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Old 08-29-2012, 03:22 PM   #1
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Stone Mountain , Georgia
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How exactly do I pare down from a house to a 25' AS?

Yall,

it is getting down to brass tacks around here and i am panicking.

some practical tips on HOW to pare down my belongings so that i can live in the Riveteer fulltime would be very appreciated.

does anyone remember making this transition themselves?

my plan is/was to first, 'move' into the trailer and then hold a moving sale for everything that didn't make the cut. sounds so simple but i am making NO progress and am running out of time...

i feel stuck. do i have to part with my hard earned camping gear? (esp since i already have a camping trip scheduled in october. and no i won't take the Riveteer camping--i have no Tow vehicle.

i'll be living and working on a horse farm so i need my riding gear: 2 pair boots, saddle,etc. not to mention big rubber boots, outdoor weather clothing....all these things take up a lot of space!

and books! i have pared down my books to what i think is the bare minimum. the remaining books are vip to me... its probably 50lbs of books!

hand tools, motorcycle maintenance items, dog food, gardening tools...i've reconciled giving up my aquarium, b/c i hope to build a custom one later.

to anyone fulltiming now--women please--clothing: how much space do you allow yourself for clothing?

tips, advice, words of wisdom...etc...please...

i am determined and very excited to be doing this....if i could just get there!
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Old 08-29-2012, 03:59 PM   #2
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May need to rent a storage space for things you're just not ready to part with.


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Old 08-29-2012, 04:06 PM   #3
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Sell it or give it away. We even had a house cooling party where everyone was required to leave with something.

It took us a good 6 months to get our possessions from house to Airstream level. There are a few bins stored in my fathers attic, but other than that, the rest of what we own came with us.

Horse gear can fit in the bed of a pickup.

Books.. My wife had a ton, but they are an outdated technology when your fulltiming. We read constantly on our kindles.

If you are really committed to pursuing this lifestyle, you have to give it up (or store it). Hand tools, garden tools, motorcycle tools can all be replaced somewhere down the road.
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Old 08-29-2012, 04:11 PM   #4
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You did not say if you own the property that the airstream will sit on. If that is the case I would buy a storage building the type that you assemble yourself. It would be cheaper than renting and you would have lots of room for things that are hard to part with. CU, Airperson
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Old 08-29-2012, 04:28 PM   #5
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A acquaintance of mine moved into an apartment years ago with three paper grocery sacks containing his worldly possessions. The rest came along in time.

Your approach to things is the first step. The crucial one.

When I moved into this trailer (an interim one) I used the second twin bed area (no mattress) with a plywood cover and placed tool chests, tool boxes, etc, there. It's a work area (this is a problematic trailer). The back of the pickup (with bed topper) carried most of the rest of the bulky items of this type (BBQ grill, hitch, etc.) I'm fighting myself on buying a vacuum cleaner (as the next trailer will not have carpeting).

Much of this stuff on the second bed and in the pickup bed can go -- and will -- by more thorough space utilization of the pickup bed at some point (new trailer), and finishing the DIY portions of ownership. I would say that the "goal" of space utilization is that every thing has it's place and every place has it's thing . . but with space left over (no jammed closets/cabinets, but easily accessed, overall).

The rest -- kitchen, bath & trailer supplies -- go in the usual places. Books have their shelf and clothing was pared to the reasonable: work, off-duty, and a few nice "ensembles" (although men don't usually use this term, it works: warm & cool weather sport coats with trousers, ties, shirts & shoes; stored carefully in garment bags). One now has the opportunity to buy less, but better quality, in the future.

Much of what a house contains is disposed with. One does not need or keep Xmas wrapping paper. Or other than one/two gardening tools. Etc.

Storage is expensive over a years time ($1,500?) Look at what might be worth that expense. If none of it is, then buy again at the appropriate time. "Stuff" is not a delineator of success when it comes to full-timing, just the American disease which has a cure. Practicality over fashion. Style is just how one wears it and cares for it so consider the timeless aspect. It is possible that one has not a single thing which is in some way timeless & stylish. Just fashionable (of the moment). And this is not about clothing, per se.

Motorcycles, gun collections all the ya-de-ya of said American disease aren't needed anymore. One is already on a form of vacation already.

I miss doing landscaping & gardening. But today I can change climate, terrain and neighbors with ease should I so choose. I might have one foot in yesterday, but it's important I take time to note how it feels to have one foot in tomorrow as well.

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Old 08-29-2012, 04:29 PM   #6
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thanks yall.

it just seems daunting but i know i can do this.

Yes, i temporarily forgot i will have the bed of the pickup available as well. and, the motorcycle riding gear can all fit in the bike's saddle bags, so that's fine, except the helmet...

books, i'm a fan of our library system; use that for recreational reading. the books i'm saving are resources not readily avail at libraries and i won't be buying a kindle for a while yet.

Airperson, I don't own the property where i'll be parked. but that doesn't exclude the idea of a storage bldng of some sort...although cover for the m/c and a washer/dryer will probably take higher priority...

Timmaah, I love your idea of a house cooling party!

Thanks guys, i'm going to just keep plugging away bit by bit. i do believe 6 mos rather than 3 weeks is probably a more reasonable timeline!

it is the emotional side of parting with STUFF that is wearing me down!
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Old 08-29-2012, 04:39 PM   #7
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Rednax,

if i were to be traveling in my Airstream; my approach and my attitude would be very different.

but i won't be traveling. the AS is being professionally towed to my new 'home'. I don't even own a TV. and i plan to be stationary a minimum of 2 years. (after that, who knows, i probably will travel about.)

so the m/c represents the ability to go, the freedom to travel. i won't give that up.

the AS represents, paradoxically, the opposite of what a travel trailer represents for most on this board, probably. for me, buying The Riveteer is about home ownership and the security that comes with that. I may have to move, but i can take my home with me wherever i go...

so its a strange mix of 'just another move' but into less than 150sq ft!

thanks again, keep the thoughts coming, it's helping!
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Old 08-29-2012, 04:53 PM   #8
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Why don't you start by emptying a small closet. In the closet put everything you use during a week or month. During that week or month dress, prepare meals as you would in the airstream. This will help you establish what room you will need for essentials. Then you will see what room you will have for nonessentials. After that I would pack up my cannot part with items and put them in storage. If after a year you did not miss or need the items call a household auction site and have them sell it for you. We found an auction site years ago by call a retirement facility. We packed everything up they picked it up auctioned everything off and then sent us a check. We were surprised some things brought more then expected but most brought very little. Best of all it was fairly easy and done. I have just found it easier to just give it to someone who would love or need it. Hope that helps all the luck you can do it.
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Old 08-29-2012, 05:34 PM   #9
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If you have a pickup truck with a camper shell/topper, the snap-top plastic totes can be your friends. in one tote, put your Winter shirts, in another put Winter pants. Canned goods and packaged foods like spaghetti can go into another one. If you get paid every two weeks, buy two weeks' worth of groceries, and put the overflow into the tote.
Pare down to clothing that will match or at least not clash. Another tote can hold Winter supplies. When it is time for you to change wardrobes for the changing seasons, simply put the Summer clothes in the totes you took the Winter clothes out of, and put the totes back into the bed of the truck, and lock the topper. We moved from a large three bedroom house into our Airstream, and lived in it for 18 months this way.
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Old 08-29-2012, 06:28 PM   #10
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Overlander,
lol--i already do that in my house! well, for the clothes anyway, not food. i had two of the biggest sized totes full of clothes, am down to one BUT still have a closet full of clothes.

I'm thinking i'll only be able to have one tote for winter clothes. infact, i think that is where i will start.

my toyota tacoma has an A.R.E hard top, which is very nice b/c it is dry and secure, but it doesn't provide as much space as a topper would.

Nevertheless it will provide valuable storage.

i just went and sat in the trailer for an hour, trying to visualize what could/should go where. this unit has the one double bed...

thanks again, you've given me a starting point...
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Old 08-29-2012, 06:43 PM   #11
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With an 8'x8' storage building you could put your m/c in the middle your washer/dryer and some clothes storage on one side and you tools and riding gear on the other side. Sounds like it would work nicely.
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Old 08-29-2012, 07:07 PM   #12
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that sounds great! i can picture it.
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Old 08-30-2012, 03:36 PM   #13
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I vote on a storage building lol. Iv strongly debated moving into my AS. Itd be a whole lot easier for me though because I live in a TINY bedroom in my grandparents house lol. Then begged the question of washing clothes and dressers... I figured Id park the AS on a concrete slab then add on a small building to place my washer, dryer, and clothes and anything else that wont fit lol
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Old 09-01-2012, 06:53 PM   #14
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Hey All,
this conversation is helping! productive day today, a friend came over and helped with various projects; got more molding down, replaced gaskets on 2 of 3 vents. We also replaced the sliding portion of the bed with one piece of plywood, cut to fit and anchored by two loose screws. I don't need the wider bed, but if it wasn't slid out all the way, it slanted toward the wall. now it is flat, still wide enough and it will be quieter (rather than those squeaky aluminum slides.) And, it will always be out of the way.

also sold 3 pieces of furniture. (yay for Craigslist!) so the house is really starting to look like someone is about to move! and this helps keep me plugging at it.

thanks again!
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Old 09-01-2012, 07:17 PM   #15
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Around here, we have portable storage buildings for sale or even rent to own. Check around, you may be able to get one delivered by the people you buy from, already assembled. Now, if you find one, ask them if the delivery person would drop it off at your house, then pick it up a few days later for final delivery. Load the building (securely), and all your stuff will be in it when you get to where you are going.
There are also companies that rent portable deliverable storage buildings, called PODS, where you can do the same thing. If it works, though, I would prefer the loading of your own building, you would only have to touch your stuff once to move it, instead of going from the house to a POD, then to the building.
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Old 03-16-2013, 05:01 PM   #16
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We reduced from 3,000 sf house to 188 sf trailer more than five years ago. Sold furniture and other furnishings via craigslist -- great tool! Some things, not so big but sort of numerous, we didn't want to part with. Generally they need conditioned space to stay in good condition. Couldn't find any relatives with quality space, so we rent a monthly heated/air conditioned storage 5'X7' space.

The space is costing a lot, but the stuff within is dear to us. Some of it is not replaceable. Granted, it could all be stolen or hosed down by fire sprinklers, but we've done the best we can to preserve it. This is important to us, and we don't think a container would have kept our stuff in good condition.
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Old 03-17-2013, 07:12 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SpiritAtBay View Post
some practical tips on HOW to pare down my belongings so that i can live in the Riveteer fulltime would be very appreciated.
Start from the assumption that EVERYTHING gets discarded. Then if you can't find a compelling reason to keep it, away it goes. It's too easy to get attached to things that you really don't need after all. So sever the attachment first.

Quote:
i feel stuck. do i have to part with my hard earned camping gear? (esp since i already have a camping trip scheduled in october. and no i won't take the Riveteer camping--i have no Tow vehicle.
Then don't part with it. Tent camping gear shouldn't fill more than a big backpack anyway. Or if you're car-camping, then it should all fit in the car. Here's a thought; if you don'tr mind accumulating some wear-and-tear on your tent, set up the tent at the farm, and store the rest of the camping gear inside the tent until you need it for your trip.

Quote:
i'll be living and working on a horse farm so i need my riding gear: 2 pair boots, saddle,etc. not to mention big rubber boots, outdoor weather clothing....all these things take up a lot of space!
I'm confused. Won't a horse farm already have some place to store saddles and tack?

Quote:
and books! i have pared down my books to what i think is the bare minimum. the remaining books are vip to me... its probably 50lbs of books!
I understand this one. But if you don't have room for them, donate them to the local public library, and then go visit them when you feel lonely for them. Unless they're rare, out-of-print antiques, of course, or too beaten-up for the library to accept.

Quote:
books, i'm a fan of our library system; use that for recreational reading. the books i'm saving are resources not readily avail at libraries and i won't be buying a kindle for a while yet.
If you donate them, they will be readily available.

Quote:
...although cover for the m/c and a washer/dryer will probably take higher priority...
The horse farm will have a washer and dryer also, won't it? You could ask your employer to include access to the washer and dryer as part of your arrangement to park the Airstream there. Then all you have to store is detergent.

Quote:
it is the emotional side of parting with STUFF that is wearing me down!
Can't help with that. I'm not terribly sentimental to begin with. But Hurricane Katrina taught me that there is nothing at all that's irreplaceable, except for your life, your health, and your memories. Even nice stuff is still just stuff.
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Old 03-17-2013, 07:39 AM   #18
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Protagonist,
Thanks for your response.
I've been living in the Riveteer fulltime for almost 3 mos. I've been living and working on the horse farm for abt 6 mos.
First, I want to say that I love living in my little trailer. I am in fact surprised how much I enjoy it.
2nd, it is still a bit of a juggling act about the stuff. Those plastic bins are indeed my friends or more of "frenemies" (BC they r a pia to access; invaribly the one I need to get into is behind the one in front and beneath another one!) the bins are temp stores in an open front lean-to but eventually I will get a storage bldng and when I do I'll build racks for them so that I can pull out just the one I need.
The fact that I am regularly accessing the bins tells me that I'm using the stuff and so shd make some workable storage solution.
Thanks all who posted; your comments and suggestions really helped when I was under a lot of stress.
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Old 04-22-2013, 10:07 AM   #19
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Originally Posted by slowmover View Post
I might have one foot in yesterday, but it's important I take time to note how it feels to have one foot in tomorrow as well..
Wow....that is beautiful and an inspiration.
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Old 04-22-2013, 11:33 AM   #20
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I did the 3 bedroom to 40' toyhauler move 9 years ago, now working down to my 27' EB.
I'm going with a enclosed cargo trailer for my tools & toys that won't fit. Everything is always ready to roll to a new location, it just costs the fuel for a second trip (when needed).
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