#3. Getting started

Good grief.  So we've made this life altering decision but where do we start?  All the stuff we have read says do it, just doesn't say how exactly.   LJ and I have been married 38 years this December.  To put it mildly, we have accumulated a lotttttt of crap.  All of it must go.  What do the kids get/want...what gets sold...what gets donated.  Just the thought is daunting.

So, in my infinite wisdom, I have decided to start with clothes.  There's only so much closet space in an RV so we will keep only what's necessary.  When we sold our last house I got rid of bags and bags of clothes.  LJ got rid of the stuff he never wears.  His donations fit in a medium suitcase we donated with room to spare.

If you have the space, aren't you supposed to fill it?

Me? I used several 30 gallon trash bags.  You'd think I was a clothes horse or something.  Among other items, 50 t-shirts!  Who the hell needs 50 t-shirts?  I am truly a T-shirts and jeans kinda gal, but seriously? 50?  Ridiculous. That's what happens when you have a closet the size of a small bedroom.  In reality, 40 of those 50 t-shirts I hadn't worn in years....damn shrinking moths.  I tend to keep clothes I like long after they no longer fit.  You know...just in case I lose weight. Yep...I'm a dreamer.  I was quite proud of myself for having the willingness and sense to purge.

So now it's time to do it again, only this time nothing gets stored for later.  We decided we will need warm and cold weather stuff.  Must be prepared for changing seasons!  Then we discussed it.  Isn't the whole point of this to travel?  To winter in warm places, summer in cool places?  And honestly..Do we really dress differently for warm and cold?  Nope.  Fashionistas we are not.  We pretty much wear the same stuff each week.  T-shirts, jeans.  So after having an honest discussion, this is our changing seasons plan:  Cold weather: sweater, sweatshirt, or coat ON.  Warm weather: sweater, sweatshirt, coat OFF.  Ingenious.

So let's get started.  Closet first.  Why is it so easy for men?  LJ says "I'll keep 3 pair of jeans, one work/play and two every day.  I'll keep these four T-shirts, three long sleeved shirts, two pullover collared shirts, one work shirt, one pair of dockers and my riding gear".  Done.   He can be so irritating.

I looked in our closet and thought...hmmmm.  I'll need regular clothes, semi nice clothes, dressy clothes, work clothes and casual wear. How am I going to fit it all in the trailer?  LJ just looks at me..."really?", he says.  "You wear the same four shirts every week.  You never dress up because you hate it.  You are a jeans, T-shirts and tennis shoes woman.  Keep one good 'dressy' shirt and move on.  You have a teeny closet in the RV".  Did I mention he can be irritating?

Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine.  I'll start with my t-shirts.  Oh look! I count 30 various colors and styles. Apparently I'm a slow learner based on the last move.  Fortunately these are not expensive.  I pick them up cheap at WallyWorld.   Only a third actually fit me now. Hmmm.  Apparently between the washing of the cheap shirts and those pesky shrinking moths that follow me around, the rest are too small.  So out they go.  I can always buy more.  Maybe having a dinky closet will break me of this obvious T-shirt fetish I have.  This isn't going to be that hard after all!

Same with jeans.  I have 7 pair of  "I'll lose weight someday" pants.  I think those acid wash ones might be out of style.  I've moved them three times.  Goodbye old friend.  Time to go.  I'll only hang on to my every day jeans and crop pants ( three each).  And dressy clothes? LJ's right.  I do hate dressing up.  It's just not me.  I will keep a couple blouses that go well with jeans.  If that's not dressy enough for the "occasion",  I'll be busy that day.  After all, we're living in an RV.  Who knows where we will be.  

Thank goodness I'm not a shoe person.  Two pair of tennies, one pair "looks good with jeans but not dressy" shoes, riding boots and some flip flops.  I'm good.  Same for LJ.

I don't wear a swimsuit for fear of being harpooned, so that's one less thing I need.  LJ will have his, along with some shorts for hot weather.  I have crop pants for that.  See...already making progress on my obsession with clothes I don't wear.

Socks, underwear are easy.  We have friends (who shall remain nameless)who, while on our motorcyle trip to Milwaukee (Harley 100th Anniversary), decided not to wash their undies.  Wear 'em, toss 'em, buy new ones.  Seemed a bit ridiculous to us at the time, but LJ just reminded me of it, which made me laugh.  Should we?  Naw, we're good.  The trailer has drawers for those things and I plan on having a washer dryer in the RV.  I will only take a couple pair of pajamas, though, which means parting with the other five pair...don't ask, but I've entered counseling.

As for Scooter... he's only got a few things, and they're small.  Besides...we are taking his closet with us.  It'll fit in the Toy Hauler garage just fine.

Repurposed cabinet LJ made in high school

So the clothing thing is settled.  Now on to the hard stuff.

'til next time.