We tend to gather a lot of stuff over a lifetime. These items disappear conveniently behind closed doors, and we forget about them. Like a deferred appointment, our belongings are waiting for us. However, a move to Switzerland that forced us to simplify, arrived sooner than we thought or hoped.

Entrepreneurial skills came in handy

Jacques utilised his entrepreneurial skills for the large items. He advertised the items online and handled his potential customers in a very professional and convincing way. When unsure how to operate the electrical appliances, he used his research and technical skills to figure it out.

I still smile when I think about the sale of a coffee machine, which Jacques could not get to operate in time. Jacques played open cards with the potential buyer about his predicament. Fortunately, the buyer was patient, and he and Jacques sat cross-legged on the floor and figured it out together. Smiling faces and a high-five half an hour later were my sign they had an operating coffee machine. The buyer walked away with a discount and a pack of coffee beans for his patience.

We met amazing people in the process

The most amazing people showed up. They shared personal stories about why they were looking for a specific item. The middle-aged man who bought the rowboat wanted it for his first holiday with his new wife and her boys. We understood. The friendly man who bought the bicycle planned to start exercising with his wife. Our discount was our form of support for this significant cause.

Second-hand sales market

We entered the second-hand sales market for smaller items. We arrived, prepared with a bottle of coffee and a packet of rusks at the flea market at seven on a Saturday morning. Some of the people negotiated seriously because every cent matters. Others returned a second time and told us how they or their children enjoyed the items they bought the first time. It was an enriching and unforgettable experience.

It is hard to let go of items with emotional value

Some items were harder to sell because of the emotional value and the stories I carry in my heart. An example of this was Christo’s blue case with a set of plastic trains and red tracks that he loved. When a three-year-old boy came to sit next to me and started playing with the trains, I was ready to let it go.

New grandparents bought the Christmas tree with all the lights and decorations for their new grandchild’s first Christmas. Many grandparents bought Lego sets and puzzles for their grandchildren as Christmas gifts. They hoped the new generation would exchange their screens for proper toys.

The process was a good start in our mission to simplify our lives. In future, we only want to buy something when we need it. If we do not use an item, we should give it away. We want to focus on experiences rather than possessions.

The following statements express it well: 

“We achieve perfection, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away” and “The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so the necessary may speak ”.

Kind regards

Emsia