Part of living in the van has been learning to live with less stuff. Even though my day to day revolves around all that is within the walls of my van, I literally have an old part of my life that continues to plague me, the dreaded storage unit.
Filled with things that I don’t necessarily use daily, but also don’t necessarily want to give away or sell, the warehouse is a constant drain of what is now close to $300 a month. Why?
This Tuesday, I had finally had enough.
My studio, aka warehouse, is in many ways necessary. I’m a professional artist and many of the items in my warehouse pertain to that work. I can’t just dispose of the work space and storage all together, but in truth there are also old photo albums, antiques, and furniture I’ve had literally all my life.
After selling a couple of the last large items, like my boat and shelving units, etc., I think I’m at the juncture where, although I’m not completely walking away, at least I’m further downsizing. I spent literally all yesterday moving from my 10×20 storage space to a cozy 10×15. This will save me about $70 a month. Doesn’t seem like a lot, or hardly worth all the effort of a move, but honestly, I’m a big believer in every little bit counts.
Each decision we make, however large or small, either contributes to our goals or goes against them. I’m going to say this was a small step in the right direction for me. I mean, ultimately, I’d love to have just my barber shop and my van, and nothing else. Meaning, at a point I’d need to find a way to ditch the studio/warehouse all together, somehow.
For now, just this small step into downsizing further gives me the hint of a warm fuzzy feeling. So, I’m going with it. Mission accomplished. To freedom from our stuff! Cheers!
Side note: It absolutely amazes me that although I literally live in a tin can no bigger than a large closet, I still find it possible to lose stuff. I called both my friends Sammy and Jennifer this morning in search of my favorite brown sweat pants and my yellow notebook. Both I found on board immediately after my inquiry…. Ugh.
