Hi all, its been a while since I sought your advice on the type of caravan to buy and tips for a newbie.
This week we bought a lovely new 20ft Millard with everything I could ask for in creature comforts. We are still working and will be just holidaying in the van for a few more years but have to plan to go from living in a house (not ours) to permanent grey nomad status. What did you do with all your stuff?  How do you decide what to take and what to sell / give away etc How did you do it? What did you get rid of that you shouldn't have? What didn't you get rid of that you should have? I am quite crafty and plan to take my sewing machine and beading.
Anyhow step one is completed  - now we need to practice a bit at caravanning - once again any tips would be greatly appreciated 

Hi to you. The first thing you have to do is learn to relax, and then determine all the every day items you absolutely have to have. Then go through and prioritise. I'm a full time nomad with no real estate or furniture anywhere. You do need to keep your hobby, but you will have to weed out the useful from the useless. Then you have to pack the essentials and get ride of the rest. As for furniture, you won't need any furniture in the van, so have a garage sale, give it to the kids or sell it on ebay well in advance of taking to the road. You may choose to store it until you're certain you won't be needing it for a few years while you're on the road. I was never a hoarder, so I can't really relate to hoarding useless stuff for the "just in case". You will need cutlery and crockery - light, durable and not too many. Cooking utensils and a few compact storage containers. Enough linen and towels. Cleaning gear, fridge space and how to pack it. I have retained some craft things for embroidery when I can't travel anymore. Writing is how I spend my spare time, and my productive time. Clothes - Some for hot and some for cold occasions. A couple of dress up items, and the rest will be neat casual, or more casual. Shoes for walking, a couple of dress up shoes. All you have to do is prioritise. The usefull vs the useless. You'll have to remember weight and balanced loading for van and vehicle. Good luck with that. Cheers Chris

What our female Guru says is spot on, I also am a fulltime nomad for 9 years now Althought I have slowed down a lot and have now got a base for 5 months of the year, Sold the house and it was a good 12 months getting rid of all my "STUFF" found drawings my kids didi in primary school , that is the hard bit , how much sentimental "STUFF you want to carry around with you

Unless they're relevant to your new lifestyle, most of those sentimental "keep-sakes" will have to go, but they're in your head as memories. You have to move on in your own life sometime. More so if your kids have grown up and living their own lives with their own families to begin family histories of their own. Perhaps your children can store them for future reference. Photo albums are essential if you have the room, or you may have to give them to one of your trusted children fot safe keeping, as part of your family history. I've had several clean outs over the years. If you go clothes shopping to update the wardrobe, you will have to get rid of something to make room in the van wardrobes. If you're really ready for this lifestyle, you won't have any problem prioritising. However, if you only "think" you're ready, prioritising will be harder. One thing you must do is to do all this with your partner so you're both working on your priorities together. His/her tool box must be modified to essentials only, without too much weight. if the hobby involves special tools, they can be included, with weight and space considered. Safe and happy travels, Chris

I'm not a full timer but have had to load and unload a van full of crap each time we go and come, but with time I'm having a win and we will travel light or we won't be going . My advice is don't take just in case items, like extra deck chairs in case someone drops in . Most people who visit are also on the road and will bring their own to your site or they make do with a stump or a patch of grass / dirt . Kitchen items can be culled right down, this is designed around two of you not a multi seat cafe, if having visitors them plan to eat out or at the BBQ shed Try to make the items you take serve a dual purpose, like a milk crate becomes a seat after you have taken the tin stuff or gas light out of it. I once carried a tool box and spares that could see me do a major engine rebuild on the roadside , Now I belong to a road service and if they aren't available I sit tight till they are. A UHF radio is always handy to ask others to send help back to you If you have things the kids made at school maybe a photo of said item will suit as a back up to your memory bank. Before you hit the road full time do as many shake down cruises as you can to see what's needed and once you start to cull you will find it easy. May you never stop following that dream

Gidday;

Chris is spot on.
I moved out of a house in January this year, and to be honest I never realised how hard it was going to be, I had a lot of stuff (some people called it other things lol).

The furniture was the easy bit, didn't take much brain power to work out it had to go, along with a lot of the bigger stuff like my office desk and Quad Core computer :((
It can be hard to work out what to throw in (the bus/van) or out (the door).

Heres a tip that may help, and what I did.
First start with the van empty, then put your (essential) clothes/bedding in, and then just enough kitchen stuff to make a meal for the two of you. Once you have done that you will get an idea of space and how quickly it fills up and this will help guide you with the rest of the stuff that you want to put in the van for you travels.

Just dont go to beserk with keeping all the bits n pieces you can find, you do need to shed a lot of stuff.

Thanks for your replies guys - it will take some doing especially the sentimental things like photographs, special mementos that mean something to us but have no value to anyone else. I haven't got relatives I can leave anything with but I realise I can't take it all with me 
Thanks again for your help folks! 

Hi, I have to agree with Chris. I am full time on the road and when the time came to de clutter it was not difficult. My daughter took what she wanted and I have stored a few precious items with her (books and photos), the rest went in several lucrative garage sales. The hardest things for me to get rid of was books and paints and easels. I have recovered! Have some watercolour equipment with me, hand sewing for my patchwork addiction, then I haunt op shops and 2nd hand book stores for reading matter which I swap, sell or give away when finished with. I often have a clean out, or at least a major reshuffle to organise things better. Good lick, just do it ! Cheers Helen