in. As I was gathering items to bring inside, a new neighbor came by. I told her if there was anything she wanted, grab it. "Are you sure?" she asked. "Absolutely," I answered. She took my table lamp. "I really need a lamp," she said. See? Happy. I took in the rest of the items in, placed them in my empty kitchen, ordered Thai food, then passed out on the floor -- literally, since my sofa was still outside. I believe I fell asleep about 6:30 PM, after I emailed friends that I would miss their fundraiser (and Dave Navarro!) because I was dangerously tired. The subject of that email was: "I Just Picked Up My Remote to Make a Phone Call". Yes. I was that out of it.

The next day, the big buyer came to pick up the rest of the furniture. I noticed my desk had gone, but the sofa was still out there. Oh golly. I waved goodbye to my big buyer, and did a final count. After all was said and done, I brought in over $1,200 from my Epically Awesome Moving Sale. And I was both relieved and grateful. I started to well up over my good fortune, then composed myself, grabbed my stack of Bed, Bath and Beyond coupons and headed over with my list. There were only three more days until the move. I needed a compact dish rack, over-the-door shoe rack, over-the-door mirror, drying rack and a smaller lampshade for my floor lamp (because every inch in my new place counts). On my way to B3, I stopped at Starbucks. There is never enough caffeine when you are moving. On my way back, Daniele texted: "I just saw a guy taking a nap on your sofa." Oh my. He was still there when I got home. I was hoping he was waiting as a friend went to get a bigger car to haul it away. Unfortunately, no. But the next day, it was gone. Off to a good home, I hope.

The Upside of Downsizing, Part 1

Sometimes we forget the power of our own words.

On the morning of Friday, 8 February, I wrote for my Facebook status:

Time for things to change for the better. Because I'm tired of things staying the same. xo

Little did I know how much change was to come.

The economy has made things challenging for many people. Myself included. The past four years have been a struggle due to being un- or underemployed during the majority of that time. In some ways, though, that has been a benefit to me. It's taught me many lessons, shown me what's truly important and made me focus on my priority: Happiness. You see, it's not a matter of looking for more clients or steadier work, but establishing a career and achieving a dream. I'm trying to raise money for two independent films, which takes up a great deal of time and energy, so part-time employment is a better fit for what I'm trying to accomplish. I need the flexibility being an independent contractor allows, and the additional free time to work on the films. Not only that, I am absolutely miserable chained to a desk, watching eight hours tick by. With that honest admission came a deep understanding: A lot had to change.

Because I wasn't necessarily going to be making more income, expenses had to be reduced. I called my cable company (and ended up saving $40 per month), my cell phone provider (saved another $10) and my health insurance (no luck there). With one credit card finally paid off, I was feeling pretty good about my progress. Then I got the annual notice that my rent was increasing. It was time to rethink my address, and possibly getting something smaller.

Every so often over the past year, I would check Craigslist to see what apartments were going for. I was hoping to find something that would save me significant rent. It would have to be significant because, deep down, I was reluctant to move, especially if it meant leaving my beloved Venice. But, if I was able to stay on the Westside, where much of my life and most of my clients are, I would be a grown-up about it and make that work. Each search was something of a disappointment, yielding only a few places that seemed suitable, but even those had rents that were still a little high. I mean, when a "bachelor" apartment goes for $975, it sort of makes the heart sink. So I stopped looking and focused on other things, like those films.  But, for some reason on that Thursday night, I decided to take another look. And there it was. A studio apartment close by for only $895.

[Editor's Note: While it is gauche to talk about money, please excuse this impropriety. I believe it's important to be honest and share the details, specifically regarding this subject. I know that many of us are struggling with the choice to downsize, and money is the main reason for that. Thus, it needs to be mentioned here.]

It's was rather late at night when I saw the post, so I didn't bother calling the number to make an inquiry. I decided to wait until morning, enjoy a good night's sleep, a great workout then, over breakfast, I made the call. They asked if I could see it that day. We made arrangements to meet at 1:30 on 8 February.

You would pass it by, not realizing the sets of duplexes are there. The front units looked a little "industrial", like insurance offices from the 70s. But then, I walked down the little pathway that became a tiny courtyard. I walked down to the end of it, up three steps and into my new home. I spent all of three minutes in it before I said, "I'm interested. I really like this place."

Now, if you saw it as is, you would say, "What are you thinking?" It has a kitchen...with a dorm room refrigerator. The bathroom is decent sized -- shower only, no tub. And the closet? It's the size of my coat closet, which is currently stuffed with coats! But all I was thinking was that this change in residence would save me $350 in rent per month. Utilities are included, so the money I'd save there would go toward a much-needed storage unit. I took the application and faxed it over that evening. On Saturday morning, the manager called and asked me to come to their office to complete the process on Monday.

I took a deep breath, smiled and confirmed the meeting time...and then my heart started beating out of my chest. I was moving. Not only was I moving, I was downsizing. Not only was I downsizing, I was going from a 550 sq.ft. one-bedroom (that I've lived in for 15 years) to a 225 sq.ft. studio. And, not only that, I was going to have to spend a fair amount of money to do so because none of my furniture would fit in my new mint tin (I mean, in a cracker box, you still have some room). As I hung up the phone, it became clear that the change I demanded in the Facebook post was manifesting, and nothing would be the same.

"This is too much change for me," my darling friend texted. "I'm in shock, but happy for you." When I saw her on that Sunday she said, "This is really freaking me out. I mean, how are we going to walk to meet up for happy hour?" I assured her I had already thought about that, because, well, priorities. While my new home would be a mere mile away from my current abode (exactly one mile according to Google Maps -- not 0.98 or 1.1, but 1.0), I would catch the bus those few extra blocks (yes, you read that correctly), walk to her, and then get a cab home. "See," I smiled. "Nothing has to change."

But everything was.

From the moment I hung up the phone with the property manager, and after sending out a few texts to friends, I started planning. First, I needed to figure out a budget for my move. I spent the better part of the next 48-hours shopping researching online. By the time the weekend was through, I had fully, figuratively furnished my new home, all the while being on a rollercoaster of emotions. I felt like laughing and crying -- at the same -- time every five minutes. The heart palpitations continued throughout the day until I fell asleep, but I was only sleeping about three or four hours each night.

By Monday morning, though, I was completely at peace. I drove to the manager's office with a smile on my face. We negotiated a move in date (20 February), which would mean a prorated rent for February. I called my landlord's office on my way back and gave my notice. I was 11 days shy of a 30-day notice and asked if that could be waived considering that I had lived there so long, and would be out by the 21st, giving them eight days to work on my unit and get it up for rent. I was told no and would have to pay a prorated rent for March.

This downsizing was starting to cost me a pretty penny.

And that's the irony! I see so many articles about downsizing, and images of these incredibly decorated studio apartments that clearly cost thousands of dollars to achieve. I don't have have money to spend in that manner. And, when you're downsizing, who does? That's why I wanted to chronicle this move and talk about the cost, strategy, missteps, successes and the real upside to downsizing. Over the next few weeks, I'll share the process and the pictures.

Last week was spent preparing. Saturday was the moving sale. Moving day is Wednesday, 20 February. Once this process started, I had nine days to get it altogether: pack, sort, sell and buy everything I need for my new home. And, yes, I am exhausted. But still smiling. Wish me luck.

So, You Want to be An Adult?

{Things To Think About While You Are Growing Up}

• Rent
• Car Payment
• Car Insurance
• Car Registration
• Car Repairs
• Oil Changes
• Tires
• Fuel
• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Disability Insurance
• Life Insurance
• AAA
• Electricity
• Gas
• Water
• Garbage Collection
• Cable/Satellite
• Telephone
• Long Distance
• Cell Phone
• Internet
• Renter’s Insurance
• Bank Fees
• Groceries
• Incidentals
• Laundry
• Dry Cleaning
• Dining Out
• Entertaining
• Movies
• Movie Rentals/Streaming
• Food to Eat while watching the movie
• Birthday Gifts
• Christmas Presents
• Emergency Funds
• Savings
• Retirement
• College Tuition
• Books
• Lab Fees
• Parking
• Income Tax/Federal
• Income Tax/State
• Social Security Tax
• Local Tax
• Sales Tax
• Tax Preparation Fees
• Clothing
• Shoes
• Vacation Savings
• Travel Expenses
• Computer
• Printer
• Software
• “Office” Supplies
• Pocket Money
• Credit Card Payment(s)
• Credit Card Interest
• Credit Card Fees
• Haircuts
• Other Personal Grooming Fees
• Furniture
• Bedding
• Towels
• Kitchen Appliances
• Pots
• Pans
• Silverware
• Glasses
• Coffee Cups
• TV
• DVD Player
• Stereo
• iPod
• PlayStation/X-Box/Wii/What-have-you
• Games
• Music
• Savings for Car Insurance Deductible
• Savings for Medical Insurance Deductible
• Savings for Dental Insurance Deductible
• Doctor Appointment Co-Pays
• Dentist Appointment Co-Pays
• Medical Lab Fees
• Glasses/Contacts
• Athletics
• Athletic Equipment
• Art Classes
• Art Supplies
• Hobby Funds
• Hobby Supply Funds
• Special Occasions
• Emergency Fund
• Savings for a House
• Savings for a Wedding
• Student Loan Payment
• Mortgage
• Property Taxes
• Home Owners Insurance
• Home Repairs (new roofs aren’t cheap)
• Home Furnishings (houses are bigger than apartments; that’s a lot of paint and carpet and window treatments and new furniture...new everything, right?)
• Home Alarm
• Gardener
• Higher Utilities (houses use more gas, water and electricity than apartments)
• Kids? (those are expensive)

That’s just the start of what you will need to fit into your budget when you are an adult.

As an adult, when you WANT something, you will always have to ask yourself, HOW will I EARN that money?

When you NEED something, you will always have to ask yourself, HOW will I EARN that money?

Money has a finite supply.

Money is based on Supply and Demand.  You can only “supply” your work efforts and earn money based on the “demand” (or need) someone has for what you have to offer.

You may want (or need) to “supply” 40 hours of work per week to make enough money to live and/or save up for something, but employers may only have a “demand” for 20 hours of your work.  Then you would need to find another employer who has a “demand” for your “supply”, and also is willing to work around the hours of your other job, and will pay you what you hope or need to make.  Not always as easy as one thinks it might be.

RESPECT your money.
If you don’t, you will learn this lesson the hard way.

Have MORE than enough.
There will always be something unexpected (good or bad) that will require extra money.  Credit cards won’t always cover that (and they shouldn’t be thought of as the plastic embodiment of emergency funds).

SAVE money from EACH paycheck in order to avoid debt, have money for emergencies, for the future and for your goals (new car, buy a home, take a vacation, buy holiday gifts).

DEBT will ANCHOR you.
Owing money will keep you stuck in a place you don’t want to live, in a job you don’t like.

Too many THINGS will ANCHOR you.
You will become a slave to buying and grasping at “more”.  That grasping will keep you in a job you don’t like, and limit the places you can live because you have so much stuff...where will you fit it all?

When you are a buyer, the return on your investment is small.  You can’t sell back those things and get what you paid for them, or even what you perceive their value to be.  It’s supply and demand again.  If nobody wants to buy what you have to offer, or pay what you are asking, you are stuck with it.  Don’t believe that something will increase in value.  That’s rare, even with high-value items like antiques.  It only works if someone wants to pay that amount.  Which isn’t easy to find.

THINK about everything you want to buy.  Sometimes those things will COST you much MORE than the PRICE you pay for them.

HONOR
INTEGRITY
PERSONAL VALUE
SENSE OF SELF

These are things that you carry inside of you.

People can’t always see that these attributes, but they always know when they are missing.

No one can give these things to you.  You must create them and nurture them yourself.

No one can take these things from you.  You either give them away or toss them aside.

6 AM Wake Up
Make Bed
Brush Teeth
Wash Face
Exercise (now or later?)
Shower
Eat Breakfast
Pack Lunch
Clean Kitchen
Get Dressed
8 AM Drive to Work/School
9 AM Work (9 hours, including 1 hour for lunch)
6 PM Leave Work/School
Exercise (if you didn’t in the morning, then shower again)
Run Errands
Drive Home
Make Dinner
Clean Kitchen
Do Laundry
Pay Bills/Do Homework
Clean House
Relax (30 mins)
Brush Teeth
Wash Face
10 PM Go to Bed

Think this is a crazy schedule?  This is what it’s like to be an adult.

Being an adult is about DOING things that need to be done without putting them off or complaining about it.

No one wants to do the dishes, but they have to be done.

No one wants to wake up when the alarm goes off, but we have to get up to be on time for our responsibilities.

No one wants to go to work, but we have to earn money for food, shelter, clothing, and everything else Life requires.

If you are trying to find a way out of or around these things, that’s kid talk — and a sure sign you’re not ready to be an adult.

If you think no one can boss you around when you are an adult, think again.

Everyone has a “boss”, even people who work for themselves.  There is always someone to answer to, be it a manager, supervisor or client, teacher, coach or parent.

Your first boss is your mom and/or dad.

Your first job is Adult Trainee.

Every day, in every way, your parents are training you to be a grown-up.

Sucks, doesn’t it?

How many vacation days do you get now?  When you are an adult, you are lucky if you get 5.  Sure, you might get national holidays (depending on what kind of job you have), but there are no summer vacations, spring breaks or two weeks off at Christmas.

So, being a pre-adult does have some perks.

If you are LIVING for the day when you turn 18, you may want to think twice.

Nothing miraculous happens on your 18th birthday, except that all of the responsibility of your life moves solely into your possession in the eyes of the law.

When you turn 18, you have bills to pay, jobs to do, school to attend, goals to attain, and your chances to make big mistakes and start over with a clean slate get slimmer.  When you make a mistake as an adult, the consequences are more severe.  Like prison or bankruptcy or worse.

As an adult, you need to live wisely and responsibly, ALWAYS honoring yourself, ALWAYS keeping your integrity, ALWAYS respecting your worth.
That’s not always easy, but it must always be strived for.

Friendships are not worth more than your integrity.

No one worth winning is worth losing yourself.

Loving someone does not require hiding who you are and what you believe in.

Don’t bother waiting for your life to begin — it’s already started.

It’s happening right now.

And now.

And now.

This is it.  This is life.

Life isn’t something that’s going to happen — it’s occurring as we speak.

And it goes much faster than you think.  So, pay attention to the NOW, not the WHEN.

If you are bored by this — this life thing — do something.
   Read a book.
      Write.
            Play music.  Listen to music.
               Draw.  Go for a walk.  Dance.  Jump rope.
Do something that uses your brain and the boredom will disappear.

Life is all about CHOICES.

The choices you make every day shape your life.

How you react to things is a choice.

Whether you are happy or sad or angry or fine is a choice.  Really.  It’s all in your mind.  It’s all how you let your mind see it and react to it.

You choose to make things a big deal.  You choose to blow something off.  That’s a lot of control to have, but you need to remember to use that power.

You can decide to have a good day.  You can succeed at that by focusing on the good and blowing off the not so great.  It takes practice, but you can do it.

Choosing well and wisely creates the life you want to live.  But, you don’t have to wait to be 18 to start doing that.

And what’s the rush?  Why do you want to hurry into being an adult?  Slow down.  All there is at the finish line of Life is a casket.

Don’t hurry. You only have 18 years to be young.  The rest of your life is spent being an adult.  And when you are an adult, you long for the simplicity of the life you had before you turned 18.

Learn all you can now.  Pay attention.  Grow your wisdom.  Let the mistakes of others serve as lessons to you, so you don’t have to learn them the hard way like they did.

THINKING that you KNOW IT ALL is a symptom of a young brain.

The older — and wiser — you get, you will realize there is always something to learn, from everyone and everything.  And your greatest teacher will end up being the kid you were and all the mistakes you made — especially the mistake of wanting to grow up too soon.

So, I hope you will wait to be an adult, and enjoy what little time you have left being a kid.