What to keep

[rosemari]

As this adventure starts the questions keep popping up, what does a person keep? Is it best to have a feather down quilt or polyester which one will be warmer and keep better with the moisture, what kind of pots and pans. I'm starting the walk about through the house and garage there is so much stuff. It truly is amazing at how much "stuff" a person collects over the years. What are the do's and do nots to have on a boat?

 

[Edelweiss]

As this adventure starts the questions keep popping up, what does a person keep? I'm starting the walk about through the house and garage there is so much stuff. It truly is amazing at how much "stuff" a person collects over the years. What are the do's and do nots to have on a boat?

That is one of the major down sides to living on a boat if that is what you are intending to do. Because not only can you not put everything you "have" on the boat, you won't be able to put everything you "need" on the boat. A good dry storage unit someplace will allow you to store seasonal items, personal items, extra parts and tools off the boat. Plus it will allow you some time to get accustom to boat living and you can downsize from there.
Boat living isn't for everybody. I made it 18 months and then had had enough. Fortunately, I had all my household items and furnishings in storage, so the transition back was easy. When you find the answer to your last question. . . let the rest of us know?

 

[Rsysol]

Rosemari,

We lived in the same house for 16 years with two kids so I know where you are starting from. We basically sold everything, no storage for us as we are travelling for a couple of years before heading back to work. It was a tough few months as we watched our possessions go for pennies on the dollar as we started the process.

We've been on board for 2 years now and don't regret a thing outside of getting rid of the dehumidifier!

As far as what to bring to the boat, that depends on you, your location and what matters. We have lots of bedding from down to polyester and no problems yet, we've been in the summer heat in Mexico and winter rains in San Francisco. Did need to buy another dehumidifier when we got north, I'd suspect it's worse in the PNW, we'll find out later this spring as we travel north. Galley gear needs to be configured based on your situation but we took most of our home gear and use it here.

Good luck with the process, IMO it's worth it.

 

[Capecodder]

The dump is a good place for most of the house stuff. I did buy a small trailer to store the things/photos that I could not toss. I think I have neck ties and winter jackets in it also. The trailer is good as I can tow it to were home/the boat is.

 

[Pau Hana]

As this adventure starts the questions keep popping up, what does a person keep? Is it best to have a feather down quilt or polyester which one will be warmer and keep better with the moisture, what kind of pits and pans. I'm starting the walk about through the house and garage there is so much stuff. It truly is amazing at how much "stuff" a person collects over the years. What are the do's and do nots to have on a boat?

Make this your mantra- "less is more".

We've been on the water as full time liveaboards for 5+ years. The biggest challenge you'll have to come to grips with is that you don't need anything. Trying to replicate home life on a boat can quickly become an exercise in frustration- not enough space, not enough storage, clutter everywhere as you struggle to justify all your stuff....

We have a small storage locker that holds Christmas gear, seasonal clothes, and some keepsakes. We swap clothes off the boat in spring and fall. Valuable heirlooms went to kids and family members.

We don't go the the store and bring back cartloads of "great buys" or "just in case"items. Each purchase is weighed as either a need or a want. At the same time, we don't live as hobos hoarding every dollar- we just enjoy the freedom that a lack of clutter brings.

We have down pillows, and have had no issues with them. The key is managing the humidity in the boat, and that means ventilation. A dehumidifier helps, as does a forced air diesel heater.

We love it, and have no plans to move ashore anytime soon.

 

[frgeorgeh]

We just made our move to FL we left from a 2.4 acre place, large house and two garages. Ended with a sum total of around 20 med to large plastic tubbys or boxes and that will still be too much stuff.

Getting rid of all those yrs worth of stuff is hard but you can do it. You will feel so much better when it is gone. I promise!

 

[ranger58sb]

As this adventure starts the questions keep popping up, what does a person keep? Is it best to have a feather down quilt or polyester which one will be warmer and keep better with the moisture, what kind of pots and pans. I'm starting the walk about through the house and garage there is so much stuff. It truly is amazing at how much "stuff" a person collects over the years. What are the do's and do nots to have on a boat?

Ref the galley: we decided we had almost nothing at home that would be optimum for the boat. Everything either took up too much space (e.g., pans with typical side-handles), didn't stack or nest well (or at all), or might be too fragile. The exception was a third or fourth set of flatware we had gotten a bazillion years ago as a wedding present, and had never used.

We bought a nesting cookware set (looks like what Magma offers now; see Defender.com), a smaller multi-cooker (.e., with a pasta insert), a smaller slow cooker, two matching sets of Corelle dishware, a whole set of decent knives (didn't have a spare set), a set of plastic "glasses" that stacks/nests, and so forth. Turns out we have almost as much galley stuff on the boat as at home, at least the typical stuff we normally use day-to-day, and it fits in half the space.

-Chris

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
As a slight diversion...I would highly recommend a flat/roux whisk as a necessity in the galley.

 

[Moonstruck]

Greetings,
As a slight diversion...I would highly recommend a flat/roux whisk as a necessity in the galley.

Yep, great for rouxs and gravies. No lumps.