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Sara Zarr's avatar

It’s my dream (and plan) to have an estate sales company come into our condo and dispose of 90% of our belongings while we’re still alive to enjoy the experience of having less. It’s too overwhelming to deal with piece by piece on one’s own and I think you guys did it the best way!!

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Matt McMann's avatar

It was the best decision! Saved us so much stress. I think you'd love having less stuff.

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Lisa McMann's avatar

We have no regrets. Doing things piece by piece is a ton of work. Good plan to do the estate sale. It'll be so satisfying. :)

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Rich Kagan's avatar

After leaving San Francisco and moving to burbs or Seattle and Minnesota we missed our walk centered life. It’s one of the things that drew us to Carcassonne. We can walk everywhere. I can walk around the city faster than I could I drive my daughter to school in the US. If I’m snacky on the sofa I just head downstairs to the market. This is the life we missed and wanted back and now have again.

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Matt McMann's avatar

I can so relate to this Rich. When we eventually left our apartment in Sacramento to move back to Arizona, we picked downtown Tempe where we could walk to almost everything, but not quite. It was good, but not the wonderful walking set up you have. We're a year into nomad life now and are working at staying in more completely walkable places. It's just a much more enjoyable way to live.

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Lisa McMann's avatar

I love this so much. And I loved that photo you posted yesterday (or the day before?) showing your view.

We spent some time in L'isle sur la Sorgue, France, a few years ago and it had everything we needed. Bakery, butcher shop, market, train station. Our rental apartment was above a chocolate shop. We had the best time and really felt so comfortable there.

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Michael Jensen's avatar

Watching your stuff be sold would've been soooo strange!

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Matt McMann's avatar

Haha it actually was! They had cameras set up so we could watch online. Seeing a bunch of strangers wander through our house and then bid (or not) on our stuff was surreal. Fascinating how things we thought would go for a lot went for a pittance and other things we almost just threw out went for big money!

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Lisa McMann's avatar

We had to try not to be offended whenever no one bid on something we thought was cool!

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Brent Hartinger's avatar

Americans have been sold SUCH A BILL OF GOODS with car-based living. I think that makes it almost impossible to be happy.

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Lisa McMann's avatar

I would happily live without a car for the rest of my days. They are expensive to purchase, maintain, and insure, and they depreciate in value with age. Make it make sense! More walkable cities in the US, please!

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Matt McMann's avatar

Such a great point, Brent. A walk-based daily life vs a car-based daily life is a completely different and better life.

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