Lightening the Load

The LA Times says that the average American household has 300,000 items in it. After 10 years in the same home, we almost assuredly have far more than that. When we first moved into this home, closets sat empty for years because we didn’t know what to put in them. We had previously moved from rental to rental nearly annually, trying out different neighborhoods in our new city. Such a nomadic lifestyle afforded a minimalist approach. One is not likely to buy unnecessary STUFF knowing that the next move is just around the corner. Similarly, renting a place of the size that one can afford on a resident’s budget doesn’t allow for the space to accumulate STUFF. No empty closets back in those days.

Over time, with more money and more children, we embraced the American culture of consumerism and filled those closets (as well as the Garage Mahal, Dad’s admirable renovation of a standard 2 car garage into a structure that can house a camper, a boat, and an SUV with room to spare.) Now that we are faced with the daily question of “Ship, Sell, or Trash,” we are acutely feeling the burden of each Amazon, Home Depot, and Costco purchase over the years.

The Garage Mahal (complete with a loft in the back)

We are not hoarders. Mom regularly gifts outgrown toys and clothes to those with younger children. We photograph kids’ art projects and then recycle them. We regularly donate unused clothes to charities. Broken toys and those with missing parts are long gone. And yet, we find ourselves drowning in STUFF.

We hosted a two-day garage sale. We sold dozens of items on Facebook marketplace and gave away even more on the local Buy Nothing group. We donated 5 big boxes of children’s books to the school library. Though we usually prefer to donate the “right” items to the “right” charities, our overwhelming time restrictions forced us to drive several loads to the local Goodwill. We already filled multiple 3-yard dumpsters and will likely do so again. Yet our house still looks full.

Te Whatu Ora will reimburse us for the cost of a 20 foot shipping container. Since we are frequently asked what we are bringing with us, here is the list:

• A sentimental dining set made of hardwood

• 2 couches

• 3 chairs

• 2 coffee tables

• 4 end tables/nightstands

• Patio furniture

• Pots and pans, bakeware

• Daily dishes and a few nice glasses

• Pottery that we collected during trips to Orcas Island

• Artwork

• Some toys, games, and sentimental books

• Dad’s welder and plasma cutter

• A box of clothes and shoes for each family member

• A few Christmas decorations

• Sleeping bags

• Mom’s and Dad’s bikes

• Skateboard and helmets

• Skis and boots

• Tortilla press (Mexican food will be the most-missed cuisine in NZ)

• King sized bed with sheets

• SCUBA tanks, BCD, and wetsuits

• Dad’s industrial sewing machine

What we replace upon arrival will be done at the local shops, as there is essentially no Amazon in New Zealand. Amazon Australia is still mostly books/media, and shipping from Amazon U.S. takes weeks and costs a fortune. And we couldn’t be happier.

No more “Mom, can I buy…” from our kids while browsing the internet. No more impulse toy purchases because they “only” cost $20 and end up broken in the trash the following week. No more immediate gratification (aka dopamine surge) of next-day delivery followed by inevitable disappointment. Rather, we will visit local shops, befriend business owners, and make small talk with the cashier. We will think harder about whether we want something rather than buying first and returning later. And hopefully, we will save some space in our closets.