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Keeping in Touch:  Downsizing  |
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Columbine
Farmgirl in Training
45 Posts
Pat
Plainwell
Michigan
USA
45 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 30 2011 : 7:03:44 PM
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We are in the process of downsizing big time. We are moving from a 5 bedroom home that we live in where my husband works and re-locating to a one room (very small, but cozy)cabin up North. Currently we have put in electricity and indoor water but not a privy as we still have a 2 seater outhouse. Have put in a pole barn to start packing in our "stuff" and are downsizing every day with a huge yard sale in the works! Putting a 14 foot addition on this spring as a temporary measure for a bathroom and laundry room and plan on adding on when we are able. My husband is more anxious about the indoor bathroom than I am. I have found my 21 acres of paradise and can live in it as is. We need to find new jobs which is exciting and scary but I'm determined it can be done to live our dream. I plan on selling goat shares once I learn about goats and having chickens and other critters. I am 55 years old and have the enthusiasm of a 20 year old and although our first year may be rough- it will happen. I'll be leaving a good job of 13 years and my hubby 10 years. We expect to cut our income in half but increase our quality of life 3X plus. Downsizing is difficult but so very much needed- I have many things I just don't NEED to live the simple life I want. I will write every day of our challenges and successes once we move. Anyone else out there thinking of doing the same thing? I highly recommend it. I want to live life to the fullest every day because you never know what tomorrow brings. I want to be grateful for what I have not what I think I want.
Wish me luck :)
Blessings, Columbine
Nature thrives on patience; man on impatience.
- Paul Boese
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Sandy Fields
True Blue Farmgirl
165 Posts
Sandy
Portales
NM
165 Posts |
Posted - Mar 30 2011 : 8:00:37 PM
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Pat! I'm so excited for you.
I wish you and your husband all the best on this grand and exciting journey!
Sandy
Love writing about "My Field Days"
www.field-days.com
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22937 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22937 Posts |
Posted - Mar 30 2011 : 8:24:06 PM
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Pat that sounds wonderful! I am starting my downsizing too in preparation for our move coming up in 2 years!! Today I took a load of books to a friend and a couple of weeks ago we got rid of everything in our room that was no longer needed or used. It felt amazing! Some of it was hard, yes...But really once I got over my intimidation factor with downsizing- I have luxuriated in it. It is so freeing and it really makes the house feel better. I can't wait to hear more!!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - Mar 30 2011 : 11:04:12 PM
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We had a two seater outhouse for a long time, make it cozy. It's a small room, so you can do a lot of stuff to it for free to make it cozy. First of all look for some abandoned trailer windows (the crank slatted kind) this lets fresh air AND light in! Put up some lanterns or eletrify it and put in a light bulb. Go to carpet store trash and get some lineoleum or tile etc scraps and put it in there on the floor and even up the walls of the toilet part (not the regular wall, walls, I can't think of what to call it) and then put on nice real toilet seats. Paint it, or wallpaper it with magazines, or other wallpaper scraps (again small space, so can usually get the amount you need for free!) My mom at one point was getting scared of the big cats (panthers) in the woods coming too close to the outhouse (we were seeing huge paw prints all around the outhouse in the mornings!) so was scared at night to go out there. What we ended up doing was getting free walmart wood pallets and having my step father build a walled in-roofed hallway from our back porch door to the outhouse-it wasn't that far from the house so wasn't that hard. Ended up just making it actually a extra room it ended up being such a big hallway, we ended up adding a free standing shower that we found in some trash (some one replaced their real shower, so it wasn't a camping shower it was the real thing!) and we had it connected to a big rain barrel up above and then we had a summer shower in there as well. Then we ended up adding a few doors to it to go outside as well (not to the outhouse, but to the hallway we built to the outhouse! lol) and added a bed in there for summer nights when we needed more air, and for guests! lol Also ended up adding more free windows to that hallway! lol hahaha (salvaged out of peoples trash is what I mean by free windows! lol) The windows put in the actual outhouse kept the smells down and the extra hallway room never had odor problems from the outhouse, however we did keep lime in it pretty often and like I said we had a window on each side that we kept open most the time unless it was just way too cold. And so we never had odor problems in the outhouse.
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - Mar 30 2011 : 11:06:40 PM
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Man this is making me wish we had taken pics of our outhouse cause I don't think people would believe how cute my mom got ours and how cozy it was. Many a city person used it, who was scared before seeing it and pretty much amazed after seeing and using it! We also had a camp sink (you fill it with water, then pump the water out, on to your hands, you put a bucket or something like that underneath it, to drain. And it had a little place to hold soap and every thing. People couldn't believe we even had that in the outhouse! lol haha
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
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embchicken
True Blue Farmgirl
1487 Posts
Elaine
Ocean
NJ
USA
1487 Posts |
Posted - Mar 31 2011 : 03:45:46 AM
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Pat~ Sounds like you will be living your dream! I wish you the best of luck in your new life!
"Be the change you wish to see in the world" ~Gandhi
farmgirl sister #2822
embchicken.blogspot.com |
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Heartbroken farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
604 Posts
Annette
rio vista
Ca
USA
604 Posts |
Posted - Mar 31 2011 : 07:26:16 AM
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Pat, I'm so happy for you!! You are doing exactly what I want to do when my four children are grown, and out of the house. I want to simplify, downsize and have my DH retire away from it all. Good for you. Enjoy every minute of every day!(((hugs)))
The tears I shed then, watered the flowers I harvest now.
www.broken908.blogspot.com
http://forums.familyfriendpoems.com/broken908
"The aim of education is the knowledge not of facts but of values."-Dean William Ralph Inge |
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Catherine L
True Blue Farmgirl
408 Posts
Cathy
Newton
Texas
USA
408 Posts |
Posted - Mar 31 2011 : 08:07:45 AM
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I agree with downsizing. I spend so much time managing my stuff. I plan to do major downsizing this summer. Pat you are living my dream, also.
~Catherine~
Farmgirl 2428 |
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Columbine
Farmgirl in Training
45 Posts
Pat
Plainwell
Michigan
USA
45 Posts |
Posted - Mar 31 2011 : 12:36:52 PM
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Thanks for all the well wishes! I love the ideas about the outhouses :) I have a rug in there I wove myself and lanterns, candles and and antique vase filled with fresh lavender from my garden. I agree about the animals... one night I swore something was stomping around the outhouse (blamed it on the hubby... but it wasn't him). Now I carry a pistol with me after dark. The downsizing although I just started is "freeing" like you said. We do take a lot of time managing "stuff" that is so unimportant when it really comes down to it. When you think of priorities it makes you look at it in a whole new light.
I love MJF and all the sisters it has brought into my life.
Nature thrives on patience; man on impatience.
- Paul Boese
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Penny Wise
True Blue Farmgirl
1903 Posts
Margo
Elyria
OH
USA
1903 Posts |
Posted - Mar 31 2011 : 4:57:40 PM
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pat; when you say up north-kinda where????????? maybe near me!?
Farmgirl # 2139
~*~ counting my pennies and biding my time; my dreams are adding up!~*~ |
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LeighErica
True Blue Farmgirl
306 Posts
Erica
PA
USA
306 Posts |
Posted - Mar 31 2011 : 7:10:52 PM
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| Pat, I love you new life plan....we are downsizing too but not as much as you are. Moving from a 4000 sq ft home to a 1900 sq ft home....it is going to be tricky for me, but doable. Like you said, giving away stuff is freeing. I can't wait to hear more about you adventures. Best of luck with everything. Hugs, Erica |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - Mar 31 2011 : 7:54:38 PM
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My mom always had a vase of flowers in there too! All spring and summer long!
Oh and funny thing, last night I dreamt about our old outhouse. I went back to the cabin we had and wanted to see the outhouse again, every thing had been torn down and a trailer park was there now. lol LOTS and LOTS of trailers! It was more of a nightmare then a dream! lol haha I wanted to cry. But, truth be told I do think they have since knocked down our old outhouse that was there, but didn't put a trailer park in it's place, I don't think! lol hahahaha
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
Edited by - MagnoliaWhisper on Mar 31 2011 8:36:52 PM |
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gypsy goat
True Blue Farmgirl
673 Posts
mary jo
michigan
673 Posts |
Posted - Apr 01 2011 : 05:44:39 AM
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hope all goes well for you pat-i would love to downsize. i'm so tired of all this stuff and thinking i need it-maybe even downsizing some toxic people out of it too!
farmgirl#1362 whatever you are be a good one-abe lincoln |
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Nancy Gartenman
True Blue Farmgirl
9092 Posts
Nancy
West Seneca
New York
USA
9092 Posts |
Posted - Apr 01 2011 : 07:18:04 AM
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Would love to see pictures when you get settled. It all sounds very exciting.
Nancy Jo
www.Nancy-Jo.blogspot.com |
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vintagediva1
True Blue Farmgirl
1251 Posts
Michele
Brighton
Michigan
USA
1251 Posts |
Posted - Apr 02 2011 : 05:43:16 AM
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Pat, where "Up North" are you moving to??
You are an inspiration to me. I am being forced to downsize due to loss of income. I am okay with it, now. It's all just a bunch of stuff and the things that are really important i.e. my kids, family, my health and my friends are not going to change. Wish I could just goto the woods but will probably rent a small house or apt and spend some time making it look "like me" !
Michele
www.2vintagedivas.etsy.com
www.sissyandsisterstitch.etsy.com
www.sissyandsisterstitch.artfire.com
Love that good ole vintage junk |
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walkinwalkoutcattle
True Blue Farmgirl
1675 Posts
Megan
Paint Lick
KY
USA
1675 Posts |
Posted - Apr 04 2011 : 02:50:33 AM
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I'm very interested in seeing how this journey goes for you all!
Farmgirl #2879 :)
Starbucks and sushi to green fried tomatoes and corn pudding-I wouldn't change it for the world.
www.cattleandcupcakes.blogspot.com
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mommatracy
True Blue Farmgirl
490 Posts
Tracy
My. Olive
NC
USA
490 Posts |
Posted - Apr 05 2011 : 08:14:32 AM
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In 2004 we downsized from 5 bedrooms & 4,500 sq.ft. to 2,500 sq.ft.
January 2010 we moved into our new 1,500 sq ft home and I love it.
We are still going through several storage buildings of furniture and "stuff." I will be so happy when we are done.
I have a beautiful Singer treadle sewing machine and a nearly perfect 1951 Singer cabinet model with every imaginable original attachment you could get. I would like to sell or barter them. I just don't have anywhere to put them.
I am 55 years and just tired of all the stuff I thought I had to have.
Also raising our 2 year old grandaughter and don't have the time or desire for the stuff anymore.
www.cottagebythebay.blogspot.com
~Trust in the Lord...but row away from the rocks~ |
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ladedacreations
True Blue Farmgirl
253 Posts
Sandy
Indian Valley
Idaho
USA
253 Posts |
Posted - Apr 05 2011 : 12:11:38 PM
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We did the very same thing 14 years ago! Moving on to a bare piece of ground. Wow hard to beleive it has been 14 years. My husband had a small retirement that got us by and we did lots of odds and ends to survive. I cleaned houses, did ebay and etsy of course, made wood furniture, we built a sawmill to help build our house and took on sawmill jobs. My husband was a taxidermist and a machinest/welder on the side so he did that as well. Our blessing was being out of debt and staying out of debt. We were both quite thrifty, I enjoy thrift shops and yard sales. We use things until they wear out. We grow most of our food and eat wild game. We took 7 years to build our stockade style log home doing it all ourselves with mainly recycled and scrounged items. It is one of a kind and we are quite proud of it, always being asked for tours! We built a shop first and lived in it those 7 years. (the first winter w/o running water, electricity and with a sawdust bucket toilet! Aah! What memories! Our kids lived w/o tv and both graduated as Valedictorians. My daughter now 24 and a city girl cherishes the memories and knows she can survive bad times with the DYI experiences she was taught. She comes home to the quiet of the country when the hustle and bustle of the city get the best of her. We still live off the grid with solar power but I know have Sat. internet and TV! We have become part of a wonderful community and have a great support group in family,friends and neighbors. We help each other and barter whenever possible. Life is good and we count our blessings daily. I have loved the journey and the lifestyle and would not change a bit of it! Best of luck and may God Bless you! Sandy
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ladedacreations Filled to the brim with my handmade paper, vintage treasures & clothing, photography, naturally grown seeds and unique jewelry and hair pieces created from cast off vintage pieces and old silverware. Be sure to check out my comical Woo Hoo Sister pins for all of you mid lifers!
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http://www.etsy.com/shop/againstthegrain13 is my other shop dedicated to my extreme rustic switch plate covers. If you are a lover of natural wood, you are sure to enjoy these!
Everything I create is done so with solar power using mainly salvaged, recycled and up cycled items.
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also”. Mathew 6:21
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Arctic Flower
True Blue Farmgirl
85 Posts
Marjorie
Nenana
Alaska
USA
85 Posts |
Posted - Apr 07 2011 : 8:04:21 PM
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It will be a amazing adventure. We did that 15 years ago and have never looked back but all that stuff we got rid seems to have returned in different forms. LOL. Be sure to save anything you can re-purpose. You'll be glad to you did. Many Blessings to you.
Farmgirl #2416
Believe in the power of Love! |
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Beverley
True Blue Farmgirl
2707 Posts
Beverley
atlanta
Michigan
USA
2707 Posts |
Posted - Apr 07 2011 : 9:09:32 PM
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yes Pat exactly where up north!! we live in atlanta, michigan which is in between gaylord and alpena about an hour from mackinaw..We love it on our 12 acres too. I have goats, a few and have had chickens and bunnies. so email me if you have questions ,maybe I can help out. congrats..bev
Folks will know how large your soul is by the way you treat a dog....Charles F. Doran
beverley baggett
Beverley with an extra E...
https://sites.google.com/site/bevsdoggies/
http://bevsdoggies.blogspot.com/ |
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Keeping in Touch: Downsizing |
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Downsizing
