Let It All Go

Consignment is coming in the morning to pick up my big furniture pieces.  My dining room table from Old Home Supply in FW; the armoire that is my pantry - the first real, major piece of furniture I ever bought; my beautiful, girly mirrored Pottery Barn night stands that have reflected my bedroom chandeliers; the little wooden chair with the fireflies; the sideboard that Tom and I built from lumber reclaimed from my neighbors' deck; the long, narrow, outdoor cedar dining table (another BA/Tom collaboration)  - the scene of great outdoor dinner parties, the big, heavy wooden candlestick from Legacy Trading Company that I picked up on a dog walk -- someone put it out in bulky trash and I loved it enough to heave it home...

I came home from work today and emptied my pantry and night stands, and pushed them and the other pieces into the dining room.  I'm not gonna lie, this is a difficult piece of the journey.  I'm not sure why.  It isn't the money.  Maybe it's because these pieces reflect so much of my personality.  Maybe it's because they are more than tubs of craft supplies at an estate sale... I'm not sure.  It might just be that they are physically large items that are going to leave such a void in my little Tudor.  I don't know.

I have been weepy tonight though.  Not sad - maybe it's relief of another huge step; maybe it's just release, knowing I'm moving down my path.  I don't know.  But sweet mother of Abraham Lincoln, I hope I don't cry when the guys are here loading the truck in the morning.  But I probably will.  I hate that.

Tonight was the only night this week that I didn't have plans.  I have been consciously been taking time - making time - for fun with friends. It's good.  And it was on my 2012 Manifesto to take time with friends, and hel-lo, it's still 2012.  So when Christy texted me with an invitation to go out, and I had made plans to not have plans,  My knee--jerk reaction was to decline.  Sweat pants and Hulu called.  I hemmed and hawed about it, but I went.  And I'm glad I did - it was really fun: shopping and champagne at The Gypsy Wagon on Henderson (hello, cute pajama shorts  - less embarrassing for travel -- and a funny card --) and then dinner and great conversation at Fireside Pies...  It was just what the doctor ordered.

And when I got home and saw my dining room heaped up with furniture? A little bit less scary but I still sat on the sofa and had a short* cry.  Why? I'm not sure.  They are just material things.  Things I don't need. Things I don't have room for, and that I don't really even use now.

I called a handful of people for support tonight while I was on a dog walk, but got voice mail.  But after dinner I was rewarded with validating messages from people who love me, telling me that I am courageous, and brave and inspiring, and that they are proud of me.   Words confirming what I know in my heart -- things are going as planned and that it is going to be amazing and freeing.  I do believe that. I'm just wigging out a tiny bit tonight.

* it's just that my people are Nordic.

p.s.  I'm donating my potting bench to Redenta's Organic Nursery.  I love that place! Happy.

Organizing for the House Planning

I'm thinking ahead to my house planning now - in my mind's eye I can see my work space in my new apartment where I'll do my tiny house planning.  I'm going to start compiling information by category for reference - I'll keep the information in electronic files and also in a 3-ring notebook for reference.  Mark suggested Evernote for organization but so far I haven't spent any substantive time looking to see what it can do for me.  That's upcoming as well.

To start, these will be my categories, although I'm sure they will become more refined over time:

Exterior (generally - materials, windows, roof)

Interior (generally - insulation, appearance, lighting, shelving etc)

Kitchen (counters, cook top, pantry/storage)

Bath (shower, toilet)

Loft (futon, skylight?)

Utilities  (water, solar/electricity)

HVAC

Trailer

Reference - general

Tiny House Community

I have my Pinterest pages set up similarly and I've been organizing photo ideas there.  My learning curve is vertical, so I'll be gathering information from people who have experience. The resources available are limited only by the time I have to read them...!

If you have already done this and have ideas or suggestions for me - please!  Share!  I'd really like to hear from you on what worked and what didn't work.

This week I read a great article about insulation written by Matt over at Boneyard Studios, the tiny house community in Washington, D.C. A quick read of the article reveals that I am not at all educated in the details of insulation.... : )   Which is okay - it's just an observation...

It's exciting to be getting close to having the decks cleared and the mental space cleared to begin the process!  I am definitely not going to be Project Girl in my apartment without my shop, so I'll have newly found free time to dedicate to this.  (Although I am going to learn how to grow my own sprouts so that I can make Kelley's fabulous sprout salad myself!)

Moving Right Along

Merry Monday!  Wow, I needed about twice the weekend time that I had this weekend!  It's all good though, and I was conscious of taking time for myself and doing fun things amongst the chaos.  I fit in a Christmas parade downtown Saturday morning, and a neighborhood Christmas Elf Party on Saturday night.

In between on Saturday I went out to my shop to assess what needed to be done out there (a) that's procrastination, obviously; and (b) well duh, everything needs to be done out there...  lol  and discovered that someone had tried to break in.  The hasp was bent, and I could see where they had used a crow bar to try to break the door in.  Sort of creepy, but mostly - motivating.  My plan had been to tackle the shop on Sunday...  I looked around and just started carrying things into the house - now most everything with value is on my kitchen floor:

As I suspected, my actual tools don't take up THAT much space out there.  Mostly it's lumber and scrap wood, and paint - neither of which I'm taking with me.  I think when I get these items sorted and into tubs its not going to be a horribly large volume of things.  My chop saw is still out there -- I couldn't get it and it's stand into the house by myself.

I briefly considered getting a storage unit for my tools, but since I am dedicated to downsizing, I just can't let myself do it.  As a friend pointed out, a storage unit is a crutch...  Pare down, get organized, and be small.  So I'll have a chop saw in my living room!  It's okay... lol

I am starting to feel grounded and balanced again -- that always happens as my plans clarify.  I know what apartment I am getting - I've been in the actual unit - but despite filling out their online application last week, they hadn't processed it by Saturday when I went in to sign the papers, so I haven't done that yet.  But I have looked at it twice now, and showed it to Tom, I measured to make sure my W/D will fit... and so I'm good to go there.  

I've decided I am taking my bed and my couches with me.  At first relenting and taking furniture with me felt like I was failing in my downsizing.  But then I realized I am really cranky without good sleep, and my bed is so high that I can store things under it - bad Feng Shui, but good for interim space.  And the couches?  Well, all it took was Tom asking, "What are you going to sit on?" And I gave him a good long stare and realized he was right.  I have them, I do love them, and so... I'll bring them along.  

The rest of the furniture I have lined up to go to consignment, and total score, they will come and pick it up for a small fee. I'm glad to have that squared away.

I still need to get an electrician and a plumber out for a few agreed upon repairs.... I've had Oncor out already, and I still need to call Atmos.

So the logistics are shaping up.  On the emotional side of big change, it's just a really interesting process.  The overriding emotion these days is gratitude.  I'm so grateful for so many things - the support of Tom, and my family, and my friends - many of whom are also my neighbors.  I'm grateful that my house sale is going so smoothly.   I'm grateful for my health, and my dog and her health, and that I have found a place that I like for a stepping stone residence that is nearby.  I'm really grateful that it isn't cold.  Over all, I am the most grateful about how much I am loved.  I don't mean that in a self-centered bragging type of way - I mean it in an open-my-arms-wide-and-just-drink-it-in type of way.

I had the best afternoon yesterday, putting up outside Christmas lights with all my neighbors.  We walked back and forth between yards - borrowing and lending ladders.  Holding ladders, giving opinions, clinking drinks, and marveling at how pretty everyone's house looks.  I mowed and edged for the last time - and gave Monty my edger - that made me teary - isn't THAT ridiculous?  And Lydia's husband came to get a few things that she is buying, one of which was my rototiller - and seeing THAT go made me really sad!  What the heck - yard equipment??  That's what I'm sad about?!  Just.  Not.  Normal.  lol  

And I am amazed and so validated in that I am so comfortable with this new theme of letting go.  Yes, I get teary when I talk about someone else being in my house - but mostly because I'm so happy that someone is going to love it and appreciate it - and, I'm told, would like me to come over and tell her about the widget-y things about it, and tell her about my gardens.  My yard is where I have really poured out my soul, and I love believing that she likes it and wants to know what's what.  Seeing all my things sold, or giving things away - it's like an out of body experience.  It's as though I am watching someone else do it - it's really weird.

So now I'm on task for packing.  I really thought I wouldn't need to hire movers, but I've given up that notion.  I'm aiming to move next week - on an off day if I can -- a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday -- and close early.  I'm currently scheduled to close on the 20th - but I really like to push hard for a week, and be done, and then enjoy all the pre-holiday fun things before I fly home on the 23rd.  Gotta have a goal!  I am going to be SUCH A SLUG in January.