19 days

[GeoKat]

I'm still new here. If you haven't read I'm selling my home/farm (emotionally mentally and financially burned out) and going full-time RV (also so I can help my kid with college). The appraiser came today. I'm 19 days out until signing closing papers. I'm so freakin nervous but also excited. But also a little scared to death.
I've been doing a lot of research up until now just sorta killing time but Monday the escrow papers get signed and we purge, pack up and eat all the surplus food from this year's harvest.
I'm excited about going rouge but it's going to be weird not having demands from 4:30am until 9pm and in the middle of the night half the year. I was very much a nomad between 13 and when I bought this place at 25 but I feel old and rusty now. I'm not old but definitely feel a little less adaptable than I did when I was 25. Don't we all?!
Anyways. Be nice. I just had to let this out and you guys seem like a cool bunch.
Ugh I'm going to the store for a 6 pack.

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

One day at a time, @GeoKat and one step at a time! I know this is a stressful time and it is easy to get overwhelmed. Focus on the small steps that will get you to the end of the long path and just put one foot in front of the other. It will all work out for the best.

TJ

 

[Gronk]

Well, I can tell you from experience that you are going to be nervous for a bit. Emptying out the house is very, very challenging, but you will survive! When you first get out there you will feel like you are on an extended vacation, but eventually you will begin to really enjoy the freedom that you will have! One thing to keep in mind, though, is that moving is expensive. For my wife and I, I figure about $125 per day traveling. By time you figure the fuel, food and a place for the night you spent a few bucks! Once you finally reach the point of realizing you are full timing you will either enjoy the hell out of it (like I do) or be looking for someplace to land.......

 

[JRS]

I grew up on a farm and spent 23 yrs (after College/Agronomy) in the Ag Business. It's not easy!!! It's going to be a pain getting switched to the RV lifestyle but once you do and experience it, you'll going to likely love it. God luck

 

[NWIP]

We actually sold the house, packed a few things away in storage a year before retirement. Spent 10 months in the RV while working and was a great trial period. Like @Gronk said seems like vacation at first but after a short period of time the real freedom of RVing sets in so make sure you give yourself enough time to adjust.

We found that all the logistics of selling the house and preparing for the new lifestyle came with a lot of emotions: excitement, stress, depression, anxiety and a little bickering. Keeping an eye on the goal and taking it day by day we got there and now look back with good memories of what we accomplished. Hang in there GOOD TIMES are ahead.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Make your bucket list!!! Every time the move starts making you wonder what you are doing, look at the list. We all find it hard to keep looking at why we do what we do and the list will help keep you focused on the plan.

Second:

You should not stop. They say if you take something away from your life you should replace it with something else. This advice comes from someone that helps people quit smoking and other bad habits. Imagine yourself using your new found freedom to help in your local area. Your value will be much greater as you move forward.

No, if you retire completely you will grow old quickly, don't just quit.

 

[GeoKat]

17 days to go and I find myself oddly calm and freaked out all at the same time. The desire to drive away from here is strong but feels unreal. I try to imagine sleeping in my new bed or cooking in my new kitchen. Cooking was my favorite part of farming, turning everything into food. I have to figure out what I can't live without in the kitchen. There's still a mountain of stuff to sort. We had so many hobbies/activities to enjoy during our down time. Kayaks, snowshoes, backpacking, camping, board games, musical instruments,1800 book library, fishing, hunting, 3D printer, Wii, and even exercise equipment for when work is slow outside as it is every winter. Not to mention a farm full of tools. My oldest will take what she wants to her apartment and we'll take a few.

I'm very much looking forward to a much needed vacation. We had to cancel half the summer, our hunting trips, snowshoeing Christmas tree vacation due to fires the fires that destroyed a lot of Oregon. We're less than 15 miles from the closest town that was burned to the ground. Everything above it was our "playground". I might just plug in the rig for a week or two just to relax before getting it ready for boondocking.

I do have a growing list of things I'm looking forward to. I love outdoor cooking, I'm the person who when I wake up without power and I make a fire outside for coffee and breakfast. I cook probably 35% of all our meals on open fire or in my smoker/bbq (not gas). For the holidays it's not uncommon for me to spend a week smoking home grown hams, turkey and loads of cured meats. I'm missing that task this year.

Geocaching is how I learned my area over the years. Thanks to geocaching I know where to fish, hunt and all the backroads on every mountain around us. I look forward to learning the backroads of the US 14 days at a time while we're boondocking.

I use to supplement my income with writing so I'm looking forward to having time again to do that again.

Oh and after we get comfortable with the new schedule of RVing I think I'll finish my degree. I'll finally have some time to sit down and think about something other than the farm, the customers and the business.

Ok back to important house selling paperwork.

Thanks everyone for all the encouragement,
Katie

 

[GeoKat]

14 more days till signing my release papers. Eek! So excited. I have no idea the direction (south down I5 or east on 22) I'm going but I'm hitting the road!

 

[Jim]

14 more days till signing my release papers. Eek! So excited. I have no idea the direction (south down I5 or east on 22) I'm going but I'm hitting the road!

lol, go for it Geokat! Have a blast!

 

[GeoKat]

6 days to go. I have an apartment for the university student. The appraiser has done his thing, the buyer and I fixed a few details (nice guy eager to learn the trade). The truck and trailer are up in the air again but I don't care I'll find something. In the meantime I'm ready to go. All the time that isn't spent purging, packing and cleaning I'm shopping trucks and rvs.