I want my Mommy...

[Ozz]

We look to our retirement with dreamy anticipation, oh how sweet it will be, no more long work hours, the stress of making a living will be gone.
Putting up with people, we just can’t stand a minute longer, we tell ourselves daily, will be over.
Yep, retirement is; different.
Sue and I frolicked in the Sun, at South Padre this Winter, then looked at land and homes that we couldn’t afford around San Antonio and Austin, on the way back up North. Texans, we want to be! But in order to fill that bill, we need to liquidate the 30 years of ’stuff’ , and much of the varied items one accumulates, when owning and operating a business out of our home.
I would say that we have 15 years of neglected upkeep on the house as well. You don’t take time off of work, and a paying customer, to fix that sticking door. I just finished replacing many of our windows, Sue is stripping wallpaper and painting.
We are selling the many antiques we have, to clear the clutter that the real estate professionals warn you about. I bagged 4 huge bundles of clothing, out of just one closet. You go through your personal items, and many trigger memories. Gifts from loved ones, special T-Shirts given with pet’s pictures on them, that are long gone.
Shirts and other clothing bought and never wore, a good idea at the time, I am thinking, but it doesn’t seem to smart now.
It is painful to toss many of the personal things, after all, that is why we keep them, they have sentiment attached.
A garage sale, I tell myself. Yep, people will want my stuff. I wanted it, someone else will want it. So now, I have another project, advertising, clearing a space for the sale, sitting in a chair while people mumble,” look at all this junk“. Another painful ordeal I will put myself through.
Craig’s list, now there is a good place for people to find stuff other people want to get rid of. Kind of a garage sale on the internet. When employees are supposed to be doing whatever it is they are hired to do, they are either checking out Craig’s List for ‘stuff’, or covertly scanning pornography,
I spent an entire day figuring out how to get my Antiques on Craig’s list. Let me tell you, it is a humbling experience figuring out the Pixels, Kb size stuff and how the heck to get pictures from your cool little digital camera onto your ad. The Craig’s list people probably sit back and chuckle when us newcomers try and post pictures.
I studied the help area, went to the Forum where I ran into many other people such as myself, that had not the slightest of clues. Being a stubborn person that I am, I did not give up until I got it figured out.
We had a very nice couple come by and purchase a Pie Safe, they came from all the way across town, the Mrs. Loved it, and he dutifully helped me carry it to his truck. They were a young couple that had a small roofing company. His phone rang and rang all the time he was here. I told him that I could identify with his business pressure, and wished him well, with the small business responsibilities he has.
I have been told, that I now need to be on EBay, so I can reach out to many more people. Did you know that Ebay has a University? I have been studying up on how to be a successful seller. I didn’t want to go back to school, I am supposed to be retired, not in school. But a fool I would be, if I did do my homework on my next challenge. I just hope they give better information on the posting-pictures deal.

[ehmcfarl]

Ozz, I can relate. Everything you are saying sounds like the same thoughts I have had. We have lived in our house 34 years and I have a two story shop/storage barn behind our house. They are both full of "our stuff" (furniture, nic nacks, my tools etc), that we have realized we just don't want or need anymore. It seems like while you are busy raising a family, and working, you constantly acquire "things" that just don't seem to matter when you get older and retire. My wife has been retired from Bellsouth for 10 years and I just retired from Tennessee Valley Authority at the end of September last year. (She is only a year older than me, just got to retire much earlier than I did). We have just started to travel in our new RV. During the next few years we are going to get rid of our "stuff". Then when we are either too old to travel or just get tired of it we are going to sell our truck and RV and everything else that is left and move into a condo where everything is maintained for you.

So my friend, I really understand where you are coming from. Good luck figuring out the next phase of your life. It seems all the things you thought were so important for years are just not that important any more. If it is any concilation I don't think you and I are unique in these thoughts. I have a friend, that is my age, and he is just like we are. So, just relax and have fun. Happy RVing.

Buddy

[Ozz]

Thanks Buddy, with all the work to be done, it just seems to not have an end in sight, but as they say, "one step at a time". Good luck to you two, would like to meet some day, you seem like a good pick for a neighbor.
Ozz

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

Ozz,

A LOT of us in our "senior" (GROAN) years feel this way.

I figure it is also a matter of "cleaning out the cobwebs of my brain"! HA HA

All that stuff starts to look like clutter, my brain, as well used as it always has been, (No smart remarks my MOC friend), is rather cluttered up too.

If, I clear the clutter, as in getting rid of the junk laying around the house, it helps clear the clutter of my mind. Sorta a win win situation, eh??

With the clutter gone, I hope to have some room cleared that maybe I can put some new stuff in my brain/mind.

My mantra chant for the last several years is "simplify", over and over again. I need to chant more!

[Ozz]

That is a good trend we should teach our youngsters, if I would have listened, and observed better growing up, I would be much better off...
Good luck on your clutter clearing.

[TLightning]

One suggestion for eBay...the buyers love photos. When I sold my last TV and TT there, the first picture for each ad was free, the rest were ten cents each...well worth it.

[Ozz]

Thanks, Tom, I will take your advice. eBay seems quite a bit more involved than Craig's list. Which, may be a good thing.

[JimF]

You have our sympathy, we went thru the same thing about 4 years ago, and we just knew we wanted to be in Florida as you want to be in Texas. We did the "sell everything", pack up the memories and start over in a new place. Florida wasn't the wonder world we wanted it to be so we moved back to Texas and built a new home in New Braunfels, TX. Being a tourist there is one thing, it gets old fast when you live there. We sold out, again, and went full time. We have about 2000 lbs of stuff in storage and the cat scale says I need to but 1700 more pounds into it.

It been a trying process but now it seems well worth it. Our big problem these days is when to walk on the beach or when to stay home (read Montana here) or move somewhere to see something else. Today was typical, we splept late, had breakfust in bed, went fishing for a while, now doing this, later grilling steaks on the grill and visiting with the folks around us. Life is pretty darned good even with the high fuel prices.

Keep the faith, you will get throught the process, then you good folks can reap the fruit of your lifelong labors.

Hope to see you on the road.

[Mudchief]

Ozz, you will get through it. 3 years ago my wife and I had the pleasure of cleaning out her mothers home and getting it ready to sell. When we got back we started cleaning house so our kids won't have to do that. The good thing now is when we are ready to hit the road there won't be much to deal with. The upstairs is empty now. Down stairs is empty except for our bed room, living room and kitchen. Hang in there buddy.

[Ozz]

Thanks, Dennis
We will get tough and persevere.
I am renting a trencher tomorrow to install 90 to 100 feet of French Drain at our house, the old girl is taking on water.
It just never ends............