|
|
Less stuff more happiness
11-24-2011, 06:22 PM
|
#1
|
Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 135
|
Less stuff more happiness
As I watch on the news people camping out in front of stores to be first for Black Friday, I thought I would share this great video:
Graham Hill: Less stuff, more happiness | Video on TED.com
|
|
|
|
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!
Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!
|
11-24-2011, 06:54 PM
|
#2
|
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Chattanooga
Posts: 3,895
|
Excellent short on why less is more. Too bad our generation didn't learn this concept about 60 years ago.
__________________
Earning money is an action, saving money is a behavior, growing money takes a well diversified portfolio and the discipline to ignore market swings.
|
|
|
11-24-2011, 07:52 PM
|
#3
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Charleston, SC
Posts: 13,566
|
Very enjoyable! Thanks for sharing
__________________
“One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it's worth watching.”
Gerard Arthur Way
|
|
|
11-24-2011, 08:44 PM
|
#4
|
Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 193
|
Good idea, It seems most of the things are custom designed or can we find such things in Ikea?
Other topic, I don't like videos, takes too much time for little information. I guess this is fashionable to put things on video. A writeup should also be included with video.
|
|
|
11-25-2011, 11:03 AM
|
#5
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Sarasota, FL & Vermont
Posts: 36,374
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by frayne
Excellent short on why less is more. Too bad our generation didn't learn this concept about 60 years ago.
|
+1 We visited some relatives in Spain and Italy a few years ago and spent a few days with them in their homes. The enlightening thing to me is that they had a lot less stuff than Americans typically do, but the quality of the stuff they did have was top-notch.
|
|
|
11-25-2011, 01:22 PM
|
#6
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 21,305
|
I'd seen it earlier (love TED), but it's worth viewing periodically. Thanks for reminding me to watch it again.
Interesting landover: My retention seems markedly better with video than pure text for some reason. No right or wrong, good thing we have various forms of communication.
__________________
No one agrees with other people's opinions; they merely agree with their own opinions -- expressed by somebody else. Sydney Tremayne
Retired Jun 2011 at age 57
Target AA: 50% equity funds / 45% bonds / 5% cash
Target WR: Approx 1.5% Approx 20% SI (secure income, SS only)
|
|
|
11-25-2011, 02:25 PM
|
#7
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: New Orleans
Posts: 47,500
|
Over several years I tossed, donated, or gave away about 80% of my stuff in preparation for the interstate-move-that-never-happened.
I have to admit that I don't really feel bad about it. For one thing, my house suddenly has closet space that it never had before. Ample closet space is a wonderful thing. Also, my house seemed more spacious due to owning fewer pieces of furniture.
I am slowly buying back things as they seem necessary, so if I'm not careful I'll be living in a smaller-feeling house with no closet space again soon. I am not buying the multifunctional furniture that he talks about (I hate it) but just trying to cut back on what I have.
__________________
Already we are boldly launched upon the deep; but soon we shall be lost in its unshored, harbourless immensities. - - H. Melville, 1851.
Happily retired since 2009, at age 61. Best years of my life by far!
|
|
|
11-25-2011, 02:31 PM
|
#8
|
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,532
|
I think that his apartment is perfect, if I lived by myself. I love TED too. It is hard to get away from watching the talks!
|
|
|
11-25-2011, 02:47 PM
|
#9
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: North Oregon Coast
Posts: 16,483
|
We went through a round of getting rid of stuff when we moved out of Houston and into a house half the size. We held a "housecooling" party -- the opposite of a housewarming where we are (a) *leaving* the house and not moving in, and (b) where the guests are expected to take some of our stuff away instead of give us more. Managed to give away a lot of good stuff, but stuff we rarely needed and wouldn't have room for.
__________________
"Hey, for every ten dollars, that's another hour that I have to be in the work place. That's an hour of my life. And my life is a very finite thing. I have only 'x' number of hours left before I'm dead. So how do I want to use these hours of my life? Do I want to use them just spending it on more crap and more stuff, or do I want to start getting a handle on it and using my life more intelligently?" -- Joe Dominguez (1938 - 1997)
|
|
|
11-25-2011, 03:18 PM
|
#10
|
Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 182
|
Good video.
I get lots of pleasure from regularly cleaning areas used for “long-term” storage. Have been on cleaning/throwing binge for the the past few months and feel better for it.
Living in an apartment for five years after getting married, we moved to a “starter” twin home and figured we’d move into the bigger single-family home after a few years. That was 30 years ago and we are still in our “starter” home. We absolutely looked and wanted to move up on many occasions, but never did. Things got a little tight with two kids, but we managed and now they are gone. The place is perfect for us now and the less expensive housing over the years has helped us to do many things, including ER. Part of living in a smaller home is the ongoing need to rid yourself of excess stuff.
|
|
|
11-25-2011, 04:11 PM
|
#11
|
Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 135
|
When I think back to the fun times in my life, I actually had very little stuff. I was a student in Europe for a year, and brought everything I needed in 1 backpack. I was moving quite a bit with temporary military assignment for a period of years, and everything I owned fit in my Subaru. We lived in San Francisco for 3 years in a 500sf apartment. Now that were settled with 2 school aged kids, it is a constant battle to not accumulate a bunch of crap. I think we fell prey to lifestyle creep and junk accumulation with rapid career advancement, but now that early retirement is in our sights we are starting to focus more on what is important-- family and friends and experiences, not how much stuff we have in storage.
|
|
|
11-25-2011, 04:18 PM
|
#12
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 14,328
|
Given what is for sale on Craigslist at any one time, I'm convinced that we could shut down all manufacturing and imports for about 10 years and just swap stuff, with no real hardship.
|
|
|
11-25-2011, 04:27 PM
|
#13
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Texas: No Country for Old Men
Posts: 50,022
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by travelover
Given what is for sale on Craigslist at any one time, I'm convinced that we could shut down all manufacturing and imports for about 10 years and just swap stuff, with no real hardship.
|
Hey, it worked for Cuba...
__________________
Numbers is hard
|
|
|
11-25-2011, 04:55 PM
|
#14
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Lawn chair in Texas
Posts: 14,183
|
I must be really happy...
__________________
Have Funds, Will Retire
...not doing anything of true substance...
|
|
|
11-26-2011, 07:54 AM
|
#15
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: East Nowhere, 43N Latitude, NY
Posts: 9,037
|
I continue to find things given to me (over 27 years of living in the same house) in cupboards and closets. I delight in finding new homes for the "stuff". The rest gets donated to a local church for their periodic rummage sales.
The funny thing is the older "stuff" is of better quality than what is available at stores today.
I am keeping things of sentimental value (like the porcelain cat statue my Mom gave to me when I was a teenager) and things I bought myself. If it was a gift and is rarely used, it goes.
Little by little, the clutter is being reduced.
When I'm done with the house, next up is the garage and the 20'x20' storage building out back. I know lots of local contractors and will have no problem giving away tools and equipment that I am personally no longer able to use (tendinitis in hands) or have no future need of. My late husband loved to buy all sorts of power and hand tools for fix-up or new projects.
This storage building was built by him, a buddy, and me, from the ground up, in the late 1980s.
__________________
"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." - Walt Disney
|
|
|
11-26-2011, 08:17 AM
|
#16
|
Administrator
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: N. Yorkshire
Posts: 34,130
|
We are moving, and downsizing, again in 4 days. We will still be occupying 3 times the space shown in the video but it feels good to be getting rid of more un-needed stuff.
I even shredded all but my last 15 years of tax returns.
__________________
Retired in Jan, 2010 at 55, moved to England in May 2016
Enough private pension and SS income to cover all needs
|
|
|
11-26-2011, 12:41 PM
|
#17
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: North Oregon Coast
Posts: 16,483
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan
We are moving, and downsizing, again in 4 days. We will still be occupying 3 times the space shown in the video but it feels good to be getting rid of more un-needed stuff.
I even shredded all but my last 15 years of tax returns.
|
I did that for a few of my oldest tax returns, but I'll probably save 2005 forever. That was the year I forgot to include a cashless exercise of stock options on Schedule D (it was taxed at the time of exercise and proceeds were included as W-2 income, so the net effect on the transaction was zero and I forgot to go back and enter it).
In 2007 we got a letter from the IRS that said we owed $31,000 on our 2005 taxes. I freaked at first until I looked at it and realized what happened -- they counted the sale of the underlying stock as pure profit with a zero cost basis. I called the IRS back and explained the situation and they closed it surprisingly quickly and amicably -- so the letter I received a few days later which closed that case is one I'll probably never shred.
__________________
"Hey, for every ten dollars, that's another hour that I have to be in the work place. That's an hour of my life. And my life is a very finite thing. I have only 'x' number of hours left before I'm dead. So how do I want to use these hours of my life? Do I want to use them just spending it on more crap and more stuff, or do I want to start getting a handle on it and using my life more intelligently?" -- Joe Dominguez (1938 - 1997)
|
|
|
11-26-2011, 01:06 PM
|
#18
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: West of the Mississippi
Posts: 17,266
|
Too much stuff clutters up life. We end up storing junk from yesterday that gets in the way of living today and tomorrow. I keep things that have emotional value from my parents, children, etc. If I haven't used something in years I donate it to somebody who can use it. I also find that I like the 'minimalist' look in my home. Less stuff but the things I do have are elegant and bring beauty to my life.
__________________
Comparison is the thief of joy
The worst decisions are usually made in times of anger and impatience.
|
|
|
11-26-2011, 01:15 PM
|
#19
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 18,085
|
Quote:
Hi All. I know that I already sent out our Xmas list and should have said this sooner, but [brewer] and I would like to request that you not get us gifts this year. Having just moved, we got rid of a tremendous amount of stuff and are trying not to fill up the new house. I would propose instead that you just get gifts for the girls, realizing that a book or a small dinosaur will be loved as much as something more expensive. We are planning on getting you gifts, but from the girls with their imput, so they will be smaller and perhaps even homemade. :-) To us, family is really the essence of what the holiday season is about and getting to see you all in Jan. is more than [brewer] and I could ask for for Christmas. - Lots of love, [DW]
|
DW, who gets saddled with most of the Xmas shopping, finally got fed up with the consumerism pressure and sent the above to my side of the family. On her side we already have agreed that we will give gifts to each others' kids and just enjoy each others' company without too much stress.
DW was getting way ahead of herself and I told her that as far as I am concerned my gift is sitting in the driveway.
__________________
"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."
- George Orwell
Ezekiel 23:20
|
|
|
11-26-2011, 01:43 PM
|
#20
|
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Oahu
Posts: 26,860
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by brewer12345
DW, who gets saddled with most of the Xmas shopping, finally got fed up with the consumerism pressure and sent the above to my side of the family. On her side we already have agreed that we will give gifts to each others' kids and just enjoy each others' company without too much stress.
DW was getting way ahead of herself and I told her that as far as I am concerned my gift is sitting in the driveway.
|
Mr. Money Mustache weighed in on the subject in a similar way with his usual low-key, laid-back, mellow, tactful, understated, non-confrontational manner:
Happy Thanksgiving – And Buy Nothing Day! (and Month?) | Mr. Money Mustache
__________________
*
Co-author (with my daughter) of “Raising Your Money-Savvy Family For Next Generation Financial Independence.”
Author of the book written on E-R.org: "The Military Guide to Financial Independence and Retirement."
I don't spend much time here— please send a PM.
|
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
Similar Threads
|
Thread |
Thread Starter |
Forum |
Replies |
Last Post |
The Value of Happiness
|
BradMM |
Other topics |
13 |
06-24-2011 04:35 PM |
|
» Recent Threads
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
» Quick Links
|
|
|