After trying for the last 2 Spring/Summer seasons to sell our house, this year we finally have a buyer! Third times a charm! We are 2 weeks from closing the sale and we thought we were getting rid of things for some time.
In this home stretch we realize we didn’t get rid of nearly enough! Downsizing from 5000 sq ft is no easy task. All of our kids did finally swoop in like vultures and take all but 1 sofa, 10 barstools and 1 dresser, and almost all the artwork is still hanging in place as well as tv and stereo equipment. we still have the overwhelming task of basement storage room, garage and master bedroom closet to deal with among random cupboards and closets.
We are currently hosting in a local campground and getting to the house to deal with this is becoming difficult. As much as we didn’t want to put anything in storage I am thinking it may not be avoidable. We are running out of time to deal with it all. Things like pictures, sentimental collectibles and things like that, they are so time consuming to go through! And I can’t make myself just dump them!
We were at the Fall Rally last year and kind of chuckled at the suggestion it will be emotional. We figured we were so ready we would be thrilled to get rid of it all! The first tears were when our dining room set went out the door to the people we sold it to. It was the first thing we bought for the first house we bought.
It’s all I can do to keep my mind on the end result!
Does anyone have any tips or words of encouragement?
Barb and Frank said
02:48 PM Jun 21, 2018
It’s not easy, but you will get through it. We hit the road last October as full timers. We were working on downsizing the house for two years (we were in the house for 27 years). In the end, we didn’t get through everything we wanted to, so we stored our belongings. Luckily, our daughter and her family are renting our house from us, so we were able to store our remaining belongings in our basement. If we didn’t have basement storage, then we would have rented a storage unit.
By the time we were ready to hit the road, we were exhausted and were running on fumes. About two weeks later we started to regain our energy and the realization came that we didn’t have to do anything we didn’t want to do. If we wanted to sit in a lawn chair sipping coffee all morning, we could do it. We were in control.
We love the full time lifestyle and traveled throughout the Southeastern part of the country over the fall and winter months. We went back “home” in the Spring and worked on purging more of our stuff (but not all of our stuff - will do more next year). We are now work-camping in Minnesota for the summer and are thoroughly enjoying it - especially the new friendships that have formed.
Hang in there - the end is in sight!
Barb
RonC said
03:17 PM Jun 21, 2018
Hey guys ... glad to hear the good news (house sold). It is brutal, both physically and emotionally but others have done it and so can you. We still have a small climate controlled storage unit for those things we just could not part with. Now keep in mind that we haven’t even looked in there for two years, but we’re keeping it😂😂. Hope to see you on the road ... are you going to the KZ Rally in August?
-- Edited by RonC on Thursday 21st of June 2018 03:25:30 PM
Terry and Jo said
03:34 PM Jun 21, 2018
Our philosophy was, "It's just stuff." After family got what they wanted and the garage sales were done, most everything else got donated. Don't miss any of it.
Terry
Rickl said
07:37 PM Jun 21, 2018
I agree with Terry in that it is just stuff. I really thought my wife would want to retain things but in the end we jettisoned everything we didn’t need or could fit into our new home. I didn’t want to spend anything on storage but in the end had to for 3 months as the timing was as such I couldn’t (actually didn’t want to) sell my motorcycle. When we came back to Tulsa at the end of April I sold the bike and no longer paying storage fees.
Julie and Ray said
09:00 AM Jun 22, 2018
I think this is a very individual situation. It is so dependent on how sentimental you are and how attached you are to your "stuff". Our story follows Barb & Frank's very closely. We also went full time in October, prepared for the switch for two years, and sold the house we were in for 29 years. Throughout the two years prep, we thought very much like Terry & Jo - "it's just stuff". We were already minimalists in the house, so we didn't have a million nick-knacks and room after room packed with furniture to deal with. It still was a lot though. The toughest items for us were the family heirlooms. Since they would go to the next generation once we were gone, why not pass them along now? That's exactly what we did and everyone who got items were appreciative. With everything else, we took digital photos and scanned printed photos/documents. No bulky albums, just neatly arranged subdirectories on our laptops (and backed up on several other devices in several locations). For us, it's liberating not having a bunch of stuff.
If you just can't get rid of certain things, get a storage unit. So many full timers do. It'll cost you $$ every month, but you won't have regrets. After a couple years of them just sitting there, you might feel differently about those items and want to get rid of them at that time. Maybe not. It's your choice based on your personal feelings. Who knows, maybe you'll feel differently about full timing and want to go back to a house. In that case you'll have your stored stuff. Our solution may not be right for your situation or it may be perfect. Bottom line, as with "how to full time", it's what's right for YOU!!!
LarryW21 said
09:07 PM Jun 22, 2018
What a great adventure!
arcaguy said
11:04 AM Jun 23, 2018
As most folks here know by now I'm not a full timer - yet. I did however have to move my mom and my step-dad from a home they had for over 10 years to a 700 sq. ft apartment. Needless to say not everything could go to the apartment. Since your children have already taken what they want you might ask other relatives if there is anything they particularly want. You've already had the garage sale but maybe a big blowout in the house garage sale might be the answer. My wife and I are starting the garage sales right now although we are 2 years down the road from going full time. We've been working on the mental aspect of this for a couple of years and I know it's not easy. However I have stuff in the attic of this house I haven't seen since we moved in here over 10 years ago. Am I really going to miss it? I don't know how I can because I don't even know I have it any more. Just my thoughts.
Terry and Jo said
04:19 PM Jun 23, 2018
Following up on arcaguy's comment.
His attic reference was very parallel with my garage/tools experience. When the idea of full-timing came up, I went out into the garage (3 car garage with only room for one vehicle) and started looking at all the stuff that I had. I'd look at something and think, "I haven't touched that thing since we moved it here (3 years)" or "I haven't used that thing in over a year and a half." It was something of a wake-up call that even though I had a tool/device for so many "possible" needs, I really didn't have the needs.
So, when garage sale time came (the whole neighborhood had one on a set day), if a guy hesitated on buying something, I'd maybe throw something else into the mix, kind of how they do at some auctions. Then, when the time came to close on the house and move out, our new buyers were given the Craftsman lawn tractor and a bunch of left over tools for house and yard maintenance.
Terry
PrairieRV said
08:00 AM Jun 24, 2018
Terry & Jo, that's a great idea - to bless your home-buyer with some of the tools they'll certainly need. That's especially a blessing for first-time buyers.
Like Arcaguy, I'm also not full-time yet, but I recently had an auction of furniture and household items, I knew I wouldn't need. But I kept some things, like blankets, towels, and sentimental things. Then it turns out the MH I bought is equipped with linens, dishes, etc. I know I'll have to have a garage sale to further lighten the load.
It's funny, though. I had a career and moved around, and then married and moved a couple times, then divorced and moved a few times. Each time I'd get rid of things and think I had really gotten to the minimum. But I'm still not there yet! I wonder if it will ever really end.
Terry and Jo said
06:55 PM Jun 24, 2018
No, Patti. I don't think it EVER ends. I really need to take a bit of time to move things out of the basement and other storage places and get rid of stuff that hasn't been used, almost since we started living in our fifth wheel, and that has been for the last 7 years.
Now would really be the best time to do that as we are fixing to leave Utah after being here for 9 months. Our youngest son is going to have to have a couple of surgeries to repair some broken ribs that aren't "knitting" together, so since he isn't married and has a "live-in" nurse, we'll go back to help him out. Time will tell as to whether we get back to Kanab, Utah again. I hope so, as there is a lot of things here yet to see and photograph.
Terry
Lets get moving said
05:32 AM Jun 25, 2018
Our community has an annual community wide yard sale on July 4th. It’s always been nuisance to us because you literally can’t get out of the neighborhood until late in the day because of all the cars. Some years it’s been, if you can’t beat ‘em join ‘em kind of thing. So we’d throw out a few things and make a few bucks.
Our settlement date is the 6th. Kinda close for comfort until last night when we went to the house there was a door hanger from Goodwill. They will pick up literally anything not sold after 4 on the 4th if it is simply left out! So we figure we will just have people walk through the house and make us offers on whatever they want. That will work for us! We will just have to make sure all trash is taken to the dump on the 3rd and we should be good! Fortunately Rex had taken the week off as a vacation week before we even knew the house would settle that week.
In the meantime, over the next several days we will bring anything we can’t part with to the campsite and if it doesn’t fit we have until July 31 to dump, or take it to storage.
And Ron, we won’t be making the K-Z Rally this year. We are hosting at another local campground when we leave the one we’re in. We will definitely be bumping in to you some time though!
RonC said
10:36 AM Jun 28, 2018
Best of luck in your new adventures. We are currently in Plymouth, MA to to see the Plymouth Rock and to tour Boston. On our way to Canada, then on to the KZ rally in Shipshewana, IN. We're doing 8 months on the road before we head back to Texas for the winter. Stay in touch. BTW, the KZ rally is smaller than the RV Dreams rally. More social than training and the service we get from the factory is the best I've ever gotten from anybody on anything. We go there annually for our service needs, which are minimal so far, and then to morRyde for our annual undercarriage maintenance. Seems that many full timers put a factory visit on their annual "to do" list ... which usually coincides with a rally. Stay safe.
-- Edited by RonC on Thursday 28th of June 2018 10:42:33 AM
Lets get moving said
03:20 PM Jul 7, 2018
Well just to let you all know, we did it! The community yard sale was crazy successful and Goodwill picked up early the next morning, most of what was left. We called College Hunks Hauling Junk to remove almost all of the rest, took a couple loads to the dump, all the neighbors blessed us by bringing over their yard gloves, and vacuums and mops and helped pull it together in the final 18 hours before escrow settlement! We brought a couple truck bed loads to sort through and prioritize over the next few weeks while we are Campground Hosting and the proceeds from the house are in the bank! We are so exhausted but so happy! No more mortgage, utility bills, weed pulling or mowing! No more winterizing and paying storage on the rig! Oh, and no storage for “stuff”! We have a bottle of champagne to celebrate with but state park has no alcohol rule so we will hold on to it for another location! We have a rough sketch of where we think we want to be over the next year but the only thing set in stone is we won’t be where it’s freezing in winter! And we will check in to attending the KZ next year Ron!
-- Edited by Lets get moving on Saturday 7th of July 2018 03:21:52 PM
Barb and Frank said
05:51 PM Jul 7, 2018
Congratulations - you got through it! I know the feelings - exhaustion, relief, excitement and happiness. Now you can slow down and enjoy your new lifestyle.
Barb
Sushidog said
06:05 PM Jul 7, 2018
I'm in the middle of "the purge" myself, so your posts give me encouragement.
I just sold my Aliner! Yay! Though looking back it's like I just burned my old ship so I can now travel in my new vessel.
I've done the cheap handling fix on Serenity (our name for our MH, after the Firefly series space vessel) and replaced the rear sway bar bushings (which had completely melted out of the sockets). I'm also doing more minor maintenance and repairs. I'll be replacing the fridge vent on the roof and the bubble skylight over the tub as soon as the parts come in.
I got the fantastic fan, generator, slide, step, etc. all maintained and working properly. I removed the bugs and cobwebs from the rear camera and roof vents and plan on pulling the sofa bed out Monday to be replaced with a couple recliners. I think I'll list it on letgo for $100 and see what happens. Next I will be installing my 55" TV by the entrance door on a sliding mount, sound bar, etc. I just bought a big roll of Reflectix today for a windshield cover and to make some tire covers out of.
Woow, more work than I thought, but glad I bought it early and started on it when I did, to have any hope of finishing up everything by the first of the year. I guess I'll put most of my tools up for sale too. That will be a heartbreaker, selling them for pennies on the dollar. Maybe I'll just give them away to my neighbors and get some good Karma in the process. Even more of a heartbreak will be selling the 18th century violin my dad played on the radio when he was young. It has far more sentimental than monetary value, but everything has to go, period. Even harder will be to part with my dad's memorial flag (he was a WW-II vet). I'm a vet too, so it has special meaning.
My next project will be fixing up my little mini-bikes (2 Chinese 125cc, CT70 clones.) I got what I was asking for my Aliner, but I'll surely take a beating on these barely used motorbikes (under 100 miles on one and less than 50 on the other) as they have been sitting under my back porch and have rusted badly due to the wet Louisiana climate. Oh well, it's my fault, as I knew it was happening, just didn't have the time or the inclination to sell them till now. I guess I have to be more willing to let go of the past for the life I want in the future. I think that's a good lesson for us all. It's an expensive (valuable?) one for me to learn now.
"We all must get rid of the life we have to have the life we want."
Chip
jrzygrl64 said
01:10 AM Jul 8, 2018
We have been full-time almost 4 years and I remember being emotional when purging the house. We kept a sea/land container with stuff for our “plan b”, but lots of stuff had to go. I felt like some of the stuff represented that part of our lives, the first 29 years of marriage. It was hard. I took pics of a lot of it, like kids artwork and such that I knew wouldn’t keep well in storage.
If it makes it easier to get a storage unit for awhile then do it, give yourself time to not rush - it’s ok.
When you are ready to let go - you will - and if you want to keep stuff - then keep it.
PrairieRV said
05:57 AM Jul 8, 2018
Rex & Bonnie, congrats on accomplishing all of that. I'll bet you feel about 1,000 pounds lighter!
Chip (Sushidog), I love the name you gave your motorhome. Besides being a Firefly fan, calling your MH "Serenity" represents the state you aspire to when you make your big move. About your Dad's violin and memorial flag - are there other relatives that would hold on to them for you?
Danny and Cheryl said
09:14 AM Jul 8, 2018
I wouldn't get rid of everything, I have some friends who did that and have been full timing for a little over a Year. two weeks ago they bought a new house after fining out that the RV Life wasn't what they thought it would be.
bjoyce said
09:18 AM Jul 9, 2018
Danny and Cheryl wrote:
I wouldn't get rid of everything, I have some friends who did that and have been full timing for a little over a Year. two weeks ago they bought a new house after fining out that the RV Life wasn't what they thought it would be.
Must not have been RV-Dreamers. I find that many who do not want to get an education beforehand are the most surprised by what fulltiming is really like.
Lets get moving said
02:08 PM Jul 9, 2018
bjoyce wrote:
Danny and Cheryl wrote:
I wouldn't get rid of everything, I have some friends who did that and have been full timing for a little over a Year. two weeks ago they bought a new house after fining out that the RV Life wasn't what they thought it would be.
Must not have been RV-Dreamers. I find that many who do not want to get an education beforehand are the most surprised by what fulltiming is really like.
I definitely don’t see us not liking this Lifestyle. and too late on the don’t get rid of it plan. 98% is gone! Of the 2% that is left, I’m thinking another half of that is going to go! Too much stuff got brought to the RV when we have already been in it almost 4 months and had pretty much all we needed! I’m sitting in a mess of late arrival stuff and about to throw up my hands and say trash it all! I’m feeling much to constricted by all of the clutter and simplicity is one of the main draws for us! Today is the first day I have been working on trying to make it all fit and its Making me feel prisoner to the stuff! I’m really thinking, out it is going!
Clay L said
09:45 AM Jul 10, 2018
We sold a lot of stuff, gave a lot to our kids and places like the Salvation Army.
We did not follow the advice of many about getting rid of everything and put quite a bit in storage (10 by 30 storage unit).
After 11 years of full timing we bought a house in western CO and had all of our stuff moved here from NH. We had sold all of the big appliances and most of the soft furniture but still had a lot of stuff.
I am sure glad we did not follow the conventional advice and get rid of all of it.
We have spent about $15,000 buying what we need for the house - stuff that we sold for maybe 10 percent of what it cost back then.
If we had to replace what we had stored - like guns, complete woodworking shop, my wifes equipment for building miniatures, her genealogy research records and small appliances, desks and office equipment, and my electronic gear, it would have cost a lot more than what we spent for storage.
Some things like heirlooms that came from as far back as our great grand parents could not be replaced at any cost.
As an aside, while full timing we so loved the freedom from yard work that we have zeriscaped our grounds to eliminate yard work as much as possible. It has certainly minimized it to a point where it can be handled even if we become limited by health issues.
That is common in western CO so it isn't out of place. The house has vinyl siding so it is a very low maintenance item.
We have also put in two RV sites with hookups for RV friends that visit.
Sushidog said
03:51 PM Jul 10, 2018
I guess if you have any inclination of going back to a stick and brick lifestyle (and can afford to) it might be worth paying storage fees for all those years if you have a ton of expensive stuff. But if you are paying $100 a month for a storage unit, that's $1,200 a year or $12,000 over 10 years. Add to that the money you would get from the sale of your stuff and the time value of money (interest), and you could easily exceed the $15,000 you might spend to replace your household furniture with new stuff. Less if you were the one paying pennies on the dollar shopping at garage sales to refurnish your new home. Besides, your tastes may change over the years. If I had rare and valuable antiques I'd auction them off and bank the money, as it costs much less to store money than furniture. I'll probably give my dad's flag and violin to my son, though what he does with them after I'm gone is his business. After I'm dead they will be worth nothing to me.
In short it is an individual choice of whatever feels right to you based on your future plans. Though either choice may prove to be sub-optimal down the road, as who can predict the future?
For us the choice is simple. It's a one way trip as we could never afford to do anything else. We will live in our motorhome till we die (if we are lucky and don't have to live under a bridge, in a tent city or end up in prison. I believe it's better to live each day to the fullest, enjoying this day of life as much as we can (I envy my dog's talent in this regard) as no one is guaranteed a tomorrow.
After trying for the last 2 Spring/Summer seasons to sell our house, this year we finally have a buyer! Third times a charm! We are 2 weeks from closing the sale and we thought we were getting rid of things for some time.
In this home stretch we realize we didn’t get rid of nearly enough! Downsizing from 5000 sq ft is no easy task. All of our kids did finally swoop in like vultures and take all but 1 sofa, 10 barstools and 1 dresser, and almost all the artwork is still hanging in place as well as tv and stereo equipment. we still have the overwhelming task of basement storage room, garage and master bedroom closet to deal with among random cupboards and closets.
We are currently hosting in a local campground and getting to the house to deal with this is becoming difficult. As much as we didn’t want to put anything in storage I am thinking it may not be avoidable. We are running out of time to deal with it all. Things like pictures, sentimental collectibles and things like that, they are so time consuming to go through! And I can’t make myself just dump them!
We were at the Fall Rally last year and kind of chuckled at the suggestion it will be emotional. We figured we were so ready we would be thrilled to get rid of it all! The first tears were when our dining room set went out the door to the people we sold it to. It was the first thing we bought for the first house we bought.
It’s all I can do to keep my mind on the end result!
Does anyone have any tips or words of encouragement?
It’s not easy, but you will get through it. We hit the road last October as full timers. We were working on downsizing the house for two years (we were in the house for 27 years). In the end, we didn’t get through everything we wanted to, so we stored our belongings. Luckily, our daughter and her family are renting our house from us, so we were able to store our remaining belongings in our basement. If we didn’t have basement storage, then we would have rented a storage unit.
By the time we were ready to hit the road, we were exhausted and were running on fumes. About two weeks later we started to regain our energy and the realization came that we didn’t have to do anything we didn’t want to do. If we wanted to sit in a lawn chair sipping coffee all morning, we could do it. We were in control.
We love the full time lifestyle and traveled throughout the Southeastern part of the country over the fall and winter months. We went back “home” in the Spring and worked on purging more of our stuff (but not all of our stuff - will do more next year). We are now work-camping in Minnesota for the summer and are thoroughly enjoying it - especially the new friendships that have formed.
Hang in there - the end is in sight!
Barb
Hey guys ... glad to hear the good news (house sold). It is brutal, both physically and emotionally but others have done it and so can you. We still have a small climate controlled storage unit for those things we just could not part with. Now keep in mind that we haven’t even looked in there for two years, but we’re keeping it😂😂. Hope to see you on the road ... are you going to the KZ Rally in August?
-- Edited by RonC on Thursday 21st of June 2018 03:25:30 PM
Our philosophy was, "It's just stuff." After family got what they wanted and the garage sales were done, most everything else got donated. Don't miss any of it.
Terry
If you just can't get rid of certain things, get a storage unit. So many full timers do. It'll cost you $$ every month, but you won't have regrets. After a couple years of them just sitting there, you might feel differently about those items and want to get rid of them at that time. Maybe not. It's your choice based on your personal feelings. Who knows, maybe you'll feel differently about full timing and want to go back to a house. In that case you'll have your stored stuff. Our solution may not be right for your situation or it may be perfect. Bottom line, as with "how to full time", it's what's right for YOU!!!
Following up on arcaguy's comment.
His attic reference was very parallel with my garage/tools experience. When the idea of full-timing came up, I went out into the garage (3 car garage with only room for one vehicle) and started looking at all the stuff that I had. I'd look at something and think, "I haven't touched that thing since we moved it here (3 years)" or "I haven't used that thing in over a year and a half." It was something of a wake-up call that even though I had a tool/device for so many "possible" needs, I really didn't have the needs.
So, when garage sale time came (the whole neighborhood had one on a set day), if a guy hesitated on buying something, I'd maybe throw something else into the mix, kind of how they do at some auctions. Then, when the time came to close on the house and move out, our new buyers were given the Craftsman lawn tractor and a bunch of left over tools for house and yard maintenance.
Terry
Like Arcaguy, I'm also not full-time yet, but I recently had an auction of furniture and household items, I knew I wouldn't need. But I kept some things, like blankets, towels, and sentimental things. Then it turns out the MH I bought is equipped with linens, dishes, etc. I know I'll have to have a garage sale to further lighten the load.
It's funny, though. I had a career and moved around, and then married and moved a couple times, then divorced and moved a few times. Each time I'd get rid of things and think I had really gotten to the minimum. But I'm still not there yet! I wonder if it will ever really end.
No, Patti. I don't think it EVER ends. I really need to take a bit of time to move things out of the basement and other storage places and get rid of stuff that hasn't been used, almost since we started living in our fifth wheel, and that has been for the last 7 years.
Now would really be the best time to do that as we are fixing to leave Utah after being here for 9 months. Our youngest son is going to have to have a couple of surgeries to repair some broken ribs that aren't "knitting" together, so since he isn't married and has a "live-in" nurse, we'll go back to help him out. Time will tell as to whether we get back to Kanab, Utah again. I hope so, as there is a lot of things here yet to see and photograph.
Terry
Our settlement date is the 6th. Kinda close for comfort until last night when we went to the house there was a door hanger from Goodwill. They will pick up literally anything not sold after 4 on the 4th if it is simply left out! So we figure we will just have people walk through the house and make us offers on whatever they want. That will work for us! We will just have to make sure all trash is taken to the dump on the 3rd and we should be good! Fortunately Rex had taken the week off as a vacation week before we even knew the house would settle that week.
In the meantime, over the next several days we will bring anything we can’t part with to the campsite and if it doesn’t fit we have until July 31 to dump, or take it to storage.
And Ron, we won’t be making the K-Z Rally this year. We are hosting at another local campground when we leave the one we’re in. We will definitely be bumping in to you some time though!
Best of luck in your new adventures. We are currently in Plymouth, MA to to see the Plymouth Rock and to tour Boston. On our way to Canada, then on to the KZ rally in Shipshewana, IN. We're doing 8 months on the road before we head back to Texas for the winter. Stay in touch. BTW, the KZ rally is smaller than the RV Dreams rally. More social than training and the service we get from the factory is the best I've ever gotten from anybody on anything. We go there annually for our service needs, which are minimal so far, and then to morRyde for our annual undercarriage maintenance. Seems that many full timers put a factory visit on their annual "to do" list ... which usually coincides with a rally. Stay safe.
-- Edited by RonC on Thursday 28th of June 2018 10:42:33 AM
Well just to let you all know, we did it! The community yard sale was crazy successful and Goodwill picked up early the next morning, most of what was left. We called College Hunks Hauling Junk to remove almost all of the rest, took a couple loads to the dump, all the neighbors blessed us by bringing over their yard gloves, and vacuums and mops and helped pull it together in the final 18 hours before escrow settlement!
We brought a couple truck bed loads to sort through and prioritize over the next few weeks while we are Campground Hosting and the proceeds from the house are in the bank! We are so exhausted but so happy! No more mortgage, utility bills, weed pulling or mowing! No more winterizing and paying storage on the rig! Oh, and no storage for “stuff”!
We have a bottle of champagne to celebrate with but state park has no alcohol rule so we will hold on to it for another location!
We have a rough sketch of where we think we want to be over the next year but the only thing set in stone is we won’t be where it’s freezing in winter!
And we will check in to attending the KZ next year Ron!
-- Edited by Lets get moving on Saturday 7th of July 2018 03:21:52 PM
Congratulations - you got through it! I know the feelings - exhaustion, relief, excitement and happiness. Now you can slow down and enjoy your new lifestyle.
Barb
I'm in the middle of "the purge" myself, so your posts give me encouragement.
I just sold my Aliner! Yay! Though looking back it's like I just burned my old ship so I can now travel in my new vessel.
I've done the cheap handling fix on Serenity (our name for our MH, after the Firefly series space vessel) and replaced the rear sway bar bushings (which had completely melted out of the sockets). I'm also doing more minor maintenance and repairs. I'll be replacing the fridge vent on the roof and the bubble skylight over the tub as soon as the parts come in.
I got the fantastic fan, generator, slide, step, etc. all maintained and working properly. I removed the bugs and cobwebs from the rear camera and roof vents and plan on pulling the sofa bed out Monday to be replaced with a couple recliners. I think I'll list it on letgo for $100 and see what happens. Next I will be installing my 55" TV by the entrance door on a sliding mount, sound bar, etc. I just bought a big roll of Reflectix today for a windshield cover and to make some tire covers out of.
Woow, more work than I thought, but glad I bought it early and started on it when I did, to have any hope of finishing up everything by the first of the year. I guess I'll put most of my tools up for sale too. That will be a heartbreaker, selling them for pennies on the dollar. Maybe I'll just give them away to my neighbors and get some good Karma in the process. Even more of a heartbreak will be selling the 18th century violin my dad played on the radio when he was young. It has far more sentimental than monetary value, but everything has to go, period. Even harder will be to part with my dad's memorial flag (he was a WW-II vet). I'm a vet too, so it has special meaning.
My next project will be fixing up my little mini-bikes (2 Chinese 125cc, CT70 clones.) I got what I was asking for my Aliner, but I'll surely take a beating on these barely used motorbikes (under 100 miles on one and less than 50 on the other) as they have been sitting under my back porch and have rusted badly due to the wet Louisiana climate. Oh well, it's my fault, as I knew it was happening, just didn't have the time or the inclination to sell them till now. I guess I have to be more willing to let go of the past for the life I want in the future. I think that's a good lesson for us all. It's an expensive (valuable?) one for me to learn now.
"We all must get rid of the life we have to have the life we want."
Chip
If it makes it easier to get a storage unit for awhile then do it, give yourself time to not rush - it’s ok.
When you are ready to let go - you will - and if you want to keep stuff - then keep it.
Chip (Sushidog), I love the name you gave your motorhome. Besides being a Firefly fan, calling your MH "Serenity" represents the state you aspire to when you make your big move. About your Dad's violin and memorial flag - are there other relatives that would hold on to them for you?
Must not have been RV-Dreamers. I find that many who do not want to get an education beforehand are the most surprised by what fulltiming is really like.
I definitely don’t see us not liking this Lifestyle. and too late on the don’t get rid of it plan. 98% is gone! Of the 2% that is left, I’m thinking another half of that is going to go! Too much stuff got brought to the RV when we have already been in it almost 4 months and had pretty much all we needed! I’m sitting in a mess of late arrival stuff and about to throw up my hands and say trash it all! I’m feeling much to constricted by all of the clutter and simplicity is one of the main draws for us! Today is the first day I have been working on trying to make it all fit and its Making me feel prisoner to the stuff! I’m really thinking, out it is going!
We did not follow the advice of many about getting rid of everything and put quite a bit in storage (10 by 30 storage unit).
After 11 years of full timing we bought a house in western CO and had all of our stuff moved here from NH. We had sold all of the big appliances and most of the soft furniture but still had a lot of stuff.
I am sure glad we did not follow the conventional advice and get rid of all of it.
We have spent about $15,000 buying what we need for the house - stuff that we sold for maybe 10 percent of what it cost back then.
If we had to replace what we had stored - like guns, complete woodworking shop, my wifes equipment for building miniatures, her genealogy research records and small appliances, desks and office equipment, and my electronic gear, it would have cost a lot more than what we spent for storage.
Some things like heirlooms that came from as far back as our great grand parents could not be replaced at any cost.
As an aside, while full timing we so loved the freedom from yard work that we have zeriscaped our grounds to eliminate yard work as much as possible. It has certainly minimized it to a point where it can be handled even if we become limited by health issues.
That is common in western CO so it isn't out of place. The house has vinyl siding so it is a very low maintenance item.
We have also put in two RV sites with hookups for RV friends that visit.
In short it is an individual choice of whatever feels right to you based on your future plans. Though either choice may prove to be sub-optimal down the road, as who can predict the future?
For us the choice is simple. It's a one way trip as we could never afford to do anything else. We will live in our motorhome till we die (if we are lucky and don't have to live under a bridge, in a tent city or end up in prison. I believe it's better to live each day to the fullest, enjoying this day of life as much as we can (I envy my dog's talent in this regard) as no one is guaranteed a tomorrow.
Chip