Are you a prisoner...

[Evil One]

Of your possessions?
Caryn and I were talking, most people are constrained and tied down by the things they own.
There are 2 of us.
We have 2 cars.
We could load up the 2 cars and leave most things we own.
Clothes, guns, laptops, tools, cats... and not much more.

Could you do it if you had to?
If need be, I could load onto a motorcycle and go.


Jim

 

[chillypepper]

i could (and did) load every thing i own into the back of a minitruck and move in one trip. including my tools. hasn't allways been this way. sure is nice when it's time to clean house though, nothing to pick up and put away, just sweep, dust and mop. take out the trash. then relax.

 

[Wayne02]

Prisoner of our possessions? Yeah, probably so, especially if you consider the real estate as a 'possession', as there is always things that need done to keep this place running. I think most people are prisoners of their possessions to a degree, that's just how it is.

Could we load up some stuff and leave everything behind? Sure if it was necessary - natural disaster etc. That's one of the reasons I have always owned an RV. In addition to using it for camping, and as a guest house, we could live in it if needed as it is self-contained and mobile. I lived in a camper for the first two years out of high school and I could do it again if circumstances required.

Could we load up the truck and trailer with minimum requirements and not have that many possessions left behind? No way that is possible, there would be shipping containers worth of 'possessions' left behind.

 

[GatorFarmer]

I sold everything that I owned in 2006 and moved to Washington state to marry a woman that I'd talked to on the Internet, but never actually met. Worked out about as well as that sort of thing was going to as I'm fond of saying.

While I did discover that "stuff" really is just "stuff", I would say that having stuff does beat the alternative in many cases.

 

[Ought Six]

When I move all my stuff, it takes a 16 foot rental truck minimum. It is the furniture that really takes up most of the space. The leather recliner couch, king size bed, entertainment center, etcetera. Does that make me a 'prisoner'? I think not. I could sell it all quickly enough if I really needed to, and I will be moving again after only one year in the house I am currently renting. If I am a prisoner to anything, it is my lust for a much bigger gun collection. I am a total gun whore.

 

[afriqueart]

We're both packrats. Last move cost us $10,000.

 

[BarbC]

I've loaded some clothes, photos, books and a bit of jewelry into a van and left. Of course, that was more of an evacuation than a move.

I didn't have that habit of being tied to physical things and aside from some very sentimental antique furniture I have now, there's not much else other than what's listed above that I would still be unwilling to walk away from.

 

[Jack Flash]

I'm sure I am. I like my stuff. When you're a prisoner of your possessions, at least you have the option of "freeing" yourself at any time. For someone who has nothing, the reverse is not always possible.

The news is full of stories about people who have lived a middle class life for decades but who now find themselves out of work for the first time in their lives and reduced to living in a tent. A situation like that is nothing to make light of and my heart goes out to them. I doubt that they feel liberated. I'd wager every one of them would go back to their former life (as a "prisoner of his possessions") in a heartbeat.

 

[2Loud4You]

Considering all the guns, tools, music equipment, etc..., NO, there's no way I could load up my little car and leave everything else behind!

 

[gunlovingirl]

When I moved to TN, I left a big storage unit of stuff behind. Didn't have a truck, or the money to rent one. I ended up telling my son to go through it all, take what he wanted, and sell or trash the rest. But I am a collector. Antiques mostly. Furniture, toys, china, etc. And now my passion is S&Ws. Are my possessions holding me prisoner? Nope. I've learned possessions are just that. Material objects. They may give you enjoyment, but they can't give you peace and happiness. That comes from somewhere else!

 

[Evil One]

I grew up being a HUGE pack rat.
NEVER threw away anything that could possibly have any meaning or value.
When my family moved from Mo to NC it took 2 26' moving trucks... and we left a huge storage room full of things in Mo that wouldnt fit into the trucks.
I continued along that path till I met my current wife.
She moved in with me with only a car load of her and her sons posessions... including his bed on top of the car.
When we moved from the house I lived in at the time, we moved in 3-4 loads in my cherokee.
When moving from NC to Ma... it took a 10 foot moving truck.
It took me a while... but I learned that pretty much anything is replacable.
Now... I can pretty much grab and go.
I am taking off to Calgary for up to 2 years... and am loading up my pinto.


Jim

 

[Vulcan Bob]

Boy, every now and again I have the same thought's!

 

[sigp220.45]

Nope. I've moved about every five years for my entire adult life. I get rid of some stuff every move, but for the most part I bring it all along. If I didn't like the stuff, I wouldn't have bought it.

 

[judge]

Yes we do get tied to possessions at home, no doubt about it. If I could get the wife to go along, I'd sell the house and move onto a 45ft trawler. Whatever fits on the boat is it. Otherwise, get rid of it. Spend 6 mos a year in FLA and the other 6 mos travelling up north. No property tax, nasty neighbors, grass to cut, etc. I could live on a boat with no problem!!

 

[BE Mike]

A buddy of mine keeps collecting things. He became a widower about a year and a half ago. I think he is trying to find comfort in things. He accumulates cars, car parts, guns, and ammo, mostly. He is always worried about someone breaking into his house. Eventhough he has very good security and alarms and good neighbors, there have been a couple of attempts and successful (for the thieves) burglaries. He lives a high profile social life. I think he is a prisoner of his possessions. I couldn't live like he does. I couldn't find happiness there.

OTOH, I live a low-profile life and am very guarded about personal information. I was very poor growing up. I think that is an advantage. My wife and I started with absolutely nothing and everything we have we have earned on our own. We live a middle-income lifestyle, and want for nothing really. The bottom line is that if we lost it all tomorrow, it wouldn't be pleasant, but we could handle it, and start over. Things are nice, but they hold little emotional attachment for me.

 

[jimmyj]

Hi:
I had a Partner that said a fellow should never have more "Belonging" than could fit two suitcases. His reasoning was that when your wife kicked you out all you had to do was pick up a suitcase in either hand and walk.
This same partner said that you went thru a Divorce you could forget the two suitcases as you would be lucky to leave with the clothes on your back.

Another "Gem" that I have remembered is that "Anytime you give an Citizan a "Break" it will come back to "Haunt" you".

Art, I miss you!
Jimmy

 

[USAF385]

I was a nomad for about 8 months after high school. I roamed the country in an old Chevy truck with just a few changes of clothes, a boot knife, and a shotgun... well and a few important items to keep me from being smelly. When my cash supply got low.. I worked construction or washed dishes... whatever I could find. Didn't even have a cell phone!

One of the best experiences of my life.... and I had pretty much nothing. I got to visit all the 48 real states . Yeah you heard me, Alaska and North Dakota!

(kidding...... an yes I really mean all but Hawaii and Alaska... those I saw latter. Hawaii on vacation, Alaska courtesy of the Air Force.)

 

[Farmer17]

I had a huge house with a 3 car garage and I was so successful that I had to park my truck in the driveway because of all the "stuff" in the garage. The area above the three car garage was built-out for storage and it was full of stuff, and any time I needed a tool or something I would go buy a new one because I didn't want to spend hours hunting through all the "stuff" to find it. Ahhhh the pursuit of happiness!!!

 

[Jetstream]

About an hour ago I was thinking about this very same subject and came to the conclusion that I probably just have too much stuff...

Do I think I'm imprisoned by it? No, but I definately need to do some pairing down. I came to the conclusion that half needs to go. Will I miss it? Probably as soon as it's out the door...

 

[Bat Guano]

I remember when I could easily move halfway across the country in a Chevy pickup. That may have been the right balance.

Now I have more of everything, but I don't believe I'm all that much better off.

Less very often IS more.