New to site looking to go full timing in a year or so.

[Zmanstu]

I've been browsing this site contemplating doing the RV thing full time when I get back to TX, trying to decide on size also. I lived in a 26' sailboat and a 34' sailboat in the past and liked it except I couldn't go to new places without a lot of planning and expense. I did like to sail though. Anyway what several of people hear have said rang very true as far as what you can live with and without. I live now in AK on 7 acres with a big house and was happier in the 26' boat. I have to spend the next year getting rid of 9 years of stuff before I make the move. ( I will be reading this blog and asking questions). I look forward to moving out with what I came up with, a pickup with just the bare essentials - can't wait! I'm also looking toward my retirement years ( still some time off ) and looking at the workamping opportunities for the future. Great site!

[moosetags]

Welcome to the Forums. We're glad to have you with us.

[freebird68]

I'm new to this forum and your the first person I get to write an reply to I just wanted to say I completely understand living in a small area. A sail boat that's what I originally thought about buying rather then my 23 ft international. However I love my decision. How fun to sail !!!

[freebird68]

Thanks!!! Nice to meet everyone.

[Zmanstu]

Originally Posted by freebird68

I'm new to this forum and your the first person I get to write an reply to I just wanted to say I completely understand living in a small area. A sail boat that's what I originally thought about buying rather then my 23 ft international. However I love my decision. How fun to sail !!!

Yeh, I thought about going back to a boat but been there, done that (and I still do miss it). I really want to be able to pick up and go. Living in AK for the last nine years I really miss traveling to other States at the drop of a hat. I'm getting cabin fever in a way, and feel weighed down with too many possessions. Started clearing things as soon as it was warm enough to pile things outside the more I get rid of the better I feel. Seeing a Realtor next week to see what my place needs to sell it. Can't happen soon enough! Thanks for the encouragement.

[Zmanstu]

By the way your airstream is the one (23' international) I am planning on looking at when the time comes.

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by Zmanstu

Yeh, I thought about going back to a boat but been there, done that (and I still do miss it). I really want to be able to pick up and go. Living in AK for the last nine years I really miss traveling to other States at the drop of a hat. I'm getting cabin fever in a way, and feel weighed down with too many possessions. Started clearing things as soon as it was warm enough to pile things outside the more I get rid of the better I feel. Seeing a Realtor next week to see what my place needs to sell it. Can't happen soon enough! Thanks for the encouragement.

Don't forget, one man's trash is another's treasure.

DO consider the Salvation Army, the local woman's shelter, etc., when it comes to the possessions you want to thin out. I threw away years of National Geographics - and as I was hauling them to the steet a woman pulled up and asked if she could take a few. She was an elementary school teacher and wanted them for her classes. I invited her to take all she wanted, and she did.

I had a bunch of classic but slightly dated "banker suits" that I gave to a woman's shelter. A little bit of alteration and several women had their only "interview suit" to looking for work. Ditto kitchen stuff, old furniture, etc.

Happy thinning out, Paula

[Zmanstu]

Salvation Army and my church will get the bulk I don't want to try to sell ( hate having every other yahoo coming to my house for a $20 item). I may talk myself into a garage sale but I hate those too. Not anti social just living alone doesn't lend itself to garage sales; and I'm a guy so..... I even gave my last car to the church cause I didn't want to bother trying to sell my 20 yr old winter-beater. Someone needed it so that's fine. I have enough large ticket items to unload to not worry about the small stuff.

[freebird68]

Yes I definitely understand down sizing. I gave away lots of stuff. tired a garage sale With a friend and the poor thing wanted to buy all my stuff I was selling. I felt bad and ended up giving her most of it one suggestion, nursing homes need clothes. Some of the elderly unfortunately have no family. It's quite sad. Oh and public grade schools need clothing also.

[freebird68]

Oh and my airstream is a 23 ft. International signature. I'm trying to decide whether I should buy solar panels or a generator. Ugh it's difficult because of all the choices.

[oldfulltimer]

We did the full timing route in 1997. Once we decided to try it, we set a goal of two years and started getting rid of 25 years of 'stuff.' I sold my business to my employees and wife took longer leaving her high stress job but we finally hit the road. Decided to try full timing for two years that turned into ten and then only gave it up so we could watch our grandchildren grow up. Now they're in high school and we're getting 'white line fever' or 'hitch itch' again.

We had picked up an eight year old 34 foot Airstream before we went full timing and pulled it with a F-350 crew cab dually and got about 12.5 mpg average for all over North America. That trailer got totaled in a Texas hail storm and we picked up an identical model 1993 Airstream that we still have today but modified for our two person lifestyle.

We stumbled onto a camp host job in Wyoming and did that for five consecutive summers. Full hookup site with a beautiful view and not much to do. Had a ball. Also ended up working two weeks a year doing fan installations at rallies and would make enough in two weeks to pay for our camping for two years. Let's see, work two weeks and get fifty weeks off, hmmmm, not a bad retirement. Workamping can be a lot of fun or it can be the pits depending on the situation, but most situations are wonderful and you can make many good friends.

If you have any specifics about the full timing lifestyle, just ask. BTW, join Escapees. They have a terrific mail forwarding service and the members are serious RV'rs. They're a great source of information and their Escapades are terrific. Check out the Escapees.com website. If you join, just put 37426 in the 'referred by' section.

Good luck,
Dave

[Zmanstu]

Thanks for the advice. Everyone is very helpful and I hope to see a few of you on the road in a while. I work in the oilfield or chem engineering field and hope to be able to take advantage of varying areas that my kind of work can lend itself to. That's how I ended up in AK. But I can attest sometimes you get caught up long term; which isn't bad of course. But this work can be up and down and want to enjoy the down times better.