Is it hard for you to give up your things?

Or just that *ONE* precious item?

I'm not a pack rat, I barely have any possessions, i like to live and travel lite. I've sold most of my furniture (there wasn't much to start with) but I'm finding it extremely difficult to let go of my car. my first car. the car i've had for 10 years. i drove it home from the dealership with 10 miles on the odometer. it makes no sense for me to keep it; I'm going to be away for two years and it's of no use to anyone in my family. and with this oversaturated used car market, it'll continue to rapidly depreciate. But just the thought of handing over the keys upsets me.

sentiment is priceless i guess.

The problem is i'm humanizing it. I took it to get appraised at a dealership and basically ran out of the lot while saying to my car "i won't leave you in this graveyard for cars". Laugh, but don't judge me.

I need some help, folks. I know I'm unusually attached to this item. Have any of you ever felt this way?

I have a hell of a time getting rid of my boots and shoes. I get pretty attached to them. Each scuff mark is a story, I remember where they have been with me... yep. So, I save them in a storage bin at my parents' house. I have no particular plan for them, but perhaps someday when (and if) I ever have a real home of my own, they can come back out and be used for something creative. But yes, I hear you! Especially about the car - back before I traveled internationally, I did quite the tour in the USA for a few years. I road tripped like crazy, I lived in my car, I talked to my car. He had a name. We put on over 70,000 miles in one year together once... It was a huge blow getting rid of him eventually. The only way I could do it was to sell him to family, who eventually did the awful deed of REALLY getting rid of him for me. But I still to this day think of Szandor when I'm back in the USA and traveling on roads that we drove on together once...

But the flipside of all that is that getting rid of your possessions really makes you free and lets you focus on things differently. I meet people on the road who have things "back at home" and they are having a totally different experience than I am. Maybe that's okay for some, but I'm glad I don't really OWN anything anymore... except my bins of old shoes. And rocks. And photos.

Bideshi wrote:Szandor

I don't mean to derail the conversation here, but where did you get that name?

Edit:
to actually contribute to the thread:

No, while I've not gone on a RTW trip, I'm quite devoid of emotion when it comes to my material possessions. I'm happy to get rid of them/replace them/get new ones whatever works

I don't think I'd have trouble selling everything I have. I can't think of anything off the top of my head that I would want to hold on to at all costs.

Haha you silly girls always packratting sentimental items... just get the rid of the clunker already! The longer you hold onto it the more it's going to depreciate. Also, the appraised value the stealership quotes is BS. Sell it privately via craigslist; you will get more buck for the bang.

Bideshi wrote:But I still to this day think of Szandor when I'm back in the USA and traveling on roads that we drove on together once...

that brought a tear to my eye....

frugal1 wrote:Haha you silly girls always packratting sentimental items... just get the rid of the clunker already!

thank you, frugal, i need to hear more of this!!

i don't even cling onto people as much as i have this car. i must be transfering my feelings for people to this vehicle.

Wildcat1982 wrote:i don't even cling onto people as much as i have this car.

I hear you...

frugal1 wrote:Haha you silly girls always packratting sentimental items...

Well, I'm not a girl. But you DID just give me a new idea about where I can shove a size 10 boot that I want to hold onto for a while... you know, for silly sentimental reasons...

dorofino wrote:I don't mean to derail the conversation here, but where did you get that name?

Anton LaVey's middle name. I thought it carried the appropriate connotation of power and might to bestow on my 3 cylinder, 55 horsepower, little geo hatchback. DAMN I loved that car....

But back on topic, now, after traveling some, I have the new problem of getting attached to my backpacks and cameras. I can't seem to get rid of them either, no matter how ruined they get.

Maybe this is a hazard to those of us who travel alone? Or is it more for those of us who leave for many years instead of just a regular RTW trip? Booties - what do you think? Do people who travel or live with other PEOPLE still have this same attachment to things or is this more of a solo traveler condition? Hmmmmmm....

Bideshi wrote:Do people who ... live with other PEOPLE still have this same attachment to things

I've been in a relationship for 7 years (now married), but lived alone (at least 4 hours away from the woman) until this past May

You attachment to your vehicle is... interesting.

There is a name for this sort of thing

If you can find cheap storage keep it!

This advise is coming some one who did a 6 month trip last winter, is leaving in a couple weeks on a 16 month RTW with plans to relocate from Canada to Guatemala when done with 2 cars I just can't bear to part with.

dorofino wrote:You attachment to your vehicle is... interesting.

Hey... Tom Hanks had his "Wilson", I had my little green car that could.

dorofino wrote:I've been in a relationship for 7 years (now married), but lived alone (at least 4 hours away from the woman) until this past May

Not quite what I was driving at. Pun intended. No, what I mean is that I get attached (unnaturally, as some seem to suggest) to inanimate objects especially deeply when I'm not really around other people, or talking to other people, or things like that, for an extended period of time and instead spend a lot of time depending on these things to serve some important task in my immediate circumstance.. and in such they sort of become a substitute for a "friend" I guess. So that's why cars (the one I LIVED in, alone, at least), boots, packs, cameras, and the like are so hard to get rid of for me. And I was wondering if it was just me of if others who have these strong difficulties getting rid of "things" also had similar circumstances. Or if I really am just an odd duck in the end with some sort of social disorder...

Bideshi wrote:

Wildcat1982 wrote:i don't even cling onto people as much as i have this car
I hear you...

Haha you silly girls always packratting sentimental items...

Well, I'm not a girl. But you DID just give me a new idea about where I can shove a size 10 boot that I want to hold onto for a while... you know, for silly sentimental reasons......

I'm sorry you have insecurities with yourself and took my post as one being directed towards you and not the creator of the thread. Maybe I'm misinformed and my suggestion of avoiding the dealership when selling her car applies to your boots as well.

ok boys. let's play nice.

I used to be very attached to my things, but my RTW trip broke me of it, and it's been re-enforced by my current situation of moving to another country. I have to say, getting rid of all my stuff is liberating.

However, I can relate very much to being attached to a vehicle. I currently have a BMW F650 (moto) that I had every intention of selling before moving to the UK so as to supplement my start up funds. As timing would have it, I am leaving at the end of the riding season here and selling her was not that easy. So instead I will probably ship her over. It just makes sense for me, because to replace her would be a helluva lot more than what I'll get for her here.

Anyway, the point is that once I thought about what selling the bike would help me do on the flip side of the pond, I became much less attached. It would enable me to do something else I wanted to do. There will always be more bikes/cars. I had attached too much of my own personality to the stupid thing. Now I am not really concerned either way whether I sell it or keep it. If I sell it, I'll have some extra ducats when I get there and will find a different bike to buy. If I keep it, I know the history of the bike, and will have to plunk down less cash.

Just let it go. You aren't your car. If you get rid of it, you are not any less you.

PC

FYI, I sold the car today. And I'm leaving for africa the following day. What luck.

Goodbye, old silver. We had some great times together.

Well done, on to your next adventure.

Safe travels.