"This is how the terminally ill and suicidal behave!"

[hsi88]

Its a weird transition, but for me, not a complete one. When I got divorced this last time, I downsized with every move. Was almost forced to. Still had a love of large homes, but found myself living in just a room or two with 6000 square feet to spare. Still have lots of stuff in storage, but am working on it. Like another guy mentioned, I have turned my attention to buying stuff for the boat, but am much more frugal. Only things I need, like bottom paint and such.

Will not give up my land home. I'm back in my childhood home and my brother needs a place to stay. Plus its familiar when I need that sort of thing. I work from a laptop (40 year software engineer), so I can theoretically live almost anywhere. No plans to retire, have lots of annual leave and with an ex and 3 older kids, will always need the sort of money I make.

Will be transitioning from a 27 to a 30 footer here in the next few weeks. Look forward to that, although I'm transitioning from a boat that is just starting to look pretty good to one that needs some serious work. But could use the extra room and wanted an inboard diesel. Have Wifi at the marina. Will try working from (and on) the boat for small periods of time. That way I might actually have the boat looking good within the year. I love working on things and in some ways enjoy it more than sailing. I'm an eternal tinkerer.

Its funny, spent half my life obtaining, have already started my second half disposing. Not sure what will happen if I ever actually downsize to nothing. I'm a little fearful of that possibility. At my age, when you get to nothing, what happens next? :-)

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by hsi88

Its a weird transition, but for me, not a complete one. .....................................
.........................Will not give up my land home.
.........................Will be transitioning from a 27 to a 30 footer
.........................
Its funny, spent half my life obtaining, have already started my second half disposing. Not sure what will happen if I ever actually downsize to nothing. I'm a little fearful of that possibility. At my age, when you get to nothing, what happens next? :-)

I'm not sure I understand. You're keeping the house and the boat and you have plenty of things in storage. When would this "downsizing to nothing" come into play? If your brother lives in the house and you get rid of the stuff in storage, you'll be on the boat, right? 'far from nothing. At your age or anyone's age, if you are living with all you own on the boat, "what happens next?" Unencumbered freedom to have more mobility, spontaneity, fewer bills, more discretionary income and a life in tune with the cycles of nature.
I don't believe anyone's thought of downsizing on this forum is with a goal to have nothing.

[hsi88]

Downsizing for me has become a reflection of life. As many will acknowledge, you come into this world with nothing, you WILL leave with nothing. I own a house because I have obligations that require it and I personally appreciate the feeling of a home base. I was born here, I went to school here, I will eventually be laid to rest here, amongst long time friends and family. I have boat(s) because I feel I have plenty of good years ahead. But beyond that, almost everything I own becomes more of a burden with every passing year.

I fully understand the feeling of freedom one feels as they discard their "stuff". My kids don't want anything I currently own, beyond their monetary value. Even the things they grew up with hold no real meaning. When I finally go, all of my current possessions will be unloaded within weeks. Outside of some family pictures and a few mementos, my children will be selling everything I have accumulated to the highest bidder. I seek to save them the burden but it hasn't been easy.

I'm not sure other people share my feelings on this, but downsizing, while in some ways very liberating, has also been a reflective and sometimes sad experience. I ended up with a lot of the family belongings. As I put these things into bags and boxes for the Good Will and Salvation Army, my mind is brought back to an earlier time. I picture my ex-wife wearing almost every maternity dress that hits the bag. I picture my kids hugging the same cuddly toys I place carefully in the bag. The toy dinosaurs that used to fight on my son's bedroom floor, slowly enters the bag. The Barbie's, my daughter danced around her floor. The fishing rod I used to catch my first trout. My weathered Ted Williams baseball glove. Knick knacks my Mom bought. All hit the bottom of a bag. Thoughts and memories come flooding back. Its a time of joy and sometimes a time of tears. My whole life is in those bags I carry to the car. Possessions are to me, a reflection of life...

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by hsi88

..............................
............................ I'm not sure other people share my feelings on this, but downsizing, while in some ways very liberating, has also been a reflective and sometimes sad experience. .............................
............... My whole life is in those bags I carry to the car. Possessions are to me, a reflection of life...

I would not want my support of downsizing to be thought of as dismissing the past or dishonoring life experiences; however, I would suggest that your life is not in those bags. The bags simply contain items that trigger your memories. There is a great importance in supporting recall of your life experiences. I believe that you could maintain all these memory stimuli with technology that does not require more space than that one old baseball glove.

[FollowingCs]

Originally Posted by hsi88

I'm not sure other people share my feelings on this, but downsizing, while in some ways very liberating, has also been a reflective and sometimes sad experience. I ended up with a lot of the family belongings. As I put these things into bags and boxes for the Good Will and Salvation Army, my mind is brought back to an earlier time. I picture my ex-wife wearing almost every maternity dress that hits the bag. I picture my kids hugging the same cuddly toys I place carefully in the bag. The toy dinosaurs that used to fight on my son's bedroom floor, slowly enters the bag. The Barbie's, my daughter danced around her floor. The fishing rod I used to catch my first trout. My weathered Ted Williams baseball glove. Knick knacks my Mom bought. All hit the bottom of a bag. Thoughts and memories come flooding back. Its a time of joy and sometimes a time of tears. My whole life is in those bags I carry to the car. Possessions are to me, a reflection of life...

Read the Marie Kondo book 'The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up'. It's a great book for the process, especially the emotional process. She is Japanese, and practices Shintoism. She thanks the items for their service or their memory. I thought this was a bit silly, but I'm an engineer and like to follow directions. It was amazing how easy it was to toss things after verbally saying a little something about them. Even some things that we never opened.... 'thank you, wedding gift dishes from 25 years ago, for being there just in case we ever needed you. goodbye.'

~ Following Cs ~

[hsi88]

LOL - I think you are onto something. I will thank every item for their service to the family before I plop them into the bag. And I'll take a picture or two if its something interesting enough to show others (like my kids) down the road. I think I'm ready for the next round of de-cluttering!

[FollowingCs]

Originally Posted by hsi88

LOL - I think you are onto something. I will thank every item for their service to the family before I plop them into the bag. And I'll take a picture or two if its something interesting enough to show others (like my kids) down the road. I think I'm ready for the next round of de-cluttering!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEGmgEX2BaM

Good one.

[Hudson Force]

As I'm fully aboard for years and not downsizing, I didn't think I'd have an interest in Marie Kondo's video, but the folding and standing of items gives me a new insight as to how I might better organize my shelving.

I'm going to try this as a practical matter; however, it won't suit my nature to speak to my home or my clothing. To do that I'd need a new fold and stand up for truth!

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Hudson Force

As I'm fully aboard for years and not downsizing, I didn't think I'd have an interest in Marie Kondo's video, but the folding and standing of items gives me a new insight as to how I might better organize my shelving.

I'm going to try this as a practical matter; however, it won't suit my nature to speak to my home or my clothing. To do that I'd need a new fold and stand up for truth!

This author caught my attention only now in 2016 but I understand she has been a fad in the West for a time now. You now, one year it is zen, next year Gaga and now it is Kondo.

I did some reading and I believe this lady is trying to tell people the tricks she used to assuage her ow fears will work equally on others. Actually, they may, as we are all but human and our fears are similar, and so our ways to avoid pain may be similar too. Well worth having a look, if only to be abreast with the times.

My biggest worry is that she is apparently already married and with a child. I could accept the kid and I would gladly let Marie organize my boat's many lockers - OK, I admit it, I have a crush on her; but what would we do with the husband? They seems to take up most of the space.

;-)

b.

[barnakiel]

Frankly though I think being rich helps living thin and traveling light. Stuff can be bought anywhere and so it is only the matter of whether one can afford getting rid of stuff she does not need in any given moment.

b.

[RickG]

We've been working hard at downsizing and letting go of things. We've got a contract on our house and my mother's house. Sold the car my daughters used to drive last month. We have our estate sale this weekend. The left overs go to Salvation Army. I'm with a lot of others, my kids really don't want stuff. Good for them.

We read Kondo, liked the clothes folding idea. I used some of her approaches to help downsize Mom to a retirement community. A lot of her approach seems to be the product of a very, well, compulsive person - in the best way.

What's left to downsize? A truck and a dog. The 60 pound dog is 11 years old and shows no sign of slowing down. I may drop the truck and the dog off at my daughter's house.

Cheers, RickG

[FollowingCs]

Originally Posted by RickG

The 60 pound dog is 11 years old and shows no sign of slowing down.

We said the same thing about our 12 year old dog, acts like a puppy. Even made jokes that she was going to have to move in with our daughter at college because we didn't want her on the boat. Literally, the day we got new carpet in the house, she came down the steps and couldn't move. Massive liver failure. Downed at the vet by 10:30 AM.

~ Following Cs ~

[RickG]

Originally Posted by FollowingCs

We said the same thing about our 12 year old dog, acts like a puppy. Even made jokes that she was going to have to move in with our daughter at college because we didn't want her on the boat. Literally, the day we got new carpet in the house, she came down the steps and couldn't move. Massive liver failure. Downed at the vet by 10:30 AM.

We're going to live on the dock for a season before we start cruising. We'll see how the old boy holds up. He does enjoy time at my daughter's house. He hates storms and would be pretty miserable at times. But, he was miserable with the storm that blew through last night while he was in the house.

Cheers, RickG

[thomm225]

Yep, downsizing, selling all and moving aboard is great stuff as long as you have already been living on the boat for 6 months to a year.

Otherwise, you may find yourself starting over again in a few months with the live on the land thing

I was lucky enough to observe this behavior on the Gulf Coast in my 40's. I watched for 12 years because it was my goal also. Great opportunity and learning experience

Some folks last years, others months..................

[Teknishn]

Did thes a few years ago. Now, I don't live on a boat...yet (am in the process of purchasing one as a live aboard when I repatriate to the States in a few months). I down size every week as I live part-time in the desert (desert rig only holds so much). The rest of the time I'm living in an apartment in Safaga, Egypt restoring an antique German boat built in 1936/7 with no contract. Aside from all of the desert kit required out there in No Man's Land where I may live for up to 2 months at a shot, everything else I own fits in to two medium sized plastic boxes with the exception of my Martin Guitar (and that goes away when I depart Egypt to move aboard my new home in the States).

In my experience it has been quite liberating to get rid of the majority of things I owned, and yes, most people will not understand, and get back to very simple system of "What do I REALLY need". Am happier now than I have been in years. (My only vice on the minimilist things is tools....one can't have too many of those)