Experience More:
Well, the long awaited time has finally come. It is officially time to forward our mail. Our moving adventure started in July of 2023. We leased an apartment two hours south of where we were living, rented out our home for a short period of time, and in January we began making improvements. We were getting ready to sell our home of nearly twenty years, and embark on a great adventure.
If you’re wondering what in the world I’m talking about, the short version goes like this: We want to live somewhere new every eighteen to twenty-four months. That means downsizing, decluttering, selling, and renting. It means we get to live like locals and experience life as if we are true adventurers. That is how this whole crazy thing started, and now, it’s becoming very very real.
Decluttering and Downsizing
The first step in this moving adventure was to declutter thirty four years of possessions and downsize from a nearly 4,000 square foot house. That meant keeping only what we loved, only what was sentimental, and only what we could move ourselves. It meant developing a personal style, and cultivating a color palette. If you’re looking for more information on how we did that, you can find it under Downsizing.
Repairs and Improvements
The next step was to start making those minor repairs we had been overlooking for so many years. Painting walls and trim, touching up baseboards, and having household repairs completed by quality professionals.
We painted bedrooms, repaired textured ceilings, cleaned hardwood floors, and replaced weathered deck boards. Over time, the house started to take on a fresh new feel. As spring outside began to bloom, the inside of our home started to take on new life, as well.
Staging and Styling
We chose a classic color palette of cream and black. A few warm wood tones were added in here and there, and accents of green and blue brought everything together. As you entered the home, you were greeted with a muted blue 4×6 area rug that filled the entry. A narrow console table lit the hallway and provided the first pop of green.
Spare bedrooms once belonging to our children transformed into guest rooms. One taking on blues and grays, the other taking on greens and taupes.
The living room transformed into something peaceful and calm. Sitting fireside reading a good book, or curled up watching a great movie became a therapeutic end to hectic days.
Listing and Selling
The time came to bring in our realtor. Expecting to tell us to declutter and make improvements, she was pleasantly surprised to find we had already taken those steps and our house was ready to list. We had a price in mind, but compared to other homes in the area, she believed we were underselling. She told us the price she thought we should start at, but believed we could sell for much more.
However, before we could even get it listed, there was a buyer. A sweet young couple with lots of boxes to check in their first home purchase came to see our home. There was no haggling, no offers and counter offers. They simply loved our home and wanted to make it theirs.
Forwarding Our Mail
And then the time came to pack up what was left and forward our mail. I was talking to someone about moving and they asked me, “What about all the memories?” To which I replied, “I’ll be selling the house. But I’ll be keeping the memories.” Everything becomes real when you forward your mail.
That is where the adventure takes shape. The road stretches out long before us. We don’t know where we will go next or how soon we will get there. All we know is we want to experience every single moment.
One day we’ll buy property and build again. We’ll unpack bins kept in storage and dust off furniture pieces we’ve loved. We’ll start making new memories in a new home. For now…. we’re spreading our wings and learning to fly. It’s going to be something amazing, and we simply cannot wait!
As we are moving, you never know where we’ll land. In the meantime, we’ll keep writing content about caring for self, caring for others, and caring for home. You’ll go vicariously where we go, see what we see, and do what we do. We’ll tell you about friends we make, places we eat, and adventures we take.
You’re invited to come along for the journey. We’ll be sure to help you forward your mail, too!
Love this! Congratulations and I am so excited to hear about your next adventure!