I looked around my basement, full of cookbooks, DVDs, Christmas decorations, children’s toys and other items that my husband, Doug, and I had accumulated in the 15 years we had lived in our house. We were no longer using most of the stuff, but getting rid of it all seemed like a hassle—and a waste. How could we give everything away to people who could use it?
Then I read an article about Karen and Fritz Mulhauser, a couple in Washington, D.C., who were moving to a condominium after 45 years in their house. They had a wonderful idea: a downsizing party. They invited their friends over to take whatever they wanted. Linens, books, dishes, candles, pots and pans—the Mulhausers let it all go.
They even found another Karen to take the Happy Sixtieth Birthday, Karen! champagne flutes that had been gathering dust.
I loved that the Mulhausers’ belongings would get a second life with new owners. I looked around my basement again. Maybe a downsizing party is in our future!
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