THE 100 THING CHALLENGE..... COULD YOU DO IT??? WOULD YOU EVER WANT TO??

[Terri]

Since joining Seaknots I've found that the one thing soon to be cruisers need to do is downsize....a lot. There is something cleansing when one purges stuff. I've found this to be true with each move I make. Downsizing from a 6000 sq. ft. house to an eight room to a 4 room. But as a former antique dealer I like nice things and it's not always easy to get rid of stuff, nor do I really want to. Then there's clothes, books and shoes...the list goes on. There currently is a trend started I think by a blogger named Dave. After purging and getting rid of stuff he wasn't satisfied. So he decided he could only keep 100 things..thus the 100 Thing Challenge was born. From what I understand he doesn't count books, tools or other family members things. This is good, cause in lieu of tools, I'd choose shoes. Tools? I could live with three...hammer, philips head screwdriver & slotted. I'm good to go. If i can't bang the hell out of something or remove it.. it stays. So my question is.... Could you live with only 100 things?? I bet some of you already do. Read on.....................................

Reader John points us to his buddy Dave Bruno’s blog in which the intrepid blogger has decided to get rid of everything except for 100 things. After a major house cleaning and purge, he just wasn’t satisfied:

It’s just that, in grand scheme of things, it does not seem like enough. We have a lot of stuff. And honestly, it is difficult to purge. What goes? That is a hard decision. But I have an idea. A spontaneous idea that might change my life forever. I’m calling it the 100 Thing Challenge. And I’m taking it. Here is how it goes.

I’m going to only keep 100 things. All the rest gets purged. Sold. Given away. Traded Some how, all the other things will no longer remain in my possession.

He’s blogging his progress on the “challenge” and it should be interesting to track his progress

[Terri]

I guess there are many levels of sailing. I'd never want to give up a dirt dwelling (could be a tiny one..but has to be one)... I can't afford a big enough boat to be comfortable living on year round and if I could would probably not sail her as much as I wanted. Could I live on a boat 6 - 8 months a year... sure, quite easily. You have pared down to the basics and is a good thing to give most prized possessions to friends for safe keeping. Maybe 10 years ago my feeling's would be different. Dunno

[Suky Cannon]

Number of things versus cubic feet
After living aboard for 8 months, I'd say it's not the number of things, but the space, the cubic inches and feet, they consume.
When I left land, I was determined to leave with only what would fit in and on my car, a ford focus. Kayak on top, bike mounted on trunk. I used every cubic inch in that car. Since then, I've divested myself of many of those things. The more clothes you have, the more washing you have.

Re this challenge....he's not counting books, tools ? hmmmmm.... why not just increase it to the 200 Thing Challenge.
Parting with more than 4,000 books was extraordinarily difficult, but once decided, it was exciting packing them and giving them to local schools and libraries. I did hold back about 30 first editions, to sell when I have a chance.
After being a professional chef with an endless array of kitchen tools or rather toys???, I am surprised how few tools I need on the boat.
Anyway, I found I had to be ruthless, cutting and culling. Digital photography is a godsend, because I took many photos of things, especially paintings, I knew I would miss.
Many beautiful and treasured 'things', I didn't give away, but asked close friends to keep for me. A sentimental streetscape painting of the historic whaling town of Sag Harbor, I bought with my son hangs on my dear friend, Sarah's, wall. Another painting of the ocean, hangs in Coco's house. They love it, because when they look at these 'things', they think of me. I love it because I know they are well cared for, and if I ever become a 'dirtdweller' again, I can collect them up. It's not many things, maybe a couple dozen.

[Randy]

Terri:

Your so right about the downsizing. I remember the conversation with you and Suky about us doing it. We have gave so much away and donated so much. We become so materialistic over the years that we do not realize it until it is to late. Then something like taking off and going cruising is a reality check for us and what we have acquired over the years. We are still getting rid of things and thank god our daughter only lives a few miles form us. As they say one man's (woman's) trash is one man's (woman's) treasure's

[Leonard Reeves]

Aloha! ,
No way that I could do it. I 've got more than 100 fishing lures alone! Space being at a premium in most Hawai'i houses, I've taken to the "if not used in a year, dump it" theory. Been working pretty good for 15 years or so, but I do tend to move things around so as to look like they 've disappeared to the inventory taker(wife). Funny, my windsurfing toolkit was a hammer ,phillips and a roll of duct tape! Aloha ka'kou.

[Terri]

LOL Steve....works for me! :-)

[Steve Knight]

[Liv]

It's funny, when I'm on the boat, even on longer cruises, I find that I can live, and be happy, with very little.
But I must have things with me that challenge my creativity. I would need pen and paper for my writing, my art supplies, my sheet music and guitar, i.e. I'd need things that keep me busy and my mind occupied.
Books and games for relaxation when cooped up in the cabin would be a must.
I can do without a lot of clothing, cooking utensils and other things most women would need .

At home things are kept simple. I'm a minimalist by nature but I would not want to go through life counting things I own or need.

[___/)ances With Sails]

In th midst of this very task, i was fond of my collectables, though am relieved of th dispairity to rid of. All of what I was concerned about finding a good home for has been taken off my hands. I didnt waste time getting rid of anything. It was just something I put my mind to, to ready for anew. Having a plan made it easy. I think about my stuff but thats o.k. Memories are easier to keep than tangibles. Some things I profited on, such as my daysailor. All that remains are my house (for sale), a hot rod w/ misc. parts (for sale), tools (mostly useless for a boating life) which will be sold, few clothes and books. I dont plan on having a hundred things. I cant think of hundred things that important to me. All I worry about today is there are over a hundred parts to a boat and I can only hope to have the right part when a part breaks. -Keepin it simple.

[Terri]

Can't even think about it..lol... I think I have 100 things in a 8' radius of me.... jewelry, CDs, books, socks... geezus, gonna break out in hives!!!

[Terri]

LOL...agree, girls have to have their things. Aren't we hardwired for gathering for the cave??? Men are the hunters, wandering about.. (works for cruising) doing manly things they're wired for. Nope couldn't do it unless they do the 1000 thing challenge.....maybe.