4 Steps We Took To Full Timing

May 2014, our oldest daughter, Dreana’s graduation from high school was a catalyst to lifestyle changes.

Part 1.   Downsizing

In the spring of 2014, our oldest daughter graduated high school.  Wasting no time, she embraced her sense of independence and adventure by moving out of our home that summer. 

This moment was a wake-up call for us.  While were proud of our children’s independence, we were a bit saddened by the end of their childhood. 

We also knew we were facing the same reality with our younger two children in only a few years.

We began questioning what we wanted to do with the rest of our lives?

Andrea had been following the minimalist movement and was very persuasive in our family discussions. 

How much “stuff” did we really need?What was the unseen “costs” to maintain, store, and just have the “things” we had to have, but seldom used?

Andrea, Dreana, and Jerrod in front of their large family home in 2014

We decided the first step would be to downsize our housing. 

In February 2017, we sold our house and moved into our old home we had used as a rental for 10 years. 

The downsizing of mortgage payments was nice, but the loss of physical space was equally important.  It meant we could only keep the “stuff” we really needed and that was meaningful. 

Our family at Trey’s graduation in summer of 2020.

However, even minimalist’s have hearts! 

We made sure not to get rid of family heirlooms or sentimental keepsakes we wanted our children to have later in life.  

Each person was allowed one plastic tub of items they wanted to keep plus. 

When our youngest daughter graduated from high school in May 2021, it was time for us to make another bold step towards creating a new life for ourselves.

Andrea, Jerrod and Taiya at her graduation spring 2021

On September 1, 2021, we sold our last remaining property and moved into the Airstream full time. 

The process of downsizing along the way made this an easy transition.  We were used to living with less and reducing again seemed easy.

In all honesty, now after almost seven months of living full time in our Airstream, at times we still think I have way too much “stuff”.

We hope people see our transition to this lifestyle was a process over seven years, not overnight like it may appear.

This was the vision board Andrea and I kept in our bedroom for years visualizing and believing into existence our new life!

That is advice we share with those interested in this lifestyle. 

Start small based on your comfort level for change but start.  There will never be a perfect time for anything, ever!

Up next Part 2 of this series…. Financial Freedom!