Down sizing to become more minimalistic, suggestions please.

[Cativari]

So we're moving from a place that has housed out things for the last 3 years and I"m going to downsize in a major way. I've been wanting to do it for awhile now. If I had it my way we'd just leave everything and start over but I know that's a bit extreme. I'd like to know how you ladies went about becoming more minimalistic and what and how much stuff you kept after your transition (how many changes of clothes, towels, bed stuffs,ect). Lastly how have you kept from bringing in more stuff then you intend to, what's your system/rules (if you have them).

Thanks

[filiadeluna]

I am trying to accomplish the same task. Should we make this a tribe?

Anyhow, what size house/how many rooms/closets/etc do you have?

We have a 3BR/2BA 1120sq ft home, no garage, small storage shed, 1 walk-in closet (in smallest room oddly enough), 2 regular BR closets, coat closet, small linen closet, pantry, laundry "closet", and lots of kitchen cabinet space (too much really). It is me, DH, DD, and the cat right now, though we are casually TTC #2.

I've just recently started REALLY decluttering, though I do some every year. In order to keep an item, at least one of the following criteria must be met:

1) used within the last year
2) seasonal item that I actually use AND like
3) can be re-purposed with little effort (i.e. unused flower pots as decorative items for space above kitchen cabinets since I actually NEED decoration up there)
4) a baby item that I plan on using for a future child
5) an item of GREAT sentimental value, BUT it must be displayed somehow so it is not just rotting away in a box. If it is not important enough to be displayed (unless too personal), then it must go.
6) photographs must be organized and placed into albums

Clothes must meet different criteria. Even if we've worn it recently, if it has holes in it, is badly stained, or really worn out, it must be donated or used as a cleaning rag. If we have more of one item than we would use in about 9 days (just to have some extra), then it needs to go.

Anybody else have tips? I am just beginning this process myself. My ultimate goal is to be left with nothing that I will not use frequently unless it is a special occasion/seasonal item.

[catscharm74]

I simply made a priority list...as in what we wanted out of life and the things we would "need" to accomplish these things.

Examples:

We have a set of 12 white dinner plates, salad plates and bowls along with 12fun glasses- we entertain and I like to have a nice table set. We also have 16 cloth napkins- makes for green living and no more money spent.

Towels- 2 each- we each have a beach towel and a white one. I keep a set of 10 facecloths in a basket on the back of the toilet tank.

Clothing- my area that I have a lot. I must maintain a proper professional wardrobe and I admit I hate wearing the same thing over and over. I tend to stick to black, white, grey, red and pops of pink.

I am not a chotskies collector...I have pictures on the wall, a few special items and not much else. We only maintain our college textbooks and our religious reads, so one little area on our tv stand. I also like candles but keep it to one on the kitchen table, one in our bathroom and one on our porch.

DS has a toy box and a low shelf bench for his books. On top is a comfy cushion for him to sit and read or play. He has a bed and dresser w/lamp and a pic on it. Simple and easy enough for him to help me maintain.

Memorabilia--I had to be truthful in what was important. I took my favorite pics my son made and made a huge collage and framed it for my office. I have my college degrees and on one wall, I put up thin cork board. I can put up my favorite things and change it around as needed.

Important things like papers, I make triple copies. The originals go in the firebox, locked up and I took a 3 ring binder and put one set in there and another set in another. Easy to grab and I always have copies when needed. I also do this with my pics- always back them up monthly.

Because we both work full time and DS has things he likes to do, we are busy. On Saturday morning, I simply go through each room really quick to see if anything needs to be donated, put back or trashed.

It took me 4 years to get to where we are now. It's been a process...an ongoing journey. I would say we are minimalist compared to most of our friends but we still live pretty comfortable. Having moved 9 times in 6 years, I can vouche we still have stuff.

[zoebird]

ok, i got lucky. we mved to the other side of the planet.

we kept 25 boxes of books and kitchen supplies and such, and then brought 8 bags with us (one being our car seat). two of those bags carried DS's toys, books, and instruments; 1 was the car seat; 1 was our computers; 1 a carry on of our basic needs for the plane; and three were our clothes--four season wardrobes for the three of us (DH, DS, and myself).

we'll probably ship the rest of the stuff later this year--aug/sept. those 25 boxes. but it's good.

we got here, got kitchen basics, and bought bedroom furniture and sme things to help us organize our papers, etc. so, it's good. we like it.

[Juvysen]

[BarefootScientist]

I'm moving cross-country in about three weeks from a 4 bed 2 bath 1500 sq ft house to a 2 bed 2 bath 990 sq ft apartment. Not as radical a downsizing as I'd like actually but it's a step, and the apartment is really nice.

I'll be back later to describe more of what we've been up to as far as removing stuff and how much we're keeping, as we're going to go work on the garage now!

[BarefootScientist]

Ok. Like I said, we're in process right now so I can't tell you how it all turns out and I can't tell you everything, but I can tell you what I'm doing as I do it. I also would be interested in this being a tribe so we can talk each other through the process.

Bath towels - I think I kept 8. 2 for each of us and 2 for guests.
Hand towels - I think I kept 5. Now that we're going to end up with 2 bathrooms again this seems a little drastic but I think we will use one as mostly a guest bathroom so we can probably have the towel hanging in there for a long time if we don't have guests. Then we'll have four to rotate through for the main bathroom. Seems reasonable.
Beds - not sure yet. Our situation is a little different since we're moving so far, we're getting rid of almost all of our furniture. Including our bed. I'm thinking of making DS a full-sized loft bed with room underneath to play. Then we'll have the big bed (I somehow can't bring myself to say family bed but that's what it'll be), but I'm not sure what that will look like yet. I am thinking of pushing two full-sized mattresses together on the floor. If we do that, we'll have all full beds (we have a futon we may bring with that is full-sized also) so then I will probably get rid of all our queen and twin-sized sheets and buy a couple more sets of full-sized sheets. Maybe enough sets to have everything covered at once plus one for emergencies. Wow, that's a lot of sheets.

I haven't started on the kitchen at all yet.

Right now my plan for setting up the apartment (although it changes often) is to have both beds in one room (this may necessitate a smaller "big bed" though) and then in the other bedroom to have the futon for guests also reading space (have all our books on shelves in there) and a craft/work space table. Then in the living room, toys and space for DS to play, a loveseat and armchair for seating, and our media computer for movies, music, pictures, bills, etc. And the dining table (wondering if I can get a picnic table) would go in the kitchen.

I'm so excited. Let's keep this thread going because I'd love to hear what others who are downsizing are doing!