How Did You Downsize Before Moving Aboard?

[aboutgone]

Closed on the house a week ago, have had a garage sale every weekend,and still have a lot of stuff to get rid of..but the mountain of stuff is getting smaller..in late October we have Three CSY's to look at in prospects of buying one of them. got our passports and shots to do...have a pile in the garage with a sign over it "boat Stuff". But I can imagine the day that this part will be over soon and we will be on the water..............was just wondering. How did you go about the final down sizing?......Ed

[Talbot]

Boot Sale,

Ebay

Rubbish Skip

[anjou]

I downsized just over 4 years ago. 25 yrs worth of acumulated 'stuff'. Collected junk that might come in handy, sentimental momentos, clothes, shoes, furniture, tools, keep sakes, kitchen things, it all had to go and reduce to that which one car could hold. I had a lot of guilt trips deciding what to keep and realised I had to get tough. Car boots, garage sale, cards in village shop window, ads in local paper. One way or another it went and the last remains i dumped in a skip, drove away with a huge feeling of relief. It took me less than 2 weeks from decision to departure. What a way to spend 2 weeks vacation. It can be heartbreak saying goodbye but enlightening once done.

[aboutgone]

Anjou: I think when it's all said and done it will be a great relief..i do think that good will or the salvation army will get a boat load (so to speak) from us before it's all over....my mom just passed last October.and we have alot of her things, so it's been really hard on what to get rid of...but i have come to a conclusion ...if it wont fit on the boat we don't need it.........sad but true..Ed

[gonesail]

we've been moving into smaller apartments near work and the boat over the last few years and in the process shedding more and more stuff that is not needed anymore. yes it can be painful but doing it in several steps allows more time to come to a happy conclusion. this also allows you to decide what's really worth keeping and what you don't use or need around.

[anjou]

Since my downsize, i regularly review possesions and to help maintain the situation, i opperate a system where if i want new clothes, old ones have to to first. There is a set ammount of closet hangers. Also the mantra...'If it hasnt been seen, used or worn for 12 months, it has to go' With the exception of a few special books. Several visitors to my home comment on the recent burglary they think ive had or say it looks like a guys flat cos its empty and minimal. Old Buddhist saying.....A man cannot truely be free untill he divests himself of all material possesions. I like not having clutter or too many belongings. Go quality and minimal. Less is more.

[witzgall]

There should be a support group for this. Boat shedders anonymous. We are going through the same thing right now, but at the beginning stages. It is really stressing Gretchen out. Any words of encouragement for her would be most appriciated.

Chris

[aboutgone]

Anyone need any chickens............LMAO ....we are trying to do this in 4 months........we will see if it can be done.........Ed

[Maren]

Originally Posted by anjou

Less is more.

You would make a horrible thief; any good one knows more is more

Photographed all the sentimal stuff and made two backup copies plus the one one the laptop. Then, as above, ebay, yardsale and donate.

... after some was moved to climate controlled storage.

[anjou]

'after some was moved to climate controlled storage'. Thats cheating.!!

[ColdFusion]

"If it wont fit on the boat [I] don't need it" - that's been my mantra for the last four years! I don't buy 'stuff' anymore but I'm still going through the process of getting rid of stuff acquired over the last 27 years - it's an ongoing and somewhat painful process at times but I'm getting there. Anyone want to buy a MIG welder? What about a garden table and chairs?

Anjou, I admire you for doing it all in a two week period, and for living a minimalist lifestyle. Not many women can say (or want to do) that.

[anjou]

Admit it, you realy thought i had been burgled didnt you?

[aboutgone]

i think most of the stuff (Furniture) is going to her folks in west Virginia...they spent 17 years on the hook so there sympathetic to our needs..besides that's where were are planning on ending up some where in the future..

[anjou]

And you get the furniture back as well as the farm. What a neat idea, but its still cheating.

[ColdFusion]

Originally Posted by anjou

Admit it, you realy thought i had been burgled didnt you?

Oh no, I've been rumbled