rightsizing instead of downsizing Archives

It’s More About the Community Than It Is About the House

Last week Thom and I drove back to our former home in La Quinta. We were able to rent it out seasonally for a spell but hadn’t been back to check on it since. Yes, the house is over twice as large as our tiny-house park model in Arizona. So, it feels rather spacious. Not big, but plenty of room. It is also very comfortable and familiar. We lived here for 14 years before our “experiment” in Tucson and made the house just right for us. That is until we began living in our community in Tucson. Now, after being back for only a few days something has become pretty clear. For us that means that our future and our happiness exist in the community we now have, rather than any particular house.

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Living Rightsized in A 55+ Community

By Kathy Gottberg
Filed under: Aware, Meaningful, Rightsized, Sustainable

Getting together with just a few of our friends at RCW.

My husband Thom and I never planned to live in a 55-or-older community. When a person is younger, those neighborhoods seem like a step away from entering a nursing home. Who wants to be surrounded by old people? Then when we hit our 60s we began seeing some of the benefits. Plus, when combined with our decision to “rightsize” our life nearly 15 years ago, we discovered it was a way to combine the two lifestyles—and suddenly it became the perfect solution for our current wants and needs. And no, we have discovered they are much more than just a place for old people!

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Just Because You Can Doesn’t Mean You Should

By Kathy Gottberg
Filed under: Aware, Meaningful, Rightsized

As many of you know, Thom and I recently returned from a trip to Ajijic, Mexico. Like every place we travel and enjoy we tend to end up looking at local real estate. Sure we have a background in the business, but in this day and age I believe lots of people have toyed with the possibility after watching television shows like House Hunters, International. Who doesn’t dream now and then at living somewhere exotic, in a unique and special property? This visit we seriously considered buying a Bed & Breakfast Inn attached to the apartment where we stayed. Not only was the property for sale, it is located in a great location, is in excellent condition, has great income potential and plenty of romance to make the purchase intriguing. We even contemplated converting it to co-housing where we live part time with a bunch of fun-likeminded people. And with our background, we know we could figure out how to buy it if we set our minds to the task. But the thing is, just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should. [Read more…]

10 Good Reasons To Sell That Big House and Get Rightsized

By Kathy Gottberg
Filed under: Aware, Rightsized, Sustainable

Thom and I are fortunate to be able to spend a month every summer in the coastal community of Ventura, California. As some of you know, where we live the majority of the year the temperature during the summer fluctuates between 110 and 120 degrees. Meanwhile, at the beach, we are able to relish the cool coastal breezes without air-conditioning. 2017 was our 7^th year of escaping the heat, yet we constantly hear people say, “Oh, I sure wish we could do that.” Or, “ I’d give anything to do that.” But the truth is, most of those who could do it, won’t. That’s because in many cases they are attached to a big house and often a big lifestyle that keeps them stuck even when they say they’d prefer otherwise. With that in mind, I came up with ten reasons why we all might want to reconsider owning a too-big house, and instead embrace a more rightsized life. [Read more…]