And in the spirit of swimming upstream against the shopping threads, I respectfully submit my 5 yr plan. To purge as much as we can after living in the same urban home for 30+ years, get my arthritis and fibro under control so I can be more active, and get our house ready to rent for a couple years, while we travel and live in a van/RV and see the country.
This was a tongue in cheek idea to husband after I heard a young couple say they were planning this before they settle down, but when I started researching it, it started sounding like * a really good idea!*
This book inspired me, but limiting possessions to 100 things seems too scary. I’m shooting for 1000. http://zenhabits.net/minimalist-fun-the-100-things-challenge/
( although counting collections as one thing, seems like cheating, as does not counting household things, tools and books. If we are going to live out of a vehicle we are going to have to rethink our idea about whats necessary)
I’m also taking suggestions for areas of the country we should see.
Ive not really been anywhere for a significant period outside of the northwest, and I havent even ever explored the eastern part of our state much, ( or the coast)
My previous travel experience outside of Washington/Oregon, consists of going to Detroit to see a friend, ( we did go to Greenfield Village, which I think H would really enjoy, being that he is a history buff),
San Francisco with my family when I was 13 and a few years ago with H, and to Colorado Springs with my mom, when my brother graduated from college.
And to rural Missouri with mom for a family reunion, when she was pregnant with my younger brother.
So, lots of the country left to explore!
Being that I am not a happy flyer, I thought that driving will be a great way to see the country. The hardest thing for me about travel ( besides needing. A window seat and a drink), is not having my own bed to sleep in, but bringing my bed * with me* seems like the perfect solution! Also easier to bring the dog.
My inlaws did something like this. They’d take chunks of the country at a time. So, for example, you could start by dong a giant loop through the west: driving south to southern California - along the coast, maybe - then to Grand Canyon, the Four Corners area, New Mexico, Utah, north to Wyoming and Montana and finally winding your way back west to home. Lots of great country to see! A trip like that could take 3 months, taken at a leisurely pace. When you’re ready to travel again, you pick the next “chunk” and do that.
It sounds like a heavenly retirement idea. Keep us updated as you work toward making it a reality. And by the way, it’s hard to downsize. But once you actually DO it – you’ll wonder why it took you so long to rid yourself of stuff. Once you start living like a minimalist, you won’t want to go back.
Come to Wisconsin. And then let us know if it’s as noticeable to new visitors to the state as to people returning from trips out west that the landscape becomes much more green and hilly once the Minnesota/Wisconsin border is crossed.
Visit Michigan, upper peninsula (especially Keewenau peninsula, Copper Harbor, Eagle Harbor) and the Lake Michigan coast of the lower peninsula (Saugatuck, South Haven, Grand Haven). Not in the winter, of course!
I think occasionally (but never act! LOL!!) about cleaning out closets and cabinets. I have one whole cabinet that is nothing but plastic drinking cups with a few insulated cups, water bottles, etc. thrown in. And, yes, when you open the door, some of them fall out! hee hee
That kind of stuff is easy to get rid of though. It’s the sentimental things I’ll have a hard time with, such as the wedding gifts from close family members who are now deceased, etc. But I guess if you start somewhere by getting rid of the meaningless stuff, then maybe there’s more room for the sentimental stuff.
And when you are NOT visiting Michigan in the winter, come to Texas! But not in the summer! My car said it was 109 yesterday afternoon.
I like the minimalist idea - I think many of us tend to be entrapped by our stuff. Less stuff = more freedom. I am not necessarily envisioning a RV, but downsizing so that we can retire 100% debt-free and have funds for travel is my objective.
Just wanted to add that this issue comes up a lot when dealing with elderly parents. I think my mother would be happier, in the long run, if she were to move to a retirement community after my father passes. But she is so bound to her 50-year-old dining room set and the breakfront full of crystal and silver that is never used, etc. She is a prisoner of her stuff and would choose a lonely life in her condo rather than jettisoning most of it to start fresh. Sad for her, sad for me.
Are you members of the “Bag A Week” club? Bit by bit it whittles down–or bigger bites when the inspiration strikes.
But you don’t need to whittle a house down but only decide what goes in an RV if that is your preferred travel.
Collections can be counted as one but only if the collection is a TINY one! A coin collection can be as big as it wants…
I’m with you @emeraldkity4 . I don’t need any more stuff. I need to continue to pare down. And when I go into semi retirement later this year---- we too are looking to expand our travel horizons here in the west. I highly recommend that you visit the Monument Valley . It’s vast, full of history and at the same time truly “minimalist”.
So happy to hear of your plans for a new adventure.
Having just recovered from tackling my mom’s House of Hoarding Horrors, I can tell you it has had an incredible impact on my own collection of stuff in my house. I had visions of keeping things to pass on to my children, and now I am more eager to clear out my house.
I have visions of downsizing, and of course living closer to the beach. Any beach. We have a number of years before we can make a move, but I can be getting us ready by deciding what things really give me joy, and what things are just cluttering up my life.
@emeraldkity4 Never rule out cruise ship travel as an affordable way to see the world without being burdened with a lot of “stuff.”
Virtually every mid- to mid-upper cruise ship has at least one passenger who has been on the boat for a long time. We were on a Princess cruise that had a woman who had been on the ship for almost two years, with a couple of very short breaks.
My brother is cruising on an almost-luxury cruise line in a few weeks. He was supposed to be on a 14-day cruise, but it was oversold, so they let him switch to a 35-day cruise and included a suite for a small extra charge. It’s the deal of a lifetime. Anyway, this 35-day jaunt is a segment of a half-year round-the-world cruise. My brother read on CruiseCritic that there was a 100-year-old man on the cruise, using it as a substitute for a retirement home. He can’t wait to meet the guy.
