How many possessions do you need?

carefullycautious

I have dreamt of being able to do this. I have downshifted and got rid of loads of clutter and it is so liberating.

I could easily live in a tiny home as long as I have a small bit of garden to hang washing out and for my dog. However, trying to find this combination has thwarted me somewhat.

I keep looking though

ladylouise62

I read about a man who did this and it's not a straight 100, e.g. all his underpants would be counted as one - I suppose people chose what they count.

yellowkittykat

I went camping a couple of years ago (not likely to be repeated but that's another story) and what I really enjoyed about it was I felt so liberated and free being away from things that buzz and whirr and plug in. We survived with so little "stuff" it made me want to blow up the house and start over when we came home! Of course I cannot live my life out of a tent with nothing that plugs in, just not practical, but having been brought up by parents who grew up in the post-war era (make do and mend) and had little money (clothing came from jumble sales and hand me downs, rarely "brand new" from shops), I do have a bit of a hoarding attitude, everything must have a use if only I could find it sort of thing. So while this is quite "green" because I like to try and re-use everything and don't buy that much "stuff", I do accumulate things and hoard them and so have a house full of things that I really need to get around to donating on....

But I still reckon it would be nice to spend a bit more time in a tent surrounded by nature, however I really would cope with it better if it had a fridge. I just don't like soft margarine and warm milk.

cepheus

Camping is great when you have a good neck & back and fall asleep quickly oblivious to snoring, none of this applies in my case! I usually come back knackered wanting a rest!

Herbyme

Ben, what a great story, really inspiring. Respect. As mum of 2 boys, constant demands for stuff are hard to handle.

Cepheus, you need a better airbed and to take a big (6') duvet to roll up in. Well, it worked for me. That's more stuff tho. And my camping fridge, yellowkitty kat, the one that's been used for 2 weeks in 2 years and takes up a lot of space in the garage, but it was very precious in those 2 weeks. I'm like you cos I always think it'll come in handy one day, don't throw it... hence the overcrowded garage... and loft... and office... you can't be everything at once, green and recycling and re-using and uncluttered and thrifty and time-rich and all home cooked - not enough hours in the day!

ninky_2

backpacking around the world i managed with just the stuff in my backpack for 8 months. it's amazing how many things you can do with a sarong!

also lived in rented accomm for a while and was never anywhere for more than 12 months so that kept the possessions down. it's amazing what home ownership and a settled life do. nomadic cultures have very few possessions.

babyshoes

I have lots of posessions, lots of 'stuff' but very little that I would really genuinely miss if I lost it all - mostly sentimental stuff like my grandmother's jewellery. The rest of it is either replaceable or not needed. I guess what I should do is decide if I would replace it if I lost it, and if I would not replace it then I should get rid of it now!

Easier said than done though, especially as my OH and I are both natural hoarders. I think it is partly in the genes (or at least that is my excuse...) - my paternal grandmother had a huge house (5 big bedrooms, sewing room, study, lounge, dining room etc) packed full of 'stuff' which was a mission to deal with when she got frail enough to have to move into a nursing home!