21 Days of Downsizing: Day 1

Welcome to my 21 day series of downsizing my NYC shoebox apartment for a move to Australia! Alex + I have already downsized about 70% of our belongings, but I’ve got some “on the fence” items from my closet and I could use a bit of help!

If you know me well, you know that while I’ve come around on downsizing my fashuun, I will *gulp* NEVER downsize my stuffed animals. Cuz #crazystuffedanimallady

So, tune in to help me decide what closet items to keep or not to keep! Simultaneously, I’ll introduce you to one of my stuffed animal friends, cuz I could NEVER downsize them!

Day 1 – Acorn Colors – They’re Nuts!

Meet Waffi.

Waffi is one of the OGs. When my brother was five and I was six, our neighbor across the street gave my brother Waffi for Christmas. I received a black + white stuffed dog. 

Waffi quickly became the leader of all of the stuffed animals living in Adibooland. What’s an adiboo? An adiboo is the morphed word for “animal” that my brother and I developed when creating our own secret kid language to discuss all things stuffed animals away from the grown ups, our parents + grandparents.

Even though Waffi belonged to my brother Chris, she became my favorite. Her favorite activity is to “hut” all of the adiboos like a stern leader while they scramble into formation and then exclaim in a spirited voice, “Let us gooooo!!!!!!! Let us go to Pizza Hut!!!”

After all, Waffi, along with all of the other squirrels in Adibooland, have their food of preference – pizza. But NOT Little Caesars as it tasted terrible to all squirrels’ taste buds. And not Gino’s East either – that was more like a once a year fancy splurge for them.

Pizza Hut. It just hits right.

And so Waffi would gather up all the adiboos, share with them the weather forecast, tell them of any imminent danger, report the news and just give the status quo. The signs of a true blue, got-your-back leader.

But little does everyone know, Waffi was NOT always the Waffi we know now. In fact, when Chris named her as his shy yet innovative kiddo self, he decided fervently on the name Raffi. However, upon a visit to the public library in Wauwatosa, WI, Christina (me!) discovered a tidbit that would completely alter the course of Raffi’s nomenclature forever.

Raffi was a children’s singer-songwriter. Nothing wrong with that, but childhood Chris looked crestfallenly at his sister upon the big reveal amongst the tape-decks-in-closeable-bags-with-handles section, because childhood Chris had believed he had singlehandedly created the name Raffi. 

Alas, Chris begrudgingly accepted his sister’s name revision of his newcomer squirrel. Waffi. Waffi Squirrelly Nut. 

Now For Fashuun: To Keep or Not To Keep

On the fence about the below items. To keep or not to keep? Comment below and let me know your thoughts!

  • tan utility cargo pants that are cute w/ heels but not with flats 
  • a peachy pink Tory Burch crossbody that is sleek in style but for some reason super heavy 
  • an oversized open stitch floral top that I don’t love but keep because it was my grandma’s
  • these tortoise glasses that are actually just the frame that I’ve always loved but they obstruct vision vs. help it 
  • deciding myself to keep the Theory jacket and the gold pointed heels – thoughts?

Help me choose! Stay tuned for day two…