Out with the Old, In with the New!
Downsizing. Isn’t it fun?
I say no – personal-wise anyhow. A couple of years ago I was faced with having to move out of a 3 bedroom house and my stuff basically occupied all of those three rooms – plus a kitchen, dining room and living room.
Inside
There was the cat room with a big podium that my cats of days gone by had used to be able to look out the window into my front yard.
There was my bedroom which had my bed and my immediate needs for work clothes of days gone by.
And there was my computer room/office/workout room with a big walk-in closet that had all my other clothes and jackets and other storage.
There was plenty of room all over and thankfully I had a friend living in the basement for much of the time so I didn’t have that area to fill with my collection.
Outside
I had a good sized wooden deck out front. On it I had a canopy with removeable walls.
The canopy covered my coveted Hot tub. I had a wonderful life through the pandemic with my daily soak in the hot tub – ah! And it really got me through the winters and inclement weather.
That was my biggest possession to offload. I got my asking price but I still miss it.
Off-loading
Speaking of off-loading, part of my collection was a shelf full of Reader’s Digest Hard-cover Condensed books. I couldn’t GIVE those away and it’s a shame they had to go to recycling.
But I still covet my existing collection of books including a dozen hard-cover Reader’s Digest full edition books with titles like, Robin Hood, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and The Good Earth.
As of today my off-loading exercises have given me one bedroom that holds everything that’s not in a storage locker. An advisor suggests I downsize my storage locker contents directly to the garbage – but I will have to aim for a smaller locker in the coming months.
Affiliate Marketing Online Business Parallel
In your personal life it is your aim to cut down on the clutter to keep costs low so you have the extra funds to enhance your life.
As for your online business it’s about leveraging the Internet to keep your time spent – down to have more time for what you enjoy doing. And in other words – every so often you need to ditch some old habits in favour of new and more focussed processes.
Check out a continued message of this in a video I produced last year.
Let me know in the comments if you’ve had a recent downzising expedition – personal or business.
Hi Robert,
In our situation, we “up-sized” going from a condo to a full size house – 3 floors of space that, for some reason, you always seem to find something to fill it with!
We did go through all of these during the past months and its astonishing how clearer and less crowded its become.
I had read a few years back that if you haven’t touched something in 6 months, put it aside and at the 1 year mark, get rid of it if you haven’t still touched it.
At first, when we were getting rid of that unused stuff, neighbours actually thought we were moving out!
All the best & keep downsizing!
Robert, your journey of downsizing and decluttering resonates deeply with many, myself included. It’s impressive how you’ve managed to streamline your living space, making tough decisions along the way about what truly matters. Letting go of possessions, like your beloved hot tub and books, must have been bittersweet, yet necessary for simplifying your life. I can relate to the parallels you draw between personal decluttering and optimising an online business. Both require shedding old habits and focusing on what adds real value. Your commitment to enhancing your life by cutting down on physical clutter and leveraging online tools is truly inspiring. I look forward to checking out your video for more insights on this journey!
Robert, Thanks for your post I had to laugh as I am really bad about hanging on to item I’ve obtained. I still have an old DOS computer with the floppies to boot. I have no idea why I still keep it around, maybe in hopes that the Smithsonian will ask for it.
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Hi Robert,
Wow, what a journey you’ve had with downsizing! It’s incredible how you’ve managed to turn such a challenging process into an opportunity for a fresh start. Your parallel between decluttering in personal life and streamlining an online business is great and so inspiring. Letting go of old habits to make space for new, more efficient ones is such a valuable reminder. Thanks for sharing your experience and insights. Looking forward to watching your video and learning more!
Meredith
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Hi Robert,
Downsizing isn’t easy, there’s attachment to things, memories, good times…
My wife and I live with a simpler mindset trying to keep life simple and focused on what’s most important. We’ve learned that sometimes there are things that need to go in order for other things to come. Love how you ended it with the importance of ditching old habits in business to make way for the new. Great post!
Denny
Hi Robert,
It is always bittersweet moments when downsizing has to happen. The dilemma of what to keep, what to sell, and what to get rid of echos through the home. I’m glad you shared these treasures of your life and remember that sometimes you need to clean out to welcome the new with a grateful heart.
As for our online businesses, I can relate to your words, “every so often you need to ditch some old habits in favour of new and more focussed processes.”
All the best,
Milissa Neirotti
Milissa Neirotti recently posted…The Power of Patience and Consistency in Affiliate Marketing
Wow, your post really hit home! Downsizing from a 3-bedroom house sounds like quite the challenge, but it’s inspiring how you managed to sort through everything. The cat room sounds adorable, and I can totally relate to the struggle of parting with beloved possessions, especially that hot tub!
Your parallel to affiliate marketing is spot on – just like decluttering our living spaces, sometimes we need to clear out old habits and make room for new, more efficient ones in our business. Loved the analogy!
Thanks for sharing your journey and the reminder to stay focused and keep things streamlined. Excited to check out your video for more insights!
Well done for coping with the downsizing. I haven’t had to downsize as such but I know even just moving from one home to another of the same size involves a lot of decluttering and heartache. They say moving house is one of the most traumatic experiences we can go through. I can attest to that; I lost so much weight during my last move due to not looking after myself. I swear I will never do that again.
I moved from a 3 bedroom house with hot-tub to a static caravan a couple of years ago so I can totally relate to your downsizing journey. It’s a challenging process, especially when you have to part with cherished items like your hot tub and beloved books. The emotional and physical effort involved in moving from a spacious home to a smaller space can be overwhelming, However, your analogy of downsizing both in personal life and in business is spot on. Streamlining and focusing on what truly matters can indeed lead to a more fulfilling life. Thanks for sharing your story and insights – it’s a great reminder that sometimes letting go is necessary for growth.