Life without lots of stuff

I'm downsizing next year so will take the opportunity to dump a load of stuff so moving isn't a massive headache. I renovated 6 years back and got rid of nearly a skip's worth of stuff in the process - felt good!

I find myself less interested in gadgets and stuff these days. I'm happy with what I have :)
 
I had the same epiphany around about 25. Big house, quite a few cars, loads of bikes etc. We then decided to downsize on the house, hammer the mortgage (cleared it at 33) and simplify the way we lived. It enabled me to give up work and study for a degree (currently doing a PGCE then a PhD next year) and my wife to go part time. Now we have just three cars and my computer is my biggest expense. I do have laptops/tablets etc, but they are often good value propositions or even good condition second hand (members market ftw).

Its all well and good earning lots, but it doesn't help you buy more time, which is the commodity I now value most highly.
 
I've got cupboards full of crap, and a room full of crap.

Need to free up the room for the little one soon. Not looking forward to it lol.

Last time we went through the cupboards I had bits for cars I scraped years ago and stuff like that.

My main problem is I get it in my head I'm going to do a project, (for instance, car audio install or some kind of sport) get really passionate about it and buy all the stuff and never get round to doing it then I loose interest.
 
I earn sod all, can fit my life into my car and have little ambition to change that, aside from the earning sold all part.

Situation is a little complicated, own a house I rent out and stay with my mum (dad died last year at 58) but I don't spend a lot. The things I do have I work for, worked since I was 13 and try to own outright everything but I did rack up a credit card due to sticking my head in the sand trying to keep up with a mental significant other which will be cleared soon.

I try and buy things that will add value to my life for a number of years. My last PC lasted 7 years with select upgrades. The cost vs time used would be insignificant. My car has done 135k miles and I bought that outright 4.5 years ago, I do all servicing and maintenance myself aside from fit tyres.

I like nice things, but not for the sake of it.
 
bainbridge said:
Sounds like you still have all the modern luxuries that are considered essential.
Click to expand...

Yes exactly, the things I have kept are quality items and very nice but I just don't have a lot of stuff anymore. If I take my laptop out with me I dont even have to bother locking my door (but I do) :)

@Dup, sorry to hear about your dad. That's hard.
 
Lived in a 1 bed flat for a while and frankly I ran out of space in it. Don't think I could go back to somewhere that small to be honest (well if out of necessity I could, but I certainly wouldn't want to)

Had to double check the size of 6500 sqft, turns out that's large :D
 
I spend my money on things I want that make me happy, I have a balance, can't say I dont enjoy getting a brand new TV but at the same time I love going away.

There is a balance to what I do but if I want something, i'll get it.
 
Lot to be said for being low maintenance. I don't even have a TV. If you can get satisfaction from lower cost activities or even hobbies that may not be extortionate, then you win. Doesn't mean you have to live like a monk, by a long shot.

Your happiness and well being shouldn't be dependent on having masses of money though. Otherwise you'll be chasing rainbows, potentially forever if you're not careful.
 
Yeah I had tons of stuff when I was younger but the digitisation of things has helped a lot. I got rid of nearly all of my books and DVDs and every single CD is gone. Most of my stuff has gone to charity shops. Being able to view things on the internet even just pictures of stuff quenches my thirst not to have to keep them any longer.

The only thing I can't part with is my collection of Fighting Fantasy game books and associated memorabilia. That is the one thing that keeps growing.

I had a load of kitchen stuff that had amassed over the years. Getting rid of all unused utensils, containers and anything else you don't use is massively liberating. I love having the kitchen cupboards super organised with only the items we actually use and not being a nightmare to get at.
 
I worked on the oil industry for a while and basically lived out of a couple of suitcases for 6 years. I pretty much had no possessions except the essentials.

After I quit I began to reacquire crap but I got rid of 90% of it before moving to Sweden.

Trying not to acquire too much junk here, doing pretty well.
 
I'm currently living in a hotel room with the wife for 3-4 months whilst we move house and it's hugely surprised me how little stuff I really need.

We had just got back from holiday when we moved so I worked on the basis that I had 90% of what I needed in the suitcase already. We comfortably fit everything into a fairly compact hotel room and so far the only thing I've missed is having a small dining table in the room.

In the meantime I'm spending money on storing most of our belongings and questioning how we have accumulated so much stuff.
 
I pretty much have never bought superfluous items. People could consider things like pc phone etc luxuries and fair enough but they are also essential.

The things i've spent money on obviously clothes when I need them, my pc and a phone. (Car obviously too but just one that is good and efficient at a to b). That's pretty much it.
 
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