Downsizing is a whole lot of work!  I knew we had lots of stuff, but it seems like we have a lot more than I thought.  We’ve already boxed and donated an entire set of dishes and tons of clothes – some gently used, some brand new (tags and all)! But there seems to be so much more still left.

We’ve boxed up all the DVDs we have, separating the ones we think we absolutely must keep and now having the family check out the rest for any they may want. Whatever is left, hopefully,  will be donated to the Kiwanis Garage Sale this coming weekend. Now we’ve got to go through all of the CDs and there are what seems to be a ton of them. Of course there’s some music that we just love, so maybe I’ll add them to my iTunes  and, eventually, make some playlists for our IPods. After that, they’ll also get boxed up and donated or sold.

Then, there must be a gazillion family photos, taken, collected and saved by our parents that are decades old and hold wonderful memories. We have to figure out how to save them in a space efficient way. Certainly, if anyone has constructive and helpful suggestions, they would be happily received.

And, let’s not forget about the bookcases filled with books. Gosh!!! It’s overwhelming, to say the least.

Somehow, we’ll get through it all but right now my head feels like it’s about to explode just thinking about it!

So, keep an eye out for the next update on our preparations and progress toward living our dream, on the road.

If someone had asked me a year ago what I’d be doing today, my answer would have been a simple one:  “Working!”  And, if someone had asked me how long I planned to work, my answer would have been:  “At least three more years!” And, if someone had asked me what I planned to do after I stopped working, my answer would have been:  “Probably find a nice little house in the Atlanta area; maybe take a cruise; I don’t know. Just slow down a bit!”

So what happened? Well, we took a trip in a rented Class C and thought it was fun.  Then we took another trip in a rented Class C several years later, and REALLY thought it was fun.  Then we started researching the RV lifestyle and decided to attend the RV-Dreams.com Fall Rally. That experience got us hooked!! We knew, after talking to some, listening to others, and touring some lived-in rigs, that this is what we wanted to do. We visited a few RV shows and decided what we liked and what we didn’t like. The choice?  A fifth-wheel.

And now, here we are.  We’ve got a house on the market and in-contract, a beautiful fifth-wheel picked out, a great truck selected–both pending order once the house is sold, and a retirement date that is only two months and ten days away. We’ve chosen Florida to be our state of domicile and picked out a park to call home base. We’ve secured a mail service address.  We’ve gotten the quote we like for vehicle insurance. We’ve arranged for our health insurance coverage and investigated medical services in the area (for us as well as our dog).  We’ve worked out our operating budget. We’ve even planned out the travel route and the time we’d like to spend in each area on the way.

Downsizing has begun. A room has been set apart as the “RV Room” where the items that are definitely going to be necessities have taken up residence. We’ve already packed up some items and made donations to charitable organizations. Others are being packed for donation to a charitable yard/garage sale at the end of the month. Friends have volunteered to help us with our own yard sale(s).

How high is my anxiety level? Pretty high, if the truth be told. Although we’ve read so much, and asked so many questions of those who are living the lifestyle, it’s still going to be completely new territory for us. I’ve never driven a fifth wheel before. I’ve never lived anywhere else but here in the Northeast and although we’re looking forward to a life without snow and frigid temperatures, we’ll be living in warmth all year round in a house on wheels! We’ll be away from friends, family and familiar places. I’ll be in a much smaller space without the majority of my “stuff” (much of which I really don’t use).  But, my excitement level is even higher!  This will be a new experience and I get to share it all with the love of my life. I’ll get to meet new people and make new friends, while electronics will keep me in touch with my current friends and my family. We’ll have new and wonderful adventures as we get on the road to discover some of the beautiful places in this great country.

So, follow along with us, if you’d like. We’ll let you know about our progress before we hit the road, and then we’ll keep you “in the loop” as we “start the engine” and really start “living our dreams – on the road”!