Selling most of my watch collecting in 2019 and finding balance

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Marie Kondō - it's a thing. Did it twice, now I live a quite happy and minimalistic lifestyle.
 
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Marie Kondō - it's a thing. Did it twice, now I live a quite happy and minimalistic lifestyle.

Not really minimalistic but changed immensely over 10 years ago and couldn’t be better.
Moved to a tropical climate. Don’t buy shoes, jeans or jumpers/jackets 😎 Camping and tackle store is my most visited store. Hadn’t been into the city locally for 7 months. ( unless work makes me )
Consumerism cut by almost 90%, most done via internet. Buy once buy to last and ponder every purchase nowadays together. Even overseas holidays we stick to one piece of local well bought artwork instead of throw away trinkets.
Watches are my thing and no need to change as I am recycling 👍
 
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I say, buy, buy buy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I couldn't give a crap about what happens to it when I'm gone. You can't take it with you, the Egyptians tried that... it didn't work!!!
 
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My grandfather left me with two memorable pieces of wisdom:
1) Look at insurance companies' offices if you want to know what your premiums are used for, and
2) Things are not as important as people.
 
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But getting rid of stuff is good. It makes your head more empty. Enjoy

LOL, I like that, thanks.

For me collecting seems to be more about the chase than the actual ownership. After I've gotten it, it's just one more thing that I have to insure and take care of. When I sell it, often I feel more pleasure from removing the burden than I did when I bought it.

I recently sold my "fun" car, but it's still in the garage as the buyer and I both wait for the shelter-in-place thing to be over (he's out of state). Yesterday I was walking past it and thinking man, that's a really nice car, maybe I should have kept it...
 
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I say, buy, buy buy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I couldn't give a crap about what happens to it when I'm gone. You can't take it with you, the Egyptians tried that... it didn't work!!!


So you advocate buying everything and then leaving others to deal with the mess after you’re gone?

Well that’s sounds responsible and thoughtful. ::facepalm1::
 
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So you advocate buying everything and then leaving others to deal with the mess after you’re gone?

Well that’s sounds responsible and thoughtful. ::facepalm1::

I sure do!!! What is wrong with that?
 
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I sure do!!! What is wrong with that?

It kinda shows a total lack of respect for others.

But you do you.

Just keep consuming. Nothing bad can possibly come of that.
 
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So you advocate buying everything and then leaving others to deal with the mess after you’re gone?

Hey, how did my father-in-law get on this forum?

Gads. Every time I suggest something like maintaining his house or cleaning out the garage, he says, "that's your problem after I'm dead."

To which I reply, "when"?
 
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Dibs on the puppy 😁

I like having things that make me happy, but the monetary value of those things (or lack thereof) isn't what drives my enjoyment of them. A brief fling with Beanie Babies in the late 90s taught me that early on.

My kids got so many Beanie Babies in new condition with tags for $1 or $2 at garage sales because of that craze 15 years earlier. They are nice cute toys.
 
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It kinda shows a total lack of respect for others.

But you do you.

Just keep consuming. Nothing bad can possibly come of that.

Well, that's very specious reasoning. I rarely purchase anything new, the things I collect have been produced decades ago.

As for cleaning up my mess, I have NO family what so ever. No mother, father, brother, sister or children. Lawyers will deal with it all.

I love how people like you jump to conclusions and judge others without knowing any facts!!!!

I hope you are never on a jury!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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What do lawyers and sperm have in common?

One out of every 5 million turn out to be human beings!

I know, I know, this isn't the joke thread.
 
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Yes, I just gave away a few grand of stuff,
I feel lighter, freer, more empowered
Maybe I’ll look at my watch collection next- I have found that of the 50+ I only wear about 20 on regular rotation....some hard choices there

Hi JayDubbya ole buddy ole pal, I will make those hard choices smooth as silk. I will PM you my address. You will feel incredibly empowered I guarantee it.
 
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Hi JayDubbya ole buddy ole pal, I will make those hard choices smooth as silk. I will PM you my address. You will feel incredibly empowered I guarantee it.
Not the Seawolf 🤔
 
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It kinda shows a total lack of respect for others.

But you do you.

Just keep consuming. Nothing bad can possibly come of that.
Ugh, this showed a lack of respect as well. If someone wants to consume they want to consume. I find it odd to be passing judgement on that on a luxury watch forum. And why does it show a lack of respect for others? The 'others' are fully entitled to scoop up all the goods and toss them in the trash. And it won't matter to the owner, because he will be dead. Heck, the people who are tasked with clearing out his belongings might even score a bunch of really nice stuff and become a new generation of collectors.

Buy what you want (assuming you can afford it), and keep it forever or sell it eventually. Don't let others tell you how you should be living your life.
 
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Suggesting you shouldn’t consume just for the sake of consuming is disrespectful?

Well ok then. ::facepalm1::
 
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So in the beginning of 2019 I began to e bay and craigslist seriously. AJ3 FROM 1987 BOX AND MANUAL 1400.00. Sold. Shoes. Lionel trains. Rare hip hop / rap music. NOS 80' clothing. You name it.

I had so much in storage. What was interesting was that people were buying. Old Playboy magazines. Car manuals. Car parts. Old toys.

I sold all my watch catalogs from the 90's on ebay. There was no going back.

Sold my MOTM. 1861 hesalite withe the big box. Glad I sold it when I did. Seikos sold. Kept two Seamasters that had 2500 D movements and a lot of sentimental value.

So I feel less constrained now. There is a saying do not let your possessions determine your happiness, and there is some truth to that.

I struggled for some time in my 40s and I couldn't put a finger on it, until I read this in an interview....and it rung so true to me it put the exact sentiment on it. After that everything changed...I got rid of of tons of stuff, I mean tons. Now I am much lighter, not as light as I want to be, but my mind is much more at peace. Cars, motorcycles (which I was paying storage fees for and several sites), all sorts of stuff. Most of it gone now. Gradually I am reducing whats left over time, and I am better for it.

“The hardest thing about life in your forties is that its heavy. You have to take responsibility for it, because your decisions made you heavy. You’re the one that wanted the big job, you’re the one that wanted the big house. I wouldn’t do it any differently, but part of me will always miss being light. The hardest part is trying to get some of that lightness back.” – Jodie Foster
 
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Seven years ago I had a sabbatical of 6 months. Although some would call it a burn out. I had two (expensive) houses, I worked day and night and at a certain moment I realised I was just working for the mortgage and a expensive lifestyle. I felt I was a slave of the system. I did'nt gave a shit about money when I was younger. Suddenly it was the most important thing. More, more, more. I thought: fυck that. That's not me. I was forced to quit working and started reflecting about the coming 40 years. Yes, it was a midlifecrisis. After I was done with refelecting (mostly was on the golfcourse because I also wanted a single handicap what did'nt happen as well) I've changed my life drastically. Best deciscion in my life. More time for the kids, girlfriend, family, friends and me, less money, less stuff, less hours at work. Like already mentioned... you cant take stuff with you when the time comes. But I realize this is luxury thing. Most dont have these choises...
Edited:
 
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It's a complex issue. I know quite a few small business owners who sacrifice a lot to keep their companies successful so their employees can stay employed and take care of their families, and so the business owners can take care of their families. In my case it allows my wife to enjoy her preferred work path (which pays very little, but she's out of the corporate world after 20 years), and I am setting my son up to be able to afford a good education and hopefully receive a bit of money after I die. The mortgage will be paid off in less than 3 years, and a line of credit we used for building an addition will be paid off a year or so after that. We have no other debt. We have assets that can be sold later to recoupe cash if needed (watched, rugs, air-cooled 911).

We had decided to travel more this year, but the virus kind of killed that. We were supposed to to go New Orleans last week, and Greece this summer. We'll try again in during our son's school breaks in 2021 if the virus hasn't restarted.