Yes, I have arrived...no, not at my new "home" but to that place in life where you have discovered you just don't need so much stuff anymore. Come on now, show of hands--how many of you have way more stuff than you need??? Okay, I see most everyone's hand.
Let me share....the following is a photo of our little cottage on Kauai. R got the keys this weekend and I will share more inside photos once I am there. As we were chatting last night he said, "it's small!" Yes, it is small, the main floor is 20x25 (you do the math :) but, it does have a loft, giving us approximately 700 sq feet of perfect space--give or take a foot!! 700 square feet...good grief, I know people that their master bedroom is that big! Am I envious... not in the least. I'm thinking less to clean, more time to enjoy life,spend time with R and the girlz, monitor Hawaiian Monk Seals, take photos and blog. I will have a roof over my head, a place to cook, a place to sleep.... really what more do I need??
I am so excited for this next chapter of living life simply, being creative on storage spaces and sorting through what's really important and necessary in my life. Hmmmm, now that I think about it, Schatzie's dog kennel will double nicely as a television stand or table for four....just place a piece of plywood on the top cover it with a Hawaiian tablecloth (which I already have) and we're good. Oh, the possibilities are endless!
.JPG)
Yes, I have arrived...
Val
So so exciting! Just don't let Schatzie be in the kennel when you decide to make it a table!
ReplyDeletethis is so cute, i love it... and i know exactly the size, that size you gave is our living room, and if i add the kitchen in it is exactly 700 sq feet. so now i know your size. and we have often said we could live in just the living/kitchen area with no problem and if it were in Hawaii... well enough said.
ReplyDeleteoh, my gosh! this is beautiful! i'm so excited for you! and when you live in paradise, who wants to spend time inside? you have a porch!!! or a lanaii...
ReplyDeleteYou have arrived at a great place to be. A simpler life is a better life. I have been trying to get there for years but I just can't seem to get there. Not yet any way but we are slowly weeding through all of our stuff and hopefully in a year or so we will be down to the needed things in life.
ReplyDeleteLots of room is nice but like Tex said, who wants to be in doors in paradise! You will have the whole island to "live" on.
Congrats!
Hi Val! I LOVE your cottage!! Space is totally overrated!! Finn's comment is a good one though...make sure Schatzie is OUT of the kennel when you eat! Ha! Enjoy this phase of your life...it IS exciting watching you go through it!! xo Jeanne
ReplyDeleteYou are so right about having less to clean and more time for fun! I loved in a 750 sq.ft. condo before we bought our house. An hour of effort and the whole place was clean! Now, with a house spread over 3 levels, it seems chores are never done. Little by little I've learned to let it go and not nitpit so much...As they say, a clean house is the sign of a wasted life!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your adorable little cottage. Let the adventures begin!
Hi Val, I swear I have seen this cottage before and wonder where in Kapaa it is? We always walk to the beach from the condos we stay at-Worldmark by Wyndam, so maybe it is on one of the streets we walk. You'll be in paradise so you won't need more than shorts, capris, flip-flops aka slippers and a swimming suit. I know that by the time we meet, you'll have the island all figured out.
ReplyDeleteHope your hubby is settling in well.
Hugs, Noreen
We love your new little house! Aaron and I want to downsize too - more land, less house.
ReplyDeleteSam
Think of it as less to clean - that always works, right?
ReplyDeleteKZK
It is beautiful! I can't wait to hear more. I know you are going to have so many happy moments and new adventures.
ReplyDeleteThat is a beautiful place!
ReplyDeleteNola
It looks so pretty! I agree that less is more. :) Happy for you!!!
ReplyDeleteI think it's absolutely adorable and I love the porch area too! Less electricity bills to pay and more to spend on doing fun things and going on fun adventures! My house is pretty small and I raised 2 kiddos in it just fine and I still have WAY too much crap :) Totally with ya! Enjoy every second of paradise!!!
ReplyDeleteMy MOM is right there with you. We live in a small house and MOM has been a moderate minimalist for most of her life. And we LOVE it! And we think your new place is great.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Goose
Love it! We would be more than happy to downsize.
ReplyDeleteBenny & Lily
The new place looks so cute. I agree that less house to clean means more time for relaxation and fun.
ReplyDeleteKelsey
Mom has moved to Europe and back twice, so she knows the value of sorting through her stuff, deciding what is really important and living in Germany is always a smaller scale so you live differently. Enjoy yourself!
ReplyDeleteIt's adorable!
ReplyDeleteBy that standard, our house is big - but it's small by our neighborhood standards. When I walk past the McMansions here I always think either "I'd hate to clean all that" or, in my best Bugs Bunny voice, "What's it cost to heat that pile of rocks?"
Sure looks cute!
ReplyDeleteI love the look of that cottage and the small space is very appealing. As for using items for another purpose, we use a dog crate as an end table in the living room. Works quite well.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I wish I could just throw everything into a dumpster and not go through it, when I start going through it, that's when I can't throw it out.
ReplyDeleteOoops, hit publish too soon.
ReplyDeleteThat cottage looks perfect Val, I'm envious.