Dear Marni: I have followed you for years. I have been in my humble home now 54 years and am approaching 85 years old. Hubby is 91. We have a love for gardening and as it gets harder we thought about downsizing but decided to just take out funds to pay for good help when needed and stay in our 1,820 square-foot home. It is convenient to our doctors, shopping, library. I need help in making our backyard easier to take care of. We have a 30-foot Mango tree that produced 150 Mangoes in June. We give most away, but also freeze many and make the best mango margaritas.
We also have a Meyer Lemon tree that produces beautiful lemons in November. I make lemon meringue pies for family and neighbors at Christmas. One year, I made 29 pies and was featured in Southern Living magazine. Any suggestions? — Mary Ann
Dear Mary Ann, The answer is obvious. You and your husband are living well and beautifully in your current “rightsized” home. Do for your outdoors what you’ve done for the indoors. Hire the help you need to take care of your yard. I wouldn’t give those mango margaritas or lemon pies up for anything.
Dear Marni: I am facing a job change that may require at least a temporary relocation. For now, my sense is to take only what I love and will fit in my new temporary space, with the thought that if it becomes more permanent, I can just sell/donate/ditch the stuff I don't love back home. If I move back home though, I will be moving the beloved stuff twice. Does that make sense? Or should I take stuff I don't love to the temporary location and ditch it there if I don’t move back home? — Jennifer
Dear Jennifer, Congratulations on the new opportunity. As for your stuff, take what you love and what will fit into your new temporary space. If you move back and have to move these belongings again, that’s okay. You love these items, and they will have a place in your home, wherever that may be. Don’t take stuff you don’t love to the new place. I strongly urge you to sell or otherwise get rid of what you don't love now. Look at this as a great time to edit your life. If that feels too drastic, then, if you do stay in the new city, rehome (ditch) the stuff at the old place later – with one important caveat: Set a time limit. Don't keep the unloved stuff for more than three months. Do not pay for more than three months of storage. Period. Full stop. For the money you spend (waste) on storage, you could buy stuff you love (to replace stuff you don't) for your next chapter.
CAPTION: Mango margaritas are among the many reasons this couple should stay in their home. Photo courtesy Mary Ann Steeb.
READERS: If you have a home design question, dilemma, or success story, send it to me along with relevant photos (if you have them) at marni@marnijameson.com. I will field what I can. Also send your downsizing and rightsizing stories, including lessons learned. This blog is your blog.
For Jennifer- Marni you had me until the 3 month limit for using storage without us knowing what “temporary” entailed for her job. If it were 4, 6 or 8 months in and/or Jennifer realized she wasn’t a fit with this new location or possibly the new job, then furnishings and stuff she liked but didn’t love would all need to be purchased again with higher costs nowadays. Items she didn’t realize she missed having around her like a asnuggly chair or the perfect china cabinet had more meaning now that she returned home. I agree to limit storage time though I’d adapt it to her personal situation. Especially with so many storage options and some with monthly fees simila…
I live in Deltona and would love to be adopted by the owner of the lovely living room, mango and Meyer Lemon trees. I could help you take them off your hands (the fruit, that is!) My neighbor had a Meyer lemon and when she went into a retirement home, the new owners cut it down. Broke my heart.