Done! From House to Freedom: The Planning Behind Our Downsizing Part 1

Coming off yesterday’s “mindset” change, we met today with an “almost there” attitude. We had 350 miles left to reach our goal. It very much felt like a “light at the end of the tunnel” kind of day, and we were determined to reach that light.

With six hours of solid driving, it was going to be an eight-hour day once we added gas stops and breaks. Other than a small delay in Needles, CA to repair a radiator hose, the truck has run wonderfully — better than we expected. We arrived at our destination by 3:30 PM and checked into our hotel.

This is the focus I referred to in the opening paragraph. It’s the realization of how determined we were to complete this move. Instead of settling into our hotel room after check-in, we immediately headed to our storage unit.

We had rented a 10’ x 10’ unit in October 2024, never imagining we would fill it. But by the completion of our final trip from California to Oklahoma one and a half years later (at the time of this writing), we had to rearrange the unit just to fit the last of our items. Once everything was secured and locked, our move was officially complete.

Done. Nothing of ours remained in California.

For this final post about our downsize and move, I’d like to share the steps we went through. If you’re considering a similar change, I hope you’ll find some wisdom in our experience.

I would also label our downsizing as extreme. Most people aren’t moving from a 1,500-square-foot house into a mobile home, RV, or van. Your change may be smaller, quicker, or something that evolves as you go. Pick and choose which steps work best for your situation. I’ll point out what I consider optional and what I believe are must-dos.

As I prepared to write this blog, I spent a lot of time remembering, reflecting, and categorizing how we reached this goal. I also researched before, during, and after our move. Honestly, many of our methods align with general downsizing advice. I’ll refer to our journey as downsizing because that was ultimately our purpose.

In general, the steps are:

• Planning
  

• Setting a timeline
  

• Defining goals
  

• Prioritizing
  
  And most importantly:

• Begin.

These steps are fluid. Timelines shift. Priorities change. Outside factors influence everything. Because of this, build flexibility and patience into every step — but stay focused.

You may even find yourself starting before you’ve fully defined your timeline or goals. Sometimes you just know you need to “get rid of stuff,” even if the bigger picture isn’t clear yet.

I’ll break these down in more detail in my upcoming series, Moving Forward With Change. My goal is to help you move forward with the change you’re seeking.

STEP #1: Planning

Planning becomes an essential skill when you’re facing a mountain — not necessarily a physical one (though climbers will tell you planning is key to a successful ascent and descent).

Quick decisions are reactions. Planning is deliberate. It’s thoughtful analysis of your goal.

Notice I didn’t pluralize “goal.” Yes, there are smaller milestones along the way, but those are steps — not the goal itself. A goal is a destination. An outcome. A change you truly want.

As a middle school teacher, I watched students transition toward high school. That stage required learning proactive habits for success. One framework we used was SMART goals.

SMART stands for:

• Specific
  

• Measurable
  

• Attainable
  

• Realistic
  

• Time-bound

These five elements create a plan you can act on. You build it, you own it, and you have a clear map forward.

Let’s break them down.

SPECIFIC

This is often the hardest step. Many goals start broad and overwhelming. For example, “sell the house and move” wasn’t our true goal. Our real goal was to reduce our financial load in retirement to better match a fixed income.

Be specific. You need a strong “why” if you’re going to commit months or years to a change. The goal must be worth your time, energy, and money.

MEASURABLE

This isn’t about measuring square footage. It’s about making progress visible.

When progress is invisible, discouragement creeps in. Measurable steps solve that. One early priority was sorting our stored belongings. We had 44 plastic bins in the attic. Each time we worked, we chose a set number to tackle — sometimes four, sometimes ten. By the end of the day, we could see progress in sorted bins and open space.

Numbers, dates, and visual markers all make progress measurable.

ATTAINABLE

Ask honestly: Can I do this?
Not “I think so.” That’s noncommittal.

We asked ourselves what life would look like if we didn’t make this change. Would we need extra income? Could we maintain the property long-term? Would our children even want the house someday?

Our answers made it clear. While we were still healthy and capable, this goal was attainable — and we committed.

REALISTIC

This is the reality check. Do you have the financial and physical ability? Does your goal affect others?

For us, selling the house was necessary, but could we sell in a buyer’s market? Would lowering the price hurt our retirement plans? Could we handle the physical work of moving?

Looking realistically at resources, timeline, and ability keeps your plan grounded. (I tend to dream big — my partner helps keep us realistic.)

TIME-BOUND

Time matters. Not just having time, but defining how long your goal should take.

If a new home will be ready in six months, your timeline is set. If your house sells faster than expected, you may need to accelerate your plans.

We gave ourselves one year before listing and two to three months on the market. In reality, it became a two-and-a-half-year journey. But we were ready within that first year — and that preparation mattered.

If you research planning or goal setting, you’ll quickly encounter SMART goals. It’s memorable, practical, and built on realistic steps.

And truly, change begins the moment you decide to start. Start with #1: Planning.

Reflection and Moving Forward

• Celebrate progress, not perfection — Big life changes rarely go exactly as planned. Notice how far you’ve come instead of only how far you have left.
  

• Adjust without quitting — Timelines shift and plans evolve. Flexibility keeps you moving forward when rigid plans would stall you.
  

• Keep your “why” visible — When decisions get hard, your reason for starting will steady you and help you choose wisely.
  

• Take the next small step — Change doesn’t happen all at once. Consistent small actions build real momentum over time.

We Did It! From House to Freedom

“Done. Nothing of ours remained in California — and that’s when it finally felt real.”

“Change doesn’t start when everything is ready; it starts when you decide to begin.”