Full Time Packing List?

Whatever you pack, it will be too much. Guaranteed. It is part of the fulltime process. Every six months or so, go through stuff and donate to goodwill what you haven't used. Eventually you will get close to "right-sizing".

stickdog wrote:


Skip the band aids, duct tape and a small square of paper towel will work. Unless you want the ones with stars.

there you go, one more thing off the list. and they do make duct tape with fancy patterns now a days. :)
bumpy

We have had to return to our home state a few times for family things without our RV. We now keep a set of luggage with us. They can go inside one another, and then the inside one can be used for storage of another seldom used item. DH has his hunting and fishing gear. I have gardening supplies and decorative things for the yard area when we stay somewhere for a period of time.

Clay L wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:
I sort of assumed the OP was going to stay in an inhabited area where they could drop by a walmart and get more band aids if needed?
bumpy

Yeah but you need some in the RV. When I cut myself I don't want to drive to Walmart to buy a band aid. I want it RIGHT NOW.

Skip the band aids, duct tape and a small square of paper towel will work. Unless you want the ones with stars.

First off, you will be down sizing from your SB house. This is very freeing. When you go full time you will find you need MUCH less than when in that house. Items and my thoughts:

1) 6' Ladder or folding type ladder Get a ladder that you will use. I have a 15' collapsible to get on the sides and roof if needed. -
2) Bigger toolbox and more tools Carry normal house hold tools for doing new lights, hang items, change sink or toilet then special tools for the RV - don't carry a whole lot as they add weight FAST and probably won't be used. You can rent tools at almost all home improvement centers.
3) More cookware - Why? No storage space, don't use it much and besides eat out more!
4) More clothes, linens, etc.- No not needed. Take what you will wear and a couple of nice go out outfits.
5) Another Directv receiver -Again, why? They'll FedEx one over night if yours goes bad.
6) More DVD/Bluray's and CD's - Red Box almost everywhere !
7) Wife's jewelry and fireproof safe for important papers - Yes and keep it somewhere you can grab it if yo¨need too quickly.
8) More cleaning stuff plus laundry stuff. - No, buy and use as needed, don't carry it around.

We have done this for over 5 years, learned from a FT doing it for 25+ yrs.

2 gypsies wrote:
your favorite spices (weed out the ones that expired 10 yrs. ago and you never use




You've been peeking in my spice cabinet haven't you. LOL

Just remember that as a fulltimer you will be in your home and you should add things that will make you comfortable and make is feel like home (with weight limitations of course). The longer you fulltime, the better you will get a feel for the things that make your home comfortable. We go through every year and adjust our stuff. We always have things we no longer use or do not want any more.

Go easy on overloading on cleaning stuff, cookware, clothes, linens. If you have the time, start making a rough list for the next month on things you will use during that month while in your house. You'll be surprised how little you really need.

Since you already have a check list for your shorter trips you probably don't need a whole lot more. If your present trips are, say, two weeks, then what you pack in the way of clothes and linens should be the same. Then add some seasonal things.

You'll probably want a small supply of stationary, your favorite spices (weed out the ones that expired 10 yrs. ago and you never use), you'll need a complete medicine cabinet and probably extra types of shoes (hiking, walking, dress). Good luck!

As other posters have said...take the basic necessities of life, a few extra favorite items and ditch the rest.

I'd not worry about not selling something you might decide you'll want later. Put a few items in storage if you want but I'll bet you will never go back to get them. You can always add on rather than have to go out so fully loaded you have to dig like a gopher to get things out and put them back or find you've never used them at all. Fulltime life will be different...you most likely will find you don't need all the gadgets you used before and can be quite happy with much less.

Most of the items everyone has mentioned we have in the S&B already. I know our current MH will not hold all of this. Our long range plan is to take some of the $$ from the S&B sale to put down on a bigger MH. There will be items stored somewhere during the transition period. I mainly want to make sure we don't sell something that we would need later when we start traveling fulltime.