Women Only: Major downsizing

[VanKitten]

Michele

Only reason I am not on the road already is mechanical problems stopped the progress on the RV for a month.

I am couch surfing, sleeping in car, sometimes a motel. Whatever works each week.
Can't wait till it is done so I and Smidge can get gone.

 

[Gardenias]

"The newest decluttering craze is 'Swedish death cleaning,' which hinges on the fact that friends and family won't want your junk when you're dead"
http://www.businessinsider.com/swedish-death-cleaning-2017-10

"You'll have to wait until January to get your hands on a copy, but here's what we know about the cleaning system so far:"
http://www.countryliving.com/home-maintenance/cleaning/a45190/what-is-swedish-death-cleaning/

Actually, I've been doing this for some time now...sigh...

 

[Queen]

We arrived at our FL condo last week, we left about half of our (minimal) belongings in storage in storage in IL, it feels wonderful!  Our place is so light and unencumbered... fingers crossed my honey will agree over time so we can get rid of a bunch of stuff!!

 

[Gardenias]

"... my time was more valuable than a few bucks. ...

... imagined [] my kids were going through my things. If I believed they would have no clue as to what the thing was or meant to me, it got chucked.  Hard at first, but very liberating. ..."

I'm going through this now, and I have so much more to go through by the end of the month!
Please send any spare supportive energy.
I know it's only stuff, though there are so many attached emotional memories, regrets, etc.

 

[Stargazer]

My dear mother is a pack rat.  We sibs helped her move from three houses to one (the smallest of the three).  She fought tooth and nail to keep everything and there were numerous arguments all around.  It caused some ugly feelings in the family for a few years.  After the last move a few years ago, I told myself I wouldn't do that to my children.  That helped a LOT!

Now and then she talks about moving again. She's 94 and very frail.  We all decided not to help her if she does it again.  So last summer when she started up about moving again, I told her "sure, Mom! Whatever you want to do, go for it.  Which movers would you hire?  And will you have them pack your stuff, too? Because they'll do that if you pay up for it."  She backed down.

I moved from my house to the van and a 15' TT.  No storage unit.  I keep thinking about how it will be for us when Mom passes.  Two very large dumpsters, at least.  None of us want her stuff (five fake Christmas trees, probably dry rotted in the boxes by now).  Most of it is simply rotting away in various closets and rooms.  Sad, because if she had sold or donated it before, it would've been useful to someone.  Now it's mostly all aged out.

 

[Gardenias]

I cleared out my dresser and put clothes in plastic containers, and will practice day-to-day living with these containers. :huh:

 

[Gardenias]

It's funny...as I sort through clothes, now one of my criteria is, "Can I easily relieve myself using a bucket in this outfit!"

 

[waldenbound]

I did a huge purge a few days ago, three dump runs. I'm down to eating soup out of my camp mug and a long handled titanium spoon. I have no furniture except a coffee table and a rocking chair.

 

[Gardenias]

I'm going through boxes of papers. It's so much easier to pitch now since I imagine the weight can't be sustained by a vehicle.

I transferred my underwear to smaller boxes since they were getting mixed up in the larger container. They're rolled like egg rolls à la KonMari for ease in retrieval.

 

[Gardenias]

I continue to be amazed with the amount of accumulated stuff and running out of time!!

 

[longing4nature]

I too am getting rid of most of my stuff and in the process of taking most items to goodwill. Once I am living in my car, I will have no room. I will send some things to friends and photos to family. I actually didn't think I had that much because several years ago I was forced to dump almost everything. I now have 1 bedroom full of stuff mostly books and art supplies. I just got rid of all my dvds and dvd player. The most difficult to get rid of are my non-fiction books. This is the 2nd time. Last time I donated about 12 file boxes of books when I left Vancouver B.C. Once my parents pass there will be so much stuff to get rid of. My mom is very materialist. Funny that she says she will worry about her cut glass when she is dead and sees me selling it in a garage sale. No, hardly. Most people don't want this kind of stuff today. I will probably just donate it. She has a lot of silver too. Ugh. So many times I have cleared out my things and ask if there is something they want me to take to goodwill but they can't seem to part with ANYTHING. Not even fold up chairs they haven't used in 20 years. I don't know how people can be so attached to material goods.

 

[WILD@HEART]

It's not easy! This may help... 1)   john walsh      2)  https://www.konmari.com/

"Stuff" sometimes holds us back (or Hostage) and clutters our minds...free yourself, make room and time for the important things (especially you & your relationships)...Free yourself & Let Go!

 

[Deb_A]

Sorry, didn't read the whole thread, so forgive me if I repeat something already said.

I've been having all those second thoughts most of us have about full-time van dwelling, so I've decided to put the bare essentials I'll need to start over in a dwelling into storage. My son is going to keep the most important, treasured, valuable things and the everyday things will be stored, so I can quickly at least set up my kitchen, bed and bath if it doesn't work out.

I haven't even really tackled the purging yet, but I'm sure there will be much I simply can't part with. I have some treasured family heirlooms that I can't just give away or sell. Most of those will go to my sons, and a few smaller things will go into a safe deposit box, but I'm not ready to part with them.

My plants will be the hardest things to part with. I do have one that I cannot part with, because it's one my mother gave me many, many years ago, so that has to come in the van, come hell or high water. I'm trying to "bonsai" it now to save space. LOL

 

[Cat Lady]

I read somewhere that if you are sentimentally attached to something but can’t take it with you, take a picture(s) of it with your digital camera/phone...then let it go to another home. Don’t worry about giving stuff to your kids...they don’t usually want our ole “junk” anyway.

I’m at the stage of my life that if I can’t eat or wear it...out it goes.

 

[Gardenias]

"...Most of those will go to my sons, ..."

"... Don’t worry about giving stuff to your kids...they don’t usually want our ole “junk” anyway. ..."

So far, I've found Cat Lady's reply rings true!