Living life on the road has its challenges, just like any lifestyle choice. One of our first realisations was how minimalistically we must live our lives. With space at a premium we had to be selective about what we took with us. Storage is of course an option and one we chose as we hit the long and winding road. Read on to learn more about our nomad’s perspective of the bare necessities of life and our disappointment in society’s values.
Deciding to swap of a conventional life of bricks and mortar can be hard and tests your very soul. Sometimes the choice is undeniably easy. Letting go of stuff, that we all too often believe defines us, did not feel hard. Nor was the relinquishing of our base, furniture or possessions. Some of those, by choice we held onto because the vision was a gap year.
As ego beings, are we truly ready to release all that the modern world frames as being necessary, even important? Possibly not. Yet travel helps you wake up to what little you need and truly focus in on the bare necessities of life.
Each year of our travels, our small lock up has shrunk as we let go of more and more items that collectively gave our old lives context. In 2024, the biggest clear out was about to take us on the most interesting of journeys; spiritually.
Our nomad lifestyle demanded a more streamlined existence. And so 3 layers of ruthless decision making reduced our collection to the absolute bare minimum. We were tough with ourselves as we let go; we gifted to charity and found new homes for old possessions. We loved the feeling of sharing so much of our old lives with charities. No sadness, no regret just a joyful releasing. Day by day, beyond the physical tiredness, we reduced our storage. Just the Natuzzi leather sofa to go. Albeit 14 years old and with a few marks, this top end 2+3 seater sofa we were determined to find a new home for, its comfort to be enjoyed by someone for years to come, of that we were certain.
However, our efforts to re-home became a frustrating series of no thank yous despite our fire certificate. Charities said no, the Scout Groups said no, the Community Social Halls said no. Even the UpCycling Projects said no. Facebook no bites, Gumtree the same. We dug into our network only to receive a stream of no’s. Brainstorming options, we thought about homeless institutions, yet when we were told that it looked worn, we wondered if we were being deluded.
As kids we were brought up to value all things and to make things last. We are children of the darning sock crew. So to us, finding a home for the sofa that no longer served our nomadic lives was important. Yet, it seemed that our values were not shared.
No one wanted it. Too big, too worn, too, too, too…. Even for free no one wanted it. I care not a jot, emotionally about the settee. It doesn’t mean anything symbolically. I did care that this item, that has decades worth of life in it, for someone, somewhere should be taken up and not wasted.
I feel so disappointed that today’s society, stuck in the relentless hamster wheel can’t see the value in things. These days there seems to be no lack, little respect and inadequate humility. And so with time against us, the season against us and, it seems modern values against us, we surrendered to the inevitable fact that our softa would have to go to refuse. Our one time hire van had to be optimised, and so digging deep with physical strength we manoeuvred the 2 quality settees into the van and woefully drove to the tip. One last flicker of hope lingered as we pondered on the possibility that someone in the council would seize our sofa from its refuse doom.
As the sofa fell into the arms of the bucket, the attendant said, ‘hit the button.’ Hit the button? I said. Yes he replied this is going to be crushed. To my horror the life of this sofa drained away into nothingness our hopes going with it.
Now we have learnt about the bare necessities of life as we enjoy our nomadic lives and our streamlined possessions take up just a 2m wall of mum’s shed. And yet that sofa crushed and obliterated before my eyes makes me sad and reinforces our need to travel and remove ourselves from the Matrix that has us so disillusioned. What a wasteful society we have become and I am, personally very glad to only live on the fringes of it.
Still we move on, constantly releasing physical items as well as any emotion that may be attached to them. We liberate ourselves from the stuff that makes us compliant to the system and return to the values that serve us so well on the road. Quite simply;
The bare necessities of life.
/Karen
That is such a shame. You’d have thought that, with a fire certificate, someone would be pleased to have it.
I know, I was gutted by the wastage, it’s just not right. What’s the matter with people? Just don’t get it. kx
The saddest part is that
I’m sure there are people who would be glad of it, it’s the middleman, the charity, the council, etc who won’t let it be passed on. Health and safety gone mad!
Yes absolutely. And I can’t see it changing anytime soon. So very sad. x
I can’t bear waste on any level and this blog makes me despair !
Me too Carole. If only we had more time, a different season… although it is what it is and, like you we were brought up not to waste anything. It broke my heart. x
We had this problem when we first started on our travels. We managed to contact the British Heart ❤️ Foundation furniture department and they took it from us, even collected it. It’s an awful shame that your sofa ended the way it did. Xx
It is shocking. I realise that the time of year played its part in our conundrum yet still the charities! Surely! Even BHF. Too big, only one fire certificate, too worn! They didn’t even see it! Oh my blood’s boiling again. I a so disappointed with fgis world that we live in. x
Beautifully written again Karen but depicting a very sad state of affairs. So many friends are having the exact same problem. As you know, we are of the same age and were taught to save up for these precious things and waste nothing. I really thought things were beginning to change for the better as people woke up and realised the planet needed saving. I just fear the do-gooders and restrictive laws are undoing and good being done. It’s all so sad. Goodbye sofa. RIP x
It really does grate against our upbringing values doesn’t it? Sad reflection of how the UK’s society is evolving and not positively, in my humble opinion. x
What an absolute waste, but having gone through a similar exercise of clearing out a much loved home, I too was faced with the same dilemma.
Driving to charity shops to be told – no and then facing the inevitability of the tip. I was saddened and then angered that this “throw away” society do not consider “second hand” tobe good enough for them.
Sandra we sing from the same song sheet. It is a sad reflection of today’s society. We’ve just gone past an Antiques Shop and commented that there is an uncertain future for these type of establishments. x
We are selling a holiday let. In August we cleared the shed. Amazed how little the charity shop would take. Felt exactly the same, almost angry, about taking good and serviceable items to the recycling 😆 centre.
I’m probably going to have to fly back from MA to clear the house soon (just waiting on exchange). I’ve homes for some things, but I’m bracing myself!
It is a surprisingly challenging activity, so I understand your bracing. Despite having downsized significantly over our 9 years, we really only had the bare minimum yet so much had to be binned which is a travesty. Good luck. x