How I sold all my stuff and moved across the country: on being minimalish

Downsizing can be oh-so-simple. Or it can be p a i n s t a k i n g.

Easy to repin that pristine, white and gold minimalist kitchen with the artistically-placed bowl of lemons. Hard to ditch those ratty sweatshirts you never wear but are hanging onto because they’re “so comfortable.” Or the food processor you will DEFINITELY us at some point.

In 2017 I reduced my material possessions by 75%. Yep, cut that ish in half then cut it in half again. By the end of it, my husband and I were able to fit our all worldly wealth into our two cars (both Honda civics) + 4 moving boxes which we subsequently hauled across the country to start over fresh on the East Coast.

Here are just some of the things I let go of:

The results were surprising and illuminating. Here’s what I discovered:

1. I don’t miss a single item I donated, sold or trashed
2. Purging possessions can become addictive
3. I can be happy with less

I don’t miss a thing
There were so many times I felt a twinge of fear or resistance when I was about to donate or throw out a particular item. But this shirt is so cute. My mom gave me this vase. I spent good money on this chair I never sit in. Realizing I had an apartment full of things I thought I couldn’t part with felt like I was under some sort of spell. Like these things had an invisible hold on me because in some twisted sense I was deriving a sense of value or worth from them. Once I pushed myself past this initial hump of separation anxiety, the results were so freeing. I was still me, even without my cute apartment or a closet full of carefully curated outfits. One year later I truly don’t miss anything I got rid of.

The purging “high”
One of my first steps in downsizing was to list all my big ticket items on Craigslist. I sold my bedframe, mattress, couch, dresser, bookshelf, computer desk, two side tables, lamps, an accent chair and patio furniture for cold hard cash. Once I started closing deals it became a sort of game to see how much I could sell. I began to realize that my things and my decor aesthetic didn’t define me. I realized the more sentimental or emotional value I attached to something, the more empowering it was to part with it. I began to wonder how much I could get rid of and still be happy—turns out, just about everything. Now that I’m settled into my new place, I pick one area of the apartment monthly to purge just for fun.

Happy with less
At times, looking around my almost-bare apartment before the move felt lonely and empty. At other times I felt a sense of pride, accomplishment and freedom. Both emotional journeys usually ended up at the same place: reflecting on who I am and what I want out of life. I couldn’t look around and pretend that things felt normal and comfortable. I couldn’t feel passive and complacent. My bare floors and walls were a constant reminder that life is full of change, full of loss and transition and that is okay. Embracing the change helped me focus on what is constant in my life and appreciate my closest relationships.

Hot tips
Throughout the process, I got a lot of my inspiration and encouragement from bloggers pursuing a minimalist lifestyle, and TheMinimalists.com was like my Bible. Here are some tips and tricks I picked up along the way that may be helpful if you’re considering a minimal-ish lifestyle:

1. Go with your gut: If you have an instinct that you don’t want or need something, don’t second-guess yourself, toss it!
2. Know what makes you happy: If you truly get a lot of use or joy from an item, keep it. If not, toss it!
3. The 90-90 rule: if you haven’t used the item in the last 90 days and probably won’t in the next 90, toss it!
4. The 20-20 rule: if you’re holding onto an item “just in case,” but it costs less than $20 and you can drive less than 20 minutes to buy a new one, toss it!