It was uncomfortable, stressful and I hated it ๐ . We’ve been settled into our new nomad life for a few weeks now and looking back, I can confirm that getting rid of all my stuff was one of the most uncomfortable things I’ve ever done, but I can also already tell it was worth it.
I’m really enjoying nomad life and shockingly haven’t missed any of my stuff yet – it’s almost like ‘stuff’ isn’t that important ๐ . So let’s get into how I sold almost everything I own and what it was like. This is going to be a long one so buckle up kiddies!
The Logistics
Originally (pre-Rona) Operation Get Rid Of Everything had several baby steps. My Mom was going to fly to Seattle to visit us, say bye to Seattle, and be a helpful extra pair of hands to get stuff done and (hopefully) help keep my stress down – what wonderful things you can do with early retirement ๐ .
We were going to rent a ‘bridge’ AirBnB for her during our last week in the apartment where we could also crash if most of our furniture was gone by that point. Then we were going to sell everything we could and then rent a truck, drive to a donation center and give away the rest of the furniture and odds and ends I imagined we wouldn’t be able to shift.
Obviously, COVID had other plans. We cancelled my Mom’s trip, didn’t book a bridge AirBnB to limit our exposure to others and new spaces and I was wary about driving a truck in downtown Seattle, but ‘luckily’ that wasn’t even an issue because until we left, donation centers near our house were still closed for COVID (Ah – the joys of being carfree during a pandemic).
So we had to shift our plans and get rid of everything possible from our own front door for cash or karma so that we wouldn’t have to throw much out our last day. The uncertainty of this new plan was a rather big stressor for me.
The Emotions
I know that I like things ‘just so’. When my partner and I started living together without roommates in 2013, I sketched out where all the furniture would go out of necessity. We were living in a 400 square foot NYC studio and 200 square feet of that was an unusable hallway. So I made multiple sketches of possibilities and at one point even made a Sims build of our studio to move things around in 3D until I found the optimal layout (yes – my love of The Sims extends into every aspect of my life ๐ ).
So we put our furniture in that layout and every time my partner would say we should switch it up ‘just because’ I pointed to my sketches to show why that was a sub-optimal approach for our small space (and yes…I may have a problem with change…).
I went through a similar approach to find an optimal layout when we moved to Seattle in 2015. I found the most efficient and useful way to layout our items so it was perfect ๐ . Then I put up some decorations, sprinkled around some blankets and felt like my nest was complete.
As you could probably tell by my partner’s insistence that we switch things up: in complete contrast to me – he enjoys change for the sake of change. He likes to change up his living environment and did so with regularity before we shared a small space. He would prefer that we move our furniture often even if other configurations are less efficient for the space (I’m not biased, what are you talking about…). He finds doing so refreshing and says that it rejuvenates a space for him while, for me, even thinking about doing that causes tendrils of anxiety to curl around my brain.
I knew this about us, but (for some reason) didn’t think these feelings would extend to our behavior during Operation Get Rid Of Everything. I knew that the weeks and months leading up to this big change would be different – a transition period. And I thought knowing that would help me cope with what was about to happen, but like the silly person I was – I seemed to have forgotten that the brain and the heart are two completely different animals.
In short: I found the process stressful and anxiety inducing. I slowly watched all of my comfort items disappear from our apartment until it was an empty space with boxes and bags and things staring me in the face saying “Wasn’t I on your to do list today?” to which I of course responded “Shut up box! You’re not sentient!” But I digress…
So while I was freaking out more and more as our apartment turned into a transient space, my partner reveled in it. With each piece of (sentimental to me) furniture that I sold, he would excitedly rearrange the remaining furniture and talk about how the space felt different and more open and cleaner – meanwhile I was mourning the loss of the perfect nest I once had.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t the actual act of getting rid of my stuff or items linked to memories or people that made my heart race. It was the actual act of living in a space that changed day to day and became more and more barren. That was uncomfortable in a way I wasn’t anticipating.
My anxiety increased as the end date loomed and we were further crunched for time to get everything out of our apartment in the most efficient way possible (maybe I need to put down the word ‘efficient’ for a while). We don’t have a car or easy access to one during a pandemic and that fact coupled with the hesitation I imagine people have over buying used items during the age of ‘Rona made it feel like we were doing this micro-move on hard mode.
However, I’ll save you the suspense: WE DID IT! We sold more items than I thought would be possible during a pandemic, were able to get rid of everything large and only throw out a few bags the day we left (please don’t be mad at me Mother Earth!) Though we also saw that those bags were rifled through later that day so someone is getting use out of those items at least!
This micro-move went better than forecast given the circumstances. So that’s how getting rid of almost everything I own felt for me and my partner. It was obviously vastly different, but I hope sharing this helps prepare any of you for possible ways you might react to a similar situation.
How To Sell Everything You Own
Alright – enough about emotions. Let’s re-engage my practical brain and talk about how the hell we did this.
My General Approach and Timeline
Like the nerd I am, I had a general approach for this operation. I wanted to start as soon as I possibly could getting rid of things that I don’t use in my daily life and try and save all the needed items (like my bed, couch and work desk) until the last week if possible. Here was my general timeline:
- 6 weeks out: I started selling and giving away things I didn’t need daily, such as my bellydancing skirt (it’s a fun hobby ๐ ), extra comforter, extra scale and a Fire TV Stick I never used
- 4 weeks out: I listed all my furniture and paintings at an ideal price to see what the response was in the market at the time
- 3 weeks out: Based on the amount (or lack) of interest in my furniture items, I dropped the price – usually about 50% of what I had originally listed if I had received no nibbles
- 2 weeks out: I started selling everything I didn’t still need at rock bottom prices, such as a decade old keyboard I sold for $10
- 1 week out: I sold or got rid of any final items – including pieces of furniture for free if there hadn’t been much interest on my listings
The Stages Of Getting Rid Of Stuff
The above is a broad overview, but you might have noticed the increase in desperation that happened as the weeks went on ๐ . I went from selling items at or above what I bought them for:
I just sold a $300 painting I bought a decade ago for $270 and a $130 painting I bought 7 years ago for $150. Is this what people mean when they say art is an investment๐ฉ๐พโ๐จ? pic.twitter.com/4JciXx3Yzb
— A Purple Life (@APurpleLifeBlog) June 21, 2020
To just trying to get rid of it after my fatigue from weeks of communicating with people started weighing on me and our move date loomed closer:
I've reached a new stage in Operation Get Rid Of Everything that I'm going to call "I don't care about the money. Can you please just take my stuff?"…It might need a catchier title๐ฌ๐ฆ๐คฃ. pic.twitter.com/DFwJyAGOFY
— A Purple Life (@APurpleLifeBlog) July 20, 2020
And at times even that was difficult:
Why is the hardest thing for me to get rid of a FREE Crockpot? This item has taken more time and effort to give away than anything I've sold for actual money… pic.twitter.com/XN3KcP4uoq
— A Purple Life (@APurpleLifeBlog) July 24, 2020
And during my (luckily final) free exchange with someone in my neighborhood, I was finally over it. I didn’t have it in me to do this anymore. So I guess this was perfect timing:
Me Online: Anyone want a free fan?
20 People: ME!!!
[I hand off the fan to the first person in line]
Recipient: There's dust in this fan.
Me: Ok…
Recipient: You should have included that in the post.
Me: Ok. Do you want to return it?
Recipient: No.In summary: I hate people.
— A Purple Life (@APurpleLifeBlog) July 30, 2020
What I Sold And For How Much
Before I hit the above emotional wall and was over dealing with people, I actually made a good chunk of change with my approach of listing things weeks in advance and slowly decreasing the price to see what people would be willing to pay. As a result, this was a fun thing that happened 3 weeks before we moved:
Just hit a new selling milestone during Operation Get Rid Of Everything. I've made over $1,000 selling my used stuff – a lot of which I got for free๐ค. Have I been doing this #FIRE thing all wrong? Maybe I should have been a flipper…. pic.twitter.com/5sN9vpewJa
— A Purple Life (@APurpleLifeBlog) July 9, 2020
Overall I made WAY more money than I thought I would: a total of $1,865ย selling my used and usually decade or older furniture and other items. And I know why you’re all here you money voyeurs you, so here’s what I sold and for how much:
What Selling And Giving Platforms To Use
Selling Used Items
Facebook Marketplace: I have found Facebook Marketplace to be the best selling platform for used items. Previously Craigslist was my go-to, but I really enjoy using Facebook’s platform to be able to both see a profile picture and name for the person I was about to meet and have a way to contact them (or have them contact me) after the exchange instead of not being able to contact each other later like on Craigslist. Facebook Marketplace also has a section to list items for ‘Free’, but I did not have success with that. So if you’re looking to give away items to your community:
Giving Away Random Items
The Sidewalk Economy: Putting things out on the street for someone walking by to pickup or ‘the sidewalk economy’ was a surprisingly fruitful exercise in my Seattle neighborhood. I thought it wouldn’t be because we’re in a residential area that doesn’t have a huge amount of foot traffic like NYC does for example. However, that didn’t stop people from taking our random items that I didn’t feel like listing for sale or free online. I’ve benefited from the sidewalk economy when I lived in NYC (my first dresser that I used for 2 years was a headboard I found outside my apartment) and it felt good to give back in that small way. It was also highly entertaining:
We just put a box of free stuff outside our apartment building and now instead of working we're watching out the window whispering excitedly and looking like this๐๐ฆ๐: pic.twitter.com/uiviwprXhg
— A Purple Life (@APurpleLifeBlog) July 14, 2020
Buy Nothing Group: If no one wanted an item after I put it in a free box outside, I listed it on my local Buy Nothing Group. They’re easy to join – just search Facebook for the one in your neighborhood and be sure to read the rules before posting anything.
Junk Removal
And finally we come to the last resort. My partner and I decided that our mattress and couch were too beyond repair to be listed online for sale or free, so we decided to get rid of them. That turned out to be a challenging task. The first place I looked were junk removal companies, but all the ones in my area had terrible reviews and wanted at least $150 to come pick up our 2 items.
Utility Company Bulk Pickup: Luckily, I stumbled upon another option. I love Seattle for many reasons and I found another one during this process. They will pick up any large item, such as mattresses, couches and even refrigerators, with your regular trash if you pay them $30 per item. It took a little bit of arranging since we had to have our building set up the pickup since they hold the utilities account with our apartment, but with some bothering and following up, it happened. We just had to lug our stuff outside and it was safely picked up by the city to be recycled or thrown out as they see fit. Phew!
How To Use Each Selling And Giving Platform
My normal plan for selling each item was: Facebook Marketplace ($) -> Sidewalk Economy (Free) -> Buy Nothing Group (Free) -> Craigslist (Free).
Luckily, only one item had to run the full gambit of those options (a TV stand of all things), but that’s how I planned where to list something and in what order if I wasn’t getting the response I wanted on the original platform. However, while using each platform, I picked up a few lessons learned that might be helpful to share.
How To Use Buy Nothing Groups
It took me a while to understand the nuances of my Buy Nothing Group because the exact rules for how to use it weren’t listed anywhere, but after I spent some time on there I noticed a pattern. If you’re looking to give something away, you start your post with “GIFT” or “GIVE” and then list the item with its specs and pictures (and if you’re asking the community for an item you start with “ASK“).
Once someone has responded in the comments of your post about an item you’re giving away, you send them a private message, comment back to them on the thread that you have done that (because messages from non-friends usually go to a spam like folder). Then, once you arrange a pickup time, you change the beginning of your post to “PENDING PICK UP“. If the pickup was successful, you change the beginning of the post to say “GIFTED” so people know it’s gone.
How To Maximize Facebook Marketplace
There are two things that really helped me hit my stride on Facebook Marketplace:
- Responding to all inquires asking if something is available with “Yes – it’s located in [neighborhood]. Let me know if you’re interested”
- Downloading the Facebook Messenger app
That first item saved me a lot of back and forth. I already list the neighborhood I live in within the actual post and as the specific location within the marketplace, but unfortunately it seems that people do not read ๐ so I’ve found that saying it again often gets a response of “Oh I can’t come that far” and saves me some time.
The second item I was hesitant to do because I don’t trust Facebook’s (lack of) privacy integrity, but it was wildly helpful so that I didn’t have to constantly have a Facebook tab open on my laptop, which for some reason stressed me out. It felt annoying and not relaxing. It was like I was constantly waiting for the next notification, similar to how I feel during workdays waiting for an email ping – constant dread ๐ . I’m kidding and being over-dramatic, but you get the point.
Also, I could receive messages while outside with someone’s item instead of asking my partner to monitor my computer while I went outside and text me if something happens (so inefficient ๐ …). Instead, my phone buzzes like I’m getting a text and it’s a prospective buyer asking about the item or saying they’re outside ready for pick up. Easy.
Tips & Tricks
Overall my tips for listing and selling items online is the same as I described in this post about how I’ve done so to subsidize my electronics purchases, namely: (1) Take awesome pictures, (2) Research the price, (3) Write a detailed description, (4) Be patient, and (5) Know what you want.
However, I now also have some more general tips after getting rid of a ridiculous amount of stuff in a short amount of time:
- List 40% Below Purchase Price: This is a general rule of thumb I’ve found helpful for what to list great condition items for online. If no one seems interested in that price after a week, I lower the price 50% each week and if I need to get rid of something quickly, I just straight up list it for $20. Sometimes you’ll get more interest than if it were free (go figure…)
- Communication Is Key: After a few mishaps and waiting outside my apartment for 20 minutes in 80 degree heat holding a piece of furniture, I started telling people who were coming to pickup items to message me when they were outside. This helped me be able to pop up from the couch, slip on a mask, grab the item and head down to give it to them before popping back up to my place. Way easier than waiting around and also helpful for them since people shouldn’t be messaging me when they’re driving to tell me they’re late anyway.
- Be Ruthless: To get rid of everything I owned I had to be honest with myself about what I actually needed and what was just linked to a nice memory. I took pictures of anything that provided a fond memory, but still got rid of it (#heartless). A nice memory is not a reason to keep something when I’m trying to ideally fit my life into a 40L backpack. If a piece of clothing had a stain or a rip, I threw it out – even the pieces that I loved (though I did take a picture first). A book that I can get as an eBook? Donate. A piece of furniture that’s been in my family for generations? Take pictures and then sell. (Though on that last one I did check with my family to see if anyone wanted me to ship the item to them so they could keep it first and had no takers). I had to be ruthless to really cull down my things.
- Continue Culling: I talked in my 2 months to retirement post about how we shifted from nomadic packing to a micro-move. Part of that was moving to a nearby neighborhood and afterwards having the time to realize that we don’t actually need some of the things we brought. So the culling of items didn’t stop once we finished moving. We’ve continued culling down to the things that are actually ‘essential’ to our daily lives. I think Marie Kondลย would be proud ๐ .
Conclusion
So, we did it! It was a process and a stressful time in my life, but we did it and I can already confirm that it was worth it.
We’ve been living the nomad life in our first AirBnB for a little over 2 weeks now and it feels good, though different than I expected. It feels kind of like a vacation: a new space that’s cozy and not our own, but feels like home for now. It’s a nice space that suits us, but we also have other new places to look forward to. It’s a weird feeling, but a good one ๐ .
I thought at this point I would be freaking out and thinking about all the things I miss that I got rid of, but shockingly that hasn’t been the case. In fact, I don’t know how I used to have 20x the amount of clothes I do now. What did I do with all of them?! In fact I can hardly remember most of the things that we got rid of. And that’s wild to me.
So the move is over and the pre-nomad chapter of my life is closed for now. If you’re looking to make a similar move or even just get rid of some of your stuff, I hope the above helps. Happy selling!
Have you ever used online marketplaces to sell or donate items? How did it go?
Love this strategic approach and following along your emotional state throughout this intense change!
Now I’m motivated to keep tidying-up here (when the weather gets colder) and I might do a sort of mock deadline to get more efficient with it!!
P.s: I totally did a chart of our condo then our home with the furniture and fancy velcro to plan our set up haha.
Aw thank you lady! And yes mock deadlines are powerful – let me know if you want me to add this to your fall Wednesday reminders ๐ . And yaaas I’m not alone on the charts!
Congratulations! I could not do what you just did. I spent a year with the vast majority of my stuff in storage and it drove me crazy. I love my local Buy Nothing group though. The rules are strict, especially with a pandemic, but you can get some great items! I also found my local neighborhood FB group to be a good source. I picked up a Lane cedar chest in great condition yesterday for free!
Thank you Gwen! Thats awesome your Buy Nothing Group is strict – mine is a little too loosey-goosey for my tastes ๐ . And oooh that chest sounds awesome!
This post was SUPER helpful! I love your attention to detail and that you shared both the emotional and logistical aspects of the experience. I can relate on a small scale because I’ve been trying to clean out my apartment Marie-Kondo style so I can more easily sublet during extended travel post-pandemic. I”ve run into a lot of similar issues, like no Goodwill centers near me being open for donations, etc (and I’m also carfree). I have not used any of the platforms for selling aside from Craiglist more than a decade ago, so it was very useful to hear the scoop. CONGRATS on being done, it must feel so good to have this step behind you!!
Yay – so happy it was helpful! And yeah I try to address the emotional aspect to warn others since it’s not all about logistics ๐ . I hope those platforms help you with your clean out process! And thank you! It does indeed feel great ๐ .
Woooo you did it, amazing Purple!! For the last years I’ve been trying to get rid of things I don’t like/use/enjoy and it can take up a lot of time. Can’t imagine what getting rid of errrthing must be like.
Out of curiosity, how much stuff do you have left? Living out of a 40L backpack would be great! I’ve traveled for 4 months with 45L backpack with clothes for all climates, so it’s def doable.
Excited to follow your journey!
Phew – it’s over ๐ ! We have about an Uber-full left. We’re still culling and will be taking 1 checked bag each and a carry on when we move to the east coast next month…woah, suddenly that sounds soon…The 40L backpack plan has shifted since we’re going to be in 1 spot for the forseeable future (‘Rona pending). That’s so awesome you were able to travel that long with a 45L! And thank you.
Congratulations on the successful transition to nomad life! I chuckled reading about the different reactions you and your partner had to getting rid of stuff. We’ve moved twice in the past 14 months as part of our downsizing /mortgage freedom journey and each time we’ve purged A LOT. My partner is incredibly sentimental about stuff – she agonizes about getting rid of anything. Meanwhile, I’m looking at things “Haven’t used for six months – toss!”
If we ever go nomad, she’ll have an incredibly hard time getting rid of things. I think the travel will balance it out though.
Thank you! 2 moves in 14 months is impressive and it’s fascinating how different our reactions to stuff can be.
Nice job! Getting rid of everything is a daunting task. I’m not very attached to things so I probably can do it. On the other hand, I doubt my wife can. She’d probably need to rent out a storage space to save stuff from her childhood. We still have a piano from when she was a girl.
I think Facebook Marketplace is way better than Craigslist too. People turn up a lot more often. Craigslist people are complete flakes.
Thank you Joe! And yeah childhood stuff can be hard. Glad to hear another vote for Fb Mktpl>Craigslist. People do seem less flaky when you know their name and can bother them ๐ .
Bye bye stuff! Very cool and congrats on the great de-stuffing!
It’d funny, my newly FIRE’d friends were coming over to bike over to our local disc golfing park on Sunday, and while I waited for them I looked around my garage in distress because of its clutter. Most of that clutter was due to a number of large items my parents left in my garage following a garage sale. Despite my protestations, they refused to pick them up because “I might find use for them.” Reader, I have not, and will not.
I now have two ladders in my garage (I am struggling to imagine a scenario in which I will need more than one), a junky, I don’t know, drink cart?, an old ski rack I think would tear my car apart, among some other doodads. Now I have to spend time and effort to get rid of these things I didn’t try to collect in the first place.
So I was glad to read your post this morning. Perhaps at least the ladder I can try to unload on Facebook Marketplace. I strategized slowly disassembling at least the stupid cart so I can make it disappear in the garbage. I like those rules too – I get a little annoyed when people don’t at least take down the post when something is sold. I’ve had that happen a few times. Just me. Anyway, great post today!
Thank you! And haha de-stuffing is a good one. And is this garage situation one where things can ‘disappear’ and they wouldn’t notice ๐ . Good luck getting rid of the ladder! Another option if you don’t want to take the time to get rid of the stuff is to mysteriously drop it outside their house…they’ll never suspect you ๐ . It’s a gift from Santa! Perfect cover.
Getting rid of all our stuff was both stressful and liberating at the same time. When all’s said and done, it’s such a nice feeling of freedom now to be able to just move around the world and not have to worry about having “stuff.”
We got rid of most of our possessions through OfferUp and the Facebook Marketplace and that went well for the most part. Then we sold (for pennies on the $)/gave away things to friends and family. Everything else went to charity.
Congrats on clearing everything out!
Yeah I think I’m already enjoying the feeling, but getting here was a struggle ๐ . That’s cool about OfferUp – I haven’t used that before and will keep it in mind as we keep culling. Love your process! And thank you!
Love it! Getting rid of everything is so important for your future plans. Storing things can get expensive really quickly. I haven’t used Facebook Marketplace before so it’s nice to know that worked quite well for you. My wife has been selling/buying kids stuff on some Facebook moms groups and that worked quite well.
Yeah storage units are shockingly expensive. And I didn’t know there were side groups like that where you can buy/sell things – super cool!
It was fun following your adventures from afar!
I am both of you at the same time. I am very attached to my stability and want things just so and to have them stay that way. But with JB (aka chaosbringer) in my life, along with that entropy where you slowly acquire things that you use in the course of living a life, I have had to force myself to learn how to proactively declutter regularly. It is disruptive to my mental peace, and so I have to take advantage of every urge to declutter, and then take some time to sit with and mentally adjust to the change that results. It’s so weird.
I’ve been trying to figure out how to deal with the big items if we replace our sofa or bed, thanks for the reminder that the city will take items that big if we can’t resell it. In this environment, I’m very unwilling to have people in our home in attempts to resell them but I also don’t want to put something in the landfill if we can avoid it.
Yay! And oh my goodness you’re an enigma and I love it ๐ . That’s so interesting – it sounds like you have an awesome approach to take advantage of how you deal with stuff ๐ . Totally fair about not having people in your house – I’m lucky my partner was there so between us we just brought furniture outside the house to meet people. No one’s been in our house. Also look into what your city does with big used items they pickup! Seattle says they recycle some of it (vs straight up landfill) so that might help you make your decision.
if we ever have to move i don’t know how we’ll do it with all the paintings alone. well done getting rid of all your crap. i realized this and we started selling on ebay about 3 years ago and make around 5000/year so far. i like never meeting a buyer and shipping things. all that being said i have a couple of bikes to sell and might try marketplace.
also, almost everything that goes to the curb at our place gets picked up right away. i remember many years ago bringing a ratty old 40 year old sectional sofa out to toss and the young neighbors asked if they could have it before we could even set it down. those were nice floors in your old space.
Picture and then sell! At least with paintings you can make the pictures of them into art down the line ๐ . I’m always impressed with your flipping abilities – well done! I remember my drop shipping days ๐ . Let me know what you think of marketplace for the bikes! And wow – your sidewalk economy is going strong. Good to know – I didn’t know how successful it was in more rural areas. And haha yeah the wood floors were nice – creaky ๐ – but pretty.
Congratulations, Purple! I liquidated all my belongings about 11 years ago when I headed out for a stint to volunteer abroad. I figured I would never come back, so of course, I returned in 5 months… Nonetheless, I intend to make a second attempt once we reach FIRE! Since a nomadic future may be in the cards, I have been conscious to avoid accumulating things like home decorations, books, and clothes. My partner, not so much! He’s better at navigating some of the strategies you described to (accumulate and) de-clutter. Thanks for the primer.
Thank you Tara! That’s awesome you’ve been intentional about not accumulate stuff – I thought I was doing that, but still somehow had a lot ๐ . Good luck!
Okay, so I’m really wondering how you left that awesome view and all the windows. That would’ve been the hardest part for me. I love windows, especially ones with views of lots of trees. In all seriousness (not that my comment wasn’t serious), good luck! That’s awesome! I can’t imagine how painful a task it must be to get rid of everything.
Haha it was difficult – I loved those windows (southwest facing too)! But most apartments in Seattle have those windows and many in my neighborhood have that view so I knew it wasn’t goodbye forever AND the chance to explore the world and see my friends is worth it ๐ . And thank you!
Congrats, it feels so good getting rid of “materialistic” stuff! Looks like you really nailed it with managing the whole process. My experience with getting rid of all of my non-essential possessions was a bit different.
I got divorced and just left everything behind ๐
Thank you – yeah it feels good to be done with the process and have less. I need way less stuff than I thought and have continued culling. And that’s one way to do it ๐ !
Great post and impressive !!
Sims fan here too ๐โโ๏ธ I totally made a reconstruction of our apartment before moving in. I am so glad the new games include half squares for furniture, it was hard to optimize in the old Sims 1 game ๐๐ค
Thank you Claire! And yesss the Sims are awesome – and so practical too haha. I actually learned recently that the OG Sims game was basically an architecture game and then they discovered the gameplay part was super interesting as well. And yay for half squares!
Such a great post, I admire people that are doers and it very much seems as though you made your plan, stuck to your guns (difficulty aside), and saw it through. Congratulations to both of you for following your hearts and making your dream a reality!
Thank you Shane!!
I think that now you have a feeling of lightness and inspiration. At least that’s how it was with me when I did the same, although it was not easy …
I do indeed feel less bogged down. I also don’t understand what I used to do with all that stuff ๐ .
Hi, congratulations on the move, culling your possessions, etc.! My partner and I recently moved and sold/donated ~75% of our belongings (though we still had a Ford Transit van full of boxes). We couldn’t believe how much larger our apartment was after our final possessions were boxed up ready for moving.
We’re hoping to cull everything down to a 70L rucksack each, our bicycles, and a suitcase for our next move (we’re planning on moving via train). I’d be really interested in what possessions you decided to take with you? I’m not particularly attached to any specific possessions but reducing everything down to a 40L rucksack is impressive!
I really enjoy the blog by the way. ๐
Thank you! Congratulations on getting rid of all that stuff – Wow! That’s impressive. Moving via train sounds fun! Also I haven’t gotten to the 40L backpack level yet ๐ – we’re still at the 1 large checked bag each portion of this tale. However, what I’ve decided to keep is basically clothes, my hard drives, no books (Kindle instead), and toiletries – nothing wild. If it turns out I need more I’ll buy it where we lang ๐ . And I’m so glad you’re enjoying it!
“In fact I can hardly remember most of the things that we got rid of. And thatโs wild to me.”
We’ve been downsizing as well, and we tend to do so yearly. I resonate with this sentence exactly, I’ve never regretted selling/donating an item and almost always it’s a very freeing feeling to have less stuff in our lives!
So glad your downsizing went well! That’s awesome you have no regrets!
I loved reading your journey through this! I’m always on a quest to de-clutter, and it seems to be never ending. I have way too much of an emotional attachment to things that don’t need it.
I know it will feel better once the unnecessary things are out of here, so I’ll try to use that as motivation to stick with it. I’m also a huge fan of selling things to recoup some costs, which does make parting with items easier. Thanks for the great tips!
Thank you! And yeah the emotional attachment part is hard, but being almost a year out I honestly can’t even remember the things I was so attached to – and I haven’t looked at the pictures I took of them either. I guess I care less than I thought. You’re welcome and good luck!
I retired, sold my house and moved from CO to CA last year. The move was stressful, expensive and difficult at age 65. It turns out I canโt afford CA โhahaโbut the thought of moving my stuff, storing, buying, moving my stuff again by myself is just too much. I am realizing I CAN chuck it all but I may need a bigger car for the stuff I canโt bear to part with. I want to travel the country for a year. Thanks for the FB marketplace suggestion. Do you have a personal safety suggestion for selling furniture that is upstairs that I canโt physically move down? Iโm wary of having strangers upstairs. Thanks
That’s a lot of change! I haven’t experienced that particular situation to provide a suggestion unfortunately. If I couldn’t handle something myself I asked friends to come and help me or hired movers though I imagine that would be a lot to just sell an item. It’s possible a moving company would buy it off you though – I’ve heard of that happening – So they can grab it and pay for it without you having to do anything extra. Good luck!
I’m going through this right now! I had read this post before but came back for more tips. <3 I'll check out my local Buy Nothing groups for sure.
Planning on being out of my apt by mid November, then being somewhat nomadic in the States with fam and friends for a couple months before heading off to Mexico for the first half of 2022! Exciting times ahead.
P.S. I'm getting excited seeing everything disappear. I guess I'm more like your partner was in that respect.
That’s awesome! Good luck. You’ve got this!