HOW MUCH STUFF DO YOU NEED . (1 Viewer)

[Huwmari]

Wow. Emptied van Sunday. Of everything. The floor and settees in the Conservatory. is full.A big vow. TO downside the gear . Got to be strict. Ready to change van. in March.

We're changing our van too and are just as amazed at how much we actually managed to fit into the old van. It's all bagged up in the lounge and under the spare bed at the moment. There is no way that it is all going into the new van. Why do we do it?!

 

[Puddleduck]

[QUOTE="sedge, post: 1756113, member: 7396"

* other than teaspoons - they breed, both in the van and at home.[/QUOTE]
That's where ours have gone then...... mystery solved, we lose them.

 

[thehutchies]

I had just finished washing up when I read this, so a quick count shows that in our van we have:

18 plates
12 bowls
3 frying pans
9 other pans
Slow cooker
Rice cooker
Yoghurt maker
Food processor
About twenty mugs
Twenty glasses

And all of it gets used

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[Anthea M]

Just thinking about my stuff ! And realised I've got 4 salad /fruit bowls some with lids! Then just had to have the collapsible bowl aswell as my argument it doesn't take up much space! It wouldn't if I got rid of the rest! May take them to sell at Chester!!

 

[wingman]

I take the Jewson Lot!!!!

Electric blanket (for when on EHU), hot water bottles for when off grid! I take spare this, spare that. Plastic grids for the wheels (in case it's boggy) ropes/ lashings, flag pole. I ain't happy until the van's sideways profile looks like a speedboat.

Because I've just taken the van for it's vehicle service and hab check, 99% of it's contents are now spread between garage and summer cabin.

FOUR 64 litre stackable boxes are full, as are numerous other crates and boxes. There isn't a garage shelf or surface that hasn't got a bowl, toilet stuff, warning square, cover, extinguisher, or compressor/battery booster on it!

Assorted maps, coats, wellies, clothes, adaptors etc remain dormant in the house, along with a cased TV satellite system (plus a manual dish that I meant to get rid of!)

I don't DO de-cluttering...... I work on the premise, "Better to take it and not need it, than not take it and find I need it"

 

[Franck]

There is a school of thought that you can replace your just-in-case items in 20 minutes for $20. It is hard to do and there will be times I imagine when you are not near anywhere to buy something but if it's not an emergency does it matter.

"We often hold on to things just in case we need them: We don’t let go because we might need something in some far-off, nonexistent, hypothetical future. We pack too much stuff in the remotest chance we might need something for trips and vacations.

We needn’t hold on to these things just in case: We rarely use our just-in-case items—they sit there, take up space, get in the way, weigh us down. Most of the time they aren’t items we need at all.

Instead, if we remove the just-in-case items from our lives, we get them out of the way and free up the space they consume.

Over the last few years, the two of us let go of the vast majority of our just-in-case possessions. And during our last book tour, we made sure we didn’t pack anything just in case.

Then we tested our hypothesis: the 20/20 Rule.

Anything we get rid of that we truly need, we can replace for less than $20 in less than 20 minutes from our current location. Thus far, this hypothesis has become a theory that has held true 100% of the time. Although we’ve rarely had to replace a just-in-case item (fewer than five times for the two of us combined), we’ve never had to pay more than $20 or go more than 20 minutes out of our way to replace the item. This theory likely works 99% of the time for 99% of all items and 99% of all people—including you.

More important, we haven’t missed the hundreds of just-in-case items we’ve gotten rid of, and we didn’t need to replace most of them.

Getting rid of these items clears our minds, frees up our space, and takes the weight off our shoulders.

What are you holding on to just in case?"

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[Badknee]

I wonder if it's because we were bikers for many years that went on holiday for two weeks or more carrying everything we needed in two panniers and a top box.

 

[cruiser]

We had a big clear out a couple of years ago. Not needed anything we took out. But we do carry lots of stuff that we only use now and then. But we use the excuse that we get get foster kids at short notice. But we do try not to fill my van up again.

 

[Puddleduck]

I've just had a couple of days with a long-time friend who is a keen cyclist. Her "easy day" would be 70 miles........ everything she packs is essential as she has to pedal power it to where ever she ends up..... the only thing that raises eyebrows is that she takes her knitting (she knits socks) and always jokes that she must be the only cyclist to buy sock wool in Germany and post it ahead to where she should be in a few days!

As she is also in her 60s there are often raised eyebrows when she cycles onto a site, sets up her tent and people realise she isn't a youngster. She also quilts and kayaks so we have a lot on common..... our visit was because she'd won a rosette at the Edinburgh Quilt show and I was basking in reflected glory when we went to see the quilt in all it's glory. She has talked me into doing something for the 2017 challenge though......

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[Badknee]

We have empty cupboards but why not, I don't believe in carrying unused stuff around just for the sake of it.

 

[Minxy]

Not as much as we used to despite getting a longer PVC! Every now and then I'll go through stuff and remove it if its not been used (except emergency stuff) but then I'll also go through the stuff I had already removed and check if there's anything in it that we 'needed' but didn't have with us.

 

[Puddleduck]

Martin swears by the 80/20 rule. 80% of the stuff you use only 20% of the time so do you really need it? Likewise 20% of the stuff takes up 80% of the space / payload so what can you get rid of or do better / dual duty???

It is important to clear out regularly, we thought we did pretty well with the van but even so there were 3 packs of playing cards in there. It is the paper rubbish that accumulates, the tickets from the parking machines that get put into a pocket, odd coins and the like that seem to accumulate...

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[Hel999]

we carry just 2 of everything crockery wise but have some paper plates tucked away in case of visitors. We are not totally antisocial though as we have 4 wine glasses

 

[scotzsue]

* other than teaspoons - they breed, both in the van and at home.

So that is where mine are lol

 

[scotzsue]

I wonder if it's because we were bikers for many years that went on holiday for two weeks or more carrying everything we needed in two panniers and a top box.

Nope, that can't be it, doesn't work for us.

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[LAM]

Just out interest. Do you put stuff in to cater for guest

Generally only 'stuff' for 2 because 'generally' that's all that is needed.

Electric blanket (for when on EHU), hot water bottles for when off grid!

A 'must' during the winter months !

We are not totally antisocial though as we have 4 wine glasses

Now you're talking !!

 

[sedge]

We too were bikers and oft times camped in France on one or other of the bikes. However - I heaved a sigh of total relief when we got the Moho - I dunno how many pairs of shoes/sandals I must have in there ...... and clean towels LOL

I have the feeling that Sod's Law is bound to apply - we may indeed never use the whatever it is - but it's almost a foregone conclusion that if we take it out and leave it at home - then we WILL need the blasted thing!

 

[Marvic]

We too were bikers and oft times camped in France on one or other of the bikes. However - I heaved a sigh of total relief when we got the Moho - I dunno how many pairs of shoes/sandals I must have in there ...... and clean towels LOL

I have the feeling that Sod's Law is bound to apply - we may indeed never use the g ittwhatever it is - but it's almost a foregone conclusion that if we take it out and leave it at home - then we WILL need the blasted thing!

I do that has well , my wife calls It a senior moement

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[****]

Little as possible. Hate packing and worrying about things like , what do i need, what if i go here, what if this happens.

Clothes, cash, tickets/passports/documents, Motor tip top then good to go. When i first started going to Germany on the bike i would take a ruck sack with all i need for a week.

 

[irnbru]

Since coming back from the Caravan and Motorhomeshow a few weeks ago mum is now the proud owner of a new small hoover and a new microwave which just got delivered on Saturday. These will be 95% ornaments as most of our time we spend wild camping. Oh and she is off to buy one of those lakeland drainers spmeone posted about recently.

Its this forum that puts ideas into her head and now shes on a roll I fear next soneone will start a new genny thread and that will also be bought.

 

[The Wino]

We pack light to be able to bring back more wine!!!!. They always say when you go on holiday take half as much and a little more money but can only remember a few times we have had to buy stuff we didn't pack and there are shops even abroad.

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[buttons]

Best way to do it is empty the van completely then put a change of undies a bar of soap and a bottle of wine in, absolutely nothing else. Then take the van away for the weekend and make a list of anything that you feel that you really could do with.....that's it job done.