We are working on getting rid of stuff, but we are so tired all the time that it's hard to stay motivated. We both work, plus my mom passed away a few months ago, so now we have all of her stuff to take care of too. We're farming out what we can to our kids (who are scattered across the country) and have made multiple trips to Goodwill, etc.
And since we're not really telling people yet what our plans are (except for our kids and a few close friends), we don't have anybody to be our rah-rah section when we need it.
We're committed to following our dream of full-timing, but how does everyone find the energy to accomplish all the purging, and more purging, and house repairs, etc, while still just dealing with working and daily life?
Any advice, tips or encouragement much appreciated!
Barbaraok said
12:27 PM Apr 22, 2016
Try doing just one room at a time. Don't stop with that room until it is completely cleaned out, then shut the door and go get some ice cream as a reward.
Also remember that it is JUST STUFF. Don't get hung up on what is cost, etc. Maybe hire an estate broker to come in and take it all away and sell it. Or just give it all to charity and take the tax write off. Only thing hard for us were books, and the library at the college took them all, problem solved.
LandL said
01:17 PM Apr 22, 2016
I am right there with you.....so much to do, it seems. We paid our earnest money on the 11th and will be driving our new home to it's month-long storage on Sunday. Stressing over all the little things that WILL get done....but that doesn't make it any easier. I won't bore you with all the "omg what are we doing" thoughts Just know that you're not alone. P.S. The one room at a time tip is a very good one! Ice Cream? That, too! And, a beer!
-- Edited by LandL on Friday 22nd of April 2016 01:18:57 PM
MarkS said
03:20 PM Apr 22, 2016
We are going full time sometime between now and November 1. We haven't done much. We both work long long hours and purging will have to wait. Some things have been spoken for, others are going to be given away. I am certain it will not be pleasant. The only thing we are attached to is seeing the house in the rear view mirror.
Willandjean said
04:34 PM Apr 22, 2016
Thank you Barbaraok; we will heed your advice to tackle one room at a time. Hadn't thought of donating books to the college library; we'll have to look into that. And will definitely reward ourselves with ice cream:)
LandL, it's good to know we are not alone in trying to figure everything out! Congrats on your new home! I'll eat ice cream and DH will have a beer!
MarkS, I like your thought of only being attached to seeing the house in the rear view mirror! Also thank you for your service to our country. My late father was also a retired MSgt.
Thanks y'all!
Jo And Craig said
07:36 AM Apr 23, 2016
KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE PRIZE! We had only 5 weeks to get rid of a 3300 sf house, plus we had a townhouse to renovate and sell before we left. The townhouse belonged to DHs aunt who we cared for. She lived with us for 2.5 years before her passing. I also worked full time while caring for her. So, I feel your pain. But, you can do it. It's now or never. One day at a time! A word to the wise... start purging early. You have more stuff than you think!
PrairieRV said
07:37 AM Apr 23, 2016
If you're going through things and deciding what to get rid of, how about, instead, make of list of all the things or types of things you know you'll want or need in your RV. Pick those things out, and then get rid of the rest. I think going through long-time possessions, or my Mom's things bring back lots of memories and makes the process harder. So approaching it with a "positive" list instead of a negative, discard question will streamline it.
There are some charities that will send a truck to pick things up if you have a lot to donate.
Julie and Ray said
11:21 AM Apr 24, 2016
Will and Jean-
I love Jo & Craig's advice, Keep Your Eye on the Prize!! Although we could have taken the plunge immediately upon making the decision to go full-time, we decided to take our time in getting rid of "stuff" (and become a little more financially secure). We have been selling all our accumulated things on Ebay for about a year now and it is unreal how much $$ it has brought it. You will be amazed - people will be just about anything. There are things that we were just going to give or throw away that brought in $$. If you can, be patient. If you don't have a lot of time or energy, start slow with just a few quality items. Every $50 sale that comes in we say "One more and that's a hundred bucks!". "Ten of those sets of 2 and that's $1,000!!!" If you plan on spending $100K on a rig, that's 1% toward you goal. We have already made a significant dent in our ultimate goal with one year of selling to go. Of course if you have a more aggressive timetable, this may not fit. To keep us motivated, we have a tote board of sorts, keeping track of the "RV Fund" - updated with every sale. Best of luck!!!!
Julie & Ray
Diana and Jim said
07:21 PM Apr 24, 2016
Yes, Jo and Craig are correct. We also had a realtor put a deadline on us....show it before Labor Day. We did, and it paid off. Just remember, you will feel a huge burden off your shoulders soon! :)
rodeojoe said
09:30 AM Apr 25, 2016
Try to set aside a few hours a week where you can both work on it together. Play some music, visit, and make it fun. Have a system in place too so things get done. Sort what you want to keep, what is getting tossed out, and what you can donate for others to use. Work on one room at a time so you don't have bits and pieces done here and there. I realize you both work and you are both tired so if you can perhaps get a day or two off work at the same time that can be used for the process that would help. Then you are doing that instead of work hours instead of on top of it. Focus on what you have gotten done, not what you still need to do!
Willandjean said
06:13 PM Apr 25, 2016
Jo and Craig, You are right; one day at a time, and keep your eye on the prize!
PrairieRV, Good advice to approach it with a positive list instead of negative!
Julie and Ray, Also a great idea to try selling stuff on Ebay. Even though we have donated a lot of items already, our house is still full to the brim!
Diana and Jim, Love your idea of having a deadline with the realtor!
And rodeojoe, This evening we did exactly as you suggested: put on some music and worked together!
Thank you all so much for your encouragement; it's just what we needed at just the right time!
jrzygrl64 said
07:45 PM Apr 25, 2016
One day at a time is good advice - as is keeping your eye on the prize! One closet, room , whatever works. You will get it done - we all did or will if full-timing is the goal!
Another thought I had though was this: take some time for each other - have a date night - talk about something else - just every once in a while. It can be a wonderful way to remind yourselves of why you are doing what you are doing - which I assume is (at least in part) to have more time together! Speaking for Bill and I - if we didn't do that sometimes - things could become tense in our house! Kind of like when your kids are little and you rarely get a moment to be a couple. Best advice I ever got was to have date nights - I found it applied during the purge stage also!
Just my $.02
Hdrider said
08:32 AM Apr 26, 2016
It takes time and it can be emotionally draining if you let it be. I always say it's part of the journey and will be something you look back on. And hey, if you don't get it all done before it's time to hit the road there is always storage. It may not be the ultimate answer but you can go back to storage in the future and get rid of more stuff anytime in the future.
In our case we wanted to make sure we liked the life style before we got rid of EVERYTHING so we actually had 2 storage units for the first a8 months we were on the road, then went back and sold a bunch of stuff and shrunk it down to one. Maybe not a perfect world but if it works for you who cares.
Willandjean said
04:39 PM Apr 26, 2016
Bill and Kelly, Good suggestion to take time for some date nights and get refreshed & recharged! And then get back at it one day at a time.
Dave & Diane, We probably will put some stuff in storage and pare it down over time as you all did. Hopefully we won't just throw junk from the closets into totes and then be paying to store totes full of junk LOL!
We have made some progress over the last few days, woo-hoo!
Thanks so much for sharing great ideas with us!
Camper Chronicles said
08:48 AM Apr 28, 2016
Looking back it was brutal so know that you are not exaggerating!! We brought our kids in and had them tell us what they wanted which helped a lot. Once that was done, it was easier to let things go. Also, as others have said you can get a storage area to help ease the pain. We have a small one and I don't regret it at all. Only so much you can deal with at once and holding onto a few small things really helped me.
Trace
Willandjean said
07:52 AM Apr 30, 2016
Lee and Trace, You're right, it is brutal! We feel good with every box of stuff that we get rid of, but have a long way to go.
It is hard to let go of stuff, but we can't wait til the day comes that we are able to hit the road!
But it is good to hear that you & others do have things in storage and don't regret it!
Thanks!!
Dan and Ruth said
06:46 AM May 5, 2016
Will and Jean,
We are in the purging process as well and it is overwhelming to say the least. What helps keep us motivated is watching uTube Vlogs of those have completed prepping and on the road. The payoff will be most excellent.
We've decided to try selling what we can, donate what isn't worth selling and when we're close to the end, anything left we'll just give away if it won't go into the RV. While I don't like it, I'm afraid we'll end up with a storage unit in the end, too.
Yup, like Trace commented, this is BRUTAL!!!
-- Edited by Dan and Ruth on Thursday 5th of May 2016 06:47:16 AM
-- Edited by Dan and Ruth on Thursday 5th of May 2016 06:48:44 AM
Sunshine Cindy said
06:29 AM Apr 3, 2017
Boy, you aren't a kidding about having more than you thought! I will also work on the one room at a time. We are putting things that will be sold in storage and once the house is sold will bring it back in for an estate sale. Trying to declutter a small house so it looks bigger! Only 10 yrs in this house but sure did accumulate stuff! I have comfort that there are others going through the same thing and this is "normal" for all of us doing this! Will be so glad when it is done!!
mycroft8 said
07:27 PM Jul 5, 2017
I'm in this stage currently; deciding on what to get rid of, how to get rid of it, and what to keep. The goal is to be finished by the end of October.
I've got some family and personal history items that will be stored. Then I've got my library; which is large. (Over 2500-3000 items). I'm estimating now that the combination would fill up most of a 10x10 storage locker; which would rent for $1500 or so a year. What I'm thinking about now is whether it's worth keeping the books; if I'll never read them again, why pay to keep them... A good portion of the library is a large Sherlock Holmes pastiche collection.
Maybe I should become a used book dealer in retirement.
Dave
Barbaraok said
09:17 PM Jul 5, 2017
Contact your local library, or if you have a college library, give them a call and tell them what you have. We had a huge collection (2 university administrators) and while it was easy with our subject manner books (just gave to the appropriate departments) the other collections (including coffee table) went to the university library. Took the deduction on our income tax which was more than what we could get for used books.
Hi All!
We are working on getting rid of stuff, but we are so tired all the time that it's hard to stay motivated. We both work, plus my mom passed away a few months ago, so now we have all of her stuff to take care of too. We're farming out what we can to our kids (who are scattered across the country) and have made multiple trips to Goodwill, etc.
And since we're not really telling people yet what our plans are (except for our kids and a few close friends), we don't have anybody to be our rah-rah section when we need it.
We're committed to following our dream of full-timing, but how does everyone find the energy to accomplish all the purging, and more purging, and house repairs, etc, while still just dealing with working and daily life?
Any advice, tips or encouragement much appreciated!
Also remember that it is JUST STUFF. Don't get hung up on what is cost, etc. Maybe hire an estate broker to come in and take it all away and sell it. Or just give it all to charity and take the tax write off. Only thing hard for us were books, and the library at the college took them all, problem solved.
I am right there with you.....so much to do, it seems. We paid our earnest money on the 11th and will be driving our new home to it's month-long storage on Sunday. Stressing over all the little things that WILL get done....but that doesn't make it any easier. I won't bore you with all the "omg what are we doing" thoughts
Just know that you're not alone. P.S. The one room at a time tip is a very good one! Ice Cream? That, too! And, a beer!
-- Edited by LandL on Friday 22nd of April 2016 01:18:57 PM
LandL, it's good to know we are not alone in trying to figure everything out! Congrats on your new home! I'll eat ice cream and DH will have a beer!
MarkS, I like your thought of only being attached to seeing the house in the rear view mirror! Also thank you for your service to our country. My late father was also a retired MSgt.
Thanks y'all!
KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE PRIZE! We had only 5 weeks to get rid of a 3300 sf house, plus we had a townhouse to renovate and sell before we left. The townhouse belonged to DHs aunt who we cared for. She lived with us for 2.5 years before her passing. I also worked full time while caring for her. So, I feel your pain. But, you can do it. It's now or never. One day at a time! A word to the wise... start purging early. You have more stuff than you think!
There are some charities that will send a truck to pick things up if you have a lot to donate.
I love Jo & Craig's advice, Keep Your Eye on the Prize!! Although we could have taken the plunge immediately upon making the decision to go full-time, we decided to take our time in getting rid of "stuff" (and become a little more financially secure). We have been selling all our accumulated things on Ebay for about a year now and it is unreal how much $$ it has brought it. You will be amazed - people will be just about anything. There are things that we were just going to give or throw away that brought in $$. If you can, be patient. If you don't have a lot of time or energy, start slow with just a few quality items. Every $50 sale that comes in we say "One more and that's a hundred bucks!". "Ten of those sets of 2 and that's $1,000!!!" If you plan on spending $100K on a rig, that's 1% toward you goal. We have already made a significant dent in our ultimate goal with one year of selling to go. Of course if you have a more aggressive timetable, this may not fit. To keep us motivated, we have a tote board of sorts, keeping track of the "RV Fund" - updated with every sale. Best of luck!!!!
Julie & Ray
PrairieRV, Good advice to approach it with a positive list instead of negative!
Julie and Ray, Also a great idea to try selling stuff on Ebay. Even though we have donated a lot of items already, our house is still full to the brim!
Diana and Jim, Love your idea of having a deadline with the realtor!
And rodeojoe, This evening we did exactly as you suggested: put on some music and worked together!
Thank you all so much for your encouragement; it's just what we needed at just the right time!
Another thought I had though was this: take some time for each other - have a date night - talk about something else - just every once in a while. It can be a wonderful way to remind yourselves of why you are doing what you are doing - which I assume is (at least in part) to have more time together! Speaking for Bill and I - if we didn't do that sometimes - things could become tense in our house! Kind of like when your kids are little and you rarely get a moment to be a couple. Best advice I ever got was to have date nights - I found it applied during the purge stage also!
Just my $.02
In our case we wanted to make sure we liked the life style before we got rid of EVERYTHING so we actually had 2 storage units for the first a8 months we were on the road, then went back and sold a bunch of stuff and shrunk it down to one. Maybe not a perfect world but if it works for you who cares.
Dave & Diane, We probably will put some stuff in storage and pare it down over time as you all did. Hopefully we won't just throw junk from the closets into totes and then be paying to store totes full of junk LOL!
We have made some progress over the last few days, woo-hoo!
Thanks so much for sharing great ideas with us!
Trace
It is hard to let go of stuff, but we can't wait til the day comes that we are able to hit the road!
But it is good to hear that you & others do have things in storage and don't regret it!
Thanks!!
Will and Jean,
We are in the purging process as well and it is overwhelming to say the least. What helps keep us motivated is watching uTube Vlogs of those have completed prepping and on the road. The payoff will be most excellent.
We've decided to try selling what we can, donate what isn't worth selling and when we're close to the end, anything left we'll just give away if it won't go into the RV. While I don't like it, I'm afraid we'll end up with a storage unit in the end, too.
Yup, like Trace commented, this is BRUTAL!!!
-- Edited by Dan and Ruth on Thursday 5th of May 2016 06:47:16 AM
-- Edited by Dan and Ruth on Thursday 5th of May 2016 06:48:44 AM
Boy, you aren't a kidding about having more than you thought! I will also work on the one room at a time. We are putting things that will be sold in storage and once the house is sold will bring it back in for an estate sale. Trying to declutter a small house so it looks bigger! Only 10 yrs in this house but sure did accumulate stuff! I have comfort that there are others going through the same thing and this is "normal" for all of us doing this! Will be so glad when it is done!!
I've got some family and personal history items that will be stored. Then I've got my library; which is large. (Over 2500-3000 items). I'm estimating now that the combination would fill up most of a 10x10 storage locker; which would rent for $1500 or so a year. What I'm thinking about now is whether it's worth keeping the books; if I'll never read them again, why pay to keep them... A good portion of the library is a large Sherlock Holmes pastiche collection.
Maybe I should become a used book dealer in retirement.
Dave