We can't fit in our new house.

[Beauchamp]

We already did a few major purges-- multiple trips to Goodwill with a *packed* vehicle, a few things sold on craig's list, and a large yard sale. This weekend our movers are delivering our stuff to our new condo. We are downsizing from 2400sf to 1548sf and I am so unsure of where to begin with unpacking it all.

We know we still have a lot of bigger furniture pieces to sell (and buy, because our stuff is too big to fit, and yet we still need a kitchen table, so I am shopping for one. Sigh.) The problem is that I still don't think we will fit. The new place doesn't have a pantry. It doesn't have a cleaning/utility closet, just one skinny coat closet.

I feel like I got rid of so much. But when I look around our new place, I just know it will be crammed. There is no basement to store things in.

My main problems are kitchen/dining stuff, cleaning/household stuff, and "storage" stuff we don't use every day, like scuba gear, holiday decorations, sentimental stuff, blankets, etc. There is just so much.

So, I've rambled on and on. Anyone have any advice on where to begin once the movers bring box after box after box into my now smaller home?

[Drummer's Wife]

Would it be possible to rent a storage unit - even for a couple months? Then you could slowly bring things that will fit into your new place, and even sell (like on CL) other things straight out of your storage unit. We had to rent one for awhile when we lived in apartments b/c there just wasn't room for a lot of our stuff. Instead of going to the garage or basement to get the holiday decorations, we had to drive 5 miles down the road - but it meant our living space wasn't too cluttered.

If it's not possible to rent storage until you get rid of stuff and make room, could you keep some things at a friend/family members place? We have done that, as well. It can be overwhelming to downsize in a short amount of time.

[zoebird]

i agree with the PP.

truthfully, if you have 'storage stuff' and you don't have an attic, garage, or basement, then you have to have a storage room or get rid of storage stuff. if you scuba on a regular basis, and can't get rid of decorations or sentimental items, then you need to have a storage space.

for things like a pantry or a closet for cleaning supplies, you might consider free standing pieces of furniture that you like--such as a china hutch that might fit in or near your kitchen that can double as a pantry, or an old wardrobe that can store your cleaning supplies.

[Crayfish]

One thought: You could unpack with an empty box at hand, and _re-pack_ the stuff that you don't have an immediate need for. That reduces the temptation to jam all your storage areas (cabinets, closets, shelves, drawers) with the first things to come out of the boxes.

For example, if you're about to unpack twelve glasses, and you only have room for eight, unpack the eight, put them on the shelf, and put the other four in the "repack" box. The teapot you use once a year? Back in repack. A giant platter for entertaining that would take up more cabinet space than you can spare? Repack. If you find those other glasses that you like better than the original eight, unpack eight of those, and repack the less desirable eight. And so on.

This way, hopefully your storage areas will be sparsely filled with things that you actually use every day, and will be usable. You'll then be left with a whole bunch of boxes of things that you don't use every day, which gives you a good head start on figuring out what to continue to purge.

Of course, where you should store those boxes before the purge is a problem. I fear that I'm not sure what to suggest for that.

Crayfish

[Beauchamp]

Thanks! The repacking method might be really helpful, especially since it's all happening this weekend, and I don't think DH would be wild about a storage unit (another cost, travel, etc.) This idea sounds a lot like the "Clean Slate" method of decluttering.

We do have a small attic, so things like glasses and dishes could go up there. I think I am just going to have to get creative, and probably let go of some things that I would not like to part with. DH does NOT want to sell our scuba gear because it was so expensive to buy. We haven't been diving in two years though.

We do have a garage. It's hot here, though, so some things may melt. We had *furniture* melt in our garage in Texas. The finish literally melted. So, you can imagine why we are leery of storing in the garage.

[doubledutch]

Originally Posted by Beauchamp

We do have a garage. It's hot here, though, so some things may melt. We had *furniture* melt in our garage in Texas. The finish literally melted. So, you can imagine why we are leery of storing in the garage.

that's funny! your table would probably be okay in the garage, though, right? wood furniture should be fine.

[Beauchamp]

Well, it was wood that melted in Texas. At least, the *finish* on the wood melted and absorbed some moving paper. Seriously!

[Crayfish]

Originally Posted by Beauchamp

Well, it was wood that melted in Texas. At least, the *finish* on the wood melted and absorbed some moving paper. Seriously!

Yikes!

For the long term, could you put some insulation in the garage? We insulated and drywalled our garage, both walls and ceiling, and it helps a lot - it never seems to freeze in the winter or get too hot for storage in the summer. Admittedly, we're in much milder climate than Texas, but I thought I'd suggest it. (An attic fan to pull air across the attic, if you do drywall the ceiling and form an attic, might also help.)

(Ah. I just saw that it's a condo, so you may not have the right to modify your garage?)

Crayfish

[Beauchamp]

An attic fan is totally what we need for the garage. Or a vent, at the very least. Granted, Tennessee is not as hot as south Texas either, so we will have to store our large furniture in there until we sell it.

I think the two biggest parts of my problem are:

1. That I am emotionally attached to the things I have left (after the recent purges, I felt like I did such a good job, that only what I love and use is left, and so now I have to get rid of even MORE.)

2. My DH, however much he says he wants to downsize, always balks when it's stuff he likes, stuff he knows how much we paid for it and assigns value that way, or his stuff that is on the line.

[Crayfish]

Originally Posted by Beauchamp

1. That I am emotionally attached to the things I have left (after the recent purges, I felt like I did such a good job, that only what I love and use is left, and so now I have to get rid of even MORE.)

Yep; I keep getting stalled when I hit what I think of as a new "layer" of stuff. I think of it as like digging: First you rake away the leaves. Then you dig through the cultivated dirt. Then you get to the un-cultivated dirt. Then you get to the clay. Then you get to bedrock. Every time I hit a new level of difficulty in decluttering, it feels like bedrock, and it takes me a while to really start digging into it and acknowledge that, well, no, it can be broken.

I think that it does help to keep out only the stuff that you're using daily, though - for me, stuff in a box is unable to charm and confuse me the same way that stuff in an overcrowded closet/drawer/cabinet/corner-of-the-room does. And when the closet is neat and sparsely filled and looks nice, _that_ charms me, and turns me against the extra stuff that's clamoring to be let out of the box.

I'm going a little metaphor-crazy, aren't I?

Crayfish

[mkksmom]

I love your metaphors, Crayfish!

[doubledutch]

have you decided what the purpose of each room is, and what belongs in that room? it might not be as bad as you think, except that you do still need storage. i don't think a storage unit would be less hot than a garage (or are they climate controlled?). i guess storing stuff in the garage is a risk that is worth taking, if your dh isn't willing to get rid of certain things and you just have to have somewhere to put stuff - it's better than having it all crammed to the ceiling in your house.

for the things you are emotionally attached to, would you feel better passing it along to family, friends or people in need (like a women's shelter) rather than selling it or dropping it at the thrift store? it might be easier that way.

[Beauchamp]

I guess I shouldn't talk about my husband assigning value to things because he knows how much we paid for them, because I am doing the same thing with my kitchen/entertaining stuff. I mean, it's so much easier to say "who cares about those ugly throw pillows your mother gave us?" than it is to think about my relatively new small appliances being sold for $5 at the local Goodwill. My breadmaker, ice cream maker, electric kettle, Kitchen Aid mixer, coffee pot, burr grinder, 12 cup food processor, blender, toaster, spice grinder...how I love thee.

But I'm SURE we will have room for the record album collection, two guitars, a giant amp, a massive CD collection that he refuses to let me put into binders....oh, yeah, all THAT stuff will go in our "office". Hope we can fit our desk.

[Usually Curious]

Originally Posted by Beauchamp

I guess I shouldn't talk about my husband assigning value to things because he knows how much we paid for them, because I am doing the same thing with my kitchen/entertaining stuff. I mean, it's so much easier to say "who cares about those ugly throw pillows your mother gave us?" than it is to think about my relatively new small appliances being sold for $5 at the local Goodwill. My breadmaker, ice cream maker, electric kettle, Kitchen Aid mixer, coffee pot, burr grinder, 12 cup food processor, blender, toaster, spice grinder...how I love thee.

But I'm SURE we will have room for the record album collection, two guitars, a giant amp, a massive CD collection that he refuses to let me put into binders....oh, yeah, all THAT stuff will go in our "office". Hope we can fit our desk.

Reminds me of the custom left-hand bass we have thrown in the basement. It sounded really good five years ago when dh was playing it. Too bad his comic book collection (that he has toted on 14 moves over our 21 year marriage) was damaged when our basement flooded a couple of months ago. I should feel bad for him but I. just. can't.

We seriously downsized about two years ago. If you do put boxes/furniture in storage in the garage you can feel confident that you won't even care about it after a year or two. I only moved 'essentials' from TX to MO. Well, half our essentials are in storage while we finish our renovations (slooooowly) and guess what? We have been able to get rid of oodles of stuff because it is hardly essential, yk?

[confustication]

You can get pretty creative with storage, but you will realize that you really need to let go of the value of 'stuff'. The kitchen appliances you mentioned are things I would (do) use regularly, so they are important and I find space for them. Other things (large furniture) I don't really 'need' so out it goes.

I found out how little I needed when we had a house fire a couple years ago and lost everything. Yes, it was devastating, but then I rebuilt bringing in only things I chose to fill our space, and the difference is pretty amazing. I need to purge every so often as things do creep in, but discovering that I was still ok, and still me without my stuff was a really life changing experience for me.

[Beauchamp]

Originally Posted by confustication

You can get pretty creative with storage, but you will realize that you really need to let go of the value of 'stuff'. The kitchen appliances you mentioned are things I would (do) use regularly, so they are important and I find space for them. Other things (large furniture) I don't really 'need' so out it goes.

Yes, I know. The value of stuff. So true, and yet so hard sometimes. Our movers came yesterday, and let me tell you, I am not happy. (Well, first of all, they CRACKED my dining room table 2/3 of the way down the center... ) But my furniture is waaaay larger than it was in my mind, when I was mapping out the floor plan.

We are going to have to get rid of some major pieces, or get a storage unit, which I don't really want to do. But we got our pieces at such good prices, with coupons, sales, on clearance, and I know I couldn't rebuy them again for such low cost if we ever move to a larger place.

[Crayfish]

Originally Posted by Beauchamp

We are going to have to get rid of some major pieces, or get a storage unit, which I don't really want to do. But we got our pieces at such good prices, with coupons, sales, on clearance, and I know I couldn't rebuy them again for such low cost if we ever move to a larger place.

Don't get the storage unit! If you do, every month will add to the cost of the furniture, and I'd bet that it will rapidly cease to be such a bargain.

And you're not _required_ to put big furniture in a big house. If your couch works in a small living room, it'll work just as well in a big living room. Maybe it won't look perfect, but it will still be possible to sit on it.

And maybe the big couch that sat in expensive storage for years won't look perfect either. Maybe your tastes will change. Maybe fashions will change. Maybe that big house will have come with such prosperity that you'll want to upgrade everything anyway.

If you don't have room for the wardrobe that was hand-carved by the grandfather that raised you like a daughter, and built from lumber cut from a tree on your ancestral family estate, and by the way the grandfather's other work is featured in major museums and sells for hundreds of thousands of dollars, and if you walk into the wardrobe you get to Narnia... sure, get a storage unit. Regular furniture, even if it's nice and even if it has some nice memories? Let it go.

Crayfish

[lolar2]

You now have a good excuse to get rid of the dining room table!

[lolar2]

Originally Posted by Beauchamp

We are going to have to get rid of some major pieces, or get a storage unit, which I don't really want to do. But we got our pieces at such good prices, with coupons, sales, on clearance, and I know I couldn't rebuy them again for such low cost if we ever move to a larger place.

Yes, you could. There will be more coupons and more clearance sales in the future. I am as certain of that as I am of death and taxes.

ETA: if you REALLY want to get rid of the record collection, put it into the hot, melty garage.

[blizzard_babe]

Originally Posted by lolar2

Yes, you could. There will be more coupons and more clearance sales in the future. I am as certain of that as I am of death and taxes.

I have to remind myself of this on a regular basis. Good deals shall come again. Might not be the SAME good deal, but it'll be a good deal.