...it's getting real

[SnooMc]

So. We've come to an agreement with an Airstream dealer (not in our state, but close) and are working out the details. We know which TV we're getting and are working out the details. We have decided on America's Mailbox/South Dakota and have started filling out the paperwork. We have decided on a date to put the house on the market. The finances are in order. The Purge of Possessions is ongoing (I am good at it; it'll get done.) The parents are coming to terms with the idea that we won't be 15 minutes away anymore.

I may be freaking out just a little. The husband may be a little grumpy.

We can do this thing, right? Tell me we can do this...! (Tell me what I'm forgetting - I know there is something!)
Wahhhhh
Ranee

[turk123]

Originally Posted by SnooMc

So. We've come to an agreement with an Airstream dealer (not in our state, but close) and are working out the details. We know which TV we're getting and are working out the details. We have decided on America's Mailbox/South Dakota and have started filling out the paperwork. We have decided on a date to put the house on the market. The finances are in order. The Purge of Possessions is ongoing (I am good at it; it'll get done.) The parents are coming to terms with the idea that we won't be 15 minutes away anymore.

I may be freaking out just a little. The husband may be a little grumpy.

We can do this thing, right? Tell me we can do this...! (Tell me what I'm forgetting - I know there is something!)
Wahhhhh
Ranee

Wow! That's a drastic change. I guess I am a bit more conservative and would rather do some long trips first before selling the farm.

What if you don't like it?

[az-streamer]

A few questions:
Have you had/used an RV before.
How long were the trips: days , weeks, months?
Are you total newbies?
Many people will try the camping life for a while before selling the house.

What if you both hate it?

If your finances allow - try RVing before any huge life changes. Keep the house, maybe rent it out.

If you are RV pros - go for it.

[SnooMc]

Oh - yes, I should have mentioned - we already own a (small) RV and have done multiple long trips (I think the longest at a time was two months; I don't generally feel it's worth getting the camper out for less than 3 weeks!)

It's just the prep work for full-time that is a little daunting (and it shouldn't be; 28 years moving with the military; it's not that different. But we've been in one place now for 3 and a half years and I've forgotten how many details there are to sort!)

[BernieMac13]

Dear SnooMc,

You guys can do it. Also, congratulations!!!

[BigSxyWhtGuy]

You got this! We will meet you on the road too. We did the same a year and a half ago and haven’t looked back. You’re in the very fun stage now — I realize too that this post got brought back from the dead, so you are probably on the road already!

Let’s connect on Instagram @airstreamvagabond

[SnooMc]

We're not quite on the road yet - delayed putting our house on the market till just a couple of days ago, and need to wait for it to sell. But we are getting there!

I'll look you up on IG -

[kb0zke]

Congratulations! You're moving a bit quicker than we did, but then you didn't say how long you spent doing research. After full-timing for almost five years, we know quite a bit more than we did when we started, even after doing several years of research.


There will be things that you aren't sure you will need with you.I'd suggest that you let them go for now. Should you later find that you need something, you can buy it at that time.


Whether or not you have a home base makes a difference, too. Until this spring, we carried everything with us. In March we got a lot at The Ranch, an Escapees co-op in SE NM. We promptly offloaded some stuff there - and now with we had it with us. Oh well, we'll survive until we get back there in October.

[SnooMc]

My husband is picking up the Airstream tomorrow! I'm eager to start seeing what will fit and what won't, and figuring out the first plan of organization (knowing that no plan survives first contact).
We're keeping a few things in a storage trailer that is parked at my parents' house. They are happy to think that we will be back on a regular basis to retrieve items we left there, but mostly what we've kept is memorabilia, nothing practical (except tools, because we are DIYers, and expect to do some mods on our AS.)
Three to five years is our goal for full-time!

[Acheron2010]

I did it almost a year ago. The first month or so, my jaw hurt from grinning all the time. It is a wonderful feeling to be "free" from the bonds of traditional living. You can do it, it will all be fine, enjoy your new life. See you on the road.
#6679

[BigSxyWhtGuy]

Fun to travel with the reassurance that everything you need you have with you. You’ll need some tools but not many, mostly anything else you are missing you can buy or modify when you’re on the road.

My wife on I just have a list on our phone that we add to instead of buying right away. Most items come off the list when we look at it a few days later and decide we do not need it because it doesn’t add value.

You’ll get overloaded quickly by bringing items that you think you need but never use. When we head back to my parents house after being in the road for 6 months to a year, part of our things to do is purge the items we didn’t use that trip. Seriously, if it isn’t used in weeks you probably don’t need it.

Any saved weight will help with your fuel economy. When you’re traveling, Fuel is your number 1 expense.

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by SnooMc

We can do this thing, right? Tell me we can do this...! (Tell me what I'm forgetting - I know there is something!)
Wahhhhh
Ranee

Yes!
You can do this!
Remember, you're not moving to Tibet,
wherever you go they'll have WalMarts and grocery stores.
You can buy clothes and most places speak English.
When I went for a month, I'd HATE packing up to leave.
Now you don't have to leave!