recent developments--i found a place to park my van for REALLY cheap where i'll have access to electricity and water (included in the price) and i'll even be able to have a little garden and a chiminea fireplace. it's got a 6 foot wooden privacy fence around it and a gate that locks. it's located behind a house in the south part of town and it's bordered by a garage, an alley and a backyard. i think the security and convenience it gives me will far outweigh the cost. i was able to pay for 6 months and get a discount for doing so, though if i want to move out, i just have to give 30 days notice and i'll get a refund. this gives me a chance to have a "home" while i live in one place, but without the expense or commitment of an apartment, and it's way cheaper than the rv park. this will be a segue way to being self contained in the van on the road. i think my cat will be much happier and more comfortable too.
i have today and tomorrow to be out of my house and i'm getting pretty close. i developed a system for organizing my stuff, i call it the bin-toss system. i put a series of plastic bins in a room--one for bathroom stuff, one for kitchen, one for office, one for books, one for music/enterainment, and several for clothes. then i just toss things in there as i pick them up from around the house. if the bin gets overfull, i have to give something to the garbage, thrift store, or craigslist. i still have too much stuff, but i'm going to move it to my new spot, and organize down from there. i figure i've gotten rid of roughly 50 percent of my total stuff including my motorcycle and truck, and i still have another 15-20 percent to go. i'll be able to keep a few more things since i'll have a little plot to call home, but the de-junking has been an incredible lesson in accumulation. i don't love this stuff, it doesn't make me more interesting or comfortable.
the van is looking great, the futon is in, and the kitchen is set up. i'm thinking i want to take out the door between the front and the back and the passenger side of the cargo cage. it's just in my way and too hard to have to work around. then i could even turn the passenger seat around for a bigger "living room". we'll see how difficult this proves to be.
my friends left yesterday for washington. it was painful to see them go, but we are on our paths and we love each other, so it's a good thing. i'll be up there in may for sarah's bachelorette party, and then again for the wedding in july. and then? there's a school i'd like to attend up there called Earthwalk Northwest. they teach primitive skills like foraging for wild foods, hunting without guns, fishing, making fire and shelter, and pretty much just learning how to be at home outside in the wilderness. i think my van living is a step in that direction, a gradual letting go of things that aren't necessary to life and happiness.
i'm feeling good, loved, and optimistic!
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3 comments:
where is this place is this in a backyard of a house and how did you find this place. You just asked some one if you could rent their backyard ?
it's behind a rental house and the landlord created the space with a privacy fence/electric etc, and advertised it on craigslist. it doesn't have sewage or pressurized water, just a hose, so it was much cheaper than a "full hookup" situation, but totally works for me.
cool! I Love reading your blog you're an inspiration to me.
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