apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Wasn't there a book written a couple years back by/about a guy who sold everything he owned on eBay?

A friend of mine did this as a performance art piece year ago, he sold every single thing he owned online, everything expect the single shirt on his back, he now lives in Costa Rica and bathes in the ocean. I am a big fan of regularly removing the detritus of life and keeping only the essential or super sentimental.

Oy, sorry about the bad spelling, was in a rush.

I sold (most) or otherwise got rid of everything I owned a couple years back. (You have to have a few necessities with a small child!) It was an amazingly cathartic experience.

Interesting. Hope she keeps the undies!

http://www.allmylifeforsale.com/

Wow, the concept of PHOTOGRAPHING "every single thing" I own -- even in clusters -- is horrifying! This might work for someone fresh out of school with no hobbies that result in gathering (I knew a writer like that once, she had clothes, furniture and a laptop. Period.) But as a bibliophile I have literally thousands of books, as an artist/craftsman I have probably got thousands of tools and mountains of supplies... I have four pets with belongings... Plus I have lovingly collected other things over the years, and I am not willing to part with them without a disaster or a fight!

I am impressed with those who can do this, but it would distress me beyond belief. I could give up a lot of things, but I USE my stuff, and without it, I'd limit what I do too much.

wow... I love the idea...
i'll may be do something similar!

I did something similar to that. I can now fit my life into 3 suitcases and 2 carryons.

And it's all I need.

it's actually Greensboro in Hale County Alabama. The HERO center is an amazing source in the community there. I lived in Greensboro for 6 months working on one of the Rural Studio projects (a couple of the HERO buildings were rural studio projects). I hope she enjoys her stay and I'm sure she will meet some wonderful people!

http://www.cadc.auburn.edu/soa/rural-studio/home.htm

Even disregarding the factor of psychological distress this would cause some folks, it would be incredibly time-consuming, wouldn't it? I would think there would be easier ways of selling off everything.

"I am a big fan of regularly removing the detritus of life and keeping only the essential or super sentimental."

I am too - but I call it "Redecorating"
;-)

Totally doing this right now because we're leaving for overseas in 2 months...it's a trip, let me tell you. It feels SOOOO good to not hold on to things because we might eventually need to use it or because it would hurt someone's feelings if they didn't see it in our house when they visited once every 5 months. Highly recommend it!

Wow, so inspiring. I mean the getting rid of stuff part, not necessarily selling in the internet part. :))

I wish I could someday reduce my stuff to fit in a couple of suitcases too, but "unfortunately" I'm an artist/craftist/booklover also, so... :/

you shouldn't let your stuff define who you are, but if you were to disappear what would show that you existed?

I for one can't pack all of my stuff in a few bags. Heck, the current plants growing on my balcony are bigger then that. Add in a computer and my art supplies...yeah, not happening. I understand not wanting to move a lot of things. But the time wasted photographing, listing, and actually completing a sale with with someone seems that it would take an absorbent amount of time compared to actually packing and moving the items.

wanting a fresh start is another story...

Since I read a book which may be translated as "Decluttering via Feng Shui" and more important "Apartment Therapy" I have thrown away or sold so many things. Everytime I throw something away or sell something I feel much better. I have never had much things, but now I nearly only have things I really need.

Only a very few Examples:

Had 12 Wineglasses -> kept 4 (same with campagner); had 7 different cups (none left); had 5 folders for files (insurance, bills, salary etc.) -> one is left; had a big clutter of sentimentals (postcards, greeting cards, birthdaycards) -> kept 1/6; had a lot of screws and tools which were rotten -> kept none of them, I bought new very expensive tools and only the ones I need and arranged them accurately in my "Kammer".

Man I am happy!!! Thanks Maxwell!!!

Had this happen accidentally years ago. In a fire.
Oddly enough, I miss only my books and a few family pieces.
Intend to downsize the clutter again soon... just less traumatically.

That's a really cool idea, much better than paying to move all your stuff.

http://mafrangine.blogspot.com

SherryBinNH, I feel the exact same way. There is certainly a lot of meaningless "stuff" in my life that I'm not attached to or don't use enough to notice if it were suddenly gone, but I have a lot of art supplies, art, cherished books, handmade objects, and as a pattern designer all of my sewing supplies! If you have a career and hobbies that don't require "things" this would be a relatively simple matter. But as for me, I just try to keep things trimmed down to a reasonable level.

"I could give up a lot of things, but I USE my stuff, and without it, I'd limit what I do too much." Exactly!

I tend to be a careful buyer and yet I look around our 1100 sq ft house and it is close to full of stuff. When I de-clutter I get depressed by the amount of wasteful buying. I am inspired by this post to keep vigilant of the things I spend hard-earned money on and to pare down constantly. Thanks!

I have lived out of a suitcase for 6-months-plus six different times. It's refreshing and liberating to know that's all you really need. There is no anxiety anymore in throwing toiletries, clothes, camera and a novel in my bag and calling it my life for a while. However, its nice to have things of your own, and when I returned I was happy to see my cookbook collection and my favorite sheets and grandma's apple butters sitting on the shelf.

Our things are just things and can be replaced, but the particular collection that accumulates does define us in very real and personal ways. Right now we are faced with evacuating from the Santa Barbara fires, and have very real and possibly permanent decisions to make: what we put in the car, and what can go up in flames with no regrets...

I stumbled upon an estate sale the other day. Walked into a lovely old house that leaned a little to the left on the main floor, a little to the right on the top floor. Inside every single nook and crevice and spilling out onto the floor were the belongings of the former occupant of the house, a woman in her late 80s. It wasn't clear if she had family in her life who weren't interested in retreiving her things or not, but it sure seemed like this was a lifetime of collecting and acquiring. And there it was, laying out for everyone to paw through and bargain for, and what wasn't sold probably wouldn't have had much value to anyone else -- really, a lot of it was broken and missing parts, just junk to anyone but the owner. I'm sure the remainder would have been offered as a donation someplace but most would have been put in the trash. I felt really sad, for the woman's lack of privacy in her passing and also because.... well, these were *her things*. This shouldn't happen to anybody. Maybe selling all of our stuff isn't a bad idea...

when it came time to move from my old apartment, I found I was trapped there by all the "stuff" I'd accumulated and was overwhelmed by how to deal with it.
So I packed the clothes I still wore, The art supplies that were still usable and put an ad on craigslist inviting people to my apartment sale. I sold a bit of stuff, even gave some away, but still had tons. So I just left it there. I was already a month late on rent so I just left it to be someone else's problem. Not so smart or mature, but I was literally emotionally crippled by all the "stuff".
Now I own a house with a large garage and basement and they're both clutter free. i will never trap myself like that again. It's horrible.

I've recently habituated myself to cleaning out a closet or room or storage area about one a month. In February I unloaded the garage. In March I cleared out the excess bedding, towels, and old clothes from the laundry room. In April I culled anythign that didn't fit from my closet. This month I went through 10 years of filed papers and flotsam and reduced it to two file storage boxes.

I think it's excellent personal therapy.

And my step-daughter now has a new, dearly needed wardrobe.

The home of a friend of mine burned to the ground last fall. Heartbreaking for her and her family, of course..........but several months later (after they were resettled in a new home), she said she feels incredibly free and peaceful, now that decades of clutter, whatsits, and nagging piles and projects are gone.

I'm not suggesting anyone burn down their homes, of course, lol.

I would once again love to live simply!With 3 kids it's not as easy but try my best to keep everythingh from toys to clothes to a minimal. It is freeing not to own as much. I am always looking around and wonder ho we accumulated so much stuff and the thought of ever moving scares me to death!
I am in the process of decluttering and it is sad when a lot of the items don't sell and end up going to charity...the waste of hard earned money is now making me only buy essentials and stuff that i really need or love!

I plan on doing this sometime over the summer. You'd think they'd tell you about all of those hidden costs of going to college.