I’m certain you’ve got all heard of the idea of decreasing your variety of possessions to 100 issues. Why 100(*)? Most likely as a result of it makes for an amazing guide title or weblog mission of the “How I did X in a yr” [and then returned to my normal ways with a nice check from the publisher to boot].
X may very well be writing in your laptop computer utilizing candle lights of another foolish mission 
(*) Life could be a lot simpler if people had 8 fingers as an alternative as a result of it will make spherical numbers simply expressible in powers of two or 4 or 8 [instead of 2 and 5]. Additionally, there could be extra of them. Anyway…
This may increasingly all be effective and properly. Admittedly, there’s a cult of minimalism and I like minimalism insofar that it makes plenty of my objectives, primarily revolving across the idea of independence, lots simpler to perform; nonetheless, in lots of instances there additionally appear to be some form of oneupmanship happening the place folks attempt to show that their “religion” is actually stronger than others.
From a sensible viewpoint, 100 is simply helpful to stock your possessions. Nonetheless, there’s not likely a lot level to that until you’re writing about your mission. From a sensible standpoint, it’s much more vital to contemplate
- How a lot quantity does your stuff take up?
- How a lot does it weigh?
- How a lot do you utilize it?
Quantity sometimes determines your storage constraints and to some prolong your transportation constraints. There’s a idea that homes have gotten stupendously—a phrase presumably derived from silly, I’m simply guessing—giant due to the necessity to shelter all of the junk we pull house from shops. Shelter is de facto costly, particularly if you wish to it in residential areas and need to hold your possessions heated or cooled to the identical temperature as you retain your self.
Weight is a matter if you’re carrying it. Additionally it is a problem when you dwell in a ship or in an RV. We dwell in a RV, however we don’t have slide outs. This implies we are able to carry a couple of tons per particular person. If we had slide outs, our weight constraint may very well be surprisingly small (after deducting allowances for water (white, gray, and black): perhaps a couple of of hundred kilos every (together with the load of the particular person!). It is because slideouts is a contemporary invention (and due to this fact not a strong development) meant to convey the sense of house for a brief trip on the lowest potential worth. By decreasing cargo allowances, the RV can carry slideouts as an alternative with out rising the dimensions of the engine or the majority of the body. The identical goes for vast beamed cruising boats. A number of house, however not as protected as deep keels.
Utilization is of main concern to a financially sound ship. This enters in your private return on asset calculation so to talk. How a lot have you ever paid for which you don’t use? When it comes to saving and spending, economically and ecologically, you probably have 101 gadgets (and as a consequence certainly are in your solution to the minimalist model of hell, which presumably includes having footage hanging on the wall or a stacks of papers scattered in your desk) it doesn’t matter if they’re used recurrently, don’t take up a lot house, and don’t weigh a ton(*).
(*) Weight is definitely a great proxy for environmental affect as properly. With a couple of exceptions (like laptop computer computer systems and hybrid automobiles resulting from merely offshoring the affect to a excessive tech manufacturing unit) the extra it weighs, the a lot sources it took to make it, and the more severe it’s.
As well as, 100 gadgets is a static quantity. Suppose you’ve got 100 gadgets your pair of pants is a kind of gadgets (or is that two gadgets?!) wears out. You then go and purchase one other pair. Now you’ve used 101 gadgets. In case you hold your record brief just by rotating issues out and in does it really matter, just because you haven’t purchased them but? From a strictly “non secular” standpoint it does matter as a result of that’s not in opposition to the principles of minimalism.
It will defy the opposite factors although. As an illustration, I might do away with all my cookware and begin consuming out. This would scale back the variety of issues, however would that be a web profit to my “enterprise” of dwelling to outsource all my property like this? For some motive, I feel not, apart from to stick to some religion.
Now it could appear I’m bashing this problem. I’m to some extent. For essentially the most half although, it’s most likely doing extra good than unhealthy as a result of it forces folks to take a great take a look at what they actually wanted. It additionally minimizes shelter wants and makes transportation simpler insofar that one of many gadgets on the 100 record shouldn’t be an oympic swimming pool or a garden tractor. What I’m bashing is the thought of placing a quantity on it and sensationalizing it. That’s simply nuts.
Extra Yakezie: Which is extra: $500,000 or $2,000,000 @ Engineer Your Funds & Minimize The Fats – Dropping Issues You Don’t Want @ Frugal Zeitgeist. These posts have been chosen as the perfect submit of the month by the bloggers who submitted them, so test them out if you’re trying so as to add extra blogs to your studying record.
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Initially posted 2010-03-04 09:11:58.