Stuff, stuff and more stuff (or why do I own a telescope in Los Angeles)

Where did all this crap come from?  We've been watching a lot of a show called Tiny House Nation, part of the show is waking people up to the reality that they can't have a player piano in a 240 square foot tiny house.  What I initially thought would be getting rid of our furniture and the large items around the house has morphed into getting ride of basically everything but the clothes on our backs, sports equipment, and some kitchen stuff.  BTW we participate in some really gear-intensive sports. For instance SCUBA, no way will there be room for 2 sets of SCUBA gear on a 30ft RV, but it will be essential on the cruising sailboat.

We have come up with a multi-pronged approach to getting rid of our stuff:

• the garbage can never goes out partially full
• Craigslist for anything that has value*
• garage sale for anything that doesn't sell on Craigslist and knick-knacks.
• keep a Goodwill bag by the front door
• turf it off on friends and family to hold for us

*value is a slippery concept, as we define it it means what is the lowest no-sentiment-attached price we will take. Be prepared for some surprises, we had some Disney stuff we were told was highly desirable, long story short... we gave it away.

Garbage. Pick a shelf, drawer, closet, or toolbox. Bring a garbage bag, if you can't think of a use for it long-term and it would be impossible to sell, chuck it.  It's hard at first but it gets easier.

Craigslist, look for similar items, not just Craigslist but eBay etc. Price accordingly. If it doesn't sell right away slowly reduce the price to the minimum you will take. If still no luck save for the last chance garage sale. We have used the free category on Craigslist with great results, but I would rather get a buck or two at a garage sale.

If it doesn't sell it's going to Goodwill anyway.

Garage sale: furniture, appliances, knick-knacks, basically everything left in the house. Last stop before Goodwill.

Goodwill, as you go through your closets keep a bag near, you know what to do.

Friends and family, invite local friends and family to come by and pick through your stuff.  Don't be afraid to be generous these are the people you will count on while you are on the road. Distant friends and family, take pictures send out an email blast. This is problematic with big items, but small things and family memorabilia can work.

Some Joy Along the Way

There have been a lot of random tearful outbursts this last few weeks.

It took a moment, but I finally just realized why I'm struggling with this plan of letting go of a house that is finally beginning to take the shape I want, in order to go in the search of the perfect boat, with a brief stop in an RV on the way.

Aside from dreading the future good-byes, when I look down the horizon, all I see is projects.  Get the house-ready-to-sell-project, a rushed RV project, a potentially long and very unpleasant boat project.

So... new plan. There will be some joy in the RV somewhere along the way.  We will NOT be rushing from the house to the boat (read: boatyard and projects). We will pause and enjoy our beautiful nation from the RV along the way.  And we will be very picky about the boat in order to minimize the pre-launch project time there.

Deep sigh. That's what was missing. Mo' betta.

Now I can see a life that fits, I can imagine some joy riding our motorcycles through the slot canyons of Utah, paddling on a high lake on the SUP and kayak, capturing photos of the early morning light on the water at Mono Lake, hot cocoa around the campfire.

This is a life I can live with.

We have consensus.  We are heading in the same direction.  We have goals and a timeline.
...We have a lot of stuff to purge around here to get this house ready for sale.

So. Much. Stuff.