This is where I am living now. I found it on Airbnb Sublets.
It’s been five months since I gave up my apartment and I’ve found a new place to explore. This week, I moved to Baltimore, Maryland. I am renting a room in a Bolton Hill townhouse. It is a lovely neighborhood. I will be here until the spring, maybe longer.
When I got back from drinking mai tais in Hawaii and visiting family in Florida, I stayed at my mom’s house until I decided where I wanted to go next. I looked at several places in the area as I wanted to stay close to home for a while. I missed a lot of things I didn’t think I would miss. Like being able to drive my own car to the store whenever I felt like it.
Before I left for Hawaii, I had two bins of clothing being stored at my mom’s house, along with two bins of books. Now, I’m down to just one 20-gallon plastic bin that fits all the clothing I own. That’s because when I came back, I took all the clothes I hadn’t worn in the last six months and gave them to a charity that picks up bags of items from your home.
This is the room I’m staying in now.
In it is a bed, a nightstand, a mirror. There’s a yoga mat on the other side of the room that you can’t see. I have my own bathroom. There is wi-fi here but no desk, which forces me to go downstairs to the dining room table or out to one of the many neighborhood coffee shops to do my work. Yesterday, I wrote three blog posts and booked a speaking engagement while eating french toast and sushi at one of my favorite restaurant/cafes, XS. I love that I can walk there from where I’m staying.
It costs less than $500 to live here for a month.
Everything I own now fits into my car. (Plus, my car.)
I’m learning that the list of what I really need in life is very short. With my expenses way down, I can focus on paying debt and saving money for a trip abroad this year.
How much do you really need? If you downsized your living situation, would it help you reach other goals you have for your life?
happyblackwoman
happyblackwoman
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Since completing the 31 Day Reset last year, we’ve reduced our clutter so much! I couldn’t believe how many things I owned that I hadn’t laid eyes on in over two years. We just kept moving it from one place to the next, annoyed at the laborious moving process and the expenses associated with it!
Hope you enjoy your new place and neighborhood. It sounds great!
Once my clutter is all gone, I want to live just like you. My two main goals for this year is decrease expenses and debt. I’ve already started selling/recycling old gadgets, moving towards being paperless, and donating old clothes. Hopefully I would make some major progress before spring.
Love reading about your progress, can’t wait to see what your next journey is like.
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For me the big items were the hardest to get rid of – furniture, appliances, clothing. I gave what I could away, the rest went down the trash chute. But I also think that making the decision to move in the first place is what prompted me to take massive action on scaling down my stuff. When you have no longer have anywhere to store your things, it seems easier to let them go.
I am at the same point, looking to move and when I do I want it to be as easy as possible. Eliminating the clutter/junk and keep the basics should make that work. When you go through your belongings you realize how much you even use/wear. I’m looking at stuff and thinking to myself, “What was I thinking when I buy this?” LOL.
ridding myself of extra stuff has been on my to-do list since Day 19 of the 31 Day Reset I did in April 2011
How much progress have you made so far?
I can’t even lie…not much BUT I’m moving (to a different state) in the spring so that is my motivation to get rid of a lot of stuff once I return from vacation.
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This is great. I completely agree that we do not need too many material possessions to enjoy and live life – but it’s always hard for me to get rid of clothes that I may not need! And it’s always difficult not to buy new clothes, though the last time I bought new clothes for myself was during November. I’m pretty good about not shopping much, but sometimes it’s hard!
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Oh this is soooo awesome. And Zen Habits recently had something about downsizing and getting rid of clutter. I have so. much. stuff. Most of it an accumulation from my high school and college years – particularly books. I have a lot of clothes I could probably donate – and probably more books too (even though I have donated many books already to my local library).
But, I’m amazed at what you’ve managed to accomplish! And I’m envious that you can just pick up and choose where you want to live. Entrepreneurship has so many benefits, it’s amazing. If I wanted to move somewhere, I’d have to job hunt for awhile, and do all this kind of annoying preparation instead of just GOING. I wish I was able to have that kind of freedom – which is what I really want in my career. To work and go anywhere I want. *le sigh*
The outside of the building is sooo cute. <3
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Okay Lady, you are so in my neighborhood! Welcome!!! The sushi at XS is divine–one of my favorite places as well. I so admire you doing what you need to do in order to live the life you want. Inspiring. Hope you enjoy exploring Baltimore–Bolton Hill has lots of culture nearby.
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Thank you! Hope I get a chance to hang with you & GG in my new ‘hood soon
Land of Kush located at 840 N. Eutaw is a fabulous Black-owned vegan restaurant. Hope you enjoy your stay in Charm City! Maybe even have a happy hour while you’re here…that’d be so divine
I just wrote the other day on my blog about how I am trying to rid myself of unnecessary items.
I am doing it by throwing out/recycling/giving away (at least) one item from my workplace or from home each day. I have been doing this since the middle of December.
It is relieving and destressing.
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Welcome to Baltimore! You’ve inspired me this year to CUT DOWN THE CLUTTER. I have way too many “things” that I think I need are getting the boot!
Thank you!