Decision #2

In our quest to downsize and simplify -- we are GOING ALL OUT!!! This is where a lot of big change is occurring, and we are excited! It has been fun seeing people's reactions when they hear what we are doing...they are either very excited for us or they think we are totally insane :)  You can decide for yourself!

We've been watching RV shows and tiny house shows for over a year now, and they intrigue us...there is a whole, growing community of people (a lot of them our age or younger) who are adopting this kind of lifestyle. Being able to have way less stuff, while also having the ability to be mobile and travel is very appealing to us. It seems to be the perfect transition for us...because who knows what our next step is going to be? This will give us time to figure that out in our own time.

What will we be doing?? We are buying a 5th wheel travel trailer to live in full-time!!

Chris and I went out to look at a lot of different trailers a few weekends ago, to get a feel for them and decide if we really thought it was something we could live in. We were pleasantly surprised at how roomy they are! They really utilize the space so well, and they are super nice inside! These aren't your basic "weekend traveler" RVs...these have multiple pop-outs that really expand the space and make it quite livable.

After our first visit, we came home and debated which models we liked the best. We got online and looked at them in more detail, and narrowed down our choices to our top three. Then the next weekend, we headed back to check out just those three again, with a lot more scrutiny. We really enjoyed getting to go through the models again and we both agreed on THE ONE...it had everything on our "must have" list:

: Kitchen pantry
: Full-sized fridge
: King-sized bed
: Lots of storage/great closet in bedroom
: Large storage underneath
: Full-sided shower
: Storage in bathroom

Our sales guy at Hanner RV was great...he helped us learn a lot since we are newbies!!! Chris went out there today to put down our deposit to hold it, and so now that is secure and waiting on us to pick up after we close on our house! Things are really beginning to fall into place, and that feels so good! It is helping to decrease some of the overwhelmed feeling we have -- because let's be honest and transparent here -- yes, this is something we want to do, but since it is a huge life change, it's a bit nerve wracking, too. Also, we have a LOT of different things happening all at once, and we are needing to coordinate timing -- that, in itself, is enough to make someone lose their mind! Getting some these things finalized feels so good!

We are excited to share these photos with you! Our soon-to-be home!

The kitchen table, and a view into the living room. There are two recliners and a
couch that pulls out into a bed. There is also a nice entertainment center with a big tv!

The kitchen! A good sized island with a big sink; a pantry and full-sized fridge;
an extra counter with a window; a stone archway over the
stove/oven/microwave. Lots of storage! Pretty flooring.

Love this little corner! The stone makes it feel so homey!
This was the only model that had something like this.

The king sized bed (we'll be getting new bedding for sure!)...and

there is a lot of storage underneath the bed too, so that is a huge bonus!

There is a big dresser with six decent sized drawers, plus a

top for decorations. Also, a big window and a tv mount.

The closet takes up the whole end of the trailer, and is big enough for both of

our clothes...the off-season clothes will be stored underneath.

This is a nice feature that makes it feel more like a house! Stairs up to
the bathroom and bedroom. It helps to separate things out a bit!

The bathroom has a vanity and a full-sized shower. There is also a good
amount of storage (some not pictured)...a lot of the bathrooms had very little.

So see?! It is actually quite roomy! We are excited to get in there and figure it all out!

There was an EXTRA step that was needed with this plan/decision...unfortunately, Chris' Ford F150 truck was not equipped for pulling much weight at all. Certainly not anything with enough space for full-time living! We just today signed the papers on a Ford F250 truck that can pull our 5th wheel weight (and then some!). This was an unexpected part of our plan, but necessary. We had a 5th wheel tow installed, and it is a very nice King Ranch edition. But, it's diesel which is also new to us -- so it will have a learning curve, as well!

Now you are probably wondering -- where do we plan to park this new home of ours?? Stay tuned, that will be our next installment!

The Babers