HymerVan Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 William Morris the 19th Century English textile designer, artist and writer associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and English Arts and Crafts Movement famously said :- “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” When we changed from a coachbuilt to a Panel Van Conversion thought carefully about what equipment and personal items we needed (as opposed to what we were capable of carrying). This has resulted in a less cluttered and more organised vehicle and perhaps a vehicle which is easier to operate and live in. Perhaps influenced by the discipline which the more limited space in our van dictates we have carried out a similar exercise in our home. We are getting rid of (and not replacing ) about 30% of the furniture and lots and lots of other items. When complete the result will be a house which is more airy with more space to move , a more modern feel and much less clutter. We also hope it will be much better organised and therefore like the van be easier to live in, less work to clean, and more enjoyable. So what is the purpose of this post ? Just to raise discussion about how you organise your van and how it reflects your personal philosophy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubberrat Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Pretty much the same philosophy. We've spent time over the last two years scything away everything we consider unnecessary or a time thief (i.e huge garden) - bought a smaller house and got rid of anything not touched for a year. Cut vehicles down from four (!) to three, soon to be two when my much loved Aircooled VW camper goes and we just have my day-to day doublecab truck with it's demountable camper and Mrs Rubberrats little roadster for whizzing about. The reason? freedom to do things at the spur of the moment... more serendipitous lifestyle. Less putting trips off because we have to deal with or maintain the 'stuf'f collected in our lives. We're not that old - early 50's, but people our age around us are dying or falling ill. There's too much fun stuff to do to spend time caring for possessions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mildi Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 HymerVan - 2014-02-02 10:16 AM William Morris the 19th Century English textile designer, artist and writer associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and English Arts and Crafts Movement famously said :- “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful" WELL that's me out on my ear then!!!!! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retread24800 Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 “It is the preoccupation with possessions, more thananything else that prevents us from living freely and nobly.” Bertrand Russell “Every increased possession loads us with new weariness.” John Ruskin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corky 8 Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 There is the old adage of " Less is More" and I suppose if you take away all you don't use, you will have more room, But I have always found the minute I discard something mainly tools and things of that Nature , an occasion comes up where I could have used that item, As for the Motorhome ,if you open my side slide outs I have nearly everything I think I would need while away in the M/H,I may never use it but I like to have it in case, I carry a battery charger yet the M/H has its own, ( but just in case) plus other items to many to list, but I feel better knowing they are there "Just in Case". but your right in what you are saying we have more personal and household items than we really need to live happily, but each to his/her own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Yes I go along with that..My late 20's house is modern, uncluttered, likewise my panel van..Just changing vans at moment, (Adria going tomorrow) The best things about panel vans is the security, fast economical travel, excellent handling..ease of parking! So glad to get away from a CB, far more relaxing and better for my blood pressure..... we started of years back carrying suitcases full of stuff...now everything is reduced to what we really need and packed away out of site and we carry all we need. Kindle a great invention in this respect as frees up lockers full of books, small BBQ's ditto.......no junk in bathroom etc...etc... http://www.unclutter-organize-transform.com/clutter-quotes.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Kindles are great :-D ...............................til you drop them :'( ........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Retread24800 - 2014-02-02 11:43 AM“It is the preoccupation with possessions, more thananything else that prevents us from living freely and nobly.” Bertrand Russell “Every increased possession loads us with new weariness.” John Ruskin "Thrift is a Gift" Pelmetman B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Nothing is important here. The van - Insured as its a legal requirement. The house - Only the shell is insured and the cheapest I could find was Tesco. Philosophy - Problems - none: Health - ignore it: Values - none: Existence - I'm alive: Mind - free: Knowledge - Maintain simplicity: Beliefs - why Reality - totally stress free: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pampam Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 I too have decluttered , it's a very calming feeling I think I am slowly working my way through garage workshop,shed and greenhouse:I seem to clear it and it slowly builds up again :and then one of the kids moves back for a while ,and we are all "" cluttered "" up again :guaranteed though if you get rid of it you'll want it again : we took a load of ""stuff"" to a carboot last year bread maker ,food processor,griddle,loads of stuff that never got used ,pots and pans still with price on etc .now I need a bread maker to make decent bread cos have discovered I am allergic to modern white sliced ;have emptied van and have duvalay and sleeping bags ,remoska ,avtex telly :toaster ,kettle, just loads of ""stuff" so no doubt ill be going to another carboot this year to get rid of it lol......I think it's an age thing that you don't want anymore material possessions ,just good life experiences pp :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pampam Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 PS. I do like a few books about the place though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Pampam - 2014-02-02 8:18 PM PS. I do like a few books about the place though! My wife's attitude exactly, every time we (I) try to de-clutter, a quick trip to the charity shop undoes all of my 'good work'. I do limit the amount of 'hardbacks' that get transfered to the van though. But just don't mention my 'Tools and gadgets. *-) Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vindiboy Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 I don,t know about the philosophy of the subject but I do know that if you spend long term in your van of whatever type suits you, you soon realise that you dont need half the crap you thought you did,especially all the stuff we keep in our homes and leave behind,after all we are alive for a short span of years so eat drink and be merry,you are going to leave all your treasures behind someday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 Our houses and our van are totally different, at home sometimes it seems difficult to move, in the van we take very little, it's one of my bugbears that we have much to much storage space in the van, the only time it gets filled is on the family holiday when we carry the tents and equipment for 6 or 7, and even then there's a cupboard we've never put anything in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pampam Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 On an extremely morbid note,after clearing the houses of deceased relatives(3) although I'm ""only"" 58 it really made be determined not to do it to my kids ,so I do try not to accumulate to much stuff cos it's heartbreaking going thru personal belongings: so there's no whimsical keepsakes,and I've told em all to cart it off to auction and I try to keep stuff minimal ......always the cheery little soul lol pp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teflon2 Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 We've no chance then my wife hoards all she can and my garage is so full of might come in handy bits and pieces it's a job to get in it. Still someone's got to set an example. John (lol) (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 Some of us older ones store things due to when we were younger to go and buy something was a bus ride away and half a day lost. When my father died I was surprised how little he left, after a while I began to realise he never needed it anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vindiboy Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 Pampam - 2014-02-03 6:41 PMOn an extremely morbid note,after clearing the houses of deceased relatives(3) although I'm ""only"" 58 it really made be determined not to do it to my kids ,so I do try not to accumulate to much stuff cos it's heartbreaking going thru personal belongings: so there's no whimsical keepsakes,and I've told em all to cart it off to auction and I try to keep stuff minimal ......always the cheery little soul lol pp My son has an house clearance business and sometimes I help out with a clearance, generally the family Vultures have been in to pick the bones and all the crap is left where it is promptly taken to the local tip and dumped, doing a clearance is a real eye opener,stuff one has treasured all their lives is suddenly reduced to rubbish and crushed, even the Charity shops don't want it even though a lot of it would be saleable but time is of the essence on these jobs so it is dumped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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