Where do you store your stuff?

BandB said:

How many people move and have many things they don't need to pack because they're still in the boxes from their last move?

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Last time we moved (2400sqft to 1000sqft), we had boxes after 6 months that were still unopened. My wife and I just took them all over to Goodwill -- still unopened.

We didn't even want to know what was in there - if we didn't need it for 6 months, then we didn't need it at all.

Woodland Hills said:

I have the drill press, table saw, belt/disc sander and air compressor on CL, but I still have to deal with all the electric hand tools like drills, sanders, saws, routers, etc. It is not easy.......

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This has been the hardest thing for me anticipating moving aboard. I had a garage FULL of shop tools. Over the last three years, I have been creative with the dual-use, battery powered, alternate-function tools that I will keep on the boat. Will try to have a collapsible worktable/bench of some sort to help.

Really tough on this one - I do EVERYTHING myself on boats and it hurts not having a table saw, or router table, etc. I will make do - maybe the boater's version of the Woodright's Shop?

Last time we moved (2400sqft to 1000sqft), we had boxes after 6 months that were still unopened....if we didn't need it for 6 months, then we didn't need it at all.

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Well said! I won't embarrass myself by admiting how much I've spent storing stuff that I eventually got rid of.

....it hurts not having a table saw, or router table, etc. I will make do....

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I have been successfull in creating a collapsable mutli-function work top. A sturdy top with low friction that attaches to collapsable saw horses. Rails made from hard wood or aluminum clamped in place, cut outs on the under side for a worm drive saw and heavy duty router.

The last time I had to do that it was out of financial not spacial necessity. With that set up it's all about the craftsman not the tools but nice work can be accomplished with patience. When I'm ready to move out of my garage / shop / storage I'll recreate the contraption.

Portage_Bay said:

Well said! I won't embarrass myself by admiting how much I've spent storing stuff that I eventually got rid of.

I have been successfull in creating a collapsable mutli-function work top. A sturdy top with low friction that attaches to collapsable saw horses. Rails made from hard wood or aluminum clamped in place, cut outs on the under side for a worm drive saw and heavy duty router.

The last time I had to do that it was out of financial not spacial necessity. With that set up it's all about the craftsman not the tools but nice work can be accomplished with patience. When I'm ready to move out of my garage / shop / storage I'll recreate the contraption.

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That sounds really great!

boathealer said:

Last time we moved (2400sqft to 1000sqft), we had boxes after 6 months that were still unopened. My wife and I just took them all over to Goodwill -- still unopened.

We didn't even want to know what was in there - if we didn't need it for 6 months, then we didn't need it at all.

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Oh, a reminder of when my mother sold her house. One Sunday she was off playing cards and I worked on the attic. Monday was trash pick up day and when I went to bed Sunday night I had tons of stuff stacked. However, when I got up Monday morning it was all back in the basement. Monday night I asked her why.

Why? "Well some of it is some good stuff" or something like that. I asked if she'd been in the attic in the last 15 years and she said "maybe." I asked last ten years and a definite not. I asked what if we just hired someone to clean it all out. Of course, "No. We might get rid of something we shouldn't." So I started through some of the things she'd brought back in.

There were at least 25 keys. I asked if she knew what any of them were for. "No." Do you have anything you need a key for and don't have one? "No." Then I pointed out that one was for a Chrysler product and she didn't currently have a Chrysler product. Her answer was who ever had it now might use the key. There was a small camping heater and I explained it didn't work. She said it could probably be fixed. I said, "Yes, it can be but do we really want to spend $30 on a $40 heater that we have no use for." Then an old electric football game. I turned it on for her and showed her the men vibrated in place but didn't move. Next trash day I took it all back out.

Then there are the items assigned value in our minds far beyond reality. My mother had an old "antique" curio cabinet filled with "crystal" glasses and bowls. Years later when I got rid of it, I found out it was a reproduction cabinet and the glassware wasn't crystal and was worth $5-10 a piece. Then the "I paid a lot for that" pieces. I tried to explain that what she paid for something had nothing to do with it's value now.

The decluttering / voluntary simplicity movements are IMO a wonderful trend that I wish would continue to gain momentum.

But just like other "bad habits", thoughtless consumerism is for many an important part of their identity, and the result of very long-term, deep and widespread socialization / programming.

Making such choices for ourselves is great, but take things easy on those around us who may not be so comfortable with change.

Let them have their attachments until they're ready (or forced by circumstances) to let go.

Every time this discussion comes up in the forum I get very discouraged. As hard as I try, "stuff" always seems to come in faster than we can get rid of it. I can't even achieve a net reduction with the influx and out-flow. Every Christmas, birthday...some of it is generational transfer (parents) but only a fraction. It's a tidal wave, we can't shed the stuff fast enough to make progress.

Where there's a will there's a way.

Move to a very small space, or at least one with very limited storage.

Never pay for dedicated storage.

When there is no more room, your whole attitude on what should stay changes.

Headed to Texas - my experience with OS containers is: used containers are for sale for a reason - typically that they lack integrity and are deemed uneconomical to repair. Unless you can inspect the specific container (that assumes you know what to look for) and it's good, you'll probably get a heavy duty sieve.

We are now surviving with 5% of what we had 35 years ago and feel like born again Christians

I've only used "new" means one trip only.
Air tight, which means best closed up in cold dry weather, no moisture in contents.

Had no problems, including an old book collection, artwork and leather furniture.

Maybe not valuable old music instruments

My grandmother hid $5, $10, and $20 bills everywhere, making sure I’d look at every book, box and pocket.

sbu22 said:

Headed to Texas - my experience with OS containers is: used containers are for sale for a reason - typically that they lack integrity and are deemed uneconomical to repair. Unless you can inspect the specific container (that assumes you know what to look for) and it's good, you'll probably get a heavy duty sieve.

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Thanks SBU. The notion of bees, bats, bugs and birds filling the spaces inside the container quickly dissuaded me from that approach. Makes sense too that the new, tight ones go on ships, not on auction blocks.

Business Opportunity: Dockside DIY workshops and on-site storage.
To avoid the high $ sites, do these at various places "off the beaten path", with no desireable view.
And, NOT the same as DIY boat yards. No haulouts, just a place to fix stuff on your floating castle. Gotta figure out the loaner tool thing. Reminds me of high school shop class.

This is probably the touchiest subject for us. We've lived aboard 5.5 years and I can't believe the amount of STUFF this boat has swallowed up! I won't refer to my wife as a "pack rat", but she's definitely a "collector". And I need to give her some slack because she went through a house many fire years ago in which they lost virtually everything. So I think she looks at "stuff" differently than I do.

All this time we've had a 12x30' storage unit filled to the brim with more STUFF. Much of it things we haven't even seen since it was boxed up and placed in there. It's an ongoing debate between us on how to pare down, which essentially means deciding what to throw away. And for my wife, she just can't bear to make those decisions. So it's tough.

We are now at the point where we've spent thousands more in storage than we would spend to replace everything with new (granted, there is a difference between paying $140/mo versus plunking down $5-6,000 cash). Grrrrr!

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/a-...-559zrz3F8aDpUZtLAlf4GgHgd3MedGsaAvxFEALw_wcB

That's a very long link to Emily Ley's book; A Simplified Life.
My wife found it and read it. In two weeks time, my bookshelf contained 1/2 the books it used to. Our file cabinet contents shrunk to 1/3.
DANGER: if your wife gets hold of this book, and reads it, YOUR life will change. Probably for the better, I might add.
I'll have to read it someday too. Right after Bebe's passagemaker book, that I'm in the middle of.

Moonfish; I'll predict if your wife reads it, that storage unit will be GONE.

My (ex) wife was a pack rat, close to being a hoarder. Caused great stress in my life. I moved aboard the boat 97% of everything I owned excluding clothes went to Goodwill or trash. My wife got a townhouse that now I can hardly walk through or find a seat. You cannot cook in her kitchen. Stuff everywhere, mostly in unopened boxes.
IF I ever move back to a dirt house, other than basic furniture, I will buy everything I need at Goodwill as it will be about the same quality as the stuff I disposed of.