Get rid of as much as possible before starting!

[osanmat]

I know I’m officially only on day 6 of this new adventure, (currently soaking up the sound of nature at night in the Kiowa National Grassland), but even after donating and tossing things, I still feel like I brought too much. 

Settling down each night, I have to shuffle things around and climb over totes, because I have stuff scattered across all of my Caravan Carolyn inspired Ikea storage. Just a recommendation to those just heading out, to consider if you will use every single thing you bring along, and figure out an organization plan early.

 

[Dingfelder]

I've been living in my trailer for months now and still haven't figured out how not to let even the tiniest thing not put away immediately sprout into a mess overnight if not sooner. I dearly love my stuff, but when it comes to having only what I truly need ... I'm just not there yet.

But I am determined not to spend money on storage, so I'd better get it under control!

Good luck on your journey to turn less into more!

 

[WanderingBiker]

I haven't hit the road yet and am looking at a garage full of stuff.... by december I have to have only the things I absolutely need, so thats a lot of stuff to get rid of

 

[QinReno]

I have a van like Carolyn's but a GMC, and also have the (twin size) mattress across the back. It turns out that (8) 15"x12" boxes exactly fit under the mattress between the wheel wells, and it's really all the storage space I need, so I don't need the Ikea cabinets. (course, I'm a part-timer, . Overflow storage area is in front of the passenger seat.

I would suggest, as a way to get into this whole thing, would be to get rid of everything you can, and then rent a small 5'x5' storage locker. Only about $40/month. So, various papers and stuff you really don't want to part with can go in there for starters, and then you can hit the road. Keep paring stuff down until all you have left goes into 5'x5'.

 

[MrNoodly]

I've been vandwelling or five years. About every six months I get rid of more stuff. I think it gets easier as you go along because you learn what you actually need and don't need. One of my tests for myself is whether I can name everything in a bin or cupboard. If not, it probably means there are things in there I've forgotten I have and therefore I don't need them.

"I have to shuffle things around and climb over totes"
One of my major goals was to not need to do that.

 

[MikesGonenoMAD]

I'm not full time yet but I have found it hard to get rid of "stuff' its like I see something that I haven't thought of since I purchased and "BAM" my Cluster of a Brain is trying to rationalize why I should keep it I can't believe I'm so attached to this Junk in fact its one of the reasons I want this life style, years ago I lived on the fly travelling for my Job and not having the space or inclination to have any more than I could fit in my duffel bag and I was truly Happy and Free I could go where I wanted when I wanted without towing a load of stuff with me!
Great advice Osanmat it can't be said enough Peace & Blessings!
MikesgonenoMAD

 

[Dingfelder]

One of the contradictory things I'm facing is that I'm buying so much stuff for the trailer, pretty much none of which I would have bought otherwise. Everything from tire chocks to tools to hoses to filters and screens and clips and ... I find myself getting rid of stuff but replacing it with other stuff!

 

[ChezCheese:-)]

You're going about this backassward. A painter starts with an empty canvas:

Imagine you have nothing. Lost it all. Flood or fire or divorce or the taxman: you have only your van that was parked elsewhere and survived your own private, personal disaster. Drive around in your empty van (I mean in real time now, not in your imagination). A long drive. Go to a national park or some empty place. Sleep in it, with nothing. Maybe you feel cold, or sore, or hungry. Next morning: decide what is most important to have. Get that one thing.

Spend another day driving, another night sleeping in your empty-except-for-that-one-first-thing van. Next morning, decide what the next most important thing to have is. Get that thing.

And on, and again, until you realize that you have enough stuff.

 

[Matlock]

I'm about to sell my home and 95% of the inside stuff has been sold, given away or trashed. The garages are another matter, entirely. I'm knee deep in the sell, give away mode but damn, once I get rid of it all my "project building" days are over.
I thought It would be easier if I just bought a small trailer to store the... you know, "really good stuff" cause I need all those tools.

I am in for a shock when something breaks or my modify/inventer side kicks in and all I got is a frig'in drill.

I really do need to count my blessings, appreciate my health, take time to walk and hike, maybe even read a few books.

Downsizing is the toughest thing I've ever attempted. Just feels like I'm about to turn off the last light switch and life fades to darkness..........

OK, that's a bit much.

My advice, we all will eventually find a way to reach that level of comfort with our stuff and when we do, that will be just fine.

 

[MrNoodly]

You're going about this backassward. A painter starts with an empty canvas:

Imagine you have nothing. 

I like this approach. It works much better than trying to fit as much of your previous life as possible into your vehicle.

 

[Jacksonricher]

I agree with Chezcheese. I prettyuch started with a van, a couple of boxes of stuff, a few blankets and minimul amount of clothes. Now from that I have made list, and then lined out what was not a "need" and then prioritizing got the top item on the list, a mattress and wood to build a frame. Next is an ice chest and stove. No matter re expensive fast food or eating a can of xyz.
Rent a small storage unit is a great idea

Good luck

 

[max+sophia]

"... trying to fit as much of your previous life as possible into your vehicle."

Great way to think about it MrNoodly.  It was difficult to do, but I gave my kids just about all the paintings and sculptures I had from my late fine artist spouse.  Needless to say, they were happy to receive their inheritance early.

As for parting with it, we can't take it with us, as the old saying goes, and that happens to apply to "travelers."

 

[becida]

Too much stuff is a problem I noticed & a tough one.

A place for everything and everything in it's place or take it to the Goodwiil can take a big chunk out of the too much stuff problem.  
I was using the 10 gal Rubbermaid containers, not too big & not too small.

(easy for me to say!)

 

[Jack]

People have different skills.  (Thank God!)  I know nothing about mechanics, electrics, etc.,  I'm a writer and I'm a very (not OCD) organized, detail-oriented person.  I love living simply, keeping possessions to a minimum.  I find a level of freedom in that alone.  I've sold everything two other times in my life and started over with a suitcase of clothes.  I don't find it difficult but that ONLY, I believe, because of my own background.  It's not the norm whatsoever.  I've helped a lot of people downsize over the years and it can really hurt!  It even made one grown man cry... a month later he was a completely different, much happier person and everyone saw the change.  He said he couldn't even remember half the stuff he got rid of.  

I'm of the belief that our addiction to "stuff" is part of the brainwashing propaganda in Western culture through the excessive exposure to media, advertising, and entertainment.  But I don't hold any of it against anyone because I have my own things I struggle with (that I don't want to bring along) and have to attend to before I start my van life.

 

[waldenbound]

I remember the I left, furiously throwing things on the van. It was packed to the gills.
Every overnight stop I made, i was dumping more stuff. I took two big trash bags to the landfill. I was slyly putting stuff in Walmart trash bins.

And the replacing stuff with different stuff. Oh, i know that well. I got rid of my two Igloo jerry cans, got different ones at Walmart. Now I wish I had my originals back.

Then I got upgrade-itis in Flagstaff. Don’t even eant to talk about that.

 

[MrNoodly]

As The Band sang, "Take what you need and leave the rest."

 

[Moxadox]

It's all relative.

I met a couple who travel full-time in a 45 ft Newmar coach, pulling a gigantic cargo trailer (with matching paint job) containing:
--a pair of Harleys
--a Jeep Wrangler
--a fully equipped woodworking shop
Because that's what makes them happy, and they can afford it.

And I've met people who are completely happy living out of a Prius, with nothing more than a lunchbox-type cooler and a two gallon bucket toilet. By choice (y'all know who you are ).

So I think it's good to think about what you really do need in order to feel whole and happy. Maybe you do need to haul a trailer with your tools, if you use them regularly. If you find you're not really using them, you can always turn them into money. On the other hand, there are always hurricanes and fires, therefore needs for people with tools to help clean up and rebuild.
https://teamrubiconusa.org/

The Dire Wolfess

 

[Moxadox]

Then I got upgrade-itis in Flagstaff. Don’t even eant to talk about that.

Oh come on, you're not really going to leave us hanging with this one, are you? ;-)

The Dire Wolfess

 

[MrNoodly]

It's all relative.  

So I think it's good to think about what you really do need in order to feel whole and happy.

Agreed, but if you've committed to a small rig you'd need to adjust accordingly.

 

[LivGolden]

When my husband died, I was devastated. I probably bordered on worshipping him. No apologies. He was that good. I was so grief-strickened that I  took every love letter; every photograph and every promise to the back pasture  and I set them on fire on a burn-pile. After that, NOTHING no-thing meant even a little thing to me. Vases; paintings; tools; photographs - absolutely NOTHING...Things are just that - things! Only love matters. Nothing else.  :heart: :heart: :heart: