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Minimalist Beauty

living simply with grace, discretion and faith

Minimalist Beauty

We Relocated to North Carolina!

July 29, 2019 by Dawn Michelle

Moving is always challenging. No one is exempt. Our family of three (plus our dog) recently relocated from Los Angeles, California to Raleigh, North Carolina. We made a stop in Virginia to spend time with family as well as recoup from the first part of our move. We then planned what we could for our new location.

This entire move has been a true testimony of faith since I’ve only been to Raleigh once as a teen (my husband never has), and we chose our apartment online sight unseen.

As I previously mentioned, we sold and donated 95% of our possessions to make this move the most cost effective. We packed only what we could fit in the trunk of my husband’s car which we transferred (I sold my car), plus one large suitcase and two carryons for our flight. We truly downsized.

The process of being accountable for every possession that you own is much different than just packing up everything you own with a little bit of decluttering.

It was exceptionally stressful because I maintained my son’s schedule during the process which didn’t give me as much flexibility or time as I would have liked. Nevertheless we did it. I intend to keep our possessions as minimal as possible from this day forward as I have no desire to experience that again.

To stay encouraged during this extremely stressful process, I listened to the audiobook Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism by Fumio Sasaki.

This book was a game changer in the mentality needed to get rid of 95% of our possessions in a very short amount of time. Our plan of driving across the country with a U-haul changed three weeks before we moved. A lot had to be done very quickly because of it.

While in Virginia, I purchased some necessities that we couldn’t bring like a shikibuton mattress and a low table with floor cushions. Each new piece of furniture chosen needed to be minimal, beautiful, and lightweight to keep the rest of the move as simple as possible. I also chose as many organic and natural materials as possible. From this point a U-haul from Virginia to North Carolina would be simple.

I’m currently planning a very minimal decor aesthetic for our new home. I’m also learning and treasuring the value of empty spaces over fabulous decor. Now that we have a home (it’s been 1.5 weeks) and are somewhat settled in, I’ve also reopened my Etsy shop AZUHA. Once we are truly settled I’ll share a home tour as well as some new thoughts I’ve had around minimalism.

Lastly, I’m sure you’re wondering why Raleigh, North Carolina?

For starters the cost of living in Los Angeles is pretty ridiculous. I’ve also spent a long time living and traveling far from family to pursue my career as a performer. Now moving closer to family again just made sense, plus my son will experience a true autumn and winter. Although my family is in Virginia, North Carolina is still extremely close without the traffic or higher cost of living. And like I said, I haven’t been here long, but what I’ve seen so far has been a HUGE blessing!

I hope all of you have been enjoying your summer. Much love!

(Image by Dawn Michelle)

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  1. Kimberly says

    July 30, 2019 at 3:41 am

    Dawn Michelle, Los Angeles is losing a lot of good folk like you but NC is gaining a treasure. I love NC – there’s a richness to the people and land. Can’t wait to read about your new life and discoveries!

    Reply
    • Dawn Michelle says

      July 30, 2019 at 2:43 pm

      Thanks so much for the compliment Kimberly! I feel so inspired to write more than ever. I just need to manage my time well to get it all done. I hope you are having a great week so far.

      Reply
  2. Lisa says

    July 30, 2019 at 12:56 pm

    This is so timely. I’m moving overseas soon and I’m currently in the thick of it. Downsizing to luggage while pregnant and caring for a toddler is an interesting process but I’m glad to see someone on the other side of it. Right now it just feels like chaos that I’m calmly wading through but feeling exhausted.

    Reply
    • Dawn Michelle says

      July 30, 2019 at 2:48 pm

      Hi Lisa,
      I know exactly whar you are talking about. If you have a chance to listen to the Goodbye, Things audiobook it will really help the process. The process is chaotic amd definitely exhausting, but there is a TON of relief on the other side. There is nothing more freeing than minimizing your possessions. I am so excited for you and your family! Just keep thinking about the blessings on the other side and keep breathing during the process.

      Reply
  3. nofixedstars says

    July 30, 2019 at 1:14 pm

    i hope your new home brings you comfort and joy!

    Reply
    • Dawn Michelle says

      July 30, 2019 at 2:49 pm

      Thank you so much nofixedstars! I hope all is well with you and yours.

      Reply
  4. Teresa says

    July 31, 2019 at 7:52 pm

    So excited for you and your family that y’all are getting settled into your new home and state! I’ve missed your minimalist insights, so I’m very happy to see this post! After reading about your move, I put a hold on the audiobook “Goodbye, Things” at the library (even though I own the physical book hehe). There is a depth of insight and learning that comes with hearing vs. reading something. Can’t wait to hear more of your insights and musings, and will eagerly look forward to a home tour here on site. Sending warm blessings your way!

    Reply
    • Dawn Michelle says

      August 17, 2019 at 5:59 am

      Thank you so much Teresa! We are finally getting into the swing of things here. I’m sure you will benefit greatly from listening to “Goodbye Things.” I must have listened to it at least three times.

      Reply
  5. Sandy says

    August 2, 2019 at 1:01 pm

    Oh so glad you made it. Happy to hear you’re discovering things that resonate with you. Looking forward to hearing more about your experiences and thoughts on minimalism, once you get settled in.

    Reply
    • Dawn Michelle says

      August 17, 2019 at 6:06 am

      Thank you Sandy. I’m looking forward to sharing more too. We are slowly getting things rolling, but it is happening.

      Reply
  6. Lindsey White Nixon says

    August 6, 2019 at 4:23 pm

    Hi Dawn, welcome to North Carolina! I have been following your blog for a while now and have commented on a few of your articles, so I’m not sure if you recognize my name. But I was blown away to see that you moved right in my backyard (I live in Charlotte, NC). Your blog has given me so much inspiration and when I had my son last year, I came here for great advice on minimalism for babies as well as your birth story (I too had a natural birth with a doula assisting).

    My husband and I relocated to Charlotte by way of our home state of Florida 3 years ago and we were just discussing how nice it would be to find like-minded people who are on the same path. At times it has felt like we are on an island especially making non-traditional decisions for our son. If at all interested, I would love to connect and get to know the person behind one of my favorite blogs.

    Welcome to North Carolina, it is a beautiful state, with wonderful weather and awesome people. It has been very good to us and hope it does you and your family the same good. Cheers!

    Reply
    • Dawn Michelle says

      August 25, 2019 at 6:39 am

      Hi Lindsey,
      Thank you for your kind words and I’m thrilled the advice on minimalism for babies was so helpful to you. I reached out to you so check your email. Have a beautiful day!

      Reply
  7. Janine says

    September 2, 2019 at 7:36 pm

    This is amazing! Thank you for sharing this with us. Your ability to move to a place that you’ve only been to once serves as a reminder for me. Thank you again…

    Reply
    • Dawn Michelle says

      September 7, 2019 at 8:01 pm

      Hi Janine,
      Thanks so much. There are always blessings when you trust God to lead you and you follow. As crazy as it can be it is always worth it.

      Reply
  8. Carolyn says

    September 3, 2019 at 11:02 am

    Hi there Dawn Michelle, I discovered your column a few weeks ago and I find it so motivating. I first found you while I was googling around for what to do with my totally unmanageable low porosity hair. Although I am caucasian, if I didn’t blow dry my hair it would be all kinds of wild (not pretty) corkscrews and I’ve also had a lot of thinning and hair loss since I turned 50, so my thick long hair is a thing of the past, but i do hope it recovers one day. I’ve been poking around reading post after post and then I got motivated to start getting rid of stuff! bonus!!

    I hope you will be happy in your new place and I wanted to ask you about coconut milk as a hair conditioner, although it’s a little bit off topic here! The only organic canned ones I could find had guar gum in it. I got it anyway since there was nothing else in it, but the thought of putting a “gum” in my super thinned out hair that is impossible to rinse clean, gets all tangled, and everything sits on it, scared me..was the gum thing a poor choice? Love this column. xoxo to you for writing about this hair thing that nobody else talks about anywhere else and all the other tips on a minimalist lifestyle.

    Reply
    • Dawn Michelle says

      September 7, 2019 at 8:07 pm

      Hi Carolyn,
      Welcome! I’m glad you found MB. It’s so awesome that you were inspired to declutter. There is so much peace when the clutter is gone. One day at a time, but keep it going.

      As for coconut milk as a hair conditioner, guar gum is simply a natural thickener. It’s non toxic and can aid with detangling the hair. In essence the brand you found is a win win. Also thank you for the nice compliment. Truly appreciated!

      Reply
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