We just recently dropped a vlog on our minimalist lifestyle and how living tiny has actually given us a TON of freedom. Embracing this way of life can be hard at first, but once we started, we found it was pretty addicting (in the best way). Now we are always asking ourselves, ‘What else can we get rid of that we are no longer using?’ And that’s because it feels so good to no longer be weighed down by our stuff!

Everything we purchase is intentional and important to us, and that includes things we could absolutely live without but choose not to. We know that if we needed to, we could get rid of some or all of these things if we realized we no longer use them, but for now, they bring us joy and make our lives better, so we find the space for them. 

1. Hobby Equipment

If we were so strict about minimalism that we didn’t allow ourselves to invest in our hobbies, I think we would be sad! And that’s not what minimalism is about for us. We each have a few hobbies that we love and that require some type of gear. Over the past year, Tyler has gotten really into archery. Since archery requires a bow and arrows (obviously), we decided that it was a good investment. We decided it was worth it to get a small target so he can set up and practice in different spots as we travel.

Andrea’s favorite hobby, on the other hand, is bouldering. Really, this hobby only requires shoes and a chalk bag, which doesn’t take up much space at all. But we are also holding onto a crash pad in the hopes that Andrea will be able to build up her skills enough to climb real boulders outside instead of just at a gym. It mostly sits under the bed right now, but we have big plans!

2. Workout gear

Many people in the RV community choose not to own workout gear at all since there are options like Planet Fitness memberships and bodyweight workouts. For us, since fitness is a huge part of our lives, we find it beneficial to own some workout gear. We don’t have a ton, and it’s all relatively small like our MMA gloves, kettlebells, a foam roller, and a yoga mat. We tried out the Planet Fitness on the road lifestyle as well, but we prefer to do our workouts at home, usually outside in the sun.

3. Xbox

You may not have thought of us as gamers, and honestly, we really aren’t, but we do enjoy whipping out our Xbox every now and again! Especially when we find ourselves in a location that doesn’t have a ton to do or it’s raining and we can’t go outside. Andrea’s guilty pleasure is Grand Theft Auto and Tyler likes to play Skyrim. Even though we don’t use the Xbox all that often, it is so much fun when we get in the mood to play that we don’t want to get rid of it! We all need something in our lives to release some stress and just have fun for a while.

4. Pizza oven

We LOVE our pizza oven! Again, this is something that is not a necessity at all, and there are definitely times where it sits in the pass-thru for a few months. But then there are times when we are in the perfect location where we can get it out and end up making a ton of delicious wood-fired pizzas. Plus, it is an experience and something fun we can do together. Since cooking our own food is very important to us, we don’t feel too bad about holding on to something that can make our home-cooked meals taste as if they came from a top-notch pizzeria. 😂

5. Motorcycle

Ahh, the motorcycle! We love getting on the bike and just cruising, but even the motorcycle has caused us to stop and wonder if we needed it. There are some trips where going for a ride is one of our favorite activities – winding through the Rockies or the Black Hills in the summer or riding around the saguaros in Tucson. But then there are some trips where the bike stays in the back of the truck. Whether it’s because we’re too busy or moving too often to justify unloading the bike just to reload it, or if it’s just raining or snowing for a week, it always saddens us a little to leave the motorcycle unloved and stationary.

Owning a bike also comes with having to store a few other things like helmets and jackets. We found a great solution by using an ottoman that opens up and doubles as storage! All in all, we still enjoy having the bike with us. It almost feels like another member of the family, and it’s worth it to go on an incredible ride through the mountains, or when we can be in 2 places at once with 2 vehicles!

For us, it comes down to this… if the thing is beneficial and it makes you happy, then you should probably continue to own it. We love the moderate approach to minimalism rather than just getting rid of everything to say we did it. Our version of minimalism is about letting go of the things that hold us back but keeping the things that push us forward.