New life on the way!! Starting in July

[Further]

Hello everyone. We are downsizing (actually getting rid of 40 years of stuff) and plan to cut home ownership and stuff responsibility and go on the road in July. Would love to hear from others that are or have done this and their thoughts and hints. We bought a 31 ft. ultra lite and are making changes and adjustments we need to make this our new home. We presently live in Copperopolis CA and plan to start out towards Oregon and then down the coast towards florida in the fall. Yea!!!

[TeresaInCAL]

Hi neighbor! We're not full timers, so can't help on that, but welcome to the forums!

[Wiscampsin]

Welcome and congrats on the upcoming new life style.

[normh915]

Congrats and good luck on your new adventure! I think my wife would have a heart attach if she had to get rid of her 'stuff' after all these years. Her idea of downsizing is cleaning off her desk.

[Further]

I can feel for her!! I was doing really well until I got to the 20+ green and red bins of Christmas "stuff". My son was with me when I opened the first one and started pulling little items out. He looked at me and said "You won't make it if you do that". We then just loaded boxes into truck for goodwill. It was terrible for me but my husband said we could plan a trip back to goodwill to visit my stuff at Christmas. Well at least that part is over. This coming week will be the worst. We are taking most of my mother's and grandmothers' china, crystal, and silver to an auction house in SF. I am not sure how I will ever survive that. I tried so hard to give it to nieces and son. That generation does not want stuff. This has been an amazing journey that has a long way before we start our real journey. Thanks for the input!! BOnnie

[normh915]

You are absolutely right about giving your stuff to the kids. That's part of our problem. We brought so much stuff back from Phyllis' moms & none of our kids wanted anything. However, the grandkids want a lot of the stuff, so there is hope. Problem? We have to store it for them. We feel for you. Lots of memories going off to Goodwill.

[TheFordes]

Just a weekender. But Welcome and welcome to your new life!!!!

[dfskinner]

Redirect

this site has a section labled Fulltiming

I have a friend; he and his wife started their new journey last year and they love it... he's working some to keep himself busy... she's taking it easy.... but the site looks interesting and has lots of info....

Good luck and keep in touch....

PS; I think I'm in that group that doesn't want the stuff my mom and dad collected over the years..... my mom wants me to come to GA and pick-up a bunch of stuff..... don't have the heart to tell her

[normh915]

Yeh, what's sentamental for us, means nothing to our children. But we understand that, just makes it hard on what to do with all this stuff. So we figure we'll just sell some of it & put it towards our gas to travel out west.

[Terier]

Good luck with your new life! It must be a little challenging to downsize but it will be worth the choices later on.

Take care.

[Further]

Love your comments everyone. It is quite a journey! Stuff is stuff!! I have learned so much about the meaning of things in the last few months of downsizing. Life is good!!! I feel so light. This will be the most difficult week coming up. I am taking all the family china, silver, crystal and other things to the auction house. I had such great ideas of what I would do with the money from them. Today I had what Ophra calls an AhHa moment. I decided to try to start a scholarship fund with the money. Anyone have any input as to how to do this from anyone out there??/

[Terier]

You are right about stuff being only stuff. Things don't have memory....people do. I don't know how to start a scholarship fund but depending on the award amount there might be a little bit of red tape but well worth the effort.

It's a great idea to create a scholarship. Have you try doing an Internet search on creating a scholarship?


Giving back to the community is wonderful. One of our high school counselors works with business people to have provide some support to foster students. It might be covering the cost of prom ticket or buying a Yearbook just to name a couple of items.

Good luck!

[normh915]

Good suggestion terier. Contact your local high school. A senior going off to college will appreciate all the help they can get.