The Less is More Challenge

[Slot Machine]

I'm going to start a "more is more challenge" thread. Gotta balance out nonsense with more nonsense.

If your mind is not open, it will never make sense.

But I'll play along, since you are one of the few on this thread that is half interested in playing along. A direction I hoped this thread would take.

For other people, more IS more. Some people find great fulfillment and comfort surrounding themselves with collections of all sort.

The one thing that I sincerely don't understand about this thread is how/why the possession of objects can generate so much stress and anxiety in you.

Everyone is different. I think we all have a limit as to how much stress we can handle. Or perhaps how much stress we should deal with before it starts to change our personalities for the worse. Excessive stress is not good for healthy brain chemistry, agreed?

So owning rare coins in a safety deposit box was causing you to chronically lose sleep? I don't get it.

The additive effect of all stressors in my life has interfered with my sleep. Literally. Not just the safety deposit box (a seemingly disingenuous question).

This seems like a very extreme last ditch measure to secure personal happiness and fulfillment. What happens when it doesn't work? Really not trying to be obnoxious. I am sincerely curious what the game plan is here - after a month of giving away almost all of your belongings, and a significant improvement isn't achieved, then what?

Downsizing was a very calculated change in direction. It took two years to evaluate and work up the courage. I chickened out twice. Too expensive and too stressful, so I thought.

So far, our experiment is CLEARLY working out. A significant improvement has already been achieved. All four of us are happier, even the baby. It might be temporary, it might not work, you might be right. All things are possible.

We have been ditching stuff for 5 weeks now. 1,500-2,000 things before I started this thread. Only 250 over the past 18 days. The first 2,000 things inspired the thread.

"If it doesn't work, then what?"

Then we will try something else. A relentless pursuit of happiness.

[Slot Machine]

I can't answer for Bob but I was just thinking about this question...one possible answer is the "pursuit" of material possessions cause stress and anxiety.

I've seen it many times with a certain sibling and a particular friend.

This friend doesn't even own a bed (he sleeps on the ground on a camping pad for the past 10years) and is obsessing about new gear and technology all the time. It's about the latest photography lenses and camera, or latest ski jacket, or latest accessory for his truck (new off-roading LED lights that hasn't been installed yet), and the new phone accessory, etc.

So I can see how if you obsess over the newest toy that it will cause undue stress.

But I think the root of it is my friend and sibling want to be "normal" and not feel like they are missing out on anything in life, since that is what "civilized society" desires/seeks after.

Just one perspective for ya.

Nice post jman.

This behavior is known as the hedonic treadmill. It is an endless source of stress because the emptiness is never filled.

I used to run on this treadmill many years ago. I had much to prove to myself, and many things that I wanted to buy. A huge house. A luxury car. A basketball court. A dozen pairs of vintage Air Jordans, something that I dreamed of as a child. Rapidly, I checked these things off the bucket list.

The things themselves were not fulfilling. Knowing that I could obtain anything on my bucket list was very fulfilling indeed. Armed with this knowledge, I soon stopped running on the treadmill.

--

The stress that I'm talking about in this thread comes from the sheer number of useless things in my life. Thousands and thousands of things.

I think everyone has a number where they would look at themselves and say, "Wow this is crazy, do I really need, or even want, all of this shit?" Our number just happens to be 5,000 things.

[Iceaxe]

You can't buy happiness, but you can buy a 1970 Corvette and that's kind of the same thing.

[Slot Machine]

Day 17: 17 CDs, all from the 90's.

Day 18: 17 more 90's CDs
One CD album.

Most of those were from a BMG subscription... *sigh*

12 for 1! What happened to that?!?

[rockgremlin]

Most of those were from a BMG subscription... *sigh*

12 for 1! What happened to that?!?

LOL. I remember those days.

Well, my hats off to ya for executing what 99% of folks would consider to be utterly ludicrous.

I hope the end of this challenge results in happiness and fulfillment for you and yours. I know that sounds like a Hallmark Christmas card comment, but I really do mean it. :)

[Slot Machine]

Day 19:

Four 2x4's
3 PVC pipes
2 cans of ABS glue
One 72" straight edge
2 sawhorses
1 case of drop-down ceiling tiles
2 drop cloths
8 books

Day 20:

6 books
1 metal trash can
1 plastic trash can
1 t shirt
6 pens
4 dress shirts
1 pair of slacks

[Slot Machine]

Day 21

1 Playstation 3
8 Books
1 Palm nailer
1 Torque wrench
9 rolls of wrapping paper
1 Rubbermaid container for wrapping paper

[rockgremlin]

Day 21

1 Playstation 3

Oh no you di'int!!

Controllers & games too?

[Slot Machine]

Oh no you di'int!!

Controllers & games too?

Sold, not trash.

[tmartenst]

I am not going to post all the stuff I continue to get rid of but I've been trashing, selling and donating stuff for weeks now. Still much more to go including a Kenwood stereo, surround system, many books, old gear, kids crap, clothes.

[Don]

Yesterday I threw out 2 empty beers. Today I'll throw out 3 more.


Edit: And I have a box of mormon books from the old days (Jesus the Christ, Miracle of Forgiveness, Articles of Faith, Mormon Doctrine, Teachings of the Prophet, Truth Restored, A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, and probably 8 or 10 more) that I could toss out.

But I'm keeping the more recently purchased mormon-related biography and history books. ;)

[rockgremlin]

I have a box of mormon books from the old days (Jesus the Christ, Miracle of Forgiveness, Articles of Faith, Mormon Doctrine, Teachings of the Prophet, Truth Restored, A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, and probably 8 or 10 more) that I could toss out.

This thread just got a lot more exciting

[Slot Machine]

This item is going to count for Day 22 and 23, because it has been such a huge headache:

The heirloom of heirlooms, a 1922 New York Yankees baseball, signed by Babe Ruth.

My great-great uncle won this baseball in a raffle, passed it to his brother who I knew (lived to be 96). He passed it to my grandfather, who played baseball with it. He passed it to my dad who passed it to me. I never had it authenticated because I was certain it was real.

I felt pretty bad about posting it on eBay. Until two days ago...





Attachment 77530

I posted the baseball on eBay for $15,000, becuse I could not figure out how to post the auction with a reserve price (a far less friendly eBay than the website of old). The next day I figured out the issue and re-listed the ball for $3,000 with a $15,000 reserve. Nobody bid, much to my surprise.

A couple of days later, some dude emailed me and told me my Ruth autograph was fake. Likely signed (with the approval of Ruth) by a batboy or clubhouse attendant. A common occurrence back then.

Outraged, I sent a photo to PSA, an authentication service. They also tell me the signature 'likely not authentic'.

Then I attempted to relist the item on eBay, in an honest fashion, as a 1922 baseball with clubhouse signatures. eBay considers clubhouse signatures to be counterfit, so they will no longer let me list the ball at all.

The ball is now for sale on KSL for $100. I can't wait to sell it. Disappointed because I was planning to use the money to take my wife to Tahiti. Angry because I've had it in a extra-large safety deposit box for the past 10 years.

I guess it is good that I tried to sell it this week. I've always thought of the baseball as my last resort asset if we fell on hard times.

Good thing we didn't fall on hard times.

[Iceaxe]

1 Torque wrench

Asshat.... I just bought a new torque wrench Sunday.

[double moo]

Found I had too many 2-3/4" #7 shot shells. Toady is day one for me. I didn't sell of give them away, just traded them for some pheasant breasts... It was really liberating - for both me and the dog...

[rockgremlin]

Just relist that baseball with an authentic Everett Scott signature. Snicker, snicker.

[Slot Machine]

Just relist that baseball with an authentic Everett Scott signature. Snicker, snicker.

Really, I would if I could. If I relist that ball on eBay again I could get banned.

I think an authentic Carl Mays (whoever he was) signature is worth some $500. However, it seems all signatures are diminished by the fake. Nobody is interested. Soon I'll just go to the local little league field, hit the ball as far as I can and let the baseball become somebody else's problem.



Then I'd get a ticket for littering...

[Slot Machine]

I just bought a new torque wrench Sunday.

If I'd told you about every tool I'd gotten rid of over the past month, you would have come over to my house and beaten me to death with a torque wrench by now. Friends don't try to sell friends their junk.

I did throw out 3 ancient cans of Icehouse before the move. Almost texted you about them.

[Slot Machine]

Time to wrap this thread up.

Over the past few days I've sold the last of my valuables.

Got $800 bucks for the baseball. That basically paid for the safety deposit box that it lived in for the past decade. Gut-wrenching after 'knowing' it was worth $15,000.

Had to relist a coin on eBay three times. A huge headache. Should have just thrown it into a fountain.

I sold a Rolex that an uncle left me in his will. I've learned more about fine timepieces than I ever wanted to know. The new owner now gets the privilege of having it cleaned for $1,000.

I'm very grateful for all gifts given to me. I'm lucky and know it. However, I'm still happy to see those things go. I was grinning like a fool after I shipped the last of them.

We didn't make it to our goal of 29, 30, 31 things a day, to complete the challange for the month of January. However, over the past 6 weeks we've parted with about 2,300 things. I miss my recliner (no room at our new place). I miss my Weber grill (our building doesn't allow gas grills).

But I don't miss anything else.

We look forward to selling out house. Thousands of future headaches avoided. Hundreds of thousands of dollars redirected at fun activities.

We look forward to spending the equity on adventures. Paris. Tahiti. The North Wash. All in the not too distant future. Life is short. It's time to play hard.

Our dishwasher broke last night. Somebody else is fixing it while I'm typing. So nice.

So

very

very

nice.

[rockgremlin]

Our dishwasher broke last night. Somebody else is fixing it while I'm typing. So nice.

So

very

very

nice.