Great, succinct piece. (But, um, it's 'paring' not 'pairing.')

Moving is always a great opportunity to downsize. I sold a lot of stuff on Craigslist and donated the rest to Salvation Army. I have also been weeding out anything that had even the smallest bad association with it. I don't want those ghosts lurking in my life. Let it have a new, fresh life with someone else.

That looks like a good way to store books, especially if you also have pets and/or little children.

There goes that poster again......

anyone know who makes that table in the first pic?? thanks!

if you are looking for fresh posters, check mine out at "laceywaterman.bigcartel.com" :)

I'm with Jak i also want to know who makes that table in the first pic!

Unless you're getting rid of items by twos, I think the word you're looking for is paring. Good advice, though.

I think if you *pair* down, you'll just end up with more clutter. Two of everything tends to do that. Do you mean pare down, perhaps?

This is getting embarrassing.

(When I commented, there were no comments showing, so I didn't see y'all's comments about pair v. pare. So I apologize that my comment was redundant!)

It's amazing how quickly you don't miss the extra stuff. When we last moved cross country, my husband moved first and I followed nine months later. He's kind of a packrat, so with his blessing, I did the majority of the packing during that year apart and took a TON of stuff to Goodwill, etc. (the employees at all the local drop-off centers knew me by name I was there so often). Neither of us have missed any of the stuff--the experience has really helped us not "re-stuff" the house.

it's a typo - who cares.

"I did the majority of the packing during that year apart and took a TON of stuff to Goodwill, etc. (the employees at all the local drop-off centers knew me by name I was there so often). "

Those Goodwill receipts come in handy at tax time, too.

I've been thinking about this - although we have plenty of space now, we've been contemplating a move which will probably result in a smaller place. For us, I would do the following:

- Reduce the number of appliances we own.
- Cull our library to get rid of the book we do not plan to read again.
- Reduce our wardrobes - anything that hasn't been worn in the last year goes.
- Get rid of the wedding presents we don't like but felt obligated to keep!

@alaylam - I can only speak for myself, but if a person has a job as a writer, they should - by definition- know how to write. A big part of that is knowing how to spell and proof their own work.

I'm not normally the grammar police, but when I repeatedly see major errors on this site from people who write for a living, it does bother me. That's why I care.

I have to agree with Surfjack. A typo is when you accidentally hit the wrong key. This is an error of ignorance (i.e using the wrong word) and it happens A LOT around here. I've said it before and I'll say it again - nobody expects great literature from a blog, but when mistakes that would be caught with the most basic proofreading are a daily occurrence, it starts to feel like AT doesn't respect its readers.

AT doesn't respect its readers because they missed a mistake in editing? Wow. Its not like a word was misspelled and was a glaring mistake - 'pairing' is a real word, afterall, just not right for this context. Talk about making something out of nothing. In my opinion, I'm just glad AT is here...its a great resource and I can overlook a typo or grammar mistake here and there. The writers (who are probably pretty intelligent people and who provide such useful information) don't deserve to be berated. Case in point:
"This is getting embarrassing."
"This is an error of ignorance." etc.

And get rid of all those craft projects you haven't finished! Toss or give away all the hobby items/tools you no longer use. Same with the instruction magazines you bought and thought you would some day get to all those patterns they contain.

The "embarrassing" typo has been fixed. Sorry if this offended anyone, I am human, I'm allowed to make mistakes without having to feel like I'm less intelligent or "ignorant" because of it.

Hey AT - hire me to proofread! I absolutely guarantee I'll catch every single usage, spelling and grammar error. I have a BA and MA in English, I went to the state spelling bee as a kid, and I've been proofing professionally since I was 19.

Hire me?

That said, I would LOVE to move to a new, smaller space. But all the stuff has to go first...one of the things slowing me down is that I don't have access to a vehicle that can carry large amounts of things to a donation site. I'm thinking instead I'll just rent a truck for a day and git 'er done.

Err...no offense to Kristen meant at all! But when you're writing professionally and putting out multiple pieces a day, it's easy to get proofing fatigue. I could have your back on this one, AT, and comments would be freed up for design discussion, not ad hoc editing sessions.

@mojones - As I stated in my comment, it not this one mistake that is the problem - it is the fact that this happens over and over again that bothers me. It makes it feel to me that AT doesn't care whether or not there are mistakes. I very much appreciate that AT is here and I read this site every day. But by the same token, AT generates revenue from ad sales that are driven by my readership, among many others. I don't think it's too much to expect them to hire a copy editor.

@kristen lubbe - I'm sorry that my comment made you feel badly; that was not my intent. As you said, you're human and we all make mistakes. Again, my issue is not with the individual bloggers - it's that AT apparently doesn't have a system in place to proof these posts, and so there are constantly grammatical and spelling errors. Yours just happened to be the straw that broke the camel's back for me.

I just want to say that I'm with Emily the Cat on this one.

@ Emily the Cat

"feel badly?" "FEEL BADLY?" What, like suddenly Kristen Lubbe's nerve endings aren't working so well all of sudden? No dearie, in this situation, it's "feel bad." Normally I wouldn't care what you write, but under the circumstances, it's pretty freakin funny!

Fun article, though!

@BlueLM - You're right! See, that's a perfect example of how mistakes can be made when there is no editor available. But at least I'm not going to try to pretend it's a typo!

Moving on from spelling, a wonderfully motivating book is "Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui" by Karen Kingston. It's most helpful, not for the Feng Shui part, but for learning how "stuff" affects you negatively.

Storing books on the rafters! What a novel idea and use of space. Although, I gave most of mine to our library and can visit them there when I feel the need.

We are lucky to have a town-wide yard sale twice a year, so we have specific dates to aim our weeding toward. We have a big cabinet that we stash unwanteds in, then empty it for the yard sale and start filling it the next day for the next sale.

ooh ooh lookey how smart I am...over here!!! Please people, ad's or not your not paying a red cent for this site.

Quite right selftaught! And in fact, online free goodness is probably one of my favored anti-clutter strategies - bookmark favorite articles/postings online, no papers to maintain. I tend to hang on to magazines, so this way I get to avoid the temptation and still have my idea file. I get to have my cake and eat it too. Love it. Love this site.

I don't know what you're all talking about. I've been following this sight for months and really enjoy pouring over the content. The attention paid to color palates is especially interesting. There was a post on Thalialand that was really grate. Sometimes I have to bale on this sight when I'm at work, and quickly hit the breaks!
All kidding aside, AT suffers from a PLETHORA of spelling and grammatical errors. When they appear in the headline, I find it especially egregious. There are also many headlines that have nothing to do with the actual content of the post. And quite frankly, some of the writing is pretty awful.
Oh, and my downsize from 3800 sq. ft. to 1,000? I gave myself permission to have a storage unit, albeit temporarily.

I hate sidetracking posts with copyediting comments, but I just couldn't resist getting my two cents in. For me, I find myself extra sensitive to errors like this one because they've just become so common in web publishing. AT is not the worst offender (try reading Ain't It Cool News--ugh!), and it's not the most "respected" site to have this problem, either. (I've found errors on NYT online, for example.)

The problem is somewhat like Emily the Cat describes--humans will make typos (and I grant that this was not necessarily an "error of ignorance"--my fingers have mistyped "they're" for "their" before, when I know very well the difference between the two). Because humans make mistakes, there needs to be a checking system in place (besides spell check!) to catch these things before they are professionally published. It's just part of being professional.

Now, speaking of "errors of ignorance," Emily the Cat, I must point out your own (then again, maybe it's a typo). "...made you feel badly" should be "made you fell bad." I can't say I expect commenters to hire copy editors, but if you're going to start throwing stones...

Haha! um, "fell" should be "feel"

Where's my copyeditor?

True nobody does pay for a subscription to this site, but that's COMPLETELY missing the point.

Writers have a responsibility to write well. I'm not saying that they are infallible and nobody can accuse me of being picky about this; it's the first time I've brought it up though I've had myriad opportunity to do so in the past few months.

This isn't about trying to make someone feel stupid. There's no reason for that. It also isn't about trying to correct other commenters' grammar or usage. Let's face it, they aren't the ones who are writers!

I can only say that if I were the author of this post, I'd be happy people cared enough to point out the mistake. It is a bit embarrassing, but I could have better clarified that, Kristin. YOUR mistake isn't embarrassing. It does happen. I was referring to the lack of detail up to this point, not necessarily your mistake.

But I'd add that your tweet complaining about people hiding behind their screens in reference to the comments on this post IS actually quite unprofessional.

Lordie, guess it's not "apartment" therapy today...

I don't think your brain works the same way when it's typing versus when it's writing. I have made some really weird mistakes before like typing "eye" for "I" and "right" for "write". I never make these mistakes when writing by hand. It seems like homophones tend to get mixed in the brain when we're typing but not when we're hand writing. I'm not sure why this happens, but I'm almost sure it has something to the way our brain is processing sound to text while typing and not because someone does not have a full grasp on English grammar. It's ok to point out a mistake, but don't make assumptions on a person's intelligence because of it.

Anyway, in regards to the original post, having lived in a small apartment for four years now, I think getting rid of stuff is so liberating. I've come to love the simplicity of a small space. One thing I must stress is STORAGE. Make sure everything has a "home" or your place will quickly become cluttery.

I recently downsized from 1100 sq. ft. to 480 sq. ft. I got rid of a LOT of stuff (even my son said he was proud of me!) starting with anything that was ugly, then anything with other than happy connotations, anything I hadn't used/worn/read in the past year, and anything I couldn't see myself using (my husband - who passed away a year ago - loved to cook and had 20! different sizes of pots and pans - I kept 5).
At the end, I did end up keeping more than I wanted to put in my new (old) little home and put quite a few boxes into the shed because I was just out of time; today is "sort it out and either post it for sale or donate it day". I've already lived without it for 3 months so I (hopefully - everyone send me good thoughts!) should be able to get rid of most of it.

I absolutely LOVE how calm my home feels, and it only takes an hour or so to completely clean it top to bottom.

My system is: When in doubt, throw it out. (give, donate, etc.)
If you look at an item for more than about one second and think, "Should I get rid of this?" the answer is YES!

Not all Bloggers are professional Writers.

I think of AT as a Blog (officially are you guys a blog?)- and one of the nice things about it is the variety of people that write for this space.

I'd much rather have design savvy non-trained writers who make the odd grammatical error/spelling mistake/use the wrong word instead of someone who just tells a boring design story.

Also I totes need to declutter my house. This post has given me some good ideas. Thanks!

My favorite self-help book of all time is Don Aslett's Clutter's Last Stand. It's both funny and inspiring.

My husband and I just moved from our 1300 square foot townhome, into my parent's 450 square foot bonus room so we could better afford his heading back to school. It was one heck of a downsizing effort but in the end it helped us really choose what we loved.

Re: Downsizing

So arson is out of the question?
;-)

AT is a great site but I have to admit it makes a lot of very embarrassing "typos" and malapropisms. Even if this site is "free," it hires bloggers, sells advertisements, & is a business for profit. Writing or blogging in the public arena comes with certain implied standards and responsibilities & correct grammar & the ability to articulate oneself properly is part of this public contract.

WOW, the place in the photos is what we consider downsizing? Must be nice! My place is not nearly that large. Sheesh!

Great post. Despite any typos, LOL. Look, on the one hand, it's not the end of the world. On the other hand, I think people react so strongly because American's standards for speaking proper English have gone to the dogs.

If you can't accept criticism, perhaps you shouldn't have tried out as a blogger!

@bepsf, are you sure it's out of the question? It's just that we're trying to declutter in hopes of our next home being smaller, and there are times I feel like a bonfire might not be a bad thing.

@bepsf and KimberlyRose - you both made me laugh! I've looked at my shed more than once and thought about tossing a couple of matches toward it - the biggest thing that stopped me is that the shed is about 2 feet from the neighbor's wall. And I like the neighbors!

by any chance, does anyone if Chris's small cool space eventually had a house tour featured?

We left our 4,900 sf MI home to live full-time in our 1,100 FL beach condo. Let's just say everyone who visited me during our last month in Michigan got...a parting gift. We've visited those friends in MI, and it's fun to see OUR stuff in their home! It does get easier. And when you get to your smaller place and can't even move? Oh yeah, it gets WAY easier :)

Ha. Lots of Muphry's Law going on here. No, not a typo ;)

My 2c: AT isn't just some person with a blog. It tries to have a professional feel which I appreciate. No, the writers shouldn't be made to feel ignorant. But it's not a case of being ignorant - it's a case of proofreading. EVERYONE makes mistakes like this, I don't care if you think you don't, you do. It's more about catching them. I think correcting it when it's pointed out goes a long way towards that. I do find it jarring when there is a mistake like that, it takes me out of the moment and makes me trust the article a bit less. But it's not the end of the world, and it's certainly not something that is going to make me stop reading this wonderful, free content!

I, also, am very very tired of that poster. Almost as tired as I am of 'Keep calm and carry on'.

I've moved from a four room house to a two room house, and FINALLY gotten rid of my sister who was living with me. Not all of her stuff, though, yet. Sigh. I've gotten pretty good over the years at paring down before a move, but I still have lots. My best tip is, if you see something and think 'oh! That thing! I forgot about that!' then it goes. If you absolutely cannot bear to part with it, then get rid of something else so that it can be more visible and used. Figure out how many you need of any particular thing, and get rid of the rest. And assess things as you go - I did a big curation before we moved, I'm doing one now as my sister has just moved out. But in between, every time you come accross something and think 'hmmm', put it in a temporary place to think about its fate. If it's still there in a week or two (or longer, depending on the item) then you don't need it and it can go.

Finally, I know this is coming from a place of privilege, but I realised even when I was (relatively) skint that really, it was worth it to get rid of something and need to buy a new one when I might need it later. In a year or two... or never, sometimes. If you can't find it when you need it because it's hidden under too much crap, then you may as well not have it!

@suewanda: You are correct that talented subject matter experts are sometimes less-than-highly-trained writers. That's why professional content producers, such as commercial blogs, hire copy editors. Copy editors correct mistakes of grammar, style, and usage. (The paring/pairing error is an example of a usage error.) Copy editors are wonderful people. They make woozy-looking copy into crisp, professional, streamlined prose that steams ahead with intent and style.
Sigh. Maybe someday...

@kristen lubbe: A quirk in the way the human brain is wired makes it nearly impossible for a writer to find his/her own errors unless he/she puts the copy away for three to six weeks before checking it.
This is why professional publications do not require writers to copy edit their own work.
Consider writing for publications that treat you like a professional writer and provide friendly, supportive copy editing. Your career will benefit.

Tip for downsizing:
Pick one large thing/category and consider getting rid of it entirely. I have a collection of children's books I assembled for the children I hoped to have. I spend time, money, and a lot of research lovingly choosing favorites (lots of fairy tales, naturally). I have finally accepted what will never happen, and the thought of selling them breaks my heart. I chose a dear book-loving friend with 2 wonderful children to receive the collection.
I am considering doing the same with some china, crystal, linens, and silver I imagined as a future trousseau for a daughter.
Sometimes the "stuff" we collect is part of a life we plan but never quite inhabit. Letting go of such things can bring freedom.
I'm also ditching some poetry books someone convinced me I "ought" to be reading, and kept the books by poets whose work I love deeply.
I'm now considering painting my powder room a rich shade of purple.

Oh, anyone have suggestions for a great shade of purple for a tiny powder room with a white-tiled shower stall and one clerestory window? Suggestions for two complementary colors get bonus points.
(bepsf, I'm looking at you...and hoping!)

I'm moving to the Dominican from BC in the next year - this will be really helpful in minimizing the amount of things I'll have to pack, ship, or put into storage before I go.

Thanks!

We downsized without actually trying to, by moving from 850+ to 700-ish. Paring down the stuff was both a necessity (previous couch was too big for the new place), and a great side -effect of moving in general.

In reality, however, since I started reading AT a few years ago, I have started viewing my space, and what I put in it-or more importantly, what I don't put in it- differently.

Typos happen -- as a poster, I hereby apologize for any past, present or future typos that happen because I hit "submit" a second too soon! It will happen again, brace yourselves now! ;^)

(And I hereby forgive everyone else's typos, from my side. I may still point them out, to be friendly and "educational", but I'm not upset.)

As for downsizing, constantly evaluating my stuff -- which I love or wouldn't own -- for signs of fatique (maybe I don't love THIS thing as much as I used to) helps me move things on out. I have the next week off, and I plan to focus seriously on my many objects to thin some of them out. If downsizing needed to happen, I'd be a bit further along.

I like the look of the books in the rafters, but as someone 5' tall, it wouldn't work for me. It's bad enough to need a stepladder or stool for the upper kitchen cabinets, I'd rather not HAVE my books (and I am a librarian!) than to have to climb to reach them.

Just wanted to say that I COMPLETELY AGREE with Emily and surfjack. Hear hear.

I also agree with Emily & surfjack & llmademoiselle. AT is an amazing site. I read it every day. That said, I also have to say that the site is bristling with grammatical/spelling/usage errors. Please, please hire a copy editor!

I'm going to join the chorus calling for an AT copy editor. When you're professional enough to hire advertising staff, you should be professional enough to care about grammar, usage, and spelling errors.

@kristen lubbe- I'm sorry if my comment came across as an personal attack; I only intended to point out the mistake in what I had hoped was a light-hearted manner.

Does anyone know who makes the divider in the second picture? It looks like a hanging piece that's see through, but i can't figure out what it actually is.

"You won't miss it." I disagree. There isn't a party that goes by that I don't miss my papasan chair from college. lol

Our written words can convey a lot.

And I would also like to know where that table is from. Its lines are gorgeous!

@bepsf, there are indeed times when arson is appropriate.

Oh, and yes to the copyeditor.

HEE @ bepsf

Also, I'm going to third or fourth or eleventeenth or whatever that a professional site really needs copy editors.

And, PLEASE, do not donate to Salvation Army. Unless you are OK with supporting rampant homophobia. In terms of large, nationwide non-profits, Goodwill is nondiscriminatory and is a good cause (they run job-training and day-habilitation programs for people with disabilities).

Bepsf, as usual, for the win. 8^D

I will second eeka's comment about Salvation Army, having worked with them closely for about a year. MUCH corruption and hypocrisy under their roofs. I saw many many people HURT by decisions made by them. Employees, volunteers, beneficiaries.....

@eeka and btoddster: I'm glad you posted about this. I've been giving stuff to and buying stuff from the Salvation Army for years. I'll have to investigate what you've both alluded to. If I find it's true, I'll find a new place to donate to/buy from.
If true, that's horrible.

@eeka - thanks for that information. I have lots of clothes to donate and what got me was that lots of "pickup" places were made to look like charities but they actually sell my clothes. At that point I'd rather have a tag sale. And I'm certainly not going to support a homophobic group.

I understand selling stuff, but I would rather give to a homeless shelter or something where people don't have to pay anything for the clothes.

@Emmi... the money generated by Goodwill and Co. from your donations is then used for programs to help those in need.... as opposed to offloading crappy furniture on services/people that they may not have a use for, and that they have to then spend the time/money (that they don't have) dealing with. It's all logic really, and having an awareness of someone other than one's self.

Re: the grammar and spelling on this site. The point is, this is a site that makes a revenue from the readers (whether we subscribe or not is irrelevant), and positions itself as an expert/leader in the field of home and design blogging and knowledge. Thus, with their self-assumed importance and the fact they conduct themselves as a business, they should be acting professional. This includes hiring copywriters, and proof-reading all posts. Another thing about AT writers that really gets my goat is the way they happily rip into anyone who disagrees with their opinions, or (often helpfully) points out mistakes in a post. This happens both here on AT, and on writer's sites (like twitter, blogs etc). As writers for, and thus representatives of, Apartment Therapy, it is sad they don't show the readers (without us, where would the revenue come from?) a level of respect that we deserve.