Getting Rid of Everything...Almost

[1990C4S]

I'm not talking about old crap laying around the garage. I'm talking about every single thing you own aside from clothes, a few tools, and a shaving kit. One Jetta load, that's it.

All my furniture, books, a lot of tools...they all have to go. The alternative is storage and that's just not practical, I don't expect to return.

I've done this before; when I divorced I just walked away from everything except my cars and some clothes. But I started over and built a new life full of 'stuff'. Dumping it all a second time seems a lot harder.

Anyone had to sell/give away everything?

(For context I'm moving a long way away and living in a furnished house).

[GH85Carrera]

I know some folks that have had a house fire, and they lost everything except the pajamas they were wearing. It was really hard for them. They talked about so often needed an item, and think right where it was, and then realizing that place is gone forever. And they add that item to a list of stuff they need to go buy.

I have some stuff I had as a kid, but not much since we were a military family and moved a lot. I would have a hard time getting rid of my stuff. I for sure need to empty out my attic, and clean out some closet space, but that is not what you are talking about.

[Starless]

We had a house that we had built when we lived in Spain. since my father decided to return to the USA, "for a few months" that turned into him and my mother both travelling back and forth for a number of years while my sister and I finished school. When we finished school we both came to the US "for a few months" which turned into years with each of us going back to visit almost every year. We would stay in the house for a few days and then head out to the beach where we also have a cottage. It got to the point that we weren't using the house at all so we decided to sell. We all had stuff still there as if we lived there. We basically told our relatives and friends to take what they wanted and dump the rest. But, i guess that's not what you're talking about either.

[Gogar]

There's very few negatives about purposefully having less stuff, I've heard.

I know that in my 'garage' life, having more stuff has definitely NOT helped me enjoy my hobby. It's just created more problems and mediocre stuff begging for attention.

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by 1990C4S

All my furniture, books, a lot of tools...they all have to go. The alternative is storage and that's just not practical, I don't expect to return.

May I ask, are you going to try and get some good value out of your possessions, or will you be having a fire sale? In other words, how do you plan to go about it, logistically? CL ad? Call your friends?

And, if it's not too personal, how old are you?

[vash]

Amazing. Getting rid of firearms would be my hurdle.

Good luck bud.

[MBAtarga]

About 2 years after marriage, we moved 1000 miles and had everything put in storage but the clothes we needed. We moved into an executive apartment while the house was being built. We lived for about 6 months in that small 1 BR apartment and I don't recall once "missing" anything in storage.

[Zeke]

I'd have to have at least one big chest full of tools, even in a furnished house. I've done much with less but that was when I didn't know any better.

However, big chests don't travel well, so it would have to be something modular. AFA kitchen and cooking stuff you can do a lot with 3 pans and one set of flatware. Paper plates if you have to.

We all have way too much in the bathroom when a razor, towels and soap will do. Think of the hotel room. Bedroom needs only sheets, blanket and comforter/bedspread (hotel room).

Outside maybe a couple folding chairs and a Weber. You can get that locally when you move.

But the tools become the biggy for me.

[BeyGon]

When I moved to our house in Costa Rica I got rid of almost everything, I drove down so I took whatever I could in my F150, but I sold some very early motorcycles and turn of the century bikes. Some books and papers I stored with my brother. I didn't plan on coming back but after a couple years my wife changed my mind.
Before that in a divorce my wife got just about everything out of the house, even the German Shepard, eventually half the house when I sold it. Had to pick up stuff for an apartment even. Like the story goes, I did love that dog.

[sugarwood]

Are you going to a retirement home?

Maybe the stuff represents your independence.
Getting rid of stuff for the last time is a 1-way ticket
and maybe that's what's bugging you.

[tabs]

A drifter on the run...what you want to get away from you cant give away...

[tabs]

Originally Posted by Zeke

I'd have to have at least one big chest full of tools, even in a furnished house. I've done much with less but that was when I didn't know any better.

However, big chests don't travel well, so it would have to be something modular. AFA kitchen and cooking stuff you can do a lot with 3 pans and one set of flatware. Paper plates if you have to.

We all have way too much in the bathroom when a razor, towels and soap will do. Think of the hotel room. Bedroom needs only sheets, blanket and comforter/bedspread (hotel room).

Outside maybe a couple folding chairs and a Weber. You can get that locally when you move.

But the tools become the biggy for me.

What. U don't brush your teeth?

[GH85Carrera]

Same here, as long as I am able to play in the garage with my tools, I will keep them ALL.

I have a workbench-cabinet that is made from 2x12s. It was built into the garage at my first house by a great carpenter back in the 1960. I have been using it for 37 years. I don't even have to think about where the drawer of electrical stuff, or the drawer of drill bit is. I can't imagine not have it and what is in it.

[Scott Douglas]

As I sit here, reading this thread while looking at the stereo 'stuff' I've had for longer than I've been married (will be 39 yrs in Nov), I would have a hard time parting with 'all' of my stuff. As George Carlin said, you have a house and it fills up with 'stuff', until you buy a bigger house just so you can get more 'stuff'. Or something like that.
It's funny, we got a phone call yesterday and the caller (unknown to us) left a message saying he was looking for a house to buy in our neighborhood. My wife told me about the message in a way that got me thinking maybe she wants to move.
Best of luck to you, I'll be watching this thread to see how things work out.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by tabs

What. U don't brush your teeth?

Always a tooth brush in the hotel room.

[Seahawk]

Did it once.

Finished my first sea tour in San Diego and owned a house in Coronado. I had orders to NAS Patuxent River, Maryland and decided to sell the house.

Buyer wanted the furnishings, mower, lawn tools, etc. and was willing to pay.

I boxed my clothes and the minimal personal stuff and shipped it.

I had a '68 912 5 speed at the time and took three weeks wending my way across the USA.

Now? I shudder at the thought of a total cleansing and I am really good at keeping my footprint in check.

Best of luck.

[tabs]

Originally Posted by Zeke

Always a tooth brush in the hotel room.

We all have way too much in the bathroom when a razor, towels and soap will do. Think of the hotel room.

You are CYA...."WE" do not all live in hotel rooms, but have permanent domiciles..which was what you were alluding to...Presumably you do not live in a hotel...and you made the analogy after the fact about a hotel room, to illustrate how minimalist one can be.

Just admit it you do not brush your teeth..maybe you drop them in a glass full of Polident at bedtime???

[tabs]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

Did it once.

Finished my first sea tour in San Diego and owned a house in Coronado. I had orders to NAS Patuxent River, Maryland and decided to sell the house.

Buyer wanted the furnishings, mower, lawn tools, etc. and was willing to pay.

I boxed my clothes and the minimal personal stuff and shipped it.

I had a '68 912 5 speed at the time and took three weeks wending my way across the USA.

Now? I shudder at the thought of a total cleansing and I am really good at keeping my footprint in check.

Best of luck.

How old were you? 20's???

[1990C4S]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

Are you going to a retirement home?

Maybe the stuff represents your independence.
Getting rid of stuff for the last time is a 1-way ticket
and maybe that's what's bugging you.

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

May I ask, are you going to try and get some good value out of your possessions, or will you be having a fire sale? In other words, how do you plan to go about it, logistically? CL ad? Call your friends?

And, if it's not too personal, how old are you?

Not going to a home, I'm not even 60 yet. Close though.

Used furniture is worthless. I paid $30k for my dining room set. I will be lucky to get $500. A lot of stuff will be given away to friends and family, the rest CL or donated.

My brother will likely take my tools.

There are few pieces I'm attached to. This is hard for me to do....

[herr_oberst]

Here's an idea, it's just something I've thought of from time to time:

(You're not the only one on this bbs who has thought of doing this! )
I have two collections that I like, one of them has some relatively valuable pieces.
The other is just a shelf or two of similar items that I collected a little at a time.

I've thought about making a quick photo booth and taking a picture of each item, just using a digital camera, storing the images to a file on my laptop. That way, I could dispose of the collections on my terms, giving most away, but trying to sell the valuables for a decent amount, just to have some traveling money, and having a record just for my memory.

It would take time to do, and effort. Maybe you aren't at that place....