A Simpler Life

[mezmo]

Would a pontoon-style transportable smaller houseboat suit
your purposes? It might be easier to self-build than a boat
with a hull and also give you more interior space for living.

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

[Visionsbydarrah]

Ok, 1st of all I love this idea!!!!
Ive been doing this for the last 3 years now.
Now if I could just get my house sold, (housing market here in Wichita, Ks. Sucks.)
After my kids had moved out on there own 3 years ago, there was just too much for just one person.so if I could get the house sold I'd like to hit the road for awhile... And then who knows.

I just don't want to wake up someday and say why didn't I at lest try.
So this is me trying... Dumb housing market!

[droid_ca]

Some food for thought
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzSQvamSfa4
its about an hour and a half long

[RAYVILLIAN]

aaahhh the memory's Just ran in to this thread.

I found Mother Earth News in the 70's and tried to live the simple life for years. built a semi solar mostly wood heated house on 5 acres in the sticks. Raised chickens, pigs now and than and a garden. never made it as well as I dreamed but had fun trying and doing. We're still in that house though it's to big since the kids grew up but it's paid for and needs work before we could sell it.

My suggestion is that if your serious, look for copies of the first 100 issues of Mother and compilation books of the Tightwad Gazette. both have a lot of info on the frugal life. Also browse web sights on full time RV living. some of those folks are well to do people on permanent vacation in their land yachts, but alot are people doing just what you want to do and all of them have experience at living in small spaces.

Most of all do it when your young and when you choose to do it. All of us will down size some day due to age, life, or death. We all end up in a box in the end and that is the ultimate down size.

Gary

[droid_ca]

Thought I'd rekindle this old post and se if anyone has any more suggestions on making things easier

[jeffmutch]

Well, I tend to break my cell phones all too often... I just had another Iphone sink to the bottom of the river a couple weeks ago. This time I decided not to get a new one right away. Oh, Man! it's like a vacation right in the comfort of your own home! I've never felt so relaxed, had more time to spend with my canine companion, and smiled so much! I did have to get a new one eventually because I manage a small business and need to be available when things dont go smoothly. But I've decided to go with a simple phone that talks and texts. None of this internet in your pocket, video messaging, music constantly playing...

It's interesting how things that are invented to make our lives easier just end up stressing us out more than ever.

[jeffmutch]

Well, I tend to break my cell phones all too often... I just had another Iphone sink to the bottom of the river a couple weeks ago. This time I decided not to get a new one right away. Oh, Man! it's like a vacation right in the comfort of your own home! I've never felt so relaxed, had more time to spend with my canine companion, and smiled so much! I did have to get a new one eventually because I manage a small business and need to be available when things dont go smoothly. But I've decided to go with a simple phone that talks and texts. None of this internet in your pocket, video messaging, music constantly playing...

It's interesting how things that are invented to make our lives easier just end up stressing us out more than ever.

[Roly Nelson]

I worked sucessfully in construction supervision for 45 years and retired when I turned 62. The wife and I got rid of the house and traveled for about 8 years in a 28 ft motor home, went to 46 states and met up with 275 friends, relatives and old Army buddies. We had a ball, sometimes only traveled 50 miles a day, and often holed up in a friend's side-yard, driveway or pasture. No more of those 6 figure checks came rolling in, but we felt we made the right choice and never regreted it. Now, retired life is an absolute joy, I threw away my alarm clock and wrist watch and never know what day of the week it is. My teardrops keep me as busy as I care to be, and I always know there is another woodworking project in the planning stages in my workshop. Life is great, go for it, and keep it simple! Hmmm, now that I am one, how do you spell....Octogenarian?
Roly, the So Calif woody guy.

[droid_ca]

I think that one of the ideas I have for a simpler life I'd like to have a small standy type of trailer so when I return to the tiny house it would seem a lot larger and be just another way to keep things simple

[droid_ca]

does art work count I have a few paintings that I'd like to still keep but do they fall into the simpler life category cause I know some people say decorations should go but then I thought that maybe incorporate them into a few other things like drawer fronts

[accrete]

Greetings,
I see this thread began some time ago, though the _idea_ is timeless so i'll share my down-sizing-story.

After my wife and my two kids left for the US Air Force the acre+3 bedroom farmhouse was too big. It was easy for us to get out from it as we had rented it for $400 a month for over a decade, then up to $450 for a couple years then $500 for the last two. . . every time we spoke to a realtor they told us we'd be crazy to purchase with a deal like that so we waited for the kids to head out on their own and purchased a nice 38ft mobile suite fifth wheel and currently have it parked at a golf resort. Now i will admit that when we have company they go all WOWZER on us cuz it's pretty close to living in a 5 star hotel luxury wise...BUT it is living on the cheap compared to $XXX mortgage etc... Total housing/utility expense is ~$800-900 month. For us that is well below our means and we sock the rest away in various investments.

We live by the something in/something out motto. . . though funny thing is we actually have more closet/dresser space in the master suite than we did in our farm house : ) We have a pot, a fry pan, 4 glasses/plates/bowls/silverware. We delivered ~6 van loads of donations to the Good Will after paring down to the essentials and life is sooooo much more fun and easy. It now takes ~10 minutes to dust & vacuum the _house_ and another 3 minutes to mop the floors. We often leave the window blinds and even the front door open and enjoy the view of the golf course and take frequent walks on the various paths/gardens.

On downsizing the camping gear... We do enjoy our van conversion and will be acquiring a CT for conversion probably before next summer. We chose to have a back-to-basics approach with the conversion(s) and have engel deep blue coolers rather than say an engel 12volt cooler. It costs us $3 a week in ice to keep the cooler below 40 degrees (we mainly eat veggies, fruit, & nuts), and we go into town to resupply and do laundry anyway. We have a composting toilet, and bug-sprayer shower and froli sleep system for a bed (van and 5th-wheel-home).

On technology. Like others have posted we see technology as an option for simplifying life. Take for instance text messaging. My family members use it often to keep in touch, and it is much _simpler_ than writing a letter and mailing it! Once we cut the ties to our current jobs in a couple years or so we will add whatever Hughes has in the way of portable satellite internet/phone device makes sense. Again, we see various types of technology as a blessing toward simplicity rather than a hindrance.

: ) end of ramble, there's more to it, but this is a start.

cheers,
thom

[droid_ca]

Now that sounds perfect great story accrete and congrats on the downsizing Do you find that when you leave the 38 footer and go camping that the motor home seems so much bigger when you get back?

[Prem]

This is the best thread on the forums. You guys are inspiring. GREAT ideas.

Years ago, hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, I met a fellow who had invented "ultralight backpacking" (long after I had). His slogan was "It's amazing how little one actually needs to live well on the trail." He had started on the Mexico border and was half way to the Canadian border when I met him. His pack weighed 28 pounds. Mine weighed 23 pounds. I was only going for one night. I had way too much stuff. Since then, I have downsized more every year. But it's not just downsizing per se, it's simplifying that brings the increased freedom and increased peace/relaxation of mind.

For me, part of simplifying was miniaturizing some of my stuff. My computer is tiny. My radio is tiny. My car is tiny (Geo Metro). My musical instruments are harmonicas and an 8-string tenor ukulele. I got a NOOK Basic ebook reader. It's loaded with books and only weighs a few ounces. I rent a room in a house. I rent my own house out.

I had two yard sales this summer. I sold some stuff on Ebay. I gave stuff away to friends who needed those possessions.

I travel south of the border every winter with nothing more than a 20" long duffel bag. I carry and wear only nylon shorts with zip on leggings (2), nylon shirts (3), underwear and socks. They weigh next to nothing and can be washed easily. Toiletries are minimal. 12 pounds total in the duffel. It's too hot in the tropics for shoes, so I take only the hiking sandals I'm wearing.

Stuff either feeds you (serves you regularly/daily) or it eats you (maintenance, cost of upkeep, storage space, worries). If it eats me, it gets sold or given away.

I have a tiny cell phone. It' going to go. The tow vehicle is now for sale. Might keep the trailer and just rent the smallest U-Haul van (freedom from ownership) to tow the trailer on camping trips.

I used to define myself by my possessions. It a was phobia.

Mitt can have his third trophy home in La Jolla with the elevator to get his cars to the second floor parking garage. If I had $250 Million, I'd give most of it away. What a burden. Life is too short. There are places to go and pieces of paradise to fish, to hang out in and to learn the local language.

My 2 cents. Thanks very much for your posts here on this thread.

[droid_ca]

This is the best thread on the forums. You guys are inspiring. GREAT ideas.

Years ago, hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, I met a fellow who had invented "ultralight backpacking" (long after I had). His slogan was "It's amazing how little one actually needs to live well on the trail." He had started on the Mexico border and was half way to the Canadian border when I met him. His pack weighed 28 pounds. Mine weighed 23 pounds. I was only going for one night. I had way too much stuff. Since then, I have downsized more every year. But it's not just downsizing per se, it's simplifying that brings the increased freedom and increased peace/relaxation of mind.

For me, part of simplifying was miniaturizing some of my stuff. My computer is tiny. My radio is tiny. My car is tiny (Geo Metro). My musical instruments are harmonicas and an 8-string tenor ukulele. I got a NOOK Basic ebook reader. It's loaded with books and only weighs a few ounces. I rent a room in a house. I rent my own house out.

I had two yard sales this summer. I sold some stuff on Ebay. I gave stuff away to friends who needed those possessions.

I travel south of the border every winter with nothing more than a 20" long duffel bag. I carry and wear only nylon shorts with zip on leggings (2), nylon shirts (3), underwear and socks. They weigh next to nothing and can be washed easily. Toiletries are minimal. 12 pounds total in the duffel. It's too hot in the tropics for shoes, so I take only the hiking sandals I'm wearing.

Stuff either feeds you (serves you regularly/daily) or it eats you (maintenance, cost of upkeep, storage space, worries). If it eats me, it gets sold or given away.

I have a tiny cell phone. It' going to go. The tow vehicle is now for sale. Might keep the trailer and just rent the smallest U-Haul van (freedom from ownership) to tow the trailer on camping trips.

I used to define myself by my possessions. It a was phobia.

Mitt can have his third trophy home in La Jolla with the elevator to get his cars to the second floor parking garage. If I had $250 Million, I'd give most of it away. What a burden. Life is too short. There are places to go and pieces of paradise to fish, to hang out in and to learn the local language.

My 2 cents. Thanks very much for your posts here on this thread.

Sounds like you have found some secrets to true happiness Congratulations can't wait to hear more of your inspiring story and goodluck

[Prem]

Thanks. If you want more, here's the philosophy and story on DVD of the fellow I met on the trail: http://www.lwgear.com/lightweight-backpacking.html Highly recommended.

Play the brief YouTube video and think of all the stuff you own as your backpack. It is financially.