WRITTEN by JOHN MORRIS
“I’ve been trying to find a place for my stuff…”
You remember the George Carlin comedic routine about ‘stuff’?
He said, “The whole meaning of life is finding a place for your stuff”!
The more stuff you have, the bigger the house you need.
You know, it’s true. As we get older, we accumulate more stuff whether inherited, left behind or simply just believing you have to have it.
And then one day, you look around and say to yourself, “It’s time to get rid of some stuff”.
The movement toward simplistic, minimalist living is a popular trend… and you want to take part in it, right?
Okay so now you’ve made the decision to move to a Caribbean island – like Roatan – and you have to decide what to do with all your stuff.
Sure, if you keep your house back home, you can leave some stuff behind, but deciding what to bring and how to get it here can be challenging.
When Barbara and I moved to Roatan 10 years ago, we yard sale-ed, Salvation Army-ed, Craiglisted and whittled away until we felt we were ready.
But you know what? We still brought too much stuff.
Today we have closets full of winter clothes we never wear and now, even if we were to visit a cold country, nothing fits.
So let me help you.
Flip flops, bathing suits, shorts, t-shirts and short sleeve Polo shirts or button downs… add tank tops and sundresses for the gals. Maybe a couple of pairs of long pants and long sleeve shirts, a sweatshirt and of course, a rain jacket. That’s it.
Believe me. The rest – bye bye.
Furniture? Don’t bother. Most houses now come furnished and we have plenty of options for furnishings and accessories here on the island as well as on the mainland.
If you cannot find what you want on Roatan, there is always the retailing giant, Amazon. Yes, you can get Amazon delivered here. Granted it is not two-day Prime delivery, but it will arrive.
There are air and ocean services out of Miami that will bring your precious goodies to you. Sometimes it takes a while, but it gets here.
Often when something is delivered by DIP Shipping, we liken it to Christmas Day, because half the time we can’t remember what we ordered!
Once you become island savvy, you can hunt for carriers. Order something in the States or Canada and scour Facebook pages looking for someone to carry your new stuff in their suitcase.
Bless my friend Erika who was kind enough to carry down a guitar for my brother. Sure, we paid the extra baggage charge, but it was faster and cheaper than sending it and a lot simpler.
Availability is getting better every day here on the island. Can’t find something you want at the grocery store? Ask Eldon and he will try to get it for you. He’s that kind of a guy.
You see, if you need it, chances are someone else does too. Businesses are enterprising here so when opportunity knocks, you usually find a response.
So relax… trim down your ‘stuff’ as you prepare to move or visit.
We are a laid back island and no coat and tie are necessary. Sometimes shirt and shoes are not even required! In fact, several owners even have signs up at their establishments, “No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem”.
Now, isn’t that a great feeling?
Stuff is stuff. You will figure it out. Just remember, the more you know, the less you need!
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