I'm starting the count down to January when we hope to take off for full timing. Of course the house has to sell first. My DH will keep working until then. I'm finished (teacher - ex :) ) So I am currently making lots of piles of stuff - stuff for the RV, for storage, for the kids, for Goodwill, and to try to sell. While going through this process, I was wondering if anyone could tell me some of the things they would do differently if they were to go back and start the process again. Any words of wisdom you will share will be greatly appreciated. I'm so excited that the waiting is really difficult. But I also don't want to forget to do something that I should do. Thanks, Loralie and Lee 2006 Excel and Dodge Ram 3500
Perfectlygoode said
04:59 PM Jun 23, 2008
What would I do differently? Hummmm, that is a good question. We started full timing last August, but we did not get our house sold. We put off what we should have done before we took delivery of our unit. Once that new fifth wheel was sitting in front of the house, well that was our focus. Anyway, now we are actually back in the house getting it ready to put on the market. I can't tell you how frustrating that is---I love our new lifestyle and our fifth wheel---so being back in the house even for a short time is less than desirable. So, I guess I would have to say I wish I would have gotten everything done before we took possession of the fifth wheel. It sounds like you are doing just that! Good luck and we hope to see you out on the road in the near future!
Debbie
Judy said
09:52 PM Jun 23, 2008
This question is what we would of done differently? Found the right truck and RV first and not sold our home. After a yr and half on the road its just not quite our cup-of-tea. However, we are sticking it out for awhile yet then will decide. Spending the winter in a warmer place and just being a snowbird I think is the ideal thing. My mom has passed away this past wk and being fulltime is not ideal at this time as we are on the West coast and she lived on the East coast. southwestjudy
emeacham said
09:27 AM Jun 24, 2008
Looking back, I don't think we would have done anything differently. Of course, if we'd known then (18 months ago) what we know now, we would not have kept a storage unit. We just emptied it when we were back visiting family last month. When we walked into that storage unit, I looked around, amazed I held on to some of that stuff. We're glad to not have to worry about that anymore!
We all do things in our own way, having our own unique style. We all have to figure out what we need for ourselves. I love this lifestyle, but it's not for everyone. For me, it's a learning, freeing experience and I'm grateful every day that we have the ability to do this now.
Good luck, and whatever you do, enjoy it!
Happy Travels, Ellie
travelinbob said
09:57 AM Jun 24, 2008
Concerning Southwestjudy's comments, I will agree with her, since I am the less significant half.
Unless you are 100% sure that what you are doing is right, don't do the ir-reversable mistake of selling your home. If I could do it over, we would have did anything, even rent it out, in order to keep it. It was a special home and could never be replaced.
We will continue to push forward and not think of the past. I believe that our future will be perhaps a park model in a climate for the spring and fall and will travel to pleasant weather in the summer and winter months.
Don't think that because all the fulltimers out there are saying that it's great that it is. After almost 2 years now I think I would rather be 3 months in and 3 months out, 3 months in-3 months out.
FWIW
Bob
Loralie said
10:18 AM Jun 24, 2008
Thanks for your thoughts. I guess I should have added that we have to sell the house as we've only been in it for 7 years (moved around alot - company transfers) and it is too expensive for us to keep if we're not working. However, we have a small trailer and lot on the Chesapeake Bay, so if need be we will come back to it sooner rather than later. Right now we (me) are thinking a max of 10 years and then come back and build a little house. We'll be used to little by then...right?? My parents live across the street from our trailer/lot and so we may need to be back early to take care of them.
We did lots of research before deciding on a 5th wheel and then when we found a used Excel we jumped at it. I"m a little nervous about the amount (or lack of) storage space. I'm trying to decide what 'things' I need to put inside to make it look like a home...ideas?
We are also nervous about all we have to learn - feel like we forget something or make a mistake almost every time we go out. However, the learning is something we are excited about!
Thanks again for all the thoughts...everything helps as we get ready for the big plunge!!
Sandra said
05:23 PM Jun 24, 2008
I agree with Ellie, forget the storage unit. I'm glad we sold our house first. We wouldn't have been able to afford both.
We sold most of our stuff through an auction house and did very well. We also had two garage sales and didn't do all that well on them. I'd probably send it all to auction instead.
Good luck!
Froggi said
06:30 PM Jun 24, 2008
Loralie wrote:I"m a little nervous about the amount (or lack of) storage space. I'm trying to decide what 'things' I need to put inside to make it look like a home...ideas?
We are also nervous about all we have to learn - feel like we forget something or make a mistake almost every time we go out. However, the learning is something we are excited about! Thanks again for all the thoughts...everything helps as we get ready for the big plunge!!
As to making it "home", you'd be surprised at how easy that is. I have a small painting from my neighbor, she painted it specifically for my RV (she normally does LARGE canvas paintings). I have a couple of special wall hangings, etc. and I definitely have a few frog things. Look for unbreakable when you can...I found some neat little fake cactus plants at Pier One (on clearance) that fit behind my kitchen faucet.
Your favorite bedspread can be used to replace the "stock" one. Favorite sheets & towels, a few fake flowers, if space is at a permium then maybe a digital frame for photos.
Now on the learning, you read a lot, attend as many conferences (RV Life on Wheels, Gypsy Journal Rally, RV-Dreams Rally, Escapade, FMCA & Good Sam rallies....look, learn and ASK questions. RVers are the best helpers!!!
ahoweth said
07:49 PM Jun 24, 2008
Well I think all that has been written is good advice. Only you can decide what lifestyle is best for you. Some just cannot let go of that pile of sticks and bricks that they worked all their lives to own. I understand that feeling perfectly. Others, like us can let go quite easily. We lived in the house we sold for 35 years. We raised our children there. We have no regrets from selling it.
Having been on the road without sticks and bricks for 3 1/2 years, we have absolutely no regrets. Of course that is just us. I know there are others out there like us and others out there that think we are nuts. That is okay too. Most important is that you have to decided what best suits you. However you come about that decision is okay and what ever that decision is, is okay too.
JMO
mcw50 said
09:37 PM Jun 24, 2008
We've been on the road for 8 years now and feel that what has been said above is true....you have to do what is comfortable for you. We kept our house when we started, but were gone for almost a year before we got back to it. At that point we decided to sell it as kids and parents were located elsewhere and we wanted to stay on the road. We had an auction and got rid of most everything at once. but our biggest mistake was getting a storage unit for a few things.....money down the drain!!!! We finally took the time to clean out the storage unit and donated most of it to charity. Whenever we build/buy another house it will not be in the same town and I'll want all new stuff anyway. But, I know its hard to get rid of you "former life." We have enjoyed furnishing the RV with meaningful things we've picked up on our travels...small art pieces, photos, special linens, souveniers, etc. Good luck getting ready for your adventure!
phyllen said
06:07 AM Jun 25, 2008
We plan to start fulltime 2/09 provided the house sells. We can not do both, keep a house and travel. Younger daughter is thinking of buying the house. If so, some stuff stays until such time we settle down and get another house. If not, we plan on buying a storage trailer and keeping some furniture, etc in it. We live in a community that is mostly nursery farms. Lots of friends have lots of property. Two have offered to keep the trailer on their property.
Again, everything contingent on selling. If I have to work any longer than 1/31/09 I am NOT going to be a happy camper.
debken said
09:09 AM Jun 25, 2008
The only thing we would have done differently would have been to not buy the RV before the house sold. We bought the RV, then put the house on the market. We would have never thought it would take almost 2 years to sell. We got a good deal on the RV with no money down and 3 months before we had to make a payment. The dealer agreed to store it for us until the house sold. I don't think they thought it would take that long either. The real estate market literally died overnight. Our rig sat on the dealer's lot for 20 months and we couldn't use it because we didn't have a truck and couldn't afford payments on one. We needed the cash to buy the truck. Needless to say, our rig was out of warranty by the time we actually took possesion of it and we had never even used it. I love our rig and luckily we haven't had any major problems with it but if we could do it over again we would have waited to buy.
Guiler85 said
09:38 AM Jun 25, 2008
The only thing I can add to this conversation is that we did keep a storage unit for one year. In the research we did, this was highly recommended. In doing so, we didn't feel "trapped" by this lifestyle because, although we had sold our home, we still had "stuff" to go back to if we decided full-timing wasn't for us. Now, 4 years down the road, obviously, we have been very happy with our change in lifestyle.
Yes, I guess you could say we wasted $720 for a year of storage, but that peace of mind it bought was worth much more than that. When our year was up, we cleared out the storage and haven't looked back.
Don't regret selling the house (only one we lived in during our marriage) because we couldn't have retired and kept it anyway.
As others have said, you know yourselves better than anyone. Do what's going to make you happy. that's what this is all about!
Speedhitch said
12:16 PM Jun 25, 2008
Well, if our contract goes through this week we will be homeless...and I do not regret that . Sherri and I have built 5 homes in our marriage and sold 4...maybe 5...PLEASE...and we have not regreted their passing. We will not regret this one either. All our married life we have wanted to travel and see other places...I got that chance in in 1969 after I graduated college...got to travel around the world...on an all paid 3 year extended vacation from hell and returned to the world knowing that life is very short. You need to experiance all you can in that short period of time. Setting on a street surrounded by sticks and bricks just don't cut it for us. We want to see more of this country and we will do it no matter what the price of fuel goes to. Do what you want to... that is what is important...when you lay your head down for that last time and look back be sure you can do it with a smile on your face and a memory full of friends and adventures.
Speedy
blijil said
11:01 AM Jun 27, 2008
We have just begun fulltiming and it will be a while before the house sells (the kids took it over for college). But we need to downsize anyway and fulltiming may be the step we were looking for or it may be an interim step to downsizing in the long run. We are just trying to be flexible about the whole thing. If we get any more relaxed we might just melt away. We love to explore new places and even revisit some old ones.
Larry and Jacki
Sandra said
01:58 PM Jun 27, 2008
While we were cleaning out the house we were taking things we thought we wanted to put in the RV and putting them into a storage facility so when we picked up our RV and moved it to a campground close by we brought the stuff from the locker to the RV and began sorting it. We wound up keeping about 1/4 of the stuff we had put into storage, the rest went to Good Will and the storage unit was emptied. I can't think of anything I miss!
Loralie said
11:16 AM Jun 28, 2008
Again, thanks for all the ideas and thoughts. Yesterday I had an appraiser come by and look at some of our stuff. We have a lot of art work and antique furniture from Asia (we lived there in the early 90's). An auction house was mentioned as a way to sell. Sandra, can you tell me more about how it worked for you? Did you have to pay to have everything shipped to them?
thanks and have a great week,
Loralie
endless travels said
02:24 PM Aug 2, 2008
WE agree with Travelinbob & Southwest Judy.
We sold our home and most everything in, fortunately just as the market began its decline. We were able to buy a new 40' Teton & Freightliner, bamk so cash in case things didn't work out.
We winter in Arizona (our former home) and travel about six months, full timing has turned out to not be the answer to our lifestyle. First off fulltiming is NOT necesarilly cheaper than a stick home. RV rent is expensive, not to mention additional fuel & living expenses. If you boondock or become workcampers like our hosts Howard & Linda that will help. I feel if I have to work on the road than it is now a job not a lifestyle.
Thus said we bought a home in Ariz while the market is depressed, will probably sell the Teton & truck, go back to a smaller RV and still travel the summer months.
As we always return to Arizona in the winter where all our family reside this to us makes more financial sense.
So as others are said -BE SURE b efore you sell all your belongings and travel on.
Judy said
09:19 PM Aug 2, 2008
I agree with Endless Travels, this full-time lifestyle is not for everyone. It sure has it gives and takes. Cleaning bathrooms for a workcamping job would not be for me.JMO southwestjudy
hogans1947 said
10:42 AM Aug 5, 2008
Our workamping is sitting on the beach in So. Ca. selling firewood and working (?) 2 days/week in the gift shop. Very fun !!! I've never cleaned anyone's bathroom but my own. Our kids and grandkids are close so that works for us.
This question is what we would of done differently? Found the right truck and RV first and not sold our home. After a yr and half on the road its just not quite our cup-of-tea. However, we are sticking it out for awhile yet then will decide. Spending the winter in a warmer place and just being a snowbird I think is the ideal thing. My mom has passed away this past wk and being fulltime is not ideal at this time as we are on the West coast and she lived on the East coast.
southwestjudy
Looking back, I don't think we would have done anything differently. Of course, if we'd known then (18 months ago) what we know now, we would not have kept a storage unit. We just emptied it when we were back visiting family last month. When we walked into that storage unit, I looked around, amazed I held on to some of that stuff. We're glad to not have to worry about that anymore!
We all do things in our own way, having our own unique style. We all have to figure out what we need for ourselves. I love this lifestyle, but it's not for everyone. For me, it's a learning, freeing experience and I'm grateful every day that we have the ability to do this now.
Good luck, and whatever you do, enjoy it!
Happy Travels,
Ellie
Your favorite bedspread can be used to replace the "stock" one. Favorite sheets & towels, a few fake flowers, if space is at a permium then maybe a digital frame for photos.
Now on the learning, you read a lot, attend as many conferences (RV Life on Wheels, Gypsy Journal Rally, RV-Dreams Rally, Escapade, FMCA & Good Sam rallies....look, learn and ASK questions. RVers are the best helpers!!!
Having been on the road without sticks and bricks for 3 1/2 years, we have absolutely no regrets. Of course that is just us. I know there are others out there like us and others out there that think we are nuts. That is okay too. Most important is that you have to decided what best suits you. However you come about that decision is okay and what ever that decision is, is okay too.
JMO
We have just begun fulltiming and it will be a while before the house sells (the kids took it over for college). But we need to downsize anyway and fulltiming may be the step we were looking for or it may be an interim step to downsizing in the long run. We are just trying to be flexible about the whole thing. If we get any more relaxed we might just melt away. We love to explore new places and even revisit some old ones.
Larry and Jacki
southwestjudy