Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 11 to 17 of 17

Thread: "The Ultimate Downsizing Tool"

  1. #11
    Senior Member Ultralight's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Posts
    10,216
    Quote Originally Posted by iris lilies View Post
    I am so curious to know what kind of documents someone of her young age has that are not already in digital form besides the photos. And really, she is young and can't have that many paper photos.

    In my household I've got scads of paper documents, but they are all ephemeral. I don't need them long term. If we lost them in a fire that would be too bad, but I would live without them.

    I suppose we should scan the abstract tied to this property, that's a great historical record that should go to the next owner and a digital copy ensures it will live beyond us.

    I've already scanned and and distributed key family photos of ancient relatives so I no longer have the only copies. All,of the rest of the paper photos we have are of me and DH, so those will die with us and that's ok.
    I must say I appreciate your attitude: "If we lost them in a fire that would be too bad, but I would live without them."

    Sounds like you own that stuff, it doesn't own you.

    As for a person her age having so many documents...

    I think she is in her early to mid-30s, so not that young. I used to have about 5k to 10k hardcopy photos. I was the "historian" of my group of friends from about 1996 to 2005 (in 2005, I went digital with my camera).

    When I became a minimalist I just shred and deleted all the photos. It took a long, long time -- many hours -- because I went through every single one.

    Right now, I have a portable file folder about the size of a shoebox with all my important docs in it. I bet half of them could be digitized.

  2. #12
    Senior Member Ultralight's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Posts
    10,216
    Oh, a little background is in order. This woman and her husband used to have regular jobs and a good-sized house in the suburbs. They downsized, minimized, and simplified their lives to the point where they now live in a van and travel all over the US and Canada. They have posted videos about much of their right-sizing process and how they lived in smaller and smaller places until they landed in their van.

    They had a tiny storage unit until fairly recently, but they downsized that too. And apparently this device helped them to get rid of the storage unit.

    So they are legit SLers/minimalists.

    They do house-sit from time to time, so the house they are in is not theirs.

  3. #13
    Williamsmith
    Guest
    Thanks for the background. So their introductory YouTube channel video explains the lifestyle. Some quick observations....

    They are Canadian. Does that not mean Universal Health Care? What would those two be paying to access their health care? Anything?

    They have no kids and could not continue this way if they did.

    The van looks fairly minimalist.

    How does one get into the house sitting business?

    Isnt their YouTube channel an income generator?

    What are their plans for funding retirement or disability?

    Wouldnt it be interesting if they would lay out their financial expenses for the past year?

    What kind of support are they receiving from time to time from relatives, friends and kind people?

    Some of these questions may be answered in other videos but I haven't had time to research.

  4. #14
    Senior Member Ultralight's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Posts
    10,216
    Quote Originally Posted by Williamsmith View Post
    Thanks for the background. So their introductory YouTube channel video explains the lifestyle. Some quick observations....

    They are Canadian. Does that not mean Universal Health Care? What would those two be paying to access their health care? Anything?

    They have no kids and could not continue this way if they did.

    The van looks fairly minimalist.

    How does one get into the house sitting business?

    Isnt their YouTube channel an income generator?

    What are their plans for funding retirement or disability?

    Wouldnt it be interesting if they would lay out their financial expenses for the past year?

    What kind of support are they receiving from time to time from relatives, friends and kind people?

    Some of these questions may be answered in other videos but I haven't had time to research.

    I watched a lot of their vids, so I can answer some of this. But obviously, going to the source will be more accurate.

    Yes, they get Canadian healthcare.

    I know a few people that house-sit. My uncle had a business doing it and it is largely word-of-mouth and personal references. I have another friend who did it for several years after graduate school with his wife. Again, word-of-mouth and personal references. I'd venture to guess that house-sitting during the winter in Canada is for snowbirds they know.

    I think they make a little coin of the Youtube channel. But they are both "technomads."

    They live in Canada, so retirement is funded a little differently. But they have said they know the retirement risk they are taking but want to go on living this way for a good, long while.

    I think they talk about some of their finances -- like the cost of living in the van vs. the cost of their old house vs. their 400 sq. ft. apartment they used to have, etc. But nothing formal. I'd certainly like to see something more formal.

    I know friends let them crash at their place sometimes, though not much. Their parents let them stay at their house while they built-out the van for full time living (though they camped in the van as soon as that was possible, while they built out the van the rest of the way).


    As my sister likes (okay, loves) to point out: "Minimalists sure like to borrow a lot of stuff!"

    So I am sure these two Canadians borrow and whatnot.

    But I make a point to give back as much as I take/borrow. I help a lot with my sis and BIL's projects around the house (despite the fact that I really don't like doing that stuff at all), such as when they worked on the flooring in the bathroom and when they replaced the water heater. So I give back with labor.

    Though I fully acknowledge that I'll likely get 20 more things when I move into my own place, like a slow cooker and another cast iron skillet for instance.

  5. #15
    Senior Member iris lilies's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Always logged in
    Posts
    25,378
    Serious question. What are 5 documents this chick needs to scan in order to have them permenantly in digital form?msure I can see having numerous docs in digital,form, but aren't most of the I,portent ones already digitized? Trac documents for instance--likely already is digital form.

    I guess the shoebox storage method doesn't make her happy. that's what I would do. It should be noted that she likely got the scanning device for free in exchange for a shill demo on her blog.

  6. #16
    Senior Member Ultralight's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Posts
    10,216
    Quote Originally Posted by iris lilies View Post
    Serious question. What are 5 documents this chick needs to scan in order to have them permenantly in digital form?msure I can see having numerous docs in digital,form, but aren't most of the I,portent ones already digitized? Trac documents for instance--likely already is digital form.

    I guess the shoebox storage method doesn't make her happy. that's what I would do. It should be noted that she likely got the scanning device for free in exchange for a shill demo on her blog.
    She says in the video that they paid for it with their own money and are not being compensated. haha

    She is probably, like most people, sentimental and wanted to keep a lot of photos and such.

  7. #17
    Senior Member Ultralight's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Posts
    10,216
    I am an "extreme" minimalist. But I can say there are a few items I'd gladly make a very positive review of!

    Watsit jigs and Marabou jigs, for instance.

    Why? Because they work at their given purpose and might be useful for others.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •