I am moving one week from today.

Man am I stressed.

I forgot how much junk I own. Trashed/burned 20 file boxes of old bills and stuff from high school I did not even know I had.
Already made 2 trips to the Salvation Army Store for the donations of functional stuff I won't use, and after tommrow will make one more for clothes that I don't wear anymore.

Found out I have enough emergency gear for 5 B.O.B.'s and a bag of stuff for starting some more kits. I knew I was a bit obsessive compulsive but this is starting to get out of control.
(B.O.B.'s are for bugging in as well as out.)


I wanted to thank everyone on the forum for all the information cramed into my nogin in the last few months. All you guys/gals are awsome!


I am moving to North Eastern Arizona, about 6,700 ft above sea level. Finally, I get to live in snow country.

Watching the Les Stroud video today reinforced my desire to build an off grid cabin, but that will not happen for a few more years.

-Joe-

goodluck with your move, i envy your opportunity for off grid living in the snow country.

regards

jackal

Wow, it sounds like your new location will be worth the hell of moving. Any pictures of your new home? I suspect the view is fanastic.

-Blast

Part of my long term goals, besides becoming more equipped, is uncluttering. I've scanned any thing that is important enough that I wanted to keep and shredded the papers. I've switched anything paper from bank statements to bills to electronic to eliminate the paper coming in. I've sat down and decided if anything was worth having then it must be able to be taken should I need to leave my home, so anything important gets some soft of carrying bag, case, whatever so it can be easily transported and gets a space designated for it. Anything else I sell or get rid of.

Remember the Star Trek epsiode "The Trouble with Tribbles"? McCoy said they apparently live to eat and breed. Basically, junk multiplies to fill the available space. That was part of the beauty of being the military. Move every so often and get the junk reduced.

The amount of stuff we take with us on household moves depends on who is paying for the move? My employer moved us once and we took EVERYTHING, when I am paying we have a BIG yard sale prior.

I found it comes down to price per weight. In 1996 I paid for a family move of about 1750 kms, the price to move stuff was around 60 cents/pound (did not include packing). I had a 1977 Ski-doo snowmobile that was running but in poor condition, the cost to move it was $300.00. Instead I sold it for $400.00 where we used to live and bought a better one at the new location.

I found it very worthwhile to get lots of quotes for moving, as the companies are very competitive. I seemed to always get the best price from a mover who was based in the location I am moving to; there is less empty travelling this way, it is easier for the mover to arrange unloading and the mover is interested in your future business.

I even found it worth the time to shop around for lawyers when buying a house, the fees vary quite a bit.

Mike

I've learned to work that system quite effectively now. I used to hate moving, but now I just plan on taking a paid vacation whenever I finish my move.

That, or you have a garage sale, in which case someone buys your stuff, which in some cases was the stuff someone else had that they wanted to get rid of that you bought at their garage sale, thus causing you to have too much stuff, and also allowing them to then get more stuff, probably from someone else's pile of stuff that they didn't want anymore.

Another Carlin do-loop.

Well....

Rereading the original post and some of the comments I need to clarify the housing situation. We will be moving into my father-in-law's house for a few months(at the most) finding a rental for about a year then, if all goes as planned, buying a house, the wife wants rugrats so we want to put down roots so to speak.

Once all that happens the budget should afford to buy a few acres. About 2 & 1/2 to 3 years down the road. If County and State Laws allow, I will harvest the raw lumber from the property, give it a year to cure then start the cabin. If I get the "NOPE NOT GONNA HAPPEN FOR HARVESTING THE LUMBER" I will do one of the prefab. cabins. I am hoping to build it as a weekend retreat (i.e. carry in supplies like water, food and propane) then over 1-2 years install wind/solar electricity and water.

Not sure if anybody was wondering, the destination is Show Low/Pinetop Az.

I am moving from Ventura County California to answer that question.

Also, since moving out of pedominantly earthquake country and to forest fire country I have started to make some DV-Rs with wedding photographs and such. Family and frends will get the coppies here in California, so if a large fire prevents us from getting home to grab kepsakes it won't be a total loss. Everything else is replaceable.

I am looking forward to the law-abiding-person-freindly gun laws.
I was in a gunshop here in California about 5 weeks ago and found out to get a used pistol (Astra .380 Constible) for $280.00 USD, I needed to spend an extra $150.00 USD for licensing and registration, and that the model of Kimber I already own(Eclipse Pro II) is no longer avalible for California sales.

Well the last paragraph ws off topic but, I am tired and felt like sharing some of the discomfort.