Final days! My Minimalistic Lifestyle Tips.

In the days leading up to my final departure, I stayed with my son and his girlfriend in Vermont, spending time with them and seeing old friends. This was a little bitter sweet as I know I'll miss them but my excitement of how my new life would be was the emotional ride I was on.

Matt cooked amazing food while I was there, we went out and had good times at local places and had time to just hang out at home, chillin'😎.

    

Ruthie and Me

Matt, Rachel and I

Matt and Tallulah-Pei

Tallulah-Pei is my Banjolele, my baby, and he will make sure she gets all the love she needs while I am away 💓🪕

I continued to pack, fine tuning, downsizing, managing the weight I was allowed per checked bag; this can be a navigational nightmare if you are too much of a collector of "stuff". 

My life in a bag!

Thankfully, I still could fit my entire life, all my belongings into the back of my RAV4.

I've bragged about this💡 for years, it's been a staple of my existence since about 2012, with different times that I've been able to claim this fame 🏆but by 2017, I was officially "living out of my car", not literally but I moved around a lot for many reasons. The prospect can be daunting, the process, challenging, but the reward is very freeing. It's not popular with everyone you may interact with or you families but in my personal life, I cherish it.

To continue...

Properly weighted luggage 💪, barring that certain items might need to be trashed 👎 should I have calculated incorrectly (those stay at the top for easy disposal), my plans were set. I had a ticket to ride/fly, and the day drew near but there was one more hurdle, my car, Tallulah 🌷. She had been the best! Taken me safely across country twice, and navigated my initial lone existence and further trials in Florida with ease and supported of my wanderings and moving around. I couldn't keep her, Matt and Rachel couldn't either. What's the best thing for her? Find her a home. CarMax is that home for car souls like Tallulah.

Matt and I drove down to Manchester NH, the closest office for us. We arrived with a rain storm following us and waited our turn ⏰, patiently. My attendant was very professional and caring, he gave me a good price Kaching $$ to add to the travel booty, he went to look her over , stated she was in "good shape"👌. I said goodbye and thanked her for her few years of support, climbed into Matt's car and we headed back North. He would then drop me off at my good friends house, who in two short days would drop me off at the airport to head West, LAX bound!

Staying with good friends Jessica and Kyle Witty enabled me to just relax before I left. I'm not sure how long I'll be away, I'm hoping for quite some time. It is my desire to live my life abroad for as long as possible and to spend this time with family and friends was essential to have in my memory bank , to reflect and enjoy in the future.

A couple I love dearly, find humor, joy, and have affection for both of them. Thank you guys!

Final Serenade

Hoping the link works..❓ Cuz my vid limit is full with this post...

Let's Minimize !!!

Life works in mysterious 🔮ways. 

Short story is, I grew up moving around....a lot! Lot's of packing and unpacking; decisions about what to take and what to leave, donate or trash were made, depending on the size of the dwelling, locations, and just plan ol' don't want or need it anymore.

We all grow up with the installation for wanting and needing the stability of the Great American Dream; to own a home, have a family, and work hard until you retire. I get it, I wanted it, lived it for a small piece of time, my kids were raised with that thought process but ya know.....it doesn't fit ME.

No self analyzation today folks, my therapist has been instrumental in that department, thank you. However, over the years, my sister and I have realized the star alignment for us is that we are Wanderers.

So, leading a Wanderer's life 👜 means one needs to be able to be efficient and compact not only in packing skills but all aspects of living your life; Refuse, Reuse, Reorganize, and Respond.

Understand, this information is for those truly looking to do what I have done.

1. Refuse. 

This can be the hardest for people. It means looking at 👀or being offered 💎something, usually materialistic, that you want but don't need, literally. There is a show about things that may or may not bring you joy and making a choice to keep or toss. This is similar. The idea is not new, neither I or the show referenced are offering a concept that is unreasonable or unobtainable but people just don't think about it as realistic for them. CLUE: If you haven't used it (the item), looked at it, appreciated it, in 6, 12, 18 months (the time frame IS up to you), then it's time for it to go. Knick-knacks, family heirlooms, photographs, furniture, lamps, dishes, bla, bla, bla....all should be considered for distribution else where. 

The word REFUSE means that you will not give in to the acceptance of that item; whether you've owned it for many years or are tempted to acquire or inherit it. No means no! Don't do it, don't touch it, smell it, or feel it's gleaming aura, temptation is the devil! But in all seriousness, this practice is tough, at first.

2. Reuse.

Everything has a purpose. When we look at our things or the items around us, I'm always thinking how can this be used in a multi-purpose way ❓

I do have a couple, literally 2, that have no meaning or purpose other than to give me joy or solace when I look at them. 

CLUE: Reuse is about taking in to account what you already have and looking at how useful they will be. Example: If I have a headlamp, I don't need the flashlight. If I have the raingear, I don't need the umbrella. 

I've got a backpack  with lots of pockets, I don't need the fanny pack, believe me you don't need the fanny pack❗ A small wallet fits into the back pack, of which you will, you WILL, wear on all excursions, shopping trips, walk arounds, and any. other. outing. A solid, medium sized back pack is essential. Here is what I carry.

It has multiple pockets, small and large for, keys, wallet, passports/international licenses, hankies for sneezes, lip balm for sun drenched and dry lippies but also:

Main compartment: Can carry a full flat of 24 beers in cans 

Side/lap top compartment: a full flat of 24 eggs. 

Just a couple of ways to utilize the pockets...

3. Reorganize.

Part of a nomadic existence is having an extreme organizational skill set. Not just how to pack getting the most out of the small spaces or luggage you'll carry but WHAT you'll be packing. You don't need all of your medical records, better yet the more you can digitalize these documents the more efficient use of your space. 

CLUE: Downsize, compact, minimize. Buying bulk for a trip does NOT make sense.

Having travel pouches, designated for filing as: Receipts, documents, travel itineraries, etc. I have ones for receipts, personal documents, travel reservations and itineraries, and banking.

Example from the Container Store, Amazon or other:

Remember When? You had underwear with the days of the week printed on them? That's how many you'll need for traveling. Thinking in these terms about your personal belongings will prepare you well.

 Organize undies, socks, swimsuits, etc. into small soft baggies (cloth or plastic).

It's all about strategizing your belongings, itemizing them, and organizing in such a way to best utilize your space, efficiently.

4. Respond.

Simple. Do not pass up on opportunities to travel. Drive, train, fly. To, hike, ski, explore, live. Anywhere, 1 mile away to a thousand miles away.