Minimalism as a Strategy for Survival

In several other posts, I've mentioned that I believe in a moderated form of minimalism.  Not to the extreme of the 100 Thing Challenge, but I do believe that owning less "stuff" and, in a sense, cherishing it more makes sense to me.  As I've told my kids, "if a fire or tornado occurred today and we lost everything, the items on your lists would be the first things we'd try to replace."  That level of focus is what drives my minimalism.

In looking over my personal list, these are the everyday items that:

• I use often
• I have actually spent money to "upgrade" (as and when I found something of a better quality than what I had, I'd sell the old one, and buy the new one)
• That I see the need for the in my daily life and actually value having for myself, rather than borrowing/renting it.

I consider all such things to belong on my "valued items list," which is, and probably always will be, a work in progress.

However, I would like to mention that it plays into the current "prepping" culture also.  On the web, in books on Amazon.com, etc., you can find all manor of suggestions about "prepping", ranging from:

• Preparing for a short term natural disaster (typified by the 72-hour "Bug Out Bag" concept)
• Longer term food/famine disaster
• Ultimate demise of the world-wide economic systems (typified by the "Survivalist Farm" concept)

I have no problem endorsing the "bug out bag" as valuable concept, especially here in Tornado Alley (in fact it's just about that season again as I write this), but being knowledgeable about both ends of the spectrum can hardly be considered a bad idea.

As such, I do have a "bug out bag list" that is, much like my "valued items list" a work in progress.

As I compared these two lists, I discovered that they gave me a remarkable focus on defining what all is necessary for my life.  Furthermore, as I continue develop these two lists, I have found that items from one can serve a good use on BOTH lists.  This allows me to move towards a more self-sufficient life, as well as a more compact one. 

I hope these two lists will merge down to an easily transportable set of "things" that would allow me to live, in my retirement, or as needs demand, pretty much anywhere.