Holy Cow, What a week

CGXterra wrote:
That's exactly what we're thinking with the storage unit. We have as little as 11 months to as much as 23 months left here at which time we would have the option to move back into a S&B house, or keep on living in the RV. If we decide to move back into S&B, we still have our big ticket items and some basics so we don't have to sell the camper to get back into living in a house.

Thank you all for the awesome responses. I'm getting a lot of good advice from this message board. Ed

We sold our home in 2004, and due to not really being ready, our best option at the time was to get a 10 x 20 ft storage unit which we kept for six months, then downsized to 1/2 the storage unit size and now have downsized to a 5 x 10 ft rented storage area.

And to all of us there may be 'life stuff' which takes us off the road .. for us we didn't start full-timing until we were eligible for Medicare, so our perspective is different than you "young'ns".

We have yet to slow down enuff to put all the pics on a media, and have a few clothes, tools, outdoor fun items, etc. that we only use when back in our 'home-base' area which is anywhere from 5-12 months at a whack. This year our goal is to go thru the pictures, keep a few and give the rest away to our each of our children.

And as we are now down to thinking less than 3 years before we come off the road, glad we kept some of the things in storage. We do not look at the cost ($45/mo), and know that is reverse thinking, but to us it is worth not going out to eat a couple of times a month in order to keep the storage unit. And each year we pare down the 'stuff' more and more, so by the time we come off the road we can go into an apartment complex.

Just has to be a strictly personal choice as to whether to keep a storage unit and where .. we thought in 2010 that we would be coming off the road, but instead in 2013 are considering coming off the road in 2 or 3 years .. so that is why it has to be a strictly personal choice.

In fact we went to one '55+ apartment complex open house' and they asked if rv storage option was something they should consider adding to the complex, and we said "YES, definitely!" .. so yes, we have been looking around.

Sorry for this post being so long, but I am definitely not a woman "just a few words". Y'all have a great day!

Rapidly approaching this stage myself. Divorce. Still fulltime working(truck driver) and will be in a 34' Work and Play. Renting a 3 car garage($200 mo) for 3 antique Studebakers and minimum of other stuff, no furn. Will play this game for a while. Don't like it, no harm. Do like it, sell off the vehicles at best market prices. Relative to current overhead in house of $1100 mo with no mortgage I can make the numbers work.

That's exactly what we're thinking with the storage unit. We have as little as 11 months to as much as 23 months left here at which time we would have the option to move back into a S&B house, or keep on living in the RV. If we decide to move back into S&B, we still have our big ticket items and some basics so we don't have to sell the camper to get back into living in a house.

Thank you all for the awesome responses. I'm getting a lot of good advice from this message board.

Ed

BarbaraOK wrote:

Ozlander wrote:


What Aunty said. A storage unit for a year is going to kill you.

Except that for some folks, that is the cost of one of their medications for a year.

Barb

Seems to me its pretty obvious that if the cost of a storage unit would mean you couldn't afford a needed medication, you probably shouldn't get a storage unit.
But all things being equal, I see no reason not to keep important stuff in storage, at least for a while, especially if you are unsure of the lifestyle and how it will work out. Many people try fulltiming for a year or so and decide it's not for them.

Ozlander wrote:


What Aunty said. A storage unit for a year is going to kill you.

Except that for some folks, that is the cost of one of their medications for a year.

Barb

AuntSmurf wrote:
I gotta side on soos' side on this one. We stored stuff at my parents' when we went ft. But Dad passed 2 yrs ago, and we have recently had to put Mom in a nursing home. So, we got rid of what we could. BUT we still have stuff that, for one reason or another, we want but don't have room for in our trailer. Our kids are both in small apartments, so storing stuff with them is not an option. We rent a small (5X10) storage unit. Everything we have CAN be packed into the trailer when moving, but it is not practical for "living". Only YOU can decide if what you want to keep is worth the price of a storage unit. Storing furniture for possible future use is most likely not a good idea. If you feel you can replace it later, get rid of it. BUT, if it holds sentimental value or you think it is "irreplacable", hang on to it. It's easier to get rid of something later that you find you can actually do without than it is to discover a few months down the road that you really should have kept it!

What Aunty said. A storage unit for a year is going to kill you.

I gotta side on soos' side on this one. We stored stuff at my parents' when we went ft. But Dad passed 2 yrs ago, and we have recently had to put Mom in a nursing home. So, we got rid of what we could. BUT we still have stuff that, for one reason or another, we want but don't have room for in our trailer. Our kids are both in small apartments, so storing stuff with them is not an option. We rent a small (5X10) storage unit. Everything we have CAN be packed into the trailer when moving, but it is not practical for "living". Only YOU can decide if what you want to keep is worth the price of a storage unit. Storing furniture for possible future use is most likely not a good idea. If you feel you can replace it later, get rid of it. BUT, if it holds sentimental value or you think it is "irreplacable", hang on to it. It's easier to get rid of something later that you find you can actually do without than it is to discover a few months down the road that you really should have kept it!

On the opposite side of the storage thought-
we have been full timing for 4 years. we still pay for a large storage unit, We also have artwork and paintings etc that we don't want to part with. Plus my husbsnd builds furniture and has all the specialty tools to do that. we really didn't want to sell off all the furniture he built and the tools he'll need to build more.
To each his own, but to us, $2000 a year for climate controlled storage is worth it.

Agree with the elimination of the storage idea, if at all possible. If you have some pictures and things you can't bear to sell or give away, see if you can't find a family member or good friend willing to store it for you. Storage is just added costs and most people find that almost everything they put in storage after being there for a few years is not something they want back or is damaged (mice/water/mold), musty smelling from being closed up for so long.

Unless it's irreplaceable because of coming from someone special to you, consider having a garage sale or having someone keep it and/or use it until you want it back. Will be much cheaper and you have the ability to save that money and go shopping for new items if the situation changes down the road.

Can I comment on the storage unit subject?

I think the main consideration when trying to decide what to get rid of and what to pay to store is to determine how much you will pay over time for the storage vs the value of what you are storing. If you are storing sentimental items only most likely when you come back to the storage unit you will wonder why you paid to store things you should have gotten rid of to begin with.

Furniture doesn't cost all that much to replace and you would be starting over. The cost of storage could be banked for new furniture and "stuff". JMHO.