EDIT: this thread starts up again at post #35, almost a year later with new information

:o Okay, so I just need a little affirmation that what I'm thinking about isn't that big of a deal. Well it is but I can do it. I'm sure it will sound silly to some people.

I am going to be moving soon, out of my 1,800 sq ft 3 bdrm townhouse and into an APARTMENT (yikes!). My son moved out a few weeks ago so it's just me and 2 cats left here. I don't need all this living space. So I've been looking for a 2 bedroom place that's near where I live (want 2 bdrm cuz I have a LOT of stuff). I want to stay in the neighborhood, because my parents live very close by and their health is deteriorating and I want to be available to help as much as I can, as quickly as I can. So that narrowed my choices down quite a bit. There is one large apt. complex that I'd love to live in, but the 2 bdrm apts are just too expensive (I found some 2 bdrm apts I can afford, but they're a 10-15 minute drive from my parents; still not too bad, I know).

I decided to just LOOK at their 1 bdrm. floor plans an found that they have 1 bdrm lofts - kitchen, dining & living rms, laundry and 1/2 bath on the main level; bedroom, full bath & walk in closet on the 2nd floor/lofted area. I like the idea of a loft because it FEELS more spacious. So I started thinking maybe I can do this...:nails:

Here's the hard part. It is only 810 sq. ft.!!!! Plus I get a small storage locker in the basement. Everything in my head says to do it, but I already feel claustrophobic just thinking about it! Not only do I have a lot of boxes of "stuff", I have a lot of furniture. I'd have to move in 2 months. I cannot comprehend getting rid of that much stuff in 2 months. Nor do I think it's such a good idea to sort through so much so quickly and try to get rid of stuff.

So okay... maybe I could put some stuff at my parents' place for a little while and then sort through it. Can I adapt to such a small space? It was very hard moving from a 4,000 sq ft place to this 1,800 sq ft home 8 months ago. I don't know what I'm afraid of...maybe that I'll get there and get too terribly depressed about the small space, and feel too cramped, and be miserable.

Meeting the apt. lady today at 1:30 to view the apt...maybe I'll get a better feel for things then. BTW, if I rent the 1 bdrm I'd save $4,560/yr over what I'm paying now, and would save $2,160 over the 2 bdrms farther away.

I think I just need someone else's thoughts on this...

what is the single most important reason why you are moving?

Just one reason?

what is the single most important reason why you are moving?

Just one reason?

To save money.

Yes, you can do that.

810 is small in comparison to what you are used to, but how much of that 1800 sf are you actually using? Also, a well laid out 810 sf apartment can be a lot more functional than a poorly laid out apartment much larger.

As for only having two months to get rid of your stuff, that is plenty of time.

Make a list of needs as far as furniture goes. I would sell everything else unless it is a family heirloom. with the money you make, you can buy some great inexpensive pieces for your new place that can be dual purpose (i.e., ottoman with storage or a cool trunk with storage capacity as a coffee table. a sofa table behind the sofa that doubles as a desk. )

I think you will feel so much freer having less stuff. I understand that living in a smaller space might make you feel cramped, but if you do it right and go hard-core with getting rid of stuff, it might just feel like a fresh start.

Do you have a floor plan for this place? I'd love to see it.

Easy.


Throw out everything you have not used in the last 12 months. Kids stuff? Tell them to take it, or its going to the trash. You'll cut down your "stuff" by half.

I used to live out of my car- and had a large toolbox AND a guitar in a B210 compact car. People have too much stuff- that is affluenza. My observation is women have a harder time with this (possibly a nesting instinct thing- as a poor guess....) than men. My wife even keeps boxes in case we need them to mail something some year. Me? Guitars, ski's, books and music- oh, and some clothes ;)..... could easily fit in a one bedroom apartment.

Why would you WANT to keep all the old stuff, if you're not using it? IMHO, of course....

You mentioned that it has a loft with a bathroom. So why not put your bedroom up there and use the bedroom as an office, or vice versa? What more do you need than a kitchen, living room, office, bedroom, and bathroom?

I like the idea of the bedroom being used as the office. Bedrooms have a lot of wall space which can be used for tall bookcases and other storage possibilities. In a bedroom, you don't need all that wall space which makes the loft a great option for the bedroom.

We are not what we own or where we live, we are not our jobs or the car we drive.

We are what we do.

If you know deep down that what you need to do is cut expenses, then that is what you need to do.

Acting inconsistent with what you know you need to do is the single largest contributor to frustration, depression and aggravation (is for me anyway).

To save money.

then nothing else matters

- pick the lowest cost
- sell the extra stuff
- make it a cozy home

If you are really tight for space, you could get a pull out sleeper sofa with an innerspring air mattress. They are actually pretty comfortable when you upgrade to the innerspring air mattress. That way you wouldn't have to have a bedroom at all and your living room could double as your sleeping quarters, but go back to being a living room when you have company. You could use the money you make from selling your furniture to pay for the pull out sleeper sofa.

Obviously this isn't ideal, but with a little creativity, you can definitely make 810 sf work.

HERE'S THE FLOOR PLAN:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y190/Awake_5/Prairie.gif


I feel better about this already - you guys are really helpful! There is still something icky about this, gripping my insides. It really isn't a status thing, I think I'm still just adjusting to the spacial changes. It is a big adjustment to make, even just walking in the door. My house was so grand and open, and now I feel like I'm in a cave.

I will need to just work on my mind more. And John you are so right about acting inconsistenly with what we know we need to do; I am the same way. I KNOW this is best, especially since I plan on going back to school to get my bachelor's degree. I need to keep expenses down as much as possible.

:tiphat:

HERE'S THE FLOOR PLAN:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y190/Awake_5/Prairie.gif


I feel better about this already - you guys are really helpful! There is still something icky about this, gripping my insides. It really isn't a status thing, I think I'm still just adjusting to the spacial changes. It is a big adjustment to make, even just walking in the door. My house was so grand and open, and now I feel like I'm in a cave.

I will need to just work on my mind more. And John you are so right about acting inconsistenly with what we know we need to do; I am the same way. I KNOW this is best, especially since I plan on going back to school to get my bachelor's degree. I need to keep expenses down as much as possible.

:tiphat:


That is a small floor plan. I misunderstood when you said loft. I thought that was in addition to a bedroom.

You can definitely still make it work though, but it will take getting rid of a lot and possibly downsizing to much smaller scale furniture.

If you tell me the dimensions of the pieces you currently have that you want to use (dining table, chairs, sofa, end table, coffee table, tv stand, etc) , I can quickly draw them into the plan and show you what it will look like. I would need the width, length, and depth.

Awake,

I drew some furniture right on the floor plan; its a little messy looking but you can still get the idea.

I moved where they designated the dining room to a different location. It may be further away from the kitchen, but I think it makes better use of the space.

I drew two oversized chairs rather than a sofa. you can get a sofa in there, but I think the traffic flow is better with the two chairs and will feel less cramped. If you have more than two people who need to sit, you can pull the dining room chairs over. Having two oversized chairs rather than a sofa allows for more flexibility of the space when you need to rearrange or fit more people in.


I saw a nice spot for a desk or an armoire (depending on the height of that wall there). You can use one of the dining room chairs for a seat. If you could do an armoire with a desk space built in, that would be great because it gives you a nice work space and more storage than a standard desk. And keeps your mess out of sight when you have a guest over. It will be a tight space, but you can make it work.

You mentioned how your old house had a grand entrance and you might miss that. I think you could get a really attractive wool rug for your kitchen that could help create a nice warm welcoming entrance.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v723/MeredithinCO/avatars%20etc/AAL.jpg

Awake,

I drew some furniture right on the floor plan; its a little messy looking but you can still get the idea.

I moved where they designated the dining room to a different location. It may be further away from the kitchen, but I think it makes better use of the space.

I drew two oversized chairs rather than a sofa. you can get a sofa in there, but I think the traffic flow is better with the two chairs and will feel less cramped. If you have more than two people who need to sit, you can pull the dining room chairs over. Having two oversized chairs rather than a sofa allows for more flexibility of the space when you need to rearrange or fit more people in.


I saw a nice spot for a desk or an armoire (depending on the height of that wall there). You can use one of the dining room chairs for a seat. If you could do an armoire with a desk space built in, that would be great because it gives you a nice work space and more storage than a standard desk. And keeps your mess out of sight when you have a guest over. It will be a tight space, but you can make it work.

You mentioned how your old house had a grand entrance and you might miss that. I think you could get a really attractive wool rug for your kitchen that could help create a nice warm welcoming entrance.

WOW!!! You are really good at this stuff!! Not that I didn't already KNOW that...:thumb: Moving the DR table over there makes a lot of sense; I was having trouble with that small area. I can see just from what you did here that my curent living room set isn't going to work. I have a couch, love seat, and recliner. And both end seats of the couch & love seat recline, so space needs to be allowed for that. It may be hard to sell the furniture due to cats using it as scratching posts :mad:, but otherwise it's in good shape so who knows. I can't quite picture an armoire w/ a desk space built in...if you have a pic available that'd be cool to see.

Well I just went and saw the place. It's small. :o But it's "cute", and is really all I need. The kitchen is bigger than some of the plans I've seen, and if I got this actual unit, the balcony has southern exposure :cool:. They also have an outdoor pool :thumb:, a 24 hr fitness center, and a community room (which can be reserved and used for free for group gatherings/events), and underground parking. I am going to spend some time this afternoon (off work early) going through my current home & writing down the things I REALLY REALLY want to keep, and then go from there.

Interesting side note, that was an idea my dad had: I asked the leasing associate - who happens to be the manager - if they are looking for any part-time help showing apts & she said as a matter of fact, they are! So we talked a bit about it and I'll be emailing her my resume in a few minutes. It'd only be about 12 hrs/wk May-Aug, but it's something! :D

WOW!!! You are really good at this stuff!! Not that I didn't already KNOW that...:thumb: Moving the DR table over there makes a lot of sense; I was having trouble with that small area. I can see just from what you did here that my curent living room set isn't going to work. I have a couch, love seat, and recliner. And both end seats of the couch & love seat recline, so space needs to be allowed for that. It may be hard to sell the furniture due to cats using it as scratching posts :mad:, but otherwise it's in good shape so who knows. I can't quite picture an armoire w/ a desk space built in...if you have a pic available that'd be cool to see.

Well I just went and saw the place. It's small. :o But it's "cute", and is really all I need. The kitchen is bigger than some of the plans I've seen, and if I got this actual unit, the balcony has southern exposure :cool:. They also have an outdoor pool :thumb:, a 24 hr fitness center, and a community room (which can be reserved and used for free for group gatherings/events), and underground parking. I am going to spend some time this afternoon (off work early) going through my current home & writing down the things I REALLY REALLY want to keep, and then go from there.

Interesting side note, that was an idea my dad had: I asked the leasing associate - who happens to be the manager - if they are looking for any part-time help showing apts & she said as a matter of fact, they are! So we talked a bit about it and I'll be emailing her my resume in a few minutes. It'd only be about 12 hrs/wk May-Aug, but it's something! :D

Congrats on getting some additional work showing apartments! Very resourceful!

Here is what I mean by armoire desk.

http://www.visiondecor.net/ebay/800621.jpg
http://freshome.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/seymour-home-office-armoire.jpg

AAL,

craigslist is a great resource for moving your old furniture, as well as finding new stuff if you need it, like the stuff Meri has suggested.

The key is to ensure that the fix does not make anything worse than before, that means the fix is well defined, and you stick to the plan through thick and thin.

With the help of someone like Meri to create a livable space you will find the financial benefit of following through on your plan to be not only a great reward in and of itself, but I predict it will also help generate some momentum.

AAL,

If you give me the dimensions of the furniture you have, I will draw it in.

pS. I think you should change the punctuation of the title of this thread so that it reads, "I can do this right. "

AAL,

If you give me the dimensions of the furniture you have, I will draw it in.

pS. I think you should change the punctuation of the title of this thread so that it reads, "I can do this right. "

Sorry - forgot about the dimension - will go do that right now!!!

Love your title change idea!:rulz: (but I don't think I can make the change, can I? :hmm:)

i am so looking forward to following this thread
Good for you Awake for making the RIGHT decisions and making moves on them...
Only thing i can say ( and ys i am stereo typing so i apologies ) but in the past when with a partner if we sold furniture to move into a smaller place she would always buy more expensive modern furniture to replace it with because " it was more functional for a smaller building " when there was the exact same thing cheaper else where....which kind of defeated the purpose of moving into a small place to save money...
Then when we moved o a bigger place of course he smaller furniture no longer would work so she had to replace it again!!!!!!!!!TazTaz

Im sure you are not cut from the same cloth but it is some thing i think that needs a bit of focus to make sure your goal is achieved :thumb:

width, length, and depth:

* I didn't know what you meant by length, so I just did width and depth *
MAIN LEVEL
Couch: W-96" D -38"/56" (2nd figure is when reclined)
Love Seat: W-70 D - 38"/56"
Recliner: W-43" D-42"/63"
Coffee Table: W-48" D-23"
2 End Tables: W-18" D-22"
Sofa Table: W-48" D-20"
Tiny Oak Table/Stand: W-10" D-14"
TV stand: W-39" D-20"
Dining Rm Table: W-36" D-36"
Bookcase: W-28.5" D-12"

I have an office desk plus another couch & love seat, coffee table, a pool table, treadmill, other misc. that I KNOW I'll have to get rid of so I won't even put them out here.

UPPER LEVEL
Queen bed: W-62" D-84"
Night Stand: W-24.5" D-16"
Dresser w/out mirror att'd: W-63" D-17"
Chest: W-36" D-17"
Round chair: 33"

Wow - this will take awhile......be back in a bit with measurements!

Edit: DONE! I sure wouldn't EXPECT you to do all of this, Merr...especially since you're probably trying to get out early on this pre-holiday Friday afternoon!

Love your title change idea!:rulz: (but I don't think I can make the change, can I? :hmm:)

It worked this time! I had tried it one other time & it didn't work so I just thought I was doing it wrong.

I actually own a flip chart - yes, one that sits on a tripod & has huge graphed paper - and I think now would be a good time to use it. I'm going to make a list of all the furniture & misc. things that I MUST sell, things I REFUSE to sell, and the stuff that can go either way. The living room furniture is "either way" right now until I know if it will fit. Then get things cleaned up if necessary, take pictures & starting getting things out on craigslist. I'll probably have a Moving Sale a few weekends, as well as a regular garage/yard sale.

width, length, and depth:

* I didn't know what you meant by length, so I just did width and depth *
MAIN LEVEL
Couch: W-96" D -38"/56" (2nd figure is when reclined)
Love Seat: W-70 D - 38"/56"
Recliner: W-43" D-42"/63"
Coffee Table: W-48" D-23"
2 End Tables: W-18" D-22"
Sofa Table: W-48" D-20"
Tiny Oak Table/Stand: W-10" D-14"
TV stand: W-39" D-20"
Dining Rm Table: W-36" D-36"
Bookcase: W-28.5" D-12"

I have an office desk plus another couch & love seat, coffee table, a pool table, treadmill, other misc. that I KNOW I'll have to get rid of so I won't even put them out here.

UPPER LEVEL
Queen bed: W-62" D-84"
Night Stand: W-24.5" D-16"
Dresser w/out mirror att'd: W-63" D-17"
Chest: W-36" D-17"
Round chair: 33"

Wow - this will take awhile......be back in a bit with measurements!

Edit: DONE! I sure wouldn't EXPECT you to do all of this, Merr...especially since you're probably trying to get out early on this pre-holiday Friday afternoon!


Is your dining room table round or square?
Go ahead and put your loveseat dimensions on here; it may be a better option than the sofa.

*EDITED, Never mind, i see that you have the loveseat dims on here. thanks

i am so looking forward to following this thread
Good for you Awake for making the RIGHT decisions and making moves on them...
Only thing i can say ( and ys i am stereo typing so i apologies ) but in the past when with a partner if we sold furniture to move into a smaller place she would always buy more expensive modern furniture to replace it with because " it was more functional for a smaller building " when there was the exact same thing cheaper else where....which kind of defeated the purpose of moving into a small place to save money...
Then when we moved o a bigger place of course he smaller furniture no longer would work so she had to replace it again!!!!!!!!!TazTaz

Im sure you are not cut from the same cloth but it is some thing i think that needs a bit of focus to make sure your goal is achieved :thumb:

Thanks, Aus.

I tend to have expensive taste and without even trying to, gravitate towards the more expensive things. That doesn't mean I have to buy them, though. I think "functionality" is going to be my word of focus during this transition. And I'm thinking "go vertical" whenever I can, since floor space is so minimal.

width, length, and depth:

* I didn't know what you meant by length, so I just did width and depth *
MAIN LEVEL
Couch: W-96" D -38"/56" (2nd figure is when reclined)
Love Seat: W-70 D - 38"/56"
Recliner: W-43" D-42"/63"
Coffee Table: W-48" D-23"
2 End Tables: W-18" D-22"
Sofa Table: W-48" D-20"
Tiny Oak Table/Stand: W-10" D-14"
TV stand: W-39" D-20"
Dining Rm Table: W-36" D-36"
Bookcase: W-28.5" D-12"

I have an office desk plus another couch & love seat, coffee table, a pool table, treadmill, other misc. that I KNOW I'll have to get rid of so I won't even put them out here.

UPPER LEVEL
Queen bed: W-62" D-84"
Night Stand: W-24.5" D-16"
Dresser w/out mirror att'd: W-63" D-17"
Chest: W-36" D-17"
Round chair: 33"

Wow - this will take awhile......be back in a bit with measurements!

Edit: DONE! I sure wouldn't EXPECT you to do all of this, Merr...especially since you're probably trying to get out early on this pre-holiday Friday afternoon!



Cool now lets see how really good ya are and see ya convert it to Metric :D:D:D

Its all about the fun along the way :lildevil:

Is your dining room table round or square?
Go ahead and put your loveseat dimensions on here; it may be a better option than the sofa.

Dining room table is square

The other couch & love seat I referred to I wouldn't want to have as my living room furniture. The stuff I WANT to keep is what I gave you measurements for.

I played around a bit with your furniture for the first level. (I didn't have time to do the upper level. will work on it on Monday) I was able to fit quite a few pieces that you currently own, but could not fit everything on your list. Unfortunately, it was really difficult to work with your furniture in this space. That isn't to say that you cannot use some of your furniture, but as you will see in these layouts, it feels forced and awkward.

I can get the large sofa, but it will not be able to recline. I think it is too big for this space and will make the space feel cramped. The space will feel more spacious with the loveseat perhaps. I can draw that in on Monday if you would like to see that arrangement.

I like the size of the dining table; it works nicely in this space.

The recliner and sofa really eat up so much of the space, and then make it difficult to use what space is left over. See the odd space behind the recliner?

I recommend doing what you can to get smaller sofa/chair and I would also get rid of the sofa table. It isn't that funcitonal given the limited space.


I don't mean to discourage you; you can definitely make some of this work but I think you should have a realistic knowledge going into this that you may need to get smaller furniture and/or add a few pieces to make this space more functional. Keep in mind you don't have to have all of this new stuff right away. You can move in with the stuff you have and make it work and work on getting it sold and shop around for some used or inexpensive pieces that will work better in your space.



Option 1: you can put a desk where I had one drawn earlier. Getting around the dining table will be very tight.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v723/MeredithinCO/avatars%20etc/AALHORIZONTAL.jpg



Option 2: will probably work better with a loveseat and a smaller side chair. The sofa really is too big for this space. The pathways are tight.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v723/MeredithinCO/avatars%20etc/AALVERTICAL.jpg

Thank you SO MUCH for doing this, Meredith!! You are such a sweet lady! :hug: :kiss: I am not discouraged - I very much prefer to have the facts "straight up" heading into something, rather than getting there and thinking where the F do I put all this stuff?

The furniture really is designed for a larger room; it's big and poofy & squishy and oh so cozy. I sleep in the recliner often when I have a migraine (cuz laying horizontal hurts more). I'm so spoiled w/ recliners it would be hard to go w/out one so maybe I'll try to get a smaller one + a nice love seat.

I'm not parting w/ any of the set of coffee table, end tables, and sofa table...they are mission style oak furniture - good quality - and the first nice set of oak I've ever owned (my ex-hubby always insisted on laminate furniture) and I hope to pass them on to my kids some day. So I'll just plan on putting what won't fit into storage. :yup:

I'm trying to think of this as a new adventure - a fun challenge in a way...I'm not sure if I've convinced my inner self yet, though :o. I feel like wine, snacks, and a movie right now... This may sound a bit mellow-dramatic (okay a LOT!) but this feels like one of the hardest things I've attempted to do in a long time. I am not sure if I can go through with it. Just need to push myself a little harder. :yup:

Thank you SO MUCH for doing this, Meredith!! You are such a sweet lady! :hug: :kiss: I am not discouraged - I very much prefer to have the facts "straight up" heading into something, rather than getting there and thinking where the F do I put all this stuff?

The furniture really is designed for a larger room; it's big and poofy & squishy and oh so cozy. I sleep in the recliner often when I have a migraine (cuz laying horizontal hurts more). I'm so spoiled w/ recliners it would be hard to go w/out one so maybe I'll try to get a smaller one + a nice love seat.

I'm not parting w/ any of the set of coffee table, end tables, and sofa table...they are mission style oak furniture - good quality - and the first nice set of oak I've ever owned (my ex-hubby always insisted on laminate furniture) and I hope to pass them on to my kids some day. So I'll just plan on putting what won't fit into storage. :yup:

I'm trying to think of this as a new adventure - a fun challenge in a way...I'm not sure if I've convinced my inner self yet, though :o. I feel like wine, snacks, and a movie right now... This may sound a bit mellow-dramatic (okay a LOT!) but this feels like one of the hardest things I've attempted to do in a long time. I am not sure if I can go through with it. Just need to push myself a little harder. :yup:


You are welcome; I was glad to be of service. :tiphat:

I played around a bit with your furniture for the first level. (I didn't have time to do the upper level. will work on it on Monday)

Wow and people say that successvibe is "dead"

I'd rather be a small caring community that helps one another than have a gazillion posts.

Great Example Merri!!!

I'd rather be a small caring community that helps one another than have a gazillion posts.

Great Example Merri!!!

:whs: :hapdance: :thumb: :yup: :dance: :tiphat: :dance2:

Wow and people say that successvibe is "dead"

I'd rather be a small caring community that helps one another than have a gazillion posts.

Great Example Merri!!!

Agreed- community is not defined by our differences, which is what a lot of posting is about. These are the real meat- not the train wrecks. IMHO, of course.

So it's a new day. Looking at this with fresh eyes. I woke up and the first thought was "how would I approach this if I were a Realtor helping out a buyer?" Meaning look at how this space fits the buyer's needs and lifestyle, or does it? And this is where I am torn.

One of my favorite things is to have my parents over to watch a movie or football, along with my son, his fiance & my granddaughter. Now that my other son moved out, a visit from him would be extra-special so having him over on these occasions would be a "must". And he just got a girlfriend. So that's a minimum of 3, maximum of 7 adults plus a toddler hanging out on a Sunday afternoon. It would just be too crowded, and without enough comfortable seating for everyone. BUT...my older son is moving to WA state this summer so that changes things. Plus there is a clubhouse I can use for free w/ a t.v. & seating for larger groups if need be. So okay - took care of that one just by typing this out! :D

One other concern is when my granddaughter sleeps over night, there wouldn't be anywhere I can put her & shut the door so I don't wake her up w/ my noises. When she sleeps over at my place now she sleeps in my room; I shut the door & go downstairs to watch t.v. & do whatever...and I sleep on the couch.

All in all it is still a very good option. Batman asked me what my #1 reason was & I said to save $. My #2 reason or goal, is to remain geographically close to my parents. This is the BEST way to do this, as I will still be close enough that they could easily walk to my place if they wanted to & vice versa. The next closest place is too far to walk. So I have to keep in mind that although there are some difficult inconveniences, it does meet my #1 & #2 objectives.

So I have to keep in mind that although there are some difficult inconveniences, it does meet my #1 & #2 objectives.

Awake I have learned that there are rarely perfect solutions to any problem even if you are rolling in dough.

Remember those short term inconveniences will all be worth it down the road

Awake,

Sorry I didn't get to your upper floor plan today. I got preoccupied with my own stuff and a crazy day at work too. I will get to it soon though.

Awake,

Sorry I didn't get to your upper floor plan today. I got preoccupied with my own stuff and a crazy day at work too. I will get to it soon though.

Don't worry about it at all! If you're busy this shouldn't even be on your radar. A few things need to happen just right before I can even GET this place, so I have plenty of time to figure out if my bedroom furniture will fit or if I need to sell it along w/ much of my other stuff.

NOTE THAT TODAY IS APRIL 3, 2010 - almost a year after the thread was started.

I was VERY surprised to find this thread when I came out here a few nights ago. I am wrestling with another housing decision which has been on my mind for several weeks now, and had finally decided to get some input from you fine folks. When I came into this sub-forum and saw that I had a thread here, I read it. I WAS TOTALLY BLOWN AWAY to realize that I am experiencing almost the same exact thing right now. I didn't even remember going through this struggle until I read this thread!! How quickly the mind forgets...:( And I was very disheartened to see how much money I determined I'd save over the last place, yet I do not see that money in my bank accounts.

What I'm considering now is quite extreme, by any measure. I am CONSIDERING moving into a studio (aka efficiency) apartment, which is about 526 sq ft. Why? I'd save $169/mo in rent ($2,028/yr). I am looking a bit further down the road and the alimony/maintenance income from my ex-hubby end in Feb. 2012. That will be a drastic decrease in my income. And my parents have been giving us "kids" a monthly "pre-inheritance" stipend that will end in a few years, so that's another drop in my current income (though not huge).

THE ONLY WAY I will allow myself to consider this option any further - because I've determined I really DO want to do it - is:

(1) if I make significant progress in getting rid of a lot of my junk...BOXES and BOXES of papers & plain old junk. I'm going to give myself 4 weeks to do this.
(2) if the studio apartment down the hall is still available after I've purged. Moving to another building or any other property would cost money and a lot of stress, neither of which I can afford right now (plus there aren't any good options out there; have spent a lot of time looking). Moving down the hall means I can keep my stuff in the storage locker in the underground parking area, I keep my parking space, and we don't need to load stuff onto a truck.
(3) if I have a financial PLAN on how to use the money saved. Otherwise I will be sacrificing something I now LOVE (my current apartment) for no good reason.

I am a little concerned about the feeling of being too cramped, but I have adjusted very well to my current place, which seemed like it would be way too small in the beginning. It isn't the loft described earlier, but a nice corner unit w/ a great view.

So, as with some of the things we Vibers post, I am not sure what - if anything - I am looking for. Maybe things I haven't considered, or different ways to look at this, or a "what - you are crazy to move into a studio!!!" Whatever ya got, or dont got.... :thumb:

NOTE THAT TODAY IS APRIL 3, 2010 - almost a year after the thread was started.

I was VERY surprised to find this thread when I came out here a few nights ago. I am wrestling with another housing decision which has been on my mind for several weeks now, and had finally decided to get some input from you fine folks. When I came into this sub-forum and saw that I had a thread here, I read it. I WAS TOTALLY BLOWN AWAY to realize that I am experiencing almost the same exact thing right now. I didn't even remember going through this struggle until I read this thread!! How quickly the mind forgets...:( And I was very disheartened to see how much money I determined I'd save over the last place, yet I do not see that money in my bank accounts.

What I'm considering now is quite extreme, by any measure. I am CONSIDERING moving into a studio (aka efficiency) apartment, which is about 526 sq ft. Why? I'd save $169/mo in rent ($2,028/yr). I am looking a bit further down the road and the alimony/maintenance income from my ex-hubby end in Feb. 2012. That will be a drastic decrease in my income. And my parents have been giving us "kids" a monthly "pre-inheritance" stipend that will end in a few years, so that's another drop in my current income (though not huge).

THE ONLY WAY I will allow myself to consider this option any further - because I've determined I really DO want to do it - is:

(1) if I make significant progress in getting rid of a lot of my junk...BOXES and BOXES of papers & plain old junk. I'm going to give myself 4 weeks to do this.
(2) if the studio apartment down the hall is still available after I've purged. Moving to another building or any other property would cost money and a lot of stress, neither of which I can afford right now (plus there aren't any good options out there; have spent a lot of time looking). Moving down the hall means I can keep my stuff in the storage locker in the underground parking area, I keep my parking space, and we don't need to load stuff onto a truck.
(3) if I have a financial PLAN on how to use the money saved. Otherwise I will be sacrificing something I now LOVE (my current apartment) for no good reason.

I am a little concerned about the feeling of being too cramped, but I have adjusted very well to my current place, which seemed like it would be way too small in the beginning. It isn't the loft described earlier, but a nice corner unit w/ a great view.

So, as with some of the things we Vibers post, I am not sure what - if anything - I am looking for. Maybe things I haven't considered, or different ways to look at this, or a "what - you are crazy to move into a studio!!!" Whatever ya got, or dont got.... :thumb:


havign possessions is mostly a security issue.
being certain you have "enough" stuff for that one day might happen event.

I have found that this kind of thinking is a burden.

it was such a relief and freedom when I let go of all of that.

now I think of possessions as tools to be bought and sold or abandoned /given away at need.
for as long as you have your health and abilities I do not need much more than a few changes of clothes and regularly used items like my netbook.
everything else I can borrow or hire when needed.

If you have has something for more than one year and have not used it then chances are you do not need to keep storing it.
you can always get another one if things change.
the freedom this gives is that you need less space for stuff.

visitors can always stay at the hotel down the road. you can always hire a car.

all this lack of stuff means that you have the freedom to travel without paying the cost of a big house and car "back home.

Less is |More!

Girl, you are a survivor! You are strong! Living in a smaller apartment is not going to cramp your style. "Make it work!", as Tim Gund would say (for any Project Runway fans out there). Get rid of a ton of your stuff and set yourself free! This is not a step down; its a step towards freedom and not being tied down! Have fun with it and enjoy your newfound freedom. Make it a game...see how much stuff you can get rid of and how little you actually need in order to get by. This is exciting!

havign possessions is mostly a security issue.
being certain you have "enough" stuff for that one day might happen event.

I have found that this kind of thinking is a burden.

it was such a relief and freedom when I let go of all of that.

now I think of possessions as tools to be bought and sold or abandoned /given away at need.
for as long as you have your health and abilities I do not need much more than a few changes of clothes and regularly used items like my netbook.
everything else I can borrow or hire when needed.

If you have has something for more than one year and have not used it then chances are you do not need to keep storing it.
you can always get another one if things change.
the freedom this gives is that you need less space for stuff.

visitors can always stay at the hotel down the road. you can always hire a car.

all this lack of stuff means that you have the freedom to travel without paying the cost of a big house and car "back home.

Less is |More! I agree that some possesions may qualify as a security issue. Maybe many things. Much of what I WANT I want simply because I LIKE. I LIKE a spacious home with nice furniture and decorations. It makes me feel good, because I am a visual person and get a lot of pleasure from something like that. I know I can be happy with much less than I have now, though. Very good points made!

Girl, you are a survivor! You are strong! Living in a smaller apartment is not going to cramp your style. "Make it work!", as Tim Gund would say (for any Project Runway fans out there). Get rid of a ton of your stuff and set yourself free! This is not a step down; its a step towards freedom and not being tied down! Have fun with it and enjoy your newfound freedom. Make it a game...see how much stuff you can get rid of and how little you actually need in order to get by. This is exciting!

:yippee: Dang right I am!!! :yippee:

It's kind of funny that you wrote all of that because I decided last night that I am going to just do it. (If I can...need to work w/ management) It's silly to wait and see "if" I can get rid of enough stuff; if I can get the apartment, I will HAVE TO get rid of enough stuff - PERIOD! And I already have a plan for the $169/mo I'll be saving. That was easy to come up with. Every month I am going to pay an extra $169 towards whichever credit card balance has the highest interest rate. Once that card is paid off, I'll go to the next highest-rate card, and so forth & so on.

So here's the timing issue. My lease expires July 31. The Studio apt. I want is vacant now. There's a 4 month gap between now and when I can start a lease for the Studio. They won't hold an apartment longer than 6 weeks, even if I'm an employee. My dad had a good idea for a proposal, which I presented to the property manager in an email to her today. I proposed that they allow me to end my lease May 31 and begin a new lease on the Studio June 1. I believe it may be beneficial to them because my current apt. is a 1-bedroom and it would rent more easily (I presume), and it brings in a higher rent for the company. June & July are the busiest months and my apt. would be available in time for that. And it shows very nicely, especially since it's currently occupied. She will likely need to check with the Property Management company that oversees our complex, but hopefully it won't take very long to get an answer.

I like your dad's proposal. I would be surprised if they do not accept it. Keep us posted.

:nails: I spoke w/ the manager tonight and although she needs to speak with upper management on Thursday morning, she is 99.9% sure they will approve of me ending my lease May 31 and moving into the Studio on June 1st! That means moving in 6 weeks...no more "deciding"...I've thrown my hat over the fence and it's time to get serious on making this work out. I am excited, but this is really a huge undertaking, purging so much stuff. :nails: It's all good, though! :yippee: :thumb:

Oh man, i wish I lived closer. I would come help you throw stuff out and get settled in your new place! This sounds fun! I'm excited for you, Awake.

:nails: I spoke w/ the manager tonight and although she needs to speak with upper management on Thursday morning, she is 99.9% sure they will approve of me ending my lease May 31 and moving into the Studio on June 1st! That means moving in 6 weeks...no more "deciding"...I've thrown my hat over the fence and it's time to get serious on making this work out. I am excited, but this is really a huge undertaking, purging so much stuff. :nails: It's all good, though! :yippee: :thumb:

wooo hooo!

exciting news!

get stuck in.

buy a bunch of trash bags and phone the thrift store and organise them doing a pick up. that will give you extra motivation knowing that they are coming. repeat as required until the deed is done.

you might be tempted to use ebay or some other way of reclaiming your investment but that is more work and hassle.
besides you will gain a huge feeling of abundance if you give things away instead of scrabbling for pennies.

Oh man, i wish I lived closer. I would come help you throw stuff out and get settled in your new place! This sounds fun! I'm excited for you, Awake.

That WOULD be so cool! I don't have any friends that would be interested in doing that with me and it would be so much more fun w/ someone else. Oh, well - no biggie!

wooo hooo!

exciting news!

get stuck in.

buy a bunch of trash bags and phone the thrift store and organise them doing a pick up. that will give you extra motivation knowing that they are coming. repeat as required until the deed is done.

you might be tempted to use ebay or some other way of reclaiming your investment but that is more work and hassle.
besides you will gain a huge feeling of abundance if you give things away instead of scrabbling for pennies. I'm filling boxes I'll drop off. I am pretty sure they don't have a pickup at our apartment complex, and there is a location fairly close by that I don't mind driving to.

I am not going to try eBay. MAYBE craigslist for some bigger things like my bedroom furniture. But my manager at the apartment complex may be buying that, and my office desk.

I got an email today from my manager asking if she could show my apartment tomorrow!! :eek: Which shows her level of confidence this will work out. But....y'all know my record in the housekeeping area :rolleyes: My place is a mess and I am not supposed to be on my feet a whole lot (injured tendon in ankle), so I can't get a whole lot done. That'll teach me, huh? :hopeless: Just keep the place neat & tidy & I wouldn't get in a jam like this! :nono:

Thanks for the confidence/support in this crazy adventure! From 4,000 sq ft house in 2008 to 526 sq ft studio apartment in 2010 - unbelievable!

Just wanted to quickly share something I realized the other day...

Size doesn't matter. Quality does. (do I hear a lot of guys saying "amen!" ?)

I realized some things about my values, or what I value regarding my living environment. I had a few options on where to move. It came down to moving into a unit that was part of a 3-unit house, or the Studio apartment. There was a lot more SPACE in the house unit, but the quality wasn't there. Outside parking, the building was old & icky, and a few other things that just really didn't sit well with me. I had a real bad feeling about it. Living in the aparment complex where I am - and where the Studio apartment is I'm moving into - I feel GOOD. Clean, safe, comfortable. Run by a good management company and I know I'll be well taken care of here. I chose to give up a lot of extra living space for these things. I gave up size for quality, and I feel great about it!

Couldn't agree more. This is a good change for you!

Awake,

When I first read you update, I said "oh no", and cringed a bit. I'm very pleased as I read more posts to see that these went away. I hope you understand when I explain...

Your update post says:

I'll ONLY CONSIDER doing "something" if this and if that and if another thing all happen.

You set yourself so many failure rules, I'm surprised you followed through.

You did though, even after claiming that this was barely an idea, you went ahead and spoke to the manager, and now, your "if's" are MUSTs!!

You've gotta love it when the universe steps in to help you achieve. Be careful what you IF for... :)

Awake,

When I first read you update, I said "oh no", and cringed a bit. I'm very pleased as I read more posts to see that these went away. I hope you understand when I explain...

Your update post says:

I'll ONLY CONSIDER doing "something" if this and if that and if another thing all happen.

You set yourself so many failure rules, I'm surprised you followed through.

You did though, even after claiming that this was barely an idea, you went ahead and spoke to the manager, and now, your "if's" are MUSTs!!

You've gotta love it when the universe steps in to help you achieve. Be careful what you IF for... :)

What you witnessed here was me trying to be more careful in making a decision. I've been accused of being too spontaneous with "major" decisions and not looking at all the angles. And I agree to an extent with that observation. I sometimes find something that looks like a very good solution to a problem, but then ends up creating more problems than it solves.

So the 3 "rules" I set up (I'm assuming these are what you meant when you said "so many failure rules"...?) were my way of keeping myself focused on what is important here. If #2 and #3 hadn't been met (I decided #1 wasn't important), I really don't think I'd be moving. And I don't think I would consider the experience a failure. Not 100% sure on that. Let's look at that a little more...

What if I decided NONE of the 3 "rules" were important, and I decided to move to the unit in the 3-unit house. Gave my notice at the apartments and plan to move at the end of July. Pack up the whole apartment, storage unit, rent a truck, find strong guys to help and/or hire someone, and move to the new place, unpack etc. $$ spent on moving, lots up upheaval & stress added to my life. NOPE - definitely would not feel that this experience was a failure because this is not a good option!!

What if I decided NONE of the 3 "rules" were important, and I decided to stay where I am. I wouldn't feel this experience was a failure because I would know that I looked at what is most important to me and made my decision based on that. Everything has a cost.

You've gotta love it when the universe steps in to help you achieve. Be careful what you IF for... I knew when the thought first popped into my head that I might be crazy enough to do it. I remember thinking "I cant. But just what if........?" (that's how the skydiving thing started, too! :D)

Thanks for making me think about this more deeply, Mark! I feel better than ever about what I'm doing :thumb:

Awake,

When I first read you update, I said "oh no", and cringed a bit. I'm very pleased as I read more posts to see that these went away. I hope you understand when I explain...

Your update post says:

I'll ONLY CONSIDER doing "something" if this and if that and if another thing all happen.

You set yourself so many failure rules, I'm surprised you followed through.

You did though, even after claiming that this was barely an idea, you went ahead and spoke to the manager, and now, your "if's" are MUSTs!!

You've gotta love it when the universe steps in to help you achieve. Be careful what you IF for... :)
when did you get back mark?? ... great to see ya!! :D :yippee::wave:

This is great news, Awake! So today is May 29, hope your adventure is going well!

Hey Awake, we miss you here. Hope you are getting settled into your new place.

This is great news, Awake! So today is May 29, hope your adventure is going well!

Hey Awake, we miss you here. Hope you are getting settled into your new place.

Hi ladies! :wave: Thanks for missing me, Meredith :hug:

Well, it certainly has been an "experience"!!! And continues to be, as I work on sorting through my stuff, sending more to Goodwill and more to the storage in my parents' basement. I made a video of my new apartment the night the last thing was moved in. Here it is (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izcX-tJ60dc), but I must warn you it is 7 minutes long and a bit on the boring side unless you really want to see my place. Keep in mind that I look like TOTAL CRAP because it was about midnight after a long, grueling day of working both jobs and then finishing up the move from 8p-midnight. Turn your volume up, as I am a bit quiet...

I am liking it okay...it will take some time to get used to I think. The cats seem a bit perplexed because there's not much room for them to run & chase each other, or play. It was nice paying the June rent - $169 cheaper than before!!! And I have a deck that faces south & doesn't have an overhang, so I sat in the sun for a little while yesterday and got a slight tan :thumb: I will be buying some flowers soon to put on the deck also - something I haven't had since selling my house in '08. I LOVE flowers so this is a very bright spot in the whole experience!!

First of all... welcome back :hug:

What a great place... Kudos listening for an earthquake was by far my favorite :biglaugh:

The place is absolutely beautiful, no bedroom?

First of all... welcome back :hug:

What a great place... Kudos listening for an earthquake was by far my favorite :biglaugh:

The place is absolutely beautiful, no bedroom?

Thanks! And you are the first person to mention the earthquake thing...I thought it was pretty funny, too! ;)

A Studio/Efficiency apartment, by definition, has no bedroom. I should not have assumed that everyone knew that - sorry! Most people put a twin sized bed in the all-purpose room, then a small sofa or loveseat & tv. Since my queen sized bed wouldn't work here, and to save money, I sold my entire bedroom set and will be using my large fluffy sofa as my bed. I slept on it 99% of the time anyway, as my mattress hurt my back and my sofa doesn't. The sofa is visually too large for this room, but I figured since I'm not also squeezing in a bed somewhere it will all work out.

THIS IS THE GENERAL FLOOR PLAN OF MY APARTMENT. MY CLOSET IS A LITTLE BIGGER THAN THE ONE SHOWN HERE & LAID OUT JUST A little BIT DIFFERENTLY, WHICH MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE TO ME. AND MY CLOSET DOOR OPENS INTO THE BATHROOM AND NOT INTO THE CLOSET.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y190/Awake_5/StudioFloorPlan.jpg

I've gotten pretty creative in how I store things, and have a long way to go. I will create another video once it's all done and I have all of my decorations up - I can't wait!!!

Great job Awake! So happy for you!!! :DC:

Thanks! And you are the first person to mention the earthquake thing...I thought it was pretty funny, too! ;)



It was just too funny! I had to watch it again just to see that :D

I wasn't aware that studio apartments didn't have a bedroom. Will you be sleeping on your couch?

It was just too funny! I had to watch it again just to see that :D

I wasn't aware that studio apartments didn't have a bedroom. Will you be sleeping on your couch?

Yup!

Yup!

You should get a futon, those are awesome!!!! I have one that I used to sleep on when the kids and I shared a two bedroom apartment. It was darn cozy... but you have to get a good mattress for it, like with anything.

Well, aside from all the boxes ;) your place looks awesome!!! Someday I will have a little place just like that all to myself. My house is way too big for me.

I thought about buying a futon, but the whole idea is to save money and buying a futon means spending money. My cats have damaged my current furniture w/ their claws enough that I probably couldn't sell it for a decent price. Plus the couch & recliner are both VERY comforable!! And the cats LOVE to sleep on the pillow-top backs of the couch.

One week - in one more week I will have this place all unpacked and decorated :thumb:

One week - in one more week I will have this place all unpacked and decorated :thumb:

I expect another video then. :)