Rollfast

You should rent the apartment/deluxe cubicle next to it as well and eliminate any future water damage claims from the neighbors.

SPECELIZEDRIDER

I rent a room. I have no desire to own a house, been there done that. I lost everything through a divorce. first I was bitter, but after seeing the advantages of the simple life, I embrace it. I have my iphone 4s and my ASUS G75v gaming laptop and internet, oh and my Specialized Rock hopper. I am happy, now.

Smallwheels

In 1997 I moved to LA to go to school for a year. I rented a room in a big house. It had a bathroom and I could use the kitchen and even had use of part of the refrigerator. The laundry machines were in the garage. I drove across the country in a totally full compact car to get to LA. That year was fun and I didn't miss anything that was left behind in my house.

That room was mine on the condition that I would have to move when another renter willing to pay more returned. When he returned I moved to a smaller room. It too had a bathroom. My comfort didn't diminish at all. The bed was an improvement. It is because of that experience that I believe I could be happy living in an RV. I don't want to throw away the stuff that is taking up space in my apartment, but if it were all lost due to a disaster of some kind, it wouldn't be missed. My Craisgslist sales are going very slowly. I just sold a sewing machine and cabinet for only $60 when I know that elsewhere in the country it would be worth more than double that amount. It's taking forever to sell a guitar and stand.

One day I'll be down to one room again and loving it.

Jared.

It's only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.
If I am trying to get rid of something, I don't care what I sell it for, as long as I can get rid of it. It's this behavior that my father instilled in me when we were young and had garage sales.

Newspaperguy

On a Mac, I can go to print and then save as a PDF instead. I've converted many documents in this way, especially when it is important to keep the formatting.

wahoonc

There are several free versions of conversion software out there. I use PDF Creator. I also believe that the later version of MS Office 2007? and up have something similar. PDF Creator acts like a printer.

Aaron

Smallwheels

Yes that is true. In a big city there are many more people which means more opportunities to find the right buyer. That leads to higher prices.

When I sold my 2007 Honda Fit Sport I got nearly the price I paid for it. Had I been in Seattle it would have sold for $2000 more than I paid for it. Trucking the car to Seattle from my home in Montana would have eaten up that extra $2000. So it wasn't worth the trouble to do it.

agent pombero

Over the past month and a half I have read every single post on this thread. This past year has been an interesting time for me because I've been slowly creating a simpler life for myself and found everyone's perspective and ideas here very fascinating and inspirational. To whoever posted the website Zenhabits, thank you. I've also read all of that and found it very wonderful. I'll write more here soon.

Rollfast

As I posted in my Tempest blog thread in Alt Bike Culture...pack mule Schwinn.

Smallwheels

I remember this group from a long time ago. On a blog I read someone posted this link to a fitting musical piece. It is about letting go and moving forward. It isn't too long. It's just right for this thread. Check it out.

Celestial Navigations "The Valley".

https://www.myspace.com/music/player?sid=44683074&ac=now

Rollfast

I believe in getting rid of excess but my other hobbies require equipment.

Recording decks, mixers, stereo components and speakers...

And I love them.

I don't have too many complicated devices beyond tape decks and my repair and test equipment.

I have rhythm machines and keyboards and a digital signal processor although no midi and my computer is for ripping CDs, no cellphones or Apple stuff.

Simple means tape to me, phonographs and receivers I can service without a problem.

It doesn't mean clutter free, living on spit and bonemeal and I'm already wearing parts I am getting too small for.

Starting insulin pens took me off of several pills and actually fixed my hypertension problem. I've lost weight.

I nearly died to accomplish these changes but that is simpler.

Easy? No. Nicer.

I make my life simpler by adapting existing things to my needs and fixing them.

If you don't need things, that's great but that's not necessarily SIMPLER. It's just less. If you don't have what you need then nothing is simple.

I-Like-To-Bike

Very astute. This bottom line truth may be too simple for some on this list to accept.

Smallwheels

Rollfast your hobby instruments are your tools. They bring you fun and perhaps productive work. Whenever you downsize you should keep as many of them as you want. When I think of downsizing I don't get rid of things I want. I just get rid of things I don't use often enough.

Yesterday I went through my list of things to keep and removed several items. As my life changes so do the things I use. The list got some new future items that will be tools for living in my future RV. Even with those additions the over all list got smaller. This is pleasing me in a big way. It is helping me realize just how much stuff is weighing me down. It is also teaching me just how little I need to be totally satisfied.

Just before I move into the RV I've decided that I really won't need the 23" and 15" monitors for my computer. They will be sold along with one of my computers and replaced with a 15" laptop and some type of tablet capable of being connected to the internet. I always want to have a spare computer.

wahoonc

Nothing wrong with that! I would much rather have a very few quality items than a house full of stuff.

Aaron

Jared.

"I want to have fun, I don't want to have stuff."
My wife speaking to me yesterday about us moving, and how we've gotten rid of much of our furniture.

We went from a 1600sq ft condo, to a 700 sq ft condo rental, we still do not use one of the rooms, so in Feb we plan to move to a smaller rental closer downtown, saving a few hundred a month.

Also realized yesterday that sometimes more is less. I've had no cell phone for the past 6 months, and it hasn't bothered me in the slightest, but yesterday we got rid of the landline, got rid of my wife's expensive cell phone plan and got two phones from the budget carrier. Reduced our bill by over $40 a month and I can now call my family in the US for free.

plustax

I live in a living room, so I have some books clothes and some plants this computer and of course my bicycle.

Smallwheels

Welcome to the forum plustax. If you've read many posts in this thread you probably see the benefits of not accumulating too mush stuff. I wish I had the wisdom I have now when I was very young. My situation would be very different.

Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays everybody. May you easily get rid of the things you don't need anymore and not be given anything you don't need. 12/24/2012 11:03 P. M. Mountain Time.

I-Like-To-Bike

I've read the many posts from people who choose to rid themselves of accumulations of "too much stuff," or choose not to accumulate "too much stuff." These posts have provided few clues as to the benefits received other than not spending money and making more room available for unspecified purposes.

Jared.

...and?

plustax

Hrm... I never really downsized, I just never had much stuff to begin with. Not getting my drivers license till I was 22 probably helped.

trx1

never owned a car, but have a 2br house! no cable, or landline. just a obama phone and
my hobbies:
r/c
bikes
music.
may sell off my unbuilt model collection,since i dont build em any more!

I-Like-To-Bike

Perhaps Smallwheels (the poster to whom I was responding) or you might provide a hint as to the benefits that accrue from not accumulating "too much stuff."

Jared.

There's your hint.

Ekdog

Calibre is a great program for converting e-books to and from just about any format.

Ekdog

Many of us have come to the conclusion that the obsession with the accumulation of objects often does not lead to happiness. In my case, this doesn't mean I don't derive pleasure from owning nice things (well-made bicycles and accessories are my weak spot), but it's being able to spend time with friends and family that's important.