This whole getting-rid-of-nearly-everything-I-own thing has been a trip.
It’s been really challenging at times and I still can’t bring myself to part with my photos and sentimental items completely, but overall it’s been far more enjoyable than I ever expected it to be.
Part of why it was relatively easy to downsize is because we were ready. Ready to let go of stuff.
We also have bigger life goals in mind. You only live once so we figured we actually needed to start living.
Thompson Pass near Valdez, Alaska. One of the prettiest places I’ve been in AK.
We’re clearly not the first people to go uproot ourselves and strip away all of our stuff ‘til there’s barely anything left but ourselves. When we first got it into our heads that we were really gonna do this thing, I started wondering what it would be like.
What would cause other people to give it all away?
How did they choose what to get rid of?
Did they regret their choice to downsize?
The stories were fascinating.
♦ Nora has been on the road for years now, leaving behind a stable career in exchange for full-time travel. It wasn’t easy but she writes about how she got rid of all of her crap to travel.
♦ Joshua talks about how “owning less is far more beneficial than organizing more.” After seeing my little piles of clutter disappear over the last few months because I was actually getting rid of it as opposed to organizing it (which is a fancy way of saying you’re just moving something from point A to point B), I totally agree.
♦ Torre is the opposite, in a way, because she says she loves stuff. But yet she still got rid of it all after realizing, “the world was waiting to be explored… [and] stuff was keeping us fixed to the spot.”
♦ Kim and her husband Brian sold their house (and nearly everything in it!) to pursue a lifelong dream to travel around the world and start living life as they felt it should be lived.
♦ Tynan went from owning so much stuff that he could fill an 1800-square-foot house to owning whatever fit in his 22-liter backpack. It’s a little extreme for most, but it’s the idea behind removing the excess from your life that’s so great.
♦ Courtney talks about how you can take it slowly by removing unwanted or unused items from one room at a time and how once something’s gone, there’s a good chance you really won’t miss it.
♦ Tammy and her husband Logan went from living what you could call the American Dream to living their own dream in a super cute, tiny house.
♦ Joshua and Ryan took an interesting approach to getting rid of stuff. They had a packing party where they packed everything away and then only took out items as they were needed. And guess what? Most of the stuff stayed in the boxes.
What I love is that change comes in many forms and it’s gonna look different for each one of us. What works for one doesn’t always work for another, but with luck we’ll be inspired to follow our desires and do what feels right for us.
I know I’m happier for letting go of my things and hope to continue living with less for a long time to come.
we are working on a major slim down too, nice to hear of others trials and tribulations!
That’s great that you’re also paring down. It feels good even though in the moment it can be a little overwhelming and difficult deciding what stays and what goes.
I had a couple friends who lived in Alaska for 3 months, drove up from Ohio and then back coming down to go through the American west on the return trip.
I’m going through my stuff as well, slowly selling it on craigslist. My mindset is slowly changing as I see my place empty. I’m turning to my accomplishments to take up my time, like writing, and friends, instead of cleaning and rearranging the things in my place. So much dishware and clothes, for no good purpose! I feel slowly lighter.
I think it’s a good thing you’re looking to keep things simple and uncluttered. I am as well.
Hey, Ara! Sounds like your friends had a great journey. We aren’t taking the most scenic route up to Alaska because we didn’t want to deal with too much snow and sketchy roads, but we hope to take the marine highway on our return trip and also hit up some of the West Coast sights.
Isn’t it strange how your mindset shifts? I think that’s awesome that you’re spending more time doing what I would consider to be much more valuable activities like creating and spending quality time with loved ones. And I totally didn’t realize how much time I wasted just by “organizing” my stuff. I hope you continue to feel lighter and have more time for what matters. :)