Evaluation
Moving or RV living is a wonderful wake up call. It forces awareness of what you need and what all you have. Do I have room for one more T-shirt or one more plastic necklace that I see at Cracker Barrel? Is this item worth shipping across international waters?
Usually, the answer is a resounding "no"!
I'm grateful for this experience of going thru everything I have and scrutinizing additional purchases. I'm grateful for the forced scarcity. Makes me reevaluate everything. 🙏🏽
Living with a hoarder is also good for this. Heh. Though since I can only control myself, it's not actually helpful at getting stuff out of my house. :P But, hooray! I'm glad you are having this opportunity to evaluate the necessities. Most stuff doesn't bring real happiness.
My wife isn't a hoarder but we definitely have differing approaches to "stuff." I could move tomorrow and fit everything I care about into a hatchback, and I love plain empty rooms with lots of smooth surfaces. She has an entire two-story barn full antiques and stuff she's accumulated, and decorates with lots of pictures, sculptures and "decorative accents" (knick-knacks). So there's always a significant push-pull going on when it's time for a trip to the dump.
I'd be interested to hear how you handle things with your partner.
Hmm, well, my husband I don't know that I handle it wonderfully. I mostly ignore it to the best of my ability, and then put my foot down when his stuff starts to creep into shared living spaces. I do think he's made a break through in the last few years in that he admits he has a problem, which is the first step, and that he wants to solve it, which is the second. I remain hopeful that he will defeat his problem over time, but I'm not sure. Frankly, he is resistant to what I think are the fastest and easiest fixes, determined to do it all himself, and, I think, that just makes it harder for him to part with things. We'll see. He's got a plan for how he wants to tackle it, but whether it will come to fruition, only time will tell. I adore him, though, so...he's got me no matter what.
Down sizing can be such a burden because of the items that hold such memories, A friend suggested taking pictures of each item and keeping them on a disk or a separate drive so the item and memories stay with you. To me as I get older I am feeling like the load on my back is heavier because of my house and things.
I did that yesterday...took a picture of an old leather jacket that my son nipped a piece out of when he was 2 or 3! I adore this thing, but no reason for it to hang in the closet forever. Giving it away, cherishing the memories, and have the photograph. Thanks for the comment and suggestion. :)
I want to full-time RV for at least a year. Totally envious of you...
Do it! Do you have an RV? Something u can do from Road for income or else savings/cryptofortune? I'm all for it. :)
I'm so happy for you both (and a little jealous). I hope to get out of the USSA at some point.
Oh Luke, you will get out if it supports your dreams. You are a wise man unafraid to take charge of his own destiny. Thank you and Hugs my friend. :)
Thank you. :)
I hope to have a long, exciting life traveling the world and living in many places.
Hey @steemed-open. Have you seen the movie "Minimalism"? If you haven't, you should definitely check it out. It displays, in great detail, how one can live life with only the bare essentials without absolutely no baggage.
The minimalist has been suggested for our next "movie night" at our yoga center. Sounds eye opening and I hope to see it soon! This lifestyle appeals to me in some ways, but then other parts of me want to hold on to things..and acquire more! Counterintentions.
Nice one! I have done my introduction.
Nice one! I have done my introduction.
Have fun exploring as you go through little reminders of different times in your life :) This is what usually happens with me when I am trying to narrow down items to pack for holidays or maybe im just too sentimental :)
Love x
I'm super sentimental too with my kids' things. Like, if a child once painted something for me, or hell, touched something happily...I want to keep it! But I can't!! We are moving in with THEM into a small bedroom as we sell our big house here. What I have room for there is so limited, and then what of that is worth shipping to PR. It's very eye opening. 🙏🏽
That is SO me! Except with my elderly father, I have kept the ENVELOPES of his many birthday cards to me throughout the years as I know one day they will become little momentos, little tokens of joy =)
Wow ! That sure sounds like a big life change but definitely one whose values are in all the right places will , for sure , pull off !!
Good Luck! May it all run smoothly and without stress!x
How about scanning/photographing the kids' artwork and then backing it all up to a special "childhood memories" thumb drive? Then you can go back and revisit those good feelings anytime without packing up a lot of stuff.
A few weeks ago I met a couple who were bike traveling from Ontario Canada to Los Angeles CA. They were packed light, just a tent and 2 sets of clothing per person for whatever weather. She was from Toronto and he from Amsterdam NL. Isn't it a great experience too. That trip was planned to take 2.5 month.
Also I heard stories from people who traveled the world for months and they told me it was even cheaper then staying at home.
I have been a lot about minimalism myself. I thinks is totally purifying and helps clear the mind. Makes one think two to three times about everything just as you said. Kudos!
Totally does. So true. :)
I am preparing to move to different cites and use rv at several location, we need to stay in touch, i am now following you
To paraphrase Notorious B.I.G.:
Mo stuff, mo problems
Ain't that the truth! In some ways at least. Money gives you more options and more freedom in a way, but more responsibility and potentially more paranoia.