Hi Everyone. Well, after 15 years the RV-Dreams Community Forum is coming to an end. Since it began in August 2005, we've had 58 Million page views, 124,000 posts, and we've spent about $15,000 to keep this valuable resource for RVers free and open. But since we are now off the road and have settled down for the next chapter of our lives, we are taking the Forum down effective June 30, 2021. It has been a tough decision, but it is now time.
We want to thank all of our members for their participation and input over the years, and we want to especially thank those that have acted as Moderators for us during our amazing journey living and traveling in our RV and growing the RV-Dreams Family. We will be forever proud to have been founders of this Forum and to have been supported by such a wonderful community. Thank you all!!
Move everything you like the most, then the rest ,whatever doesn't fit give it away
No really, come to think of it thats not a bad idea
When Cindy packs up for a trip, she loads all the medicine cabinets first ,along with toiletries, then the linens and clothes, followed by(getting me to load) camping supplies,folding chairs,BBQ grill,,etc.... She then loads the pantry up along with any cooking utensils she made need, by this time the refrigerator has cooled down and is ready for stocking.Then when she feels she has everything possible she loads up the puppy's and sits at the table while I do my thing. My job usually consist of tools,heavy items that are stored under the coach,getting the computer loaded and stored and making sure the water has been sanitized and filled partially for over the road use. I have a check list that I follow for routine departures ,tires ,oil etc.
I dont see much different other than personalizing the home on wheels with your pictures and memories.
-- Edited by ken and cindy at 20:14, 2006-09-26
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"HONEY" whats that noise ??? Ken and Cindy---- 08 MONACO CAMELOT 43'
I have 2 words for you......Garage Sale!!!!! My husband and I have been fulltiming now for a year and love it. We had several garage sales and got rid of most of the things that our kids didn't want. We made several thousand dollars.....and took the money and bought new things for our rig when we bought it. Of course we kept keepsake things, but bought new pots, pans, dishes, etc.
Good luck with the transition.....and welcome to fulltiming!!!
In hindsight, I think we would have gotten rid of mostly everything and just bought what was needed when we needed it.
We had two garage sales and an auction for our contents and moved way too much stuff to a storage locker until we could pick up our fifth wheel. When we did and started moving things in to the fifth wheel, we wound up taking loads of stuff to the Salvation Army, there just wasn't enough room!
My only suggestion is don't wait until the last minute. My wife and I started full timing this fall and even though we planned ahead it was pretty hectic taking care of last minute things. Now that we are in our fifth wheel we both realize that we still have more down sizing to do, but at least now we can do it a a more relaxed pace. Good luck to both of you in your travels.-Dick
Dick Nason wrote: My only suggestion is don't wait until the last minute. My wife and I started full timing this fall and even though we planned ahead it was pretty hectic taking care of last minute things. Now that we are in our fifth wheel we both realize that we still have more down sizing to do, but at least now we can do it a a more relaxed pace. Good luck to both of you in your travels.-Dick
This is right on the mark! It is so easy to think you are planning ahead but the time sneaks up on so fast you won't believe it, and ditching stuff at the last minute is a pain. I would suggest that you have everything gone 3 months before you go because you will still find things to get rid of at the last minute or take care of banking or mail issues. Still nothing like fulltime living!
I don't believe that avoiding the last minute hulabaloo of moving into your RV is avoidable. We had planned for our day for 20 years and still had to go through it. I believe it to be like a rite of passage. However there is still a process one can follow that will help.
First, give the stuff your family may want to them. Some coaxing may be necessary there as they will seem to wait until the last minute to actually take the stuff. Of course you will want to take care of your heirlooms if you have them. For the remainder of the stuff you will have 3 criteria, 1- must keep, 2- maybe keep, and 3rd- definite dispose of. Go through all of you stuff sorting it into the 3 catagories above. Then wait 2 weeks and do it again, going through all of the remaining stuff a second time using the same criteria. You will be surprised how your catagorization will have changed. Then wait 2 weeks more and do it a 3rd time. By that time your mind will be conditioned to keep just the stuff you feel you will need.
After the process above you will have a lot of stuff that you can either dispose of via garage sales, auctions or donations. Remember that donations of valuable things are tax deductible. What is left can be loaded as stated by a previous commentor.
Once you have gotten into you RV, you can further reduce the stuff you have by following a very simple rule. If you haven't used it in a year then you don't need it enough to take up the valuable space in your RV. Get rid of it. In you RV you will only have room for what you use and maybe just a little "like to have" stuff.
You will be amazed how liberating this whole process is. Above all take a little time to enjoy the freeing process. When you finally get into it you will find out what I mean. Above all take time to enjoy it and wlecome to the fraternity of full timers!
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Full timing since 1/1/2005 American Tradition & Jeep Wrangler www.howethsjournal.blogspot.com
Simplify, Simplify (make easier) was my DW's favorite word and we did. We gave our Kids what we didn't need to sell. And then sold the House and everything in it. The House sold for the asking price which was above the average selling price in the area. All funiture sold in 9 hrs. Everything that didn't sell was given to Good Will. Thirty five rubbermaid container's are stored at out Son's house in the basement. Durning this process DW's Dad wife gave us some land over looking the Tennessee River, which we developed into a site with Sewer, water and electric for our 5er and a place to build a small house when we are unable to full time. I think you have to remember all things are just stuff, and when you decide to full time your life is totally different. There is no large basement to store stuff you don't use. And since we started full timing we have down sized again and gotten rid of things that were not being used on a regular bases. We fell into buying a lot of things that were nice just because of looks, not necessaryly needed. Now we ask ourselves is this a need or a want. If it's not needed don't buy it. Good Luck. Life is Good. Everyday is a Holiday......GBY.....
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2012 Chevy 3500HD DRW's (SOLD)
Pressure Pro System (SOLD) Trailer Saver TS 3 (SOLD)
Thanks so much for all the information, We have set the date for auction for last weekend in March, getting the grown kids prepared (they all think we are crazy! HA!) and are starting to sort things out. We have three catagories: Things that- must, probable, won't - be sold. Then we hope to go thru it a couple of time and keep adding to each pile. We downsized our home a couple of years ago (when we married) to half the size and got rid of a lot then. Still have a bunch to go, but are COUNTING THE DAYS!!
