So Much Stuff!

One of the things I realize after being in Mexico for a few weeks--we have so much stuff!

I'm not sure I am ready to do the whole minimalist thing, but we certainly have far more stuff than we need to have. The many decorations on the shelves and pictures on the wall look nice, but there are just as many that are in boxes somewhere, having been replaced by the current ones--and none of them are necessary items. 
We have boxes of kids stuff, books, magic, arts and craft supplies, and all kinds of things in the basement and they are all just gathering dust. 

I'm not saying that we should do without the comforts of life, but there are plenty of things that we would never miss if we got rid of them. The task to purge ourselves of all of the junk seems a little overwhelming. I need to figure out a way to make it fun or at least maybe a profitable endeavor.
Or I could just pitch a bunch of crap into the garbage.

Any way you look at it--we have way too much stuff. 

In so many ways, much of life seemed simpler in Mexico. Realistically, much of life also seemed harder. Not needing a car and being able to walk everywhere is nice--until you have to walk everywhere. Uber is relatively inexpensive and taxis are readily available. The occasional cost of a ride for hire is way less expensive than owning a vehicle of your own.
Regular trips to the store or market for daily food items doesn't feel inconvenient and a weekly trip to the laundry service to have your clothes washed, dried, and folded (about $6 for 10 days of laundry for the two of us) is downright luxurious!

We have traded the convenience of everything being close at hand for living a more rural life. The perimeter of our lot is .47 miles and the walk to and from the mailbox is .26 miles. In the distance I walk to get the mail, the kids can be at the beach after stopping for dinner and a beer along the way!
The only way I get dinner and a beer in that distance is if my neighbor invites me in!

It's a mile to the nearest gas station/country convenience store, a little farther to a Dollar General store and about 10 miles to the nearest fast food restaurant or supermarket. I doubt that Uber Eats or pizza delivery is available in our neighborhood.
That's not to say that I don't have a simple life--I do. And it's a pretty good life, too.
But damn, we do have a lot of stuff!

John