Out with the Old

It's not a New Year's resolution, but it is a path to getting my act together and getting rid of "stuff." Man, when I think of full time RVing and I look around my condo and think how in heck am I gonna downsize enough to live in a 400 +/- square foot space?

This weekend I had a great breakfast w/a fellow RVer, Margie, and my friend, Becky. On my way to Cracker Barrell, I stopped and picked up some storage containers to begin my clean up. The breakfast was quite enjoyable and then after breakfast, Margie and I went to look at some MHs for she and her DH and then went to Camping World. Nice outing. I had to get estimates for new tires ($2377 for 6) for Somewhere so I sat in a nice rocker/recliner. Margie came over and we talked some more about plans while rocking in CW, what a natural place to do that.

See, Margie's DH has decided he wants to sell the house and go full time. She has the cutest B+, it's name is Ms"B"Haven and she goes all over the place in her. Now they are going to have a huge lifestyle change. They are both retired so it will be a matter of selling, giving, storing their goods. Anyway, it was fun looking at new class A MHs with her. Gosh, it would be nice to have a Tiffin Phaeton if they made one about 36' long. The one we looked at was beautiful!

Anyway, I digress. When I got home I began the task of sorting. Read on the forum, http://www.womenrv.com/, to take it one room at a time so that sounded good to me and that is what I did. I began in the office. Ooooh, maybe not a good choice as it's pretty overwhelming but that's where I began. Two-fold, it had to be done and I needed to get things ready for taxes. Made sense to me.

Did a little in the kitchen, WHAT TO DO WITH EVERYTHING?? I have piles to throw away, give away (charity), sell (priced it already), and keep. All that stuff that we just can't live without?? If that's true, what's a girl to do????? Anyway, it's all coming together. Another piece of advice from the forum, if in doubt, take it w/you and if you don't use it, get rid of it then. Gosh, those ladies on the forum make a whole lot of sense sometime. See they have been there, doing it!

I'm feeling good about my progress. The realization is that 2009 is here. I have been talking about making this a reality in 2009 but is always seemed so far off and I'm sure people are getting tired of hearing about it, but 2009 is here and it's time to get it going on.

Contacted my realtor, Karen Hoff, last week. Told her I would be ready by late Feb to put my condo on the market and what I wanted to get for it. She is checking everything out and will get back to me.

Contacted insurance companies about full timing insurance for Somewhere and for the Grey Goose. Tried about five companies and will choose the best out of the five. Began working up a budget based on my TN Consolidated Retirement benefit alone. I can do it, will have to be thrifty though. Hopefully, I won't have to touch my other slowly disappearing money and TIME will work for me so I'll have more when I do need to dip into it.

It's just beginning, much more to do so I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Later...