— Essentials —

Feels Like Freedom To Me

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From the time I was quite young and first read The Boxcar Children, the idea of living a very small life has appealed to me. Not small in the sense of unadventurous, safe, invisible… but small as in square footage. I’ve been a tiny house fan since the early 50’s!

A little back-story: In March, 2015, we sold our 3,500-square-foot home with a pool and large private yard. We had tired of being house-keepers. We downsized to a lovely 1,200-square-foot leased condo. Last July we downsized again, this time to our 900-square-foot apartment. Our motor home trip in April from Austin to Key West and points in-between, was all it took for us to commit to going “full-time” and downsizing into our 300-square-foot motor home.

Other than our trip to Santa Fe for Thanksgiving and this Key West trip, we’ve taken our overnight bags, stopped for groceries, fetched our RV from its storage garage and only gone to a nearby park on a lake and savored the solitude, the sunsets, and the starry, starry nights…. and to get away from these noisy damn apartments.

But if truth be told, we can thank the apartments, their poor construction, and our noisy neighbors for propelling us in this direction. If everything had been copacetic here, we might have continued going to our “lake house” indefinitely. We realized that full-time RV living wouldn’t be any worse than apartment life, and it has lots of advantages!

So what does “going full-time” entail? For most people it means selling all of your furniture, most of your clothes and household items and letting go of a conventional “sticks and bricks” home. There are as many ways to achieve this as there are people. Having already let go of our home, we are selling the majority of our remaining furniture and excessive housewares. I don’t see myself needing two turkey platters anymore or matching etched crystal. But I guarantee our life won’t be all Dixie cups, either.

This past Monday we signed papers that we will not renew our lease, which ends July 7th. On Thursday we went to a favorite RV resort and leased a spot for 60 days, beginning July 4th. The coincidence isn’t lost on us: Independence Day, indeed!  Afterward, in a celebratory mood, we called and scheduled our mover for July 6th. In our minds, there’s no turning back now. We can’t wait to get on the road!

Stay tuned.
XO


11 Comments

  • Cathy May 15, 2017 at 7:03 am

    Independence, indeed! We are four years away from such adventure! I look forward to your updates!

    • Donna O'Klock May 24, 2017 at 1:45 pm

      Thank you, Cathy! Four years will go by quickly…
      I will do my best to keep you informed and hopefull, entertained!
      XO

  • 1010ParkPlace May 15, 2017 at 11:02 am

    I’m so excited for you and have told several of my friends! At some point you might write about the traveling women’s group you told me about! Here’s to Independence Day, Donna! Love, Brenda

    • Donna O'Klock May 23, 2017 at 6:59 pm

      Thank you, Brenda! We will have to “roll down” your way and have you all over for cocktails!
      Will find out more about Sisters on the Fly… a great group of women!
      XO

  • Haralee May 15, 2017 at 11:53 am

    Wow I admire your bravery! Wishing you all the best in your new adventure.

    • Donna O'Klock May 23, 2017 at 7:03 pm

      Thank you for your vote of confidence, Haralee! Once we get organized, it will be a blast!
      XO

  • Mithra Ballesteros May 17, 2017 at 8:43 am

    I love the idea of it. Letting go of all but the most necessary. I remember the stories about my grandfather who went on a Hajj. I’m not sure how you and he and other adventurous minimalists can let go of those turkey platters. I can’t!!

    • Donna O'Klock May 23, 2017 at 7:27 pm

      I love the idea, too. And, I’m glad we are all different – it will give us places to go for big turkey dinners!
      Um… where did you say you lived?
      XOXO

  • Susan Tolles May 18, 2017 at 3:17 pm

    Donna, you are truly that “Damned Gypsy” now!! Can’t wait to read about your adventures. You inspire me so much!!!

  • Donna O'Klock May 23, 2017 at 7:34 pm

    Thank you so much, Susan. Almost there.
    I feel the same way about you, dear!
    XO

  • Jen May 24, 2017 at 4:22 pm

    How exciting! Looking forward to hearing all about it.

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