Give a Little and Get a Little

When we decided to downsize, we knew we would only be willing to give up the square footage we don't actually use now which is around 1,000 square feet.  That space will be coming from the library, turned music room, the dining room, and one bedroom.  We have also to decided to go more casual with our lifestyle.  We are going to give our formal dining room furniture and one set of bedroom furniture to our newly married daughter, sell the baby grand piano, and repurpose some other furniture.  What we don't use will be either donated to Goodwill, sold at a furniture consignment shop, or passed on to the newlyweds.

Based on the townhouses we have looked at, we will have a combined dining room/family room, a bigger basement, which we will finish for my husband's office, and three, rather than four bedrooms.  One of those bedrooms will be on the first floor which is a feature that we don't have now.The kitchen will still be roomy with a walk-in pantry.  It will be open to the entertaining area so I won't be sequestered when we have guests.  We will have one, instead of three fireplaces, and a walled-in courtyard will replace our lawn.  I told Mr. Big that I have to have dirt, and that eliminated all high-rise townhouses with balconies.

We know that whatever we buy will need to be remodeled and are looking forward to making those decorating and design selections that make me feel all giddy.