downsizing has commenced

[Uturn]

In 2012, I bought a tent trailer.  Not a pop up, one of those utility trailers that has a tent attachment.  40 second video for those who want to see one.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XZ2S5TIm1U

I also bought a 2009 Dodge Ram to pull and my camping gear, and also lumber runs because I am a woodworker.
About that time, Dad bought a zero turn mower for his 6 acres and gave me his old Kabota riding mower so that I could move the 700lbs trailer to my backyard for storage.  It's uphill and I cannot move it without some sort of power, but it is too narrow of a passage for the truck.

In 2014 I bought a new Nissan Altima for my 1hr each way commute.  Dad passed in 2015, and I inherited his 08 Ram, and sold my 09.

I found MMM a few months before Dad died.  I sold off some things that I wasn't using, but kept the car and truck because they each served different purposes and they are paid for.  But it has been bugging me for about a year.  I have to maintain 3 motors, the truck only gets about 3k miles a year put on it.  All of this because I have too much tent and do have a need to carry stuff that won't fit in an Altima.  I really don't need all of the camping gear, but take it only because I have a trailer to carry it.  The extra gear is nice if I'm going out with others that don't have gear, but that doesn't happen often.

Here's the plan.

Get rid of the trailer.  - Done
Get rid of the truck and garden tractor - going on CL next week
Find a smaller trailer that I don't need extra equipment to move.  This smaller trailer will be for items that don't fit inside of a vehicle.
Leverage my BIL's dealer license and auction expertise to find a used Forrester at wholesale price
Sell Altima

This will still leave me with a vehicle that is nice enough to carry clients in, something good for camping and taking the kayaks out, and I can still pick up rough lumber for wood working.  One motor to rule them all!

[Car Jack]

Good plan.  I'm a HUGE fan of having a trailer and have a snowmobile trailer for exactly that purpose.  The Forester is a nice vehicle but would you consider buying new?  Subarus hold pretty high value.  Have you looked at Crosstreks?  Much better gas mileage, smaller than the Forester.  Just a thought.

[Uturn]

I think the Crosstrek is a better looking vehicle, but I sat in one and just didn't find it comfortable.  I'm 6' and felt squished in the Crosstrek.  It would have to be one hell of a deal on a new one for me to consider that.  I'm doing this in order to have less stuff, not get a new car.  I figure that I can get around $24k for the two, so that is my absolute upper limit.  If I can bank some money, better. 

[Uturn]

Truck is now gone.
Great truck, but a gas guzzling beast!

Have started online looking, but have not actually gone to look at a Forester yet.  There is one that has been on the dealer lot for over a month because it's a 6 speed and no one is interested.  Sounds like a discount to me. 

[Uturn]

Garden tractor gone!  I'm now down two motors and a trailer.  I no longer have to move a truck to the street and a tractor out of the garage in order to have woodworking room. 

[SwordGuy]

WWW.HARBORFREIGHT.COM has a trailer that costs about $300, less if you get it on sale. (Not hard to do!)

Put a hitch on the back of your car and you can carry lumber, etc.   Works great.  Even folds up to take up less room in your carport or garage.

[Uturn]

I am so glad that I started to get rid of stuff, but I should have started sooner.  Or maybe just not accumulate so much crap.  I came away with some cash left over after the truck/car/trailer swap.

Now I have been offered a job that will relocate me from TX to NC. I have sold some woodworking items are left over from my power tool days, and put about $900 in my pocket.  I have spent the last two days packing up the shop.  I have a pile 'o stuff that won't be making the move, so more on CL. 

I've never really been a pack rat, but this place is so much more than I need, I just didn't get rid of anything because it was just so easy to store it and deal with it later.  It is now later, and I sure hope that I've learned my lesson about keeping things that are no longer used or needed. 

I now look around my house and ask myself, "if this got left behind, would you buy another on the other end of the move?"  If the answer is yes, it goes, if the answer is no, it gets a price.  I've also realized that I only have two things of sentimental value to me.  The ceramic dinosaur that I made in 5th grade, and the box of pictures from pre-digital days.