Thursday October 2
This is the day I decide to further downsize the contents of the truck bed. The present situation isn’t working because there are so many things back there that I just can’t reach without unloading half the truck, so I just don’t bother. I might as well not be carrying them around if I can’t get to them when I want them.
It’s rarely hot on the Monterey Peninsula but there is a heat wave in progress now so I start my project before 7am. I need to take everything out of the back of the truck. One thing I can say for myself is that I packed very efficiently! How did I ever get all this stuff in here?
This is hard work and takes a lot of processing physically of course because I go through everything. It’s also an emotional process because I let go of even more things that I thought I couldn’t live without. Some things I take to storage, so I haven’t really quite let go, but it’s a start. Other things I give to friends and neighbors. It basically takes me the whole day, with breaks in the afternoon because of the heat, but the results are very rewarding.
It appears at least, that I will be able to reach things without removing half (or more) the contents of the truck!
What did I let go of this time? Here is a partial list:
A large container that that I thought would be a good idea to put things in. It wasn’t. I gave it to the lady next door.
Cloths! Two large garbage bags of cloths I thought I needed. They were heavy and awkward. When did I think I was going to wear all these cloths??
A small plastic table. I had two with me, I only need one.
One of two rakes.
Some electrical appliances…toaster oven, food processor, and the TV all went into storage. The toaster oven was the hardest of those to let go of and I can see me going and getting it back. I have yet to use it because I couldn’t get to it where it was stored.
Books. Most of the books I thought I couldn’t live without went into storage. I couldn’t get to them to read them anyway. I still have a few books with me, and my Kindle of course.
My sway bar. I didn’t know how to hook it up and I never felt a need for it so I didn’t pursue it. It’s stored though, in case I change my mind.
Some plastic ware like small food storage containers.
Food! I had two big bins of extra food with me! I cut that down to one bin.
Other assorted odds and ends.
Having less stuff makes me fell better! We’ll see how this works. 🙂
Joy and Shiloh say ‘What now?’
More stuff…
The white car is not part of my ‘stuff’ , nor is the orange cone. 🙂
And more stuff…
And MORE stuff. You get the idea!
Wandering Spirit 
And I bet you’ll find that you can get rid of more. I should talk. I have books that I’ve read, haven’t read and doubt I’ll do anything with them….I should donate. Just like the CDs, I don’t play them yet they are here. I did donate most of my DVD’s and donated some book series like baby sitters club, the cute reads so I think I’m patting myself on the back now. TEEHEE.
I replied to your comment and it seems to have disappeared. If you end up with two replies, that’s why. I was saying the every little bit helps and you are headed in the right direction…if you are trying to decrease your stuff, that is.
We get to thinking we ‘might’ need something, and ‘what if’ and ‘just in case’…and we end up with too much stuff. At least I do. 🙂
OWS
Starting to follow ur blog. I’m a soon to be retired nurse with a 22 ft travel trailer that I luv!!!
Getting rid of “must haves” is good. I’m at the same amt of things as u or maybe a little less.
One item that u stored, I wish u would not. The anti sway bar. The more u use it it becomes second nature. And I am a firm believer in them as I have had two blowouts on my trailer in two years. One while driving next to a semi!! I’m comfortable in wind, hills, curves, and blowouts! Rethink ur sway bar.
Wish I was totally retired as u, but it will come.
Hi Patricia, I’m so glad you are here! Yes, I’m going to go get the sway bar and take it to Texas so the Casita folks can show me how to use it. Wow…a blow out next to a semi…not a fun experience. I’m glad you had your sway bar in use:-). (See how my thinking has been turned around? I’m still teachable!) 🙂
It’s surprising how fast retirement can sneak up on you, so don’t be surprised when it’s suddenly happening. Sounds like you have been preparing for it. Hope to meet up with you ‘out there’ sometime soon!
KEEP the sway bar. There will be plenty of us at Pine Knot that can show you how to use it quickly and easily. In general you don’t need it EXCEPT in an emergency and then it may keep you from having a wreck!
I can understand culling the clothes. Even though we don’t full time, I’m finding that I take fewer clothes on each trip. I originally took enough to have something clean to wear every day for two weeks. Then I realized that the world won’t come to an end if I wear a t-shirt twice before it goes in the hamper. Since all my jeans are the same style, no one knows whether the pair I’m wearing is the same one I wore yesterday. Now things go in the hamper when they’re actually DIRTY.
Another thought. If in doubt, leave it in storage. You’re going to get LOTS of organizing ideas at Pine Knot that may make managing stuff on the road easier.
When I was reading this I was thinking I should make a comment, then I thought when Reine reads this she is going to HOLLER. From a newbie perspective, it is easy to learn to use. I just had that one time I was backing up in a hail storm and it made a tiny littledent in my brand new gallion dollar truck. I have never forgot since that time not to back up with the sway bar on.
Personally I’ve read over and over again about the sway bar keeping folks from having accidents, especially on Interstates with big rigs and the wind, etc. So just to be clear get back to the storage unit, get the sway bar, and take it to Pine Knot. You can also watch how to use it on You Tube. There are official and unofficial orientation videos. I’ve got them memorized.
And you call RVSue your mentor, she would not approve of you not using your sway bar, AND YOU KNOW THIS.
Love your blog, be safe,
Phyllis in Oklahoma
Hi Phyllis. I’m glad you commented from a newbie perspective! And as you may have noticed, I’m going to bring the sway bar to Pine Knot! 🙂
No seriously I didn’t remember if Sue is using a sway bar or not. Now that I think about it, I think I remember that she mentioned it a long time ago, but I don’t know if she still uses it.
I’m glad you are enjoying the blog! 🙂
Ok I’m going to go get the sway bar and bring it with me. :-).
I was talking to friends today about the sentimental attachments I make to cloths. I didn’t realize how much I do that until I was trying to get rid of them. They don’t have to be nice cloths. Turns out most of the friends I was talking to do the same thing. I think that is why I had so many with me…that is, besides the part of me who is trying to be safe in case of a clothing shortage, and the part of me who seemed to forget there are stores that sell clothing all across this great nation of ours! 🙂
The above was a reply to Reine but it came in under my reply to Phyllis, at least that is how it looks on my IPad. I don’t understand ….
Take the sway bar with you to the Casita rally. Folks there will be only too happy to help you learn how to install it properly. You WILL need it…trust me.
“Books, some electrical appliances…toaster oven, food processor, and the TV, some plastic ware like small food storage containers…” so how much is the monthly storage fee? Couldn’t you use one plastic storage bin to hold the toaster and food processor and just donate the books, tv, and food storage containers? I can usually store food in empty butter and deli meat containers, etc.
Is it really worth the storage fee every month just to keep these items? Really?
Cat Lady
Hi Cat Lady!
I will bring the sway bar to Pine Knot! 🙂
The storage place belongs to my mom and she insists on having it. I’m using a small % of it.
I can’t put one more plastic storage bin in the back of the truck or I’ll start running into the same problem I had before, but dang it , I AM going to find a spot for that toaster oven!
Good for you Micky!
Thanks Mary! 🙂
“Some electrical appliances…toaster oven, food processor, and the TV all went into storage.”
Good, electric appliances and solar power really don’t play well together. You would be using your generator a lot if you used the appliances.
Bad, putting them in storage. That sounds like you don’t expect this filltime gig to be very long lasting. If it is going to be a long term way of life then you don’t need them in storage – sell or give away.
Hi Ed. I sold and gave away a lot…and I do mean a LOT of stuff. Some favorite things I kept. There have been other things in my life that haven’t worked out the way I expected. Before I let go of my favorite things, I’d like to know that this lifestyle change is going to work. I think it will and I want it too, but I like to be prepared. Call it the good Girl Scout in me or maybe the nurse in me. 🙂
Also I don’t plan to boon dock exclusively. I can use electric appliances when I have electricity.
Just for the record, we added a TV and DVD player after we had the Casita for about three years and realized that there were some times when we got “socked in” with bad weather and would enjoy watching some of the DVDs we had such as Ken Burns series on the National Parks. The
TV (19″ flat panel) is permanently mounted in the back corner of the Casita and the DVD player is mounted under the back cabinet so they don’t take up any space that could be used for something else. When we occasionally camp in a campground with cable, it’s nice to check the news or watch the local PBS station.
And Phyllis, you’re absolutely right that I HOLLERED about the sway bar. I’m kinda LOUD when it comes to safety related stuff. To quote my friend Larry Gamble, wind doesn’t make an appointment!
Love that Ken Burns series. Fascinating how the issues fought 100 years ago over the creation of our National Parks and of the local people knowing the best use of the land are discussions we still face today. Hard to believe that anyone actually thought the best use of the Grand Canyon was a pit mine.
Hi Reine, now having the TV permanently mounted would be a good idea. I’ve been carrying it in a well padded bin in the back of the truck and I have never used it. However if I want to watch DVD’s I can watch them on my laptop, as I have a special little DVD/CD player thing that I bought to add on to my MacBook Air.
I’m glad you HOLLERED Reine!
Since there are two of us, the computer screen doesn’t work as well as our TV mounted in the corner. One of the things I like about the Casita family is how much diversity there is in the way folks use their Casitas. Everyone does what works best for them and we all stay friends.
Reine I’m looking forward to seeing the diversity at Pine Knot!
Ah, the liberation of letting go.
Thank you so much for sharing this process with us. I’m now at the point where one of my goals is that every month I will take at least 3 boxes of “stuff” to Goodwill. However I realize that while I’ve been at it for a year I still haven’t let go of any of the “important” sentimental stuff. That time will come.
For me, all of my camping experience comes from backpacking. I learned in NOLS that the first step is to make a list of EVERYTHING that you are taking along and make a decision on if you can do without it or if something else can do two jobs. I find there is a freedom in breaking down my life to the most basic components and rejoicing in what I can do without. But what works for me might not be what’s best for you.
Thank you again for allowing us to share the journey.
Hi Rick,
That backpacking experience and the listing must be really helpful to you as you continue to let go of items.
My minimizing process started in a similar way to what you are doing. About 2.5 to 3 years before retirement I began taking a box to the Goodwill or the SPCA periodically, and offering things to friends and relatives. I found it to be like layers of an onion. The first layers were easy to do, and that it was a little harder, as I pealed away more layers. About a year before my planned departure date I had my first yard sale and then this passed May I had the second one. After that I was sleeping on a blow up mattress, sitting in lawn chairs, and my table was the plastic fold up TV type table I mentioned in my post.
You are right, it’s liberating to learn that i don’t need all those ‘things’ and yet can be very content….it’s very freeing. I feel lighter, and like it’s easier to breath. But I’m a work in progress, and there are still things that I’m holding onto. It’s a process and this last ‘lightening’ was just part of it.
I think that the closer I get to the center of the onion, the more the stuff I’m trying to release feels like part of my identity. It’s just harder to let go of.
But on the other hand, I often wish someone would pick the lock on the storage and just run off with all of it!
No wait, I need to get the sway bar out first! 🙂
Since this was your first big trip after moving out of your home, it was a good opportunity to see what works or doesn’t, what you need or don’t. Since you have a place to store things you MAY want in the future, why not take advantage of it? If you think you’ll get a lot of use from the toaster oven, it doesn’t take up THAT much space. Did you use it frequently during winter months in your home?
Hi Caroline,
Yes that makes sense. Take advantage of the storage now since I have it and see what works.
I used to use my toaster oven every single day. It was old and I thought it might be becoming a fire hazard so I bought a new one to bring with me.
Today I went and pulled it back out of storage, along with the sway bar. Those were the only two things I brought out. 🙂
I put the toaster oven in a cloth shopping bag and snuggled it into a corner inside WS, behind a captain chair. I’ll see if it will stay put when traveling. If it does I think that will be it’s new home and I’ll be able to reach it when I want it!
Yay!
I meant to ask you ….. in a previous post you mentioned ordering a different dog ramp. Did you buy one that didn’t work out? I thought there was just one style, but when I looked at craigslist I saw a few different models. I need to get one for my old boy so if you can give me some pointers about what to look for, I’d appreciate it. Thx!
Hi Caroline,
I needed one that was strong, but not too big. I need space to put it….space….a big issue for me. My Golden Retrievers are 8 and 11 years old. The 8 year old can still jump in and out of the back seat of the truck easily, but I’d rather he wouldn’t because it’s not good for his joints. Joy who is 11 really can’t get in without some kind of assistance any more. Shiloh, the 8 year old weighs about 80 pounds. Joy weighs between 70-75.
This is the third ramp I’ve purchased. The first one I found on Amazon, and it’s called Solvit 62320 Deluxe XL Telescoping Pet Ramp. It’s a great ramp and there is nothing wrong with it. It’s sturdy, long and strong. But it’s too big for me to find a convenient place for it in my set up.
Next I bought one at Pet Smart. It’s plastic, and folds in four. That’s the one I brought with me. It fits nicely in the back seat area. It’s supposed to hold their weight and it does but it’s not sturdy and they feel like they will fall. I used it in its folded position as a step for Joy. Shiloh refuses to use it and just jumps in. Both were jumping out.
Then I ordered the third one on Amazon. It’s called Mr. Herzher’s Smart Ramp, and it’s juuuust right. It’s smaller than the first one and therefore lighter, yet it’s big enough, is sturdy and they both walk up and down it like a king and queen. It fits in the front passanger seat area, standing upright on the floor. I had to do some rearranging but that’s ok!
What a relief to find one that really works!
Thanks so much for the detailed descriptions. My boy is 10 next month and weighs 90 lbs. He already refuses to jump in the SUV. I hadn’t considered that a ramp could be somewhat flimsy; he’d refuse to use if it was shakey. So I appreciate the details you provided. Sounds like you found a winner. Thx again. Caroline
Whilst I know nothing – zilch – Nada – about sway bars – what 2 take (or not) or would even dare to give advice re rv ING – how are you – yourself – and have u enjoy your journey so far. I am certain all your contributers give sound & helpful advice to your enquiries etc. So as a know nothing living in Australia I have missed you blogging & am waiting with bated breath to see how your sorting & repacking is progressing – cheers 4 now….
Hi Leslie, thank you for checking on me! All is well.
Over the past week I found myself to be busy with chores and errands and decided to take a blogging break. Now I’m on the road again and looking forward to writing, hopefully this evening or at least tomorrow morning.
It seems that you and I know the same about sway bars. My understanding is that they give a better connection between the truck and the trailer which can be helpful and apparently a life saver in high winds, and around big trucks going fast. Some call it an anti-sway bar.