Though Girlawhirl is still waiting for the big upgrade from her little apartment, there are some people in her life looking to take a step down. One Super Pal opting to simplify her life is cashing out of her oversized home in lieu of something cozier. While she says it's a move she's really looking forward to, the thought of whittling down all of her belongings collected over a lifetime seemed like too daunting of a task even to begin. But with a little determination, and a trusty new book for guidance, Girlawhirl and her Super Pal got cracking…
Forget about the furniture, Girlawhirl's Super Pal couldn't even decide what to do with the contents of her attic. But with the help of New York City interior designer Lauri Ward – a woman used to working with small spaces – and her new book Downsizing Your Home With Style Girlawhirl was ready to help her friend attack her moving conundrum.
Ward suggests anyone looking to downsize should ask themselves very important questions like “When was the last time I looked at this?” and “Will I really miss this?” before deciding whether to take it or toss it. She also says to know your new home's dimensions, guessing the distance between the corner and the door jam doesn't cut it.
Knowing what to always, sometimes, and never take is the first step to easy downsizing, with style of course.
Ward says items like a couch and matching chairs, anything with closed storage or that swivels are optimal for smaller scaled living. She also suggests taking a second look at loveseats or end tables without storage to make sure there's room for them before loading them in the moving truck. And things like overgrown plants, old and uninteresting art work, out of date audio equipment and books that have never, and most likely will never, be read should all be left far, far behind.
But with so many tips, photos and ideas, the oh-so intimidating task just became completely doable. Though Girlawhirl maintains heavy lifting is not in her contract.
related articles:
| Apr 12, 2007: | Girlawhirl finds some extra space in her closet by switching to Ultra Slim Hangers. read full entry |
| Nov 21, 2006: | Girlawhirl makes the most of her wardrobe with Closet Smarts, by Emily Neill. read full entry |