sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
Mostly yes, but we will leave a few boxes in my mom's attic.
Becoming a minimalist
- Thread starter jeeper
- Start date
I have been making a LOT of progress over here. I have removed entire shelves full of stuff.
My new philosophy is 'own it on purpose'. In cleaning, I found about 5 cans of WD-40. I can never find one when I need one, but I use it all the time, so I will keep them all, and use them up. I also found about 5 cans of chain lube and wax. I only like 1 of the brands, so the rest were tossed. I don't need to keep all the chain lubes, because I have no desire to use them.
I have an entire basket full of wire. I picked it up from somewhere years ago. It's completely tangled and impossible to even get a short piece from. I use a lot of wire, so it's worth keeping, but it was not useable. I sat down this afternoon with the bucket, turned on a movie, and within a couple hours had it all untangled and neatly rolled up. I now have hundreds of feet of useable wire.
'Owning it on purpose' has helped me to realize what has value to me personally. Which has done 2 things: 1-I can freely toss what has no value to me. 2- the things that do have value to be are being properly cared for now because they are not allowed to take up space as broken or useless items. They either get fixed into their useable 'value', or they get tossed as they have no 'value'
Its been a lot of fun.
My new philosophy is 'own it on purpose'. In cleaning, I found about 5 cans of WD-40. I can never find one when I need one, but I use it all the time, so I will keep them all, and use them up. I also found about 5 cans of chain lube and wax. I only like 1 of the brands, so the rest were tossed. I don't need to keep all the chain lubes, because I have no desire to use them.
I have an entire basket full of wire. I picked it up from somewhere years ago. It's completely tangled and impossible to even get a short piece from. I use a lot of wire, so it's worth keeping, but it was not useable. I sat down this afternoon with the bucket, turned on a movie, and within a couple hours had it all untangled and neatly rolled up. I now have hundreds of feet of useable wire.
'Owning it on purpose' has helped me to realize what has value to me personally. Which has done 2 things: 1-I can freely toss what has no value to me. 2- the things that do have value to be are being properly cared for now because they are not allowed to take up space as broken or useless items. They either get fixed into their useable 'value', or they get tossed as they have no 'value'
Its been a lot of fun.
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
Good work Brian.
Oh man, I bet I threw away hundreds and hundreds of dollars of stuff today! All of it was construction or concrete stuff. Most of it (ok, all of it probably) was picked up from other projects or left behinds of other companies. I didn't pay a dime for it, but knew if I ever needed it, that it would save me a TON of money.
I haven't done anything but pack it around for years.
The irony is that a lot of the same stuff I threw away, I have in fact bought and used over the past years. I didn't even use the crap I have been storing, because I didn't really even know what I had!
My shop is starting to have walls and floor space... This is weird.
I haven't done anything but pack it around for years.
The irony is that a lot of the same stuff I threw away, I have in fact bought and used over the past years. I didn't even use the crap I have been storing, because I didn't really even know what I had!
My shop is starting to have walls and floor space... This is weird.
- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
You've inspired me to organize and junk stuff.
The wife and I spent 12 hours yesterday doing yard work,cleaning, dejunking and organizing my backyard and parts pile.
D.I. here I come!
The wife and I spent 12 hours yesterday doing yard work,cleaning, dejunking and organizing my backyard and parts pile.
D.I. here I come!
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
nice work!
rholbrook
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Kaysville, Ut
I was able to clear out a storage unit. The unit was $45/month, the DI got a bunch of stuff. Our neighborhood had a Face Book page and we pulled some of the good stuff and posted it on the FB page and it was literally gone in less than 30 min.
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
[video=youtube;2bc2wvJ0EJ8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bc2wvJ0EJ8[/video]
I have had a couple fun moments this last week or two. A good friend was over, he has known me since childhood, he walked into the shop which was a complete mess with motorcycles torn apart, and tools every where. He stopped, and with a bewildered look, and said "what happened in here?" I said, "I've got a few projects going on, obviously" he said, "No, I mean, where is all the stuff? it seems so empty"
My father walked in the other day and said "wow, I haven't seen this shop so empty since we built it"
My father walked in the other day and said "wow, I haven't seen this shop so empty since we built it"
- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
My wife's new philosophy lately has been, "Do it while it's easy."
I really like it because it simplifies my life.
Example: Dishes do them now, it's easier without food stuck to them after the movie.
I like not having projects sit and create clutter. Next move is to kick working on them into high gear, prioritize projects and try my darndest not to take on anymore.
The biggest deal is emphasizing projects finished and accomplished versus a never ending "to do list."
I really like it because it simplifies my life.
Example: Dishes do them now, it's easier without food stuck to them after the movie.
I like not having projects sit and create clutter. Next move is to kick working on them into high gear, prioritize projects and try my darndest not to take on anymore.
The biggest deal is emphasizing projects finished and accomplished versus a never ending "to do list."
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
Well, it's been 9 months since I started living a more minimalist life, and it's been one of the best decisions I've ever made. I'm so much happier, I have less stuff, and I spend way less money. Less really has been more.
johngottfredson
Threat Level Midnight
- Location
- Alpine
Thanks for keeping this discussion going, Steve. Inspiring stuff, guess I ought to haul off some excess accumulation tomorrow. Keep up the good work.
- Location
- Smithfield Utah
Not quite minimalist, but I've simplified quite a bit recently. When I started getting into dual sport riding a few years back I read something that stuck in my head: Don't buy the biggest panniers available because you WILL fill them and end up with too much weight and baggage. Huh, I can relate to that. I bought a house with a shop that was much bigger than I ever thought I'd need. I certainly filled the shop up.. So much in fact that nine years later I had trails leading throughout it
I hit a mental wall in January. I'll spare you the details but amongst other things I realized I had way too much emotional and physical baggage and in many ways those two things were related.
Since then I deactivated my Facebook account. I started by taking the app off my home screen and putting it three pages back in a folder. It was interesting how many times I'd catch myself opening my phone to click the app out of sheer habit. I spent more time on FB than I ever care to admit caring about things that really don't matter anyway.
I started throwing away or selling everything (besides tools) that I hadn't used in 12 months or more which turned in to things I hadn't used in 4-6 months or more.
Some highlights:
Bailed on TONS of old motorcycle parts and not cool or collectable ones either. Rear drum brake for a 1980 KDX 175? Stack of old hard tires, sets of forks for models I don't own?... Why?? Yeah the 81 XL was a cool bike, but it was going to cost a lot just to get it running again. Old bikes take a lot of time and money anyway. Sold it to someone that will appreciate it.
Four Colman white gas stoves and two white gas lanterns. Why??? I hate white gas and always have. Three coffee tables? Hat collection (I don't wear hats), fast and furious style monster tach, seven CB radios, eight gas cans most with broken spouts, tower speakers from the 1970's (my iPhone speaker sounds better..), a 200+ pound bin full of used rusty bolts, a cd players with the super annoying LED strobe lights (remember when those were cool?!), kids cloths that don't fit my kids and baby toys, s$%t loads of old clothes, 1970's sleeping bags, who needs ten casserole dishes or six beer mugs??, eight chairs for my kitchen table in a household of four, at least six pairs of new insulated coveralls. The list was a mile long---gone.
At this point my shop, yard and house look empty. I feel so-much-better. I really do. We've talked about moving from time to time. If I had to pack up this weekend I don't think there is much I would leave behind. Thanks everyone for the info in this thread. I certainly helped.
I hit a mental wall in January. I'll spare you the details but amongst other things I realized I had way too much emotional and physical baggage and in many ways those two things were related.
Since then I deactivated my Facebook account. I started by taking the app off my home screen and putting it three pages back in a folder. It was interesting how many times I'd catch myself opening my phone to click the app out of sheer habit. I spent more time on FB than I ever care to admit caring about things that really don't matter anyway.
I started throwing away or selling everything (besides tools) that I hadn't used in 12 months or more which turned in to things I hadn't used in 4-6 months or more.
Some highlights:
Bailed on TONS of old motorcycle parts and not cool or collectable ones either. Rear drum brake for a 1980 KDX 175? Stack of old hard tires, sets of forks for models I don't own?... Why?? Yeah the 81 XL was a cool bike, but it was going to cost a lot just to get it running again. Old bikes take a lot of time and money anyway. Sold it to someone that will appreciate it.
Four Colman white gas stoves and two white gas lanterns. Why??? I hate white gas and always have. Three coffee tables? Hat collection (I don't wear hats), fast and furious style monster tach, seven CB radios, eight gas cans most with broken spouts, tower speakers from the 1970's (my iPhone speaker sounds better..), a 200+ pound bin full of used rusty bolts, a cd players with the super annoying LED strobe lights (remember when those were cool?!), kids cloths that don't fit my kids and baby toys, s$%t loads of old clothes, 1970's sleeping bags, who needs ten casserole dishes or six beer mugs??, eight chairs for my kitchen table in a household of four, at least six pairs of new insulated coveralls. The list was a mile long---gone.
At this point my shop, yard and house look empty. I feel so-much-better. I really do. We've talked about moving from time to time. If I had to pack up this weekend I don't think there is much I would leave behind. Thanks everyone for the info in this thread. I certainly helped.
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Way to go! It is really liberating. I have found that about 99% of the stuff I removed hasn't been missed. I have noticed that the 1% that has been missed has almost always been needed for someone else. A neighbor wanted a new motorcycle tire. I used to get and run good used tires, but now buy new. I didn't have a tire for him.. Sad, but not really my problem. I needed to ad trailer lights to my MIL's trailer. I didn't have extras anymore, and it cost her $12 to buy some.
However, I have realized that having family means that not everything can be minimal. It takes a TON of room just for the families riding gear. The camper literally cannot hold enough stuff for 5 people to camp when we ad cloths, riding gear, and gun equipment. We need a larger camper to be comfortable. I am ok with that though, because everything we take is on purpose, not just to have 'stuff' around.
However, I have realized that having family means that not everything can be minimal. It takes a TON of room just for the families riding gear. The camper literally cannot hold enough stuff for 5 people to camp when we ad cloths, riding gear, and gun equipment. We need a larger camper to be comfortable. I am ok with that though, because everything we take is on purpose, not just to have 'stuff' around.
RogueJeepr
Here!
- Location
- Utah
I watched the "sparrow" video and liked the fact that she brought up about (toxic relationships).