Moving into our Motorhome has meant that we have had to learn to let go of Stuff that we have all had with us and also within our house(s)! Things that we have collected over the last 17 years of our marriage life.
Plus Stuff that David had before we got married! Gosh does he like to collect odds n ends (stuff) because one day he might find use for it! He is in for a shock because we will be Living With Less Stuff once we get on the road.
Say No To Clutter
I on the other hand don’t like clutter. When I was younger I lived in a household that was full of clutter, odd bits n pieces that made no sense of why were keeping it, but was needed to help keep my Mum happy.
The clutter took up space in our already small house, and collected so much dust. Maybe that is why dusting is not my strong point in my house cleaning! I don’t dust, well I guess I do when it gets really bad. Maybe that is also why I don’t like little statues/figurines/Nick-nacks because they would need cleaning.
Lack of Storage Space
Our New Home on Wheels – Rose The Lifestyle Challenge Bus!
Buying a Motorhome that does not have storage bins under the bus means that there is no chance for us to collect anything that we don’t really use, as there is no where to put it! So I guess in the next few years I will be Living With Less Stuff, and so will our boys!
We do have a shipping container that has boxes in there of what stuff is precious to us. But when it comes down to it, we only have one or two boxes that I would really want to keep.
That is boxes of my boys drawings that they did when they went to school, and photos of them all growing up. The rest is really not important
To Live With Less
Our Front Garden – we loved growing Roses and herbs
We used to own a House. It was located in the most ideal spot for kids to grow up, and was within walking distance to the local primary school.
Our house was the oldest house in the neighborhood and was the one that needed the most work! It was actually over 110 years old, and was once a pig farm with lots of acreage.
The land surrounding the house was once part of our property, over the years it was sold off and spilt into smaller lots of house blocks. Luckily for us we had a 1/4 acre and we backed onto a great property that was over 15 acres.
The people who owned the land behind us had horses and our boys got to ride them on the weekends! It was a perfect set up – we could live like we where on a farm but we did not have to worry about the animals being feed or the vet bills.
Our Renovated House
Our gorgeous Big King Size Bed!
Our house, being an old Queenslander was very run down. It had tenants from hell renting it, so we had a lot of work to get her back up to scratch when we brought it.
Actually I cried for the first week when we moved in because it was so dirty, so smelly (we had Possums living in our Roof as well as Rats in the house to evict!) and needed so much work – either everything needed to be ripped out or repaired.
The first thing that had to be done was to rip out all of the carpet. I actually got David and his Dad to do this the day before we moved in because it was beyond vaccuming, and I was not prepared to let my kids walk on something that could make them so sick!
Looking back on that first week its amazing that we actually were game enough to move in! Maybe that was the beginning of my journey of wanting to Live With Less Stuff.
Perfect Time To Sell
The Gorgeous Kitchen that David made for our Home
When we sold our house it felt scary. But then it also felt right. We brought it for a very good price (too good to believe it was true) and we sold it for such a BIG profit, we sold last January 2010 at the height of the big increase.
We had put so much time and money into renovating that it was a happy day as well as a bit sad when we did sell. (David re-built nearly everything in this house including the kitchen!)
Our gorgeous Lounge Room – with our wonderful comfy lounges
We did not want to buy another house, actually David and I have been talking a lot about what we want from life (since then) and we never want to own another house! So we rented at Glasshouse Mountains for a year.
The house was bigger than our own house so we started to buy more furniture to feel up the extra space! Doing that sent alarm bells ringing of in my head…..what are we doing? We are buying more stuff to tie us down, yet our desire was to travel?
When the lease ran out in January this year (2011) we had to find somewhere to stay to finish renovating our Motorhome, and some where safe to store our stuff. We had sold off all of our big items….our HUGE fridge went to Uni students up on the sunshine coast, the lounge we sold on eBay!
Some stuff we sold on Gumtree, other stuff we sold through friends, and some in our Gargarge Sale. I was happy to see it all go, David kept trying to keep the stuff!
Here is a short run down of stuff that we do have left (We purchased a Shipping Container and to store our remaining stuff)
-
- A clothes dryer
- Two Chest of drawers
- One black book/toy shelf
- One double bed
- Two bedside cupboards (that David made me)
- Clothes
- One box of toys that the boys would not let me sell!
- Pictures/drawings!
- Our oldest two sons have a box each of whatever they wanted to keep (I have since gone in and asked them to make sure they really need any of it!)
- Our oldest has his golf and football equipment (actually once our older two sons take their stuff out of the shipping container it will be almost empty!)
- Davids tools plus many boxes of his stuff that we have moved from house to house, state to state over the last 17 years that he doesn’t even look at!!!
- Kitchen items that I am going to sort out and get rid off – our Motorhome doesnt have an oven so I dont need pots/pans anymore! Plus Tupperware – I have a huge box of Tupperware that I didnt even use while we did live in a house!
Here is what we have sold since we no longer live in a house and we are Living With Less Stuff!
- A king sized bed
- A computer table
- Plastic storage shelves
- Kitchen Dresser
- Ikea Bunk Beds
- Our oldest son Caravan (he used to live in a Caravan out the back of our rented house)
- Two big bookshelves
- Two small bookshelves
- Two bar stools
- Three piece lounge suite
- Two outdoors dining tables/chairs
- Coffee table
- Fridge
- Washing Machine
- Our youngest boy racing car bed
- Two white bedside cardboard and matching chest of drawers
- Another chest of drawers
- BBQ
- Toys
- School Clothes
Feeling Like I Could Easily Live With My Family
Now I know what is really important – Family 🙂
My next goal is to not fill up our Motorhome with more stuff! I like Living With Less Stuff and I want to keep our life simple. At the end of the day I have all that is really important to me – and that is My Family! I am learning what life is really about, and I learning that material possessions do not matter.
Would you be happy Living With Less Stuff?
Cheers
Lisa
Today Writing about “Living With Less Stuff” is part of a group writing project with many other travelling blogs. You might also like to read more about “Living With Less” shared at these blogs!
- Wordschool Adventure
- Family On Bikes
- Break Out Of Bushwick
- Family Travel Bucket List
- Around The World In Easy Ways
- Carried On The Wind
- Our Travel Lifestyle
- Livin on the Road
- The Drop Out Diaries
- Discover Share Inspire
- Got Passport
- Fullness of Life
Wow!!!
Look at all that you got rid of, and Living With Less Stuff!!!
What a post! This is (one of many reasons) why I LOVE travelling so much. That it forces you to live simply.
Great for you to link up with other travelling families too. So cool!
Lina
Lina@MothersLoveLetters recently posted..Fatherhood & Becoming A Father. What’s It Like?
Hello Lina,
Its amazing how much sfuff we can live without when we have to! Amazing how much stuff we buy because we think we have to 🙂
Living With Less Stuff sure feels amazing – and connecting with other travelling families rocks 🙂
Cheers
Lisa
G’day Lisa and Dave,
This phrase just occurred to me ” Living the Maximum with the Minimum ”
Happy Motoring
Harry
Harry Lynn recently posted..Learning Piano – My Learning Journey Part Four
Hi Harry,
Great phrase! Love that saying !!! Sure feels good to be Living With Less Stuff 🙂
Cheers
Lisa
I like it Harry 🙂
Hi Lisa,
Living a lifestyle with less clutter is a certain a simpler way to live.
It also happens to be more productive, especially when each item has its own place. Belinda is a stickler for this, and thankfully its rubbing off on me:-)
Thanks for sharing your story,
Cheers,
Cade
Thanks Cade! We are getting used to living with less, and will even downsize more as we travel 🙂
Harry statement is brilliant!
How gorgeous Belinda is….so glad its rubbing off on you! It sure will make it easier for when Baby arrives.
Cheers
Lisa
Hmm I think David and I would get along very well. When we went through our storage shed before moving everything overseas I threw out so many boxes of things I’d been hoarding for years. Ribbon from our wedding, that cool pair of sneakers I wore to raves in the 90s, about 30 exercise books from primary school and high school, stationary sets from when I was 7 … things I’d been keeping for years in case my kids ever wanted them. When they are all boxed up and sitting in front of you it’s a little sobering to realise just how much space it all takes up. I culled it all down to one small box and it felt good!
I think it’s wonderful that you are learning what is important to you. Good luck not filling up the motorhome with more stuff – just keep reminding yourself of how good it felt to be freed of your stuff and that family is more important and I’m sure your motorhome will remain clutter free … well as clutter free as any family home ever does!
Tracy recently posted..Living with less: Does having all our gear again really make us happier?
Hello Tracy,
Yep I cant have too much stuff!! David gets really upset when I go through his things and throw them out – especially if I dont ask him first!
We are looking at how much stuff we still do have left over and realise its too much. For the time being it can stay in the shipping container, but I know that one day soon it will be all gone! I only want to keep photos – the rest is not important.
Luckily David can start to see that we dont need any of that anymore! At first he wanted to store nearly everything – but I was so keen to see it all gone 🙂
It sure feels different having nothing to tie you down.
Thanks for sharing what you have left after going through your goods and realising you dont need it in your life to be happy!
Cheers
Lisa
Congrats on unloading so much stuff! It’s difficult not to collect- it’s so a part of our society to have as many possessions as possible- heck, they’re even making reality TV shows about it! It sure does feel good to unload, however. Spending time with family rather than things is definitely where it’s at!
Melissa Banigan recently posted..Live with less: lessons learned from downsizing
Hello Melissa,
Sure is so easy to collect too much stuff! Can see how society influences us, there is always ads on what we should buy or what we need to have to be happy!!
Amazing that Reality TV Shows are creating shows on in 🙂
Yep – family quality time is important!
Cheers
Lisa
First of all I love your motor home! So classy! Mike and I have been throwing around the idea of living in a motor home after we get back from Asia or else doing six months in a motor home and six months overseas. I love being on the road!
We too have a sea can, which is part of the reason why I find it so hard to get rid of more. Free storage!
But yes, it is so freeing to not be tied down to stuff any more. The more I get rid of the more I feel this is true. 🙂
Amy recently posted..Getting Rid of Stuff
Hello Amy,
Thank you for kind comment about our Motorhome! We love it 🙂 Its actually our house on wheels, and I cant ever imagine us stopping and living in a house again.
It is so freeing to have less stuff. Looking forward to travelling with less over the next few years.
Cheers
Lisa
I too have always preferred an uncluttered environment, yet, even with that preference, it’s amazing how much stuff you can accumulate. However, I’ve noticed, that once it’s all gone, you don’t even miss it. Just the opposite – you feel lighter and freer than ever before.
Hello Lisa,
Great name you have there! Yeah its funny how much we hold on to – yet when its gone its not that important to our life in the first place!! It does feel lighter Living with Less Stuff.
Cheers
Lisa
Living with less stuff would certainly feel great. I love when I have a big clean out of the cupboards and rooms of the house and I find it so easy to get rid of stuff that I don’t use. My husband is similar to yours and likes to keep his stuff and it shows with his shed. Very full of clutter that he never uses.
Jackie Stenhouse recently posted..Sugar Flowers Made From Sugarpaste
Hi Jackie,
Living with Less stuff feels so amazing 🙂
At least your hubby keeps his stuff in his shed! My used to keep it in our houses over the years. I love that I can not go through it and get rid of so much. Living with Less Stuff is now going to be my motto as we travel around Australia 🙂
Cheers
Lisa
My mum has a hobby farm in Melbourne. She has seven sheds, a 2-bedroom bungalow, and a big house. So much room to store things in. She has every. single. bit of work I brought home from school. I’m actually just as bad…until now that I sort of can’t be…except I still send the stuff back to my mum for storage.
Hello Amy,
I so can understand what you are saying with your Mum!! My Mum had the idea of collecting but she didnt have the room like your Mum has 🙂 How lucky are you to be able to send things home for your Mum to store for you.
I went through our shipping contanier again today and got rid of another two boxes. Feels so good to de-clutter, and Living With Less Stuff means that I can travel and have nothing dragging us down!
Cheers
Lisa
Yeah for living with less! More time for what it really important!
Rebeca recently posted..Living With Less
Hello Rebeca,
well said !! More time with our family is what is really important 🙂
Cheers
Lisa
What a fantastic read – about you living with less stuff.
We are all guilty of hanging onto stuff we really don’t need – and then if we do get rid of it it’s like a huge relief and we wonder why you didn’t get rid of it years ago.
We had a massive throw out when we emigrated to Australia – it felt wonderful.
My husband’s brilliant when it comes to clothes – if he gets a new t-shirt or other item of clothing, he’ll get rid of one at the same time!
Jan Littlehales recently posted..Hawaiian Pizza Recipe – in Ten Minutes
Hello Jan,
We really do all have to much stuff in our life that is not important. At the end of the day – all that matters is getting rid of stuff that we dont need, and live with what is important! To me that is my family 🙂
I like your hubby idea – get rid of one shirt or clothing when buying another. A great way to make sure you dont end up with too much stuff!
Cheers
Lisa
Our family considered buying a motorhome for the beginning of our traveling, but it just never worked out. I also knew there would be special “motorhome stuff” that I would feel compelled to buy, even if I had something that could do the same job. Funny how a change of scenery can push us to do things we’ve already decided we didn’t want to do! Best wishes to you as you prepare for your journey! All that stuff won’t matter when you’re rolling…
Susan recently posted..Living with less and 5 Kids? Isn’t that an oxymoron?
Hello Susan,
We love our Motorhome! We thought about a caravan or a tent but we decided that a bus was the way to go for our family! Maybe when the kids leave home (our motorhome!) we might down size to a caravan.
We are looking forward to getting on the road and living with less stuff.
Cheers
Lisa
Lisa,
I just read your article and would you believe I just had a conversation about this with one of my boys tonight. I grew up a hoarder with a hoarder mother, and unfortunately have passed it on a bit to a couple of my kids too. I have two that are great & will just throw stuff out, one that can be good & bad with it, and then the 4th is a lot like me. However, in the mean time I am starting to break the cycle and gradually wanting to throw out stuff. I actually find it a little overwhelming knowing where to start & also finding the time. But ironically, this past week, I have been pondered and the action is commencing this weekend. I never realise how much “stuff” weighs you done. Thanks again for the extra reinforcement. I envy you for the amount you have decluttered.
Michelle.
Michelle Ley recently posted..The Bucket List
Hello Michelle,
Thank you for stopping here and leaving your great comment! Its amazing to hear that other families were hoarders as well as my family! I love to have big clean outs and get rid of stuff that we dont need or use! I have to do it when my boys are not looking, and when David is not aware 🙂
Its actually a good feeling, knowing that we dont have too much stuff weighing us down, and keeping us stuck in one place !
All the best with your cleanout. It will be the best feeling when you are done. I keep thinking of all the great people who are going to benefit from when ever I have a huge clean out – as most of our stuff goes to lifeline or we sell it 🙂
Cheers
Lisa
Oh Lisa, so close to your dream being a reality…having less is definitely more fun…so wish I was taking off into the sunset 🙂
Hello Narelle,
We are so looking forward to travelling and getting on the road – I sure like having less stuff to carry with us 🙂
Cheers
Lisa
I’m a hoarder but I’m trying hard to get rid of ‘stuff’. I have developed an approach, stuff I think I can’t live with but never use, go into a box with a date on it. After some time and it hasn’t been used, I take it unopened to one of the charities.
Tania Shipman recently posted..Roast Chicken
Hi Tania,
That is a great way of looking at it! I think that we all collect to much stuff! Learning to live with less stuff is going to be interesting over the next few years – my boys are like there Dad! They like to keep everything 🙂
Cheers
Lisa
Hi Lisa
Your story has made me more determined to live with less stuff I had started but only a half hearted effort I did it once when I moved to Queensland now it time to cull again
Rita recently posted..Travel Australia-Tennent Creek
Hello Rita,
so good that you are inspired to see what you can live without !! Its the best feeling – have less feels like you have more. Living with less Stuff is what I am going to aim for where ever we are, and what ever we live in 🙂
Happy De-cluttering.
Cheers
Lisa
It’s interesting how possible living with less stuff is! We moved into a much smaller place earlier this year, and put a lot of our belongings into storage. I do wonder when we move into our new home, how much of it we will realize that we no longer need.
I agree with you regarding family – there really is nothing more important :).
Hilary recently posted..Is Organic Food Better For You?
Hello Hilary,
I wonder how much you do unpack and realise that you no longer need, nor want? Will you give it away? I reckon after all this time you will see what you need to live with, and you will soon see what you can either give away or sell!! Living with Less Stuff is the best feeling 🙂
Cheers
Lisa
I can totally resonate with this too! We have been doing the same thing over the last few months…. I feel so much lighter and more full of life… I guess ‘stuff’ really does drag you down
Tara recently posted..A Flat Yummy Mummy Tummy!
Hello Tara,
Yes stuff really does drag us down, and its not really needed for our happiness 🙂 Good on your for Living with Less Stuff! Yep it does let one feel lighter and more full of life!
Cheers
Lisa
I love living with less stuff. After being a backpacker since I became an adult I get extremely agitated and stressed when the stuff begins to accumulate. I don’t think there is a day that goes past where I am not complaining about how much crap we have and we need to declutter.
We really notice it in terms of our children and how much crap they are given by others. I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, because I’m not, its just an example how we are taught as a society that we need more and more, when the truth is we really need less and less.
Great post. I’m going to go declutter.
Hello Caz,
I know what you mean – when our boys were little half of the house was all of their stuff!!! I loved having gifts from family and friends but at the end of the day all they need is one toy each, clothes and Mum/Dad cuddles! If we had our time over again I would have had all of my boys on the road, so that we did not fall into the trap of needing so much. Wonder why we think we need so much stuff to make us happy? Like you said it must be society.
Thanks for stopping by, and for your great feedback! Happy declutter 🙂
Cheers
Lisa
It is wonderful how reducing your clutter has freed you Lisa. Living with less stuff sounds like a wonderful idea. We have accumulated a massive amount of “stuff” over the years. I think this is mainly because we had a house fire in 1997 and lost everything!
We had to live without so many things while the insurance was being worked out (they didn’t pay back the agreed insurance amount). In the race to replace everything and having lived without many essentials for months, we now horde.
Your post has reminded me that most of the “stuff” is not necessary. It is Springtime in Australia – time for a clean out!!
Bev@Dog Anxiety recently posted..Dog Anxiety Medications
Hello Bev,
I can see how a housefire would lead you to want to have too much stuff! That would make me want to keep too much 🙂
I think that our society is too directed to having too much stuff in and around us to help us be happy. When really at the end of the day, as long as we have family, what else matters?
Happy de-cluttering. We are loving with living with less stuff.
Cheers
Lisa
Hi Lisa 🙂
Just stumbled across your blog and wanted to let you know how inspiring I found this post! Thank you for sharing it!
Lusi 🙂
Lusi recently posted..Happy 8th Birthday Elijah!
Hello Lusi,
Thank you for the great connection. Your blog post photos are amazing – happy birthday to your son and congratulations on your new baby.
Great to be able to connect online.
Cheers
Lisa
Life on the road taught me that you can live with very little, I toured several countries on a motorcycle so there was even less space.. Now that I am back to sedentary life I feel that my little house is a palace!
Hi Pauline,
Sure is amazing with how much stuff we think we need, yet really we can live with the essentials really easily.
Loving your blog 🙂
Cheers
Lisa
New life on the road is much better idea.We have option to move to different places,enjoy new food,surroundings and cultures.Also we need not to pay any tax.Thank you so much for sharing!