The 75 Item Rule

What?
What on earth is the 75 Item Rule?

A person should have no more than 75 Items.

What?
What constitutes an Item?

This is open for debate naturally. It depends on circumstances, your personality and the nature of your lifestyle. For instance, I consider a cardboard box containing socks and underwear as a single item. The box I don't count because I don't take it with me when I travel.

When?
When does the Rule apply?

Always. I know this is harsh, but it takes years to shed Items, and simply moments to accumulate them. So you have to live the Rule (i.e. the next time you think of buying something, stop and think which of your remaining items you will be giving up for the purchase).

Why?
Why bother?

Picasso once said, 'having learned everything, I gave up everything, and returned to what I had known as a child before learning had begun'. The same applies to possessions.' We began life quite simply and enjoyed our days contentedly. As we learned about the Jones, we began to want for things. At some point our contentment with our station began to decreased in proportion to our accumulations. What once would have made us happy, now hardly warrants a second look. And as we age our loved ones move on or pass, until one day we look around and realize that the possessions have possessed us for far too many years and we are alone with our stuff. Ah, to take back time and have a second chance at destinations, opportunities, lost loves and ignored loved ones. Think back to those happy college days when money and possessions were at their lowest ebb and your contentment was at its high-water mark.

One day, a number of years ago,  I crossed that proverbial line in the sand and began my search for the Holy Grail. I wanted to reclaim the soul that I had placed in hock for the lifeless material things that adorned my world.  I began by giving up my possessions, including my career, an focused on taking back my life, creativity, and haphazardness. The road to destitution has not been painless, nor is the fall from grace complete.

I have come to believe that every possession possesses a piece of your soul, so the more you relinquish, the more of your soul you reclaim. And once your inventory of stuff is reduce to a manageable size you become free to travel at will, work any job that interests you and sleep on more couches than you though possible. And since your living expenses will be significantly reduced (sharing places with friends you meet or staying on couches for free) you won't need a real job to cover your un-lofty meals and entertainment expenses. Camping, backpacking, traveling and goofing off will become second nature. So what are you waiting for? All journeys begin with a single step. 

How?
How do I accomplish the 75 Item Rule?

1. Begin by giving away, or selling, anything of value or size. This includes cars, homes, furniture, appliances, etc.
2. Clothes and other stuff of little monetary value, should simply be given to charity. Keep what can fit in a backpack. Hint: Hang out with friends of the same size so you can borrow their stuff.
3. Give to friends and relatives those items that you might want to use temporarily in the future (ex. give the bicycles, jet skis, etc to friends that are locked into the world, on the condition that you can borrow them at will). 
4. Pick an exotic destination for a really long trip (a minimum of 3 months to start).
5. Buy non-refundable airline tickets, a backpack and any transportation passes that might be necessary (i.e. Eurorail Pass).
6. Don't create an itinerary or make any reservations beyond the first night of arrival. 
7. Obtain hostel information from the Internet (hostels are for people of all ages, not just college kids).
8. Quit your career job(s).
9. Throw away your watch and never wear one again.
10. Pack your stuff into the backpack (it all has to fit in a single pack) and start your adventure.

Prediction

If and when you return from your first adventure you will find that you need very little, can work at just about any job that doesn't tax your creativity, have a long list of new life-long friends, will enjoy your days and continue on a haphazard path that is joyful and fulfilling.

Picture of my stuff when I left the UC office in Miami (May 2003). Most of this stuff was loaned to me by UC.

Picture of my actual stuff leaving the Miami house in May 2003.