Missing Anything?

[Seaworthy Lass]

Been cruising full time for several years now. When we were preparing to move on board it was too hard letting go of many things (particularly not knowing if the cruising life would suit us permanently) and as storage was relatively easy, after giving away lots, some of our household goods were stored both for nostalgic and practical reasons (it would cost a mint to replace them new if needed). Very little could be brought on board as we were moving halfway across the world. All the big items, including a business we had run for 20 odd years were sold.

The one overwhelming sensation arriving at the boat was actually a huge sense of freedom being without much "stuff". I had never expected it to feel quite so liberating. Still love that sensation. Almost none of the items in storage have been touched in the last five years (we have only been back twice in this time anyway) and interestingly almost nothing has been missed - washing machine excluded LOL, I still need to resist the urge to kiss every washing machine I come across .

Are any full time cruisers out there hankering after things they reluctantly sold or left behind?

[MysticGringo]

The things you own end up owning you.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by MysticGringo

The things you own end up owning you.

Especially boats!

[MysticGringo]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

Especially boats!

No doubt!

But that's an ownership I can deal with. Things like couches, bed frames, and coffee tables I hate owning. I think houses should be sold with furniture packages, choose your style for the basic big stuff when you buy it, add the other junk you want. Wanna move, leave it all behind as a part of the house... kinda like how you buy a boat.

I own a house that I need to go clean out and get rented so I can officially live aboard. I'm dreading it because I hate stuff.

I once read that if you've moved a box twice without opening it, toss it out... you don't need it.

[Randyonr3]

for the last 10 years we kept a 10 by 10 storage unit.. so we've paid almost 8k in storage fees and when we went throu it this last visit, wasnt anything we could not have replaced with that money..
and miss things, sure I do, my table saw, band saw, and the othere tools that would make building those little items on the boat easier.. I recently built a full heigth cabinet in the rear head.. took me over two weeks where it normally would have taken two hours with the right tools..
and now the othere side, after being on the boat for 10 years now, I've stuck things in every little corner of this 42 foot.. and I've lost things.. how do you lose something within a boat.. I know its here somewhere....

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by Randyonr3

...... after being on the boat for 10 years now, I've stuck things in every little corner of this 42 foot.. and I've lost things.. how do you lose something within a boat.. I know its here somewhere....

Know the problem. "Hid" something when we were going ashore once, just so it wouldn't be in plain view in case anyone boarded the boat. Six months later I still haven't found where I put it LOL.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by MysticGringo

No doubt!
......
I once read that if you've moved a box twice without opening it, toss it out... you don't need it.

Mystic, I subscribe to "if in doubt throw it out", but after several decades I had still accumulated so much. Thought I would miss a lot of it, but nope, not one thing apart from that washing machine. Was wondering if most people had experienced this too.
If I ever live ashore again it will be very minimalistically I think.

[ReMetau]

We have a few things in the car and some stuff in the dock box at our current marina, but normally if there isn't room for it on the boat, then there isn't room for it in our lives.

[LauderBoy]

The only thing I really miss was a huge collection of books I've owned that I've cleared out at various points in life. Since I've read certain books at certain times in my life they sort of remind me of those times.

But I've been slowly managing to bring the collection back up in electronic format.

[Sailorman375]

Albums and turntable, hot tub, washer/dryer, and...........well, I guess thats about it.

[janice142]

What I miss most would be specific books --yes I've plenty aboard, but an ebook that I could have lots of the favorites on? Oh, that would be divine.

[wingNwing]

After living aboard a 33 footer for 10 years: I miss my car (a lot) and a washing machine (a little). Other than that, nothing much. We scanned our photos before we left; moved our music to an ipod and books to an e-reader. I miss the mountains from when we lived in Colorado and Wyoming, but if we moved back ashore, I'd miss the ocean more.

[Hudson Force]

I can't imagine what I would have missed among those things I never had.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Any vital books came with me (some even filled jacket pockets on the plane LOL) so not a lot missed there for me.

A Kindle has been brilliant sailing, I'm slowly giving books away to other cruisers as I meet them, as freeing up the space on board would be nice. Also despite initially feeling very resistant to reading in e form I now hugely prefer it (lighter, easier to hold, spot never lost).

Permanent swimming pool off our transom makes up for the lack of a hot tub .

CaptForce, you are a lucky man. I found it tough not so much doing without, but letting go. Very glad I didn't have more back home or we might never have given it all up! Still very surprised almost nothing is missed.

[Bluewaters2812]

My wife enjoys her book reading ... me, I don't ever read fiction, only non-fiction. I know she is reluctant to "get into" an ebook reader and enjoys her "paperbacks". I am surmising this might need to change. As far as anything else goes ... I know there is absolutely nothing I will miss as far as material possessions go. It is liberating getting rid of the "stuff" at the moment. I guess that I might need to get an ebook reader too but then again I don't know how much non-fiction is available electronically?