This weekend, after five years in this house, our family is closing one chapter and opening a new one, when we move into our new townhouse. This excessively large home we are spending our final days in has served us well, but the 3,900 square feet no longer suits the goals and direction we have; and it is time to move on.

When we moved here back in 2005, after selling another home in the area, it seemed the perfect place. It was close to the kids' schools, sprawling and grand. But through the years (and especially during this last one), we have become more aware of how wasteful we were being; with rooms that we never used (or even stepped foot in), utility bills through the roof, and a LOT more house to keep clean than we ever bargained for.
 
True, we had good times here. We filmed Wife Swap here, we watched the kids move from elementary school, to middle school, to high school. We grew our business, changed our mindsets, found new purpose. But alas, the new home is just much more suitable for where we are now in life and with the goals we have set. It's only a few miles from where we currently reside and the kiddos will still go to the same schools, so not uprooting things in that sense. But it is nearly half the size. Yep, half. And knowing that feels really great!

In getting our family ready to fit into half the amount of space, we have been busy little bees doing major purging of all things unnecessary. With all three kids now teenagers, they were brilliant at playing the elimination game. They whittled down their belongings to what they really dig (meaning: computers, video games, musical instruments, clothes, books, and a few other odds & ends) and Steve and I did the same. We called a charity organization out three times to pick up huge loads of donations: furniture, clothes, shoes, household goods, toys, bikes, you name it - we gave it.
 
In the 18 years that Steve and I have been married, I seriously can't remember when our belongings were so in order. It's been quite a phenomenal experience and taught us so much about focusing on quality over quantity. Trying to take out the non-essentials in life to make room for more of what really matters: time together, sustainability, learning, health, sharing life, finding joy.
 
We certainly still have much to learn and we understand that this journey to simplicity is a life-long one. But figuring out this little piece of the puzzle has been a big stepping stone for us. We are very excited to start accumulating more happy memories and less material possessions.
 
Now, if I could just zap my stuff all into place at the new house and avoid the moving drudgery. Isn't there a Harry Potter spell for that?