Help! Can I give up my stuff to liveaboard?

[GordMay]

“Let your home (stuff) be your mast, and not your anchor.” ~ Khalil Gibran

[robert.]

It can be done, trust me!

[sailorboy1]

[QUOTE=JulieMac;1716691]
However, it's the all or nothing leap that's hardest. /QUOTE]

I feel the problem is thinking it is "all or nothing". The only things that really can not be replaced are memories.

I bet I could put all the memory things currently in the house into 1 box, and if I scanned the photos it could be a small box. All else is just "stuff" and I can get more stuff later, and the stuff would be new

[S/V Willow]

Yes you can! However how much is up to you. We have been cruising off and on for 8 years and we have little nests in all sorts of places. We have a tenant in our house in Sydney with a double garage so we appropriated one side and all our mementos are stored there.

We at one time had to move to Adelaide for Rays sick Mum and lo and behold we have a stash there now too. Then my Mum got sick and we had to live in NZ and ................ whadda you know? Yup we now have a stash there too. Ray would happily get rid of it all mementos included but I cannot.

I find talking to women cruisers that we tend to be the nesters who need a base to come back too occasionally (this isn't true of everyone of course) and 'stuff' like baby clothes and wedding dresses just ain't going to be thrown out. But I agree with one of the original posters - we love the unburdening so much! It is nice living with little 'stuff' and it destresses life so much. But as a silly 'girl' I still need a little nest sometimes. But if the men want us along there has to be some compromises.

[ontherocks83]

Originally Posted by SV THIRD DAY

There is a funny Country some with a line "I've never seen a herst with a trailer hitch. You can't bring it with you!"

Not quite what you are referencing but how about this

[Nadezhda]

We bought a boat, learned to sail, sold a house, furniture and 2 cars and set sailed. All between Sept 2005 and May 2006. Read how

Nadezhda: In the Beginning......

[mlucasparris]

Oh those halcyon days when everything I owned could fit inside a hatchback.


Just remember you can't stand in the same river twice. When you look at those memories you've tucked away a year or two later, you'll realize that you are not the same person that put them in there. You'll have grown and won't need them to hang on to anymore. Besides any damage to them by water, rot, moths, critters, etc. is very heartbreaking. It's better to part with them now while they are still in good shape and someone else can properly look after them.

[lesterbutch]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

I took the slow path. Got ride of a bunch of stuff. But put things I thought I needed in a storage unit for a year. After a year, I realized that I had spent over $700 to store what was mostly just memento's. So got rid of almost everything then, and have been happily living aboard ever since.

My wife and I did something similar to "Sailorchic" and after selling off as much "stuff" as possible, including our seven room 1645 historic home, put everything in storage and moved aboard our 41' motor yacht. That worked for a while until we trimed down again to move to a 37' Irwin CC ketch. We kept that and paid storage for a number of years until we figured out we were paying storage on a bunch of junk we would never use again. It cost thousands to come to that realization. My advice to you is save your money and clear out everything except what you can fit comfortably on your boat. Then sail away and don't look back! eace

[zeehag]

place all your worldly goods in a storage locker.
i did thatt.
when i was close to departure, as i had not used anything in the 60 usd monthly rate storage, i ditched all into a nice clean dumpster where homeless hang out and ran like scalded dog the helloutta sin diego and willnot go back.

easy peasy.

is all up to what your psyche can tolerate. some folks are addicted to their stuff and materialism.i am not.

[chuckr]

8 years ago we sold the house, gave the cars away, sold the furniture, and got rid of everything else one way or the other except a couple of boxes my son is storing for us.

in the end stuff is stuff and either you or your kids will get rid of it eventually. it all depends on you and your willingness to do what you want to do.

it is that simple..

and as ann said there a a couple of threads out there on this.

[Old Engineer]

Twenty years ago moved on to our Hunter 28.5 and put 15,000 pounds of stuff in storage. Never missed any of it; but in less than a year was back in a big house with lots of stuff. Still fondly remember that experience. Go for it!

[Aquaguy]

Think of it this way. If your house caught on fire and you only had 5 minutes to save what was important what would you take? Keep that and the rest is just stuff. Rent the property as a source of income.. You would be surprised how little most of the stuff really means once you live without it for a while. You are trading stuff for a life of adventure. Good Luck to you in your new adventure.

[George DuBose]

Who is the famous sailor who when his girlfriend first moved aboard was asked "Where do I keep my stuff?"

He gave her a shoe box and said when it was full and she wanted to add something, she would have to take something out of the box...

[Bulawayo]

Carefuly detail every single item you place into storage - preferably with digital pics. After a year bof sailing pull out those photo's and you'll be able to catalogue what to keep long term and what to dispose of. We bought our storage space, a garage, painted it, installed 12volt lighting (plugs into car cigarette outlet) and installed a deck kit so nothing was in contact with the concrete floor. We installed shelving around three sides and placed our goods within. Obviously there are insurance issues with this arrangemement. Anything that is super sensitive needs to go with you or be placed somewhere secure. We have some 'special' items but these are to big to go anywhere but our garage - it is reasonably secure and outwardly looks just like any other garage. Good luck - your only regret shall be not having done it sooner.

[biker6977]

We've yard saled, donated and still have lots of stuff. We have 3 girls and they get their inheritance early- every visit we send them home with stuff. There are some things we aren't sure how to divide but once we're ready to cut the lines we'll have them gone. Hubby says some things can't be sold- guns, family heirlooms etc. Those will all go to the girls and let them figure out what to do with them. If they don't want them they have our blessing to toss them in any manner they see fit.