Moving on out! We did it! We moved into our travel trailer and are currently staying in Oceano, CA, while we transition and tie up a few last minute things. What a journey this has been, already. Selling, storing or donating belongings has been an eye opener. Figuring out what you need and what you think you need are two separate things, and for now it is done.
So here we are, enjoying our time, organizing the trailer, learning the systems, and working on the groove of our new life. We’re busy going to last minute appointments and getting ready to head up to Northern California to see family. We have sat back and looked at each other in awe at times, shaking our heads in disbelief. This was not the road we initially set off on 1 year ago. We are very happy with the change and for the new challenge. Scared of the unknowns and unforeseen, however willing to work through the bumps in the road. We are ready to roll.
Hold the phone! We can’t roll quite yet. While organizing, we came across items we brought, that were NOT needed, so we had to donate those as well. This started me thinking, I should share what we did to sort through stuff so others could learn from it. If you’re interested in our process, keep reading.
The Process:
We started with the obvious: large furnishings. We considered what could be replaced, and what couldn’t due to sentimental reasons, cost, etc. What that meant to us was: desks, filing cabinets, refrigerators, washer, dryer, and patio furniture was sold or donated. Other large furniture items were stored, except the mattresses; those were taken for recycling. As we sorted through our clothes, we had to decide what was coming with us. This resulted in having large piles to narrow down what we would be taking. We had to keep reminding one another that if we need it on the road, we can get it then.
Next step was books, cd’s, dvd’s; you know, the small stuff. Most of this was easy, if we hadn’t utilized it, we didn’t need to take it with us. Most of it was it sold or donated. Then came the garage: that was a tough one, but we did it. We went through the tool box while keeping in mind what items we may need on the road. Some items were placed into storage, and the rest was sold or donated.
To write it out like this, makes it sound easy, however the process was overwhelming. You want to be prepared for whatever may happen. The problem with this thinking, is that you don’t know what will happen. You want to bring it all, but you can’t. Tools are heavy, and you still need to load the trailer with other necessities such as, food, clothes etc.
Even after going through everything, when moving in to your small space, you realize what’s important and what’s not. You can do exactly what we did after moving in: reanalyze what you really need, donate the rest, and move on.
I am no Marie Kondo , I just wanted to share our experience and method of downsizing/minimalism with you in hopes it may help, if you are stuck.
Adventure On!