Is there no end to stuff? I am still getting rid of my personal possessions. Still. Stuff. Amazing, considering I already dispersed most of my possessions, stopping at thrift stores and reservations as I traveled from ND to WA.

This is another kind of destuffing, though. This is the nitty-gritty. In a small space, if it doesn’t have a place to go, it sits out on the seat or counters, where it becomes excessive clutter. I am now destuffing in compliance with RV-living rules.

1. If it falls out of the cabinets, it must go (if I have been pulling the trailer, then falling out is forgiven)
2. If it sits out and creates clutter, goodbye.
3. If I don’t wear it often or don’t like it anymore (3 pairs of low rise jeans that create unique muffin tops), out with it!
4. If it doesn’t fit into its designated place (and everything has a designated place), goodbye.
5. If it is insanely materialistic and frivolous (two dozen pairs of shoes), buh bye.

Now, if you have read my blog for a few years, you know that shoes are a weakness. I know, it doesn’t fit with the other aspects of my personality, but it is true. I have been a shoe lover most of my life. Now, however, I only have enough space for some shoes, not dozens. So, I lined them all up and made the cuts. First, goodbye to anything that is just fashionable and can be replaced by something more long-term. Bye brown suede knee-high boots, you can stay black knee-high boots, western style. Bye to all but one pair of minister shoes (proper little flats). Bye to old tennies.  Again! There, that didn’t hurt too much. Seriously. I am getting gleeful about tossing the excess, and in a small RV, nearly everything is excess.

Another example: sewing stuff. It must fit into the rear storage cubby, accessed from outside. Everything that didn’t fit or fell out went bye-bye.

So on and so on. The van was a real challenge since I had stuffed so much in there. It is now orderly and holds my bike and kayak along one side of the van. Along the other side, the mattress is up again, resting on storage bins that hold a few extras, like winter boots and cast iron cooking stuff.

Are we done yet??? Probably not.