Minimalist survey

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champ0608
Posts: 79
Joined: Mon Jun 10, 2013 1:09 am

Re: Minimalist survey

Post by champ0608 »

My wife and I could move cross country with a few hours notice if we had access to a truck with a large bed (live a Silverado or an F-150.) We would be leaving behind our couch, but everything else would go. We don't have any other large furniture outside of our coffee table and our twin bed. Only a few dishes, not many clothes, not many towels/blankets/sheets, no large personal library. My largest personal possession is my guitar. Everything else could be packed in a few boxes on short notice.

So to answer, our combined household possessions would fit in a van. If it were just me, a car trunk would likely be enough.

To add to the equation, I believe we could calmly and cohesively get boxes, pack, and clean our place before leaving in a 12 hour window.

7Wannabe5
Posts: 9373
Joined: Fri Oct 18, 2013 9:03 am

Re: Minimalist survey

Post by 7Wannabe5 »

Me: 3.3 including my business equipment
Stuff owned by other members of my household: 7.5

Less than ten years ago I had a fully loaded 2700 square foot house/basement/attics and a barn full of 10,000 books. Now the possessions I personally own could fit into the trunk and back seat of my car. Just last week I bequeathed all of my remaining Xmas decorations except for my ugly Santa candy dish to my DD22.

OTOH, if it was currently gardening season, I would likely be tied to the land by the roots of my Pink Elephant Heirloom Tomatoes etc. and would not be able to leave at all. So....

steveo73
Posts: 1733
Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2013 6:52 pm

Re: Minimalist survey

Post by steveo73 »

Furniture, TV. stereo, 3 kids, wife etc. Our house is not exactly full of stuff and might be considered minimalist however there is still a tonne of stuff.

How much could I leave - all of it in the right situation. Would I just pack up and go without a really good reason - no.

slimicy
Posts: 173
Joined: Mon Jul 22, 2013 3:19 pm
Location: Sin City

Re: Minimalist survey

Post by slimicy »

During the process of my last move I managed to get down from a 6 to a 5. The main thing keeping me at 5 instead of 4 is my king-size mattress (although I keep it on the floor, so there's no associated furniture). I could get down to a 4 with 1 day to pack --maybe even a 3, but that'd be stretching it. I'm currently at a cross-roads in deciding my goals: do I want to be a nomadic 3, or get a small place to call home and be more of a 5/6 with some hobby equipment (tools/shop/shed/etc.).

CelticTiger
Posts: 71
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2010 12:04 pm

Re: Minimalist survey

Post by CelticTiger »

I'd be 7-8. I do think if i packed it all neatly it could fit into the biggest room in my house. I'm in the process of organising my junk. (sort into to boxes with similar stuff and piling around the edges of rooms - e.g. 4th bedroom and garage). I'm going through a box every so often and ebaying/freecycling/donating to charity and that takes time. It fits in my house and some stuff is occasionally useful so getting rid and being a minimalist for the sake of minimalism doesn't suit me.

I guess my main problem is I had a load of junk bough prior to the "lightbulb" moment of FI/ERE. My junk still has some value. My time is valuable so therefore I have to allocate my time effectively to extracting the most value from my junk in cash or social capital. I've gone through some life stages in the past 10 years since being a teenager so as I adapt and add more layers to my metaphysical onion that is me I can free myself of more junk and buy less but higher quality items "buy for life". and eventually "downsize"

I think if I won the lottery tomorrow (it's a rollover in the uk tomorrow) I could easily leave the house at level 1 but for two reasons that wouldn't happen

pooablo
Posts: 241
Joined: Sat Aug 20, 2011 4:32 am

Re: Minimalist survey

Post by pooablo »

This is a fun survey.

4-5 is my happy spot. :)

5 right now but 4 if need be.

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Jean
Posts: 1891
Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2013 8:49 am
Location: Switzterland

Re: Minimalist survey

Post by Jean »

I always moved with 3 and a bed on the car roof.
But for some reason, I seem to attract furnitures, and I'll need a truck to bring them all to salvation army.
My goal is to live from a carry-on backpack, because it can be worn on a bike, and even if you have to carry your bike for any reason, it's not to heavy.

Thegoblinchief
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Dec 16, 2013 9:20 pm

Re: Minimalist survey

Post by Thegoblinchief »

Too many books! If we *had to* we could certainly live out of our minivan. In fact, we're hoping to get some camping experience this summer with the kids. Neither my wife or I grew up camping, so that will get interesting!

My ideal situation would be a house similar to our current one (700 sqft, or 140 per person) but with actual land on it to farm/garden. Plus a workshop big enough for some large tools (welder, table saw, miter saw, etc).

riparian
Posts: 650
Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2011 4:00 am

Re: Minimalist survey

Post by riparian »

Well I've been living out of the back of my truck for a few months and regularly do.

At my home I have a lot of things that are mostly associated with my home, like a generator, saws, boat, etc.

Pedal2Petal
Posts: 107
Joined: Sat Nov 12, 2011 8:01 pm
Contact:

Re: Minimalist survey

Post by Pedal2Petal »

We moved recently and fit everything BARELY into the bed and cab of 1 pickup truck. We did not have room for a single 5 gallon bucket left over. Furniture (like bed and desk) was sold and rebought at our destination.

Ozymandias
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Sep 08, 2013 1:18 am

Re: Minimalist survey

Post by Ozymandias »

I'm between 3 and 4. Everything fit into my sedan during my last move :)

leeholsen
Posts: 325
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 6:38 pm

Re: Minimalist survey

Post by leeholsen »

2 suitcase for a one day buyout. Since I've started the ere thinking I have found I can really go with the same stuff and clothes regularly

7 for a real move of everything. I lightened up a lot on closests and cabinets of stuff I used once but I still have rooms of furniture that was bought before ere and nearly 3 bookcases of books. I know Jacob advocates selling them but I like being able to fill up a shelf every year and seeding a tangible accomplishment

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Ego
Posts: 6359
Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2011 12:42 am

Re: Minimalist survey

Post by Ego »

We're a 4.

We've noticed our tendency to become like a hermit crab and grow to the size of our shell. For that reason we like to limit the size of our dwelling so that we cannot accumulate too much.

Yesterday we wandered into this guy's exhibition and it reminded us of the importance of striving for #3.

http://www.sergiogarval.com/nau2.html

The exhibition was based on Shelley's ode to minimalism, Ozymandias...

I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed:
And on the pedestal these words appear:
"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

UrbanHermit
Posts: 103
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 9:39 am

Re: Minimalist survey

Post by UrbanHermit »

Currently: 4

But several times in my life I've made a (semi-premanent) move with just a suitcase, and I'm confident that if I needed to move again I would dump my 3 peices of ikea furniture on the curb and do it again.

Angelpie
Posts: 30
Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2013 10:42 pm

Re: Minimalist survey

Post by Angelpie »

I moved here in a 16-foot truck and I've gotten rid of some stuff, so I'll have to say still a 5.

henrik
Posts: 757
Joined: Fri Apr 13, 2012 5:58 pm
Location: EE

Re: Minimalist survey

Post by henrik »

Bringing furniture along needn't be a problem for #3
http://www.viralnova.com/room-in-a-box/

Dairy Dog
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2013 8:57 am
Location: Minnesota

Re: Minimalist survey

Post by Dairy Dog »

OH YES, 4 for sure. After down sizing from a five bed room house to a 37' motorhome this Spring. And I might add proud of it. I didn't need all that stuff and never will again. Minimalistic is my modo and way-of-life.

wolf
Posts: 1102
Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2017 5:09 pm
Location: Germany

Re: Minimalist survey

Post by wolf »

7, if I had to move everything within my apartment.

classical_Liberal
Posts: 2283
Joined: Sun Mar 20, 2016 6:05 am

Re: Minimalist survey

Post by classical_Liberal »

4, It happens every few months.

2Birds1Stone
Posts: 1596
Joined: Thu Nov 19, 2015 11:20 am
Location: Earth

Re: Minimalist survey

Post by 2Birds1Stone »

4, several years ago I would need a Uhaul

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