Monday, 27 July 2015

US woman gives away everything she owns on Facebook

Colorado resident Rebekah Paulson gives away her things to move into tiny home

A self-confessed 'hoarder' has given away almost everything she owns so she can move into an ultra-tiny house. 
Rebekah Paulson, 35, is now living in a 20 x 8-foot shed on wheels in Laporte, Colorado, after leaving her rented apartment.
The shop worker began her purging process in January last year, and gave away ten items every Tuesday to Goodwill or to friends.

In order to fit everything into the Lilliputian house she built herself, she offloaded everything except three pairs of shoes - not counting farm boots - a couple of cardigans, some shirts and a couple pairs of pants. 
She has no oven or freezer but she does have a small refrigerator and stove, like the ones found on boats. 
There is a one chair, bought at IKEA. But it was too big for Rebekah's new home so she had to build the walls around it.
There is also a mattress and one set of bed linen. The bed has been built in the 'loft', above the washing area.
Paulson, who works in a Fort Collins yarn shop and spends half of each month as a live-in dog-sitter for vacationers, said: 'It's been a dramatic change. 
'I've always been a collector of things, and I collected items for years to fill the spaces I lived in. 
'This has been life-changing to have so little. Now, I go into a cool store and and then I think, "You don't have a place to put this," and it feels really good. Like you don't need to spend your money on stuff.' 
Among the belongings she gave away to friends was her 700-book collection.
'I had people on Facebook fighting over those books when I posted them on a Friday,' she told The Denver Post. By Sunday, they were all claimed.
Paulson, who specializes in textile art, did keep 35 books for herself though. 
She doesn't cook any more, and tends to eat at a Whole Foods coffee bar.
A former obsessive knitter, she gave away most of her collection of knitting materials, yarn, and weaving looms to other knitters.
But there was one thing she couldn't bear to part with - a small bit of Victorian gingerbread gable trim she found 17 years ago.
She plans to install it on her minuscule front porch. 'Now I finally have a place to put it,' she says. 
The house is built on a 20-foot trailer Paulson bought two years ago. 
It is currently parked on a farm near Fort Collins. The owners trade her the parking space in exchange for her helping to feed the livestock and other chores.

Culled

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