People need very little in the way of material possessions; in fact the most basic need of humans, after biological needs, is shelter. Somewhere that will protect you from the elements, keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
Shelter
There are some assumptions that I have made about the shelter such as it has electricity and is plumbed in. Although your shelter can be many types:
* car
* van
* tent
* hut
* cave
* house
* flat
* boat
* igloo
As you can see it can be lots of different things and I am sure if you were to think about it you could come up with a list of dwellings a lot longer than this.
However, no matter what you choose for your simple home, it will need the following rooms or spaces:
* Bathroom
* Kitchen
* Bedroom
* Living room
Or somewhere to:
* Rest
* Socialise
* Eat
* Get clean
The bedroom, kitchen and living room may actually be the same space but defined areas within it. Or they could be separate spaces, either way the minimum number of areas you require is four.
Rest (Bedroom):
* A mattress of some description; this could be a full western mattress complete with bed frame or a Japanese futon.
* A cover; a duvet or a blanket or a sleeping bag, with liner (makes it easier to clean).
* A pillow; maybe
This is all you need for the very basic rest needs, as long as you are warm and comfortable. Some people even sleep on the floor with just a basic covering.
Socialise (Living room):
* Something to sit on; a cushion, chair, sofa
* Small table?
This area might the most difficult to define as this are is one where you will interact with other people. In our times we have TVs, Stereos and computers etc to consider as entertainment options. You may wish to include these items, but I don’t actually think they are necessary to live.
Eat (Kitchen)
* Something to cook on - stove top, oven, microwave, slow cooker, fire pit!
* Something to cook with - Pots and pans, utensils, chopping board, knife
* Somewhere to store food - Larder, fridge, freezer
* Something to eat off - Plate, bowl, cup (1 per person)
* Something to eat with - Knife, fork, spoon
As far as eating goes the simpler the fare the fewer the items you need to prepare and cook your meals.
Check out one pot recipes, slow cooker meals, soups and stews etc. These are all easy simple dishes that need little or no preparation that can be chucked into one pot and left to cook itself.
Get clean (bathroom):
Most bathrooms will come equipped with the basics:
* Bath (shower)
* Toilet
* Sink
If you are lucky you may also get a shower over the bath and if really lucky a separate shower unit. Some homes will have showers instead of baths. Generally speaking you will get a bath at minimum.
However, if you are living in a tent, hut, igloo, etc you will probably have to make other arrangements for the upkeep of your personal hygiene!
In additional to then permanent fixtures you might need the following items:
* Towel
* Soap
* Toothbrush & paste
* Razor & cream
* Toilet paper
As you can see the human needs very little. And in fact some cultures get by on even less than the amount I have just described here.
This in fact would be a very Spartan lifestyle but as I have mentioned some cultures have even less that this. In some cultures the spaces are shared and no-one has personal ownership, think monasteries and Kibbutz. The only items that you would have would be personal to you, usually hygiene items, such as a toothbrush, comb and razor and these would be nominal at best.
In addition to physical shelter there are only a few other things that we humans need to get by, like clothes!
So what do we need in the way of clothes! Ah huge debates can be held over this but the old adage would be 3 complete changes of clothes; One on, One in the wash and One ready to wear; and your Sunday best. So in total four! Could you live on just four complete changes of clothes? And probably only 2 pairs of shoes.
Wow! That’s not a lot in the scheme of things. And I bet you could pack most of this in the back of a car! Well except maybe the fridge!
So how much do you have?
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