| If you have gone on camping trips in the past, you | | | | donated to charity, what goes into the trash. |
| know what the RV life is all about. If you have only | | | | For the new RVer, this process can be a bit of a |
| camped in tents or pop ups, or have not ever camped | | | | crapshoot...two years later we were still disposing of |
| out before, then you are in for a real treat, living full | | | | stuff that we thought we couldn't live without in the |
| time in an RV is like camping in a hotel! Well, maybe | | | | beginning! Fragile china and crystal may not be the |
| without maid service! You have chosen the vehicle | | | | best choice because of the constant movement when |
| you would like to have, the price is right, it's within your | | | | traveling, so if it's an heirloom then maybe someone |
| budget, and the decor color works for your wife. You | | | | else in the family would really love to have it. |
| have told the kids about your plan and they didn't freak | | | | We gave ourselves one month to sell the furniture we |
| out, so that hurdle is accomplished. | | | | would no longer need, so we made our list and put a |
| Next comes the big one...sell the house, or rent it? | | | | desired price on everything, with the thought in mind |
| What to do? Depends on where you live and the | | | | that this should be flexible. If it didn't sell right away then |
| housing market in your area. Do you want to move | | | | a price reduction to move it out would not be a big |
| out forever, or leave just for the cold winter months to | | | | disappointment. Then we put the special mementos |
| head for warm weather and then come back for the | | | | and pictures that will not be sold in one place that is |
| summer months? Or do you want to just head out | | | | securely out of sight during the sale. Trust me on this |
| and go wherever the road takes you? | | | | one, buyers will open drawers and look in closets, even |
| This decision may have been made when you decided | | | | with signs stating items in these areas are not for sale. |
| how much you could afford to spend for your RV. | | | | Plan an "estate sale" and place an ad in the local |
| Assuming that you are buying an RV, you have looked | | | | paper (another good source is Craigslist) and plan for a |
| at your monthly income and you know how much you | | | | week's duration. It actually only took us 3 days to sell |
| will have available to live on and a vehicle payment | | | | everything in the house...make that 3 frantically busy |
| may or may not be in that budget, so the money you | | | | days...but it was all gone nevertheless. |
| get from a house sale will get you the RV of your | | | | Time for The Big Move. The ideal situation would be if |
| dreams. Or, you may already have an RV and moving | | | | you are able to bring your RV home where you can |
| into it will be fairly simple. | | | | spend a couple of nights in your driveway getting set |
| Once that decision is made, then what goes and what | | | | up and also acquainted with the systems in your RV. |
| stays? When we were ready to go full time, we found | | | | But if you can't, try to make an arrangement with your |
| it best not to rush into selling every thing in the house, | | | | dealer that you can bring your things to your RV in |
| but we also didn't drag it out. First, we tried to decide if | | | | several trips and have time to put them away. If you |
| there were some things that would work in the RV, i.e. | | | | can't do this, then you may have to stack all your |
| cookware, electric appliances, dishes, etc. We went | | | | boxes in your RV and move to a local RV park for a |
| back and forth a few times on this, and there were still | | | | few days while you get set up. |
| some items that we were sorry we brought, and | | | | Don't forget to do a little grocery shopping before you |
| some that we didn't. What to do with the items that | | | | move in. Also, note that it may take a few hours for |
| don't sell...put them in storage, or give away? This is the | | | | the refrigerator to get cold, so plan to take an ice |
| time to make lists. Make lists for everything...what goes, | | | | cooler along for perishables, at least for the first day. |
| what stays, what gets given away, what gets | | | | |