We're about to become full-time RVers. The house is on the market. A new truck and fifth-wheel are in the driveway. Arrangements for mail forwarding, banking, etc. have been made. But we just can't seem to agree about what possessions should go into storage. Help!

Understand that when you become a full-time RVer you are not going on an extended vacation; you are changing your lifestyle. In order to embrace your new lifestyle you are going to have to let go of your old lifestyle. And that can mean changing your view on just what stuff is important to you.

If you sell your farm and move into an apartment, it makes no sense to put your favorite plow into a storage facility. You are not going to use it anymore, get rid of it. The same thought process has to be applied when moving from a conventional lifestyle into a full-time RVing lifestyle. If you are not going to use an item anymore, get rid of it.

Before you do, though, consider your exit (from full-timing) strategy. It sounds like you have a solid entry strategy going. Your lifestyle strategy probably consists of traveling around the country; perhaps working on the road; maybe searching for the perfect retirement community. Your exit strategy should include how, maybe even when and where, you will come in off the road. We are acquainted with a number of full-timers who, either by choice or circumstances, have returned to a more conventional lifestyle and dwelling. Chances are, eventually, you will too.

If your exit strategy has you moving into a conventional dwelling within the next couple of years, it might make financial sense to put some furniture and appliances into storage. On the other hand, if you are planning to full-time indefinitely, you have absolutely no need to hang onto your household furnishings.

Here is a story we often hear from full-time RVers: "We sold our house, put the more valuable stuff into storage and had a yard sale. A couple years later we trucked a lot of the stored stuff to a friend's house and had another yard sale. What we didn't sell we gave away. The remaining stuff went into a smaller and less expensive storage unit. Now we are emptying out that storage unit by having yet another yard sale. It would have been cheaper if we had just gotten rid of everything to begin with."

With that in mind, divide your belongings into four categories: RV stuff, need to keep stuff, get rid of stuff, and other stuff.

RV stuff is everything you need to take from your house to furnish and equip your RV for year-round living. This would include linens, cooking utensils, cleaning supplies, tools and so on. Add to this your personal stuff like clothing, toiletries, computer, printer, CDs, hobby supplies, etc. Some full-timers conserve space by putting their off-season clothing into storage. Of course, this requires visiting the storage unit twice a year to exchange clothes.

Need to keep stuff might be items you might want to refer to on rare occasions but don't have to be carried in the RV. Candidates for storage could be important papers, tax records, photo albums and scrapbooks.

Get rid of stuff are all those items that have piled up in your attic, basement and garage that you have been meaning to get rid of anyway. Add to that the stuff you won't need as full-time RVers. Fulltime RVers don't need lawn mowers, snow shovels, rug shampooers or painting equipment. Household furnishings would also fit into this category. Get rid of this stuff by having a giant yard sale, giving it away or taking it to the dump.

Other stuff would be those things that, for whatever reason, you just don't want to part with. Look at each item and ask yourself if you will do anything with it while it is in storage. How does it fit into your exit strategy? Will you need or even want it at that point? Could it be replaced later? Could you offer those family heirlooms to your kids right now? (Be prepared for them to say "No thanks.") If you decide to keep any of this "other stuff", be sure to place it near the door of your storage locker so it will be accessible for your next yard sale.