This is the second post in how we went about emptying out our house and moving into an RV.  You can read the previous post here if you missed it.

One of the unexpected benefits of the huge yard sale was The List.  When people saw the size of the yard sale, they stopped by and asked if we were also selling the house.  We had not planned on listing the house for sale until the spring of 2014, but so many people asked that we started The List.  We took their name and phone number and promised we would call them when we were ready to sell.  By the end of the yard sale, there were seven names and numbers on the list, and others were added over the next few weeks.

Tom and I took off on a well-deserved vacation to Portland, Oregon.  Tom was blending business with pleasure because he had a conference to attend.  It also gave us the chance to try out our new RV – what would it be like pulling it, driving over the mountains, living in it on a regular basis?  As we got comfortable setting up and living in the RV, Tom suggested that we could sell the house now and live in the RV for a year as we finished up our jobs.  I was reluctant because I wanted one last Christmas in the house – and wasn’t sure I wanted to be in an RV during an Ohio winter but I was willing to try and see what happened.

The first couple on the list came and looked at the house.  We made it clear we were selling as is – for a price we had determined by spending a lot of time on Zillow.  They said they would think about it.  A few days later they came back again.  The husband called and told me they weren’t interested.  The next day the wife called back and told me they were still interested.  They came and looked again with a contractor.  Finally, the wife let me know they weren’t interested.

So we moved on to the second family on the list.  They came and looked at the house.  The next day they brought parents and grandparents to look at the house.  The boys picked out their rooms.  The parents were telling the grandparents about family gatherings they would have.  The boys told me about all the friends they were going to have come and swim in the pool.  Just like that, the contract was drawn up and the house was sold in October.  The best thing about it – they were willing to wait until spring to take possession of the house!  Another example of God working things out.

We enjoyed the house through a long, cold winter, but when March came it was time to get the rest of the stuff out of the house.  A few boxes of things went to John’s to be stored.  Tom took books and files to his Emeritus office at school.  My parents agreed to store the retirement presents that Tom and I received.  We hauled several loads to the church for the Trash and Treasure Sale (see previous post).  We parked the RV at the Willows on April 15 and started moving stuff in, unpacking as we went so that we would have room to move around.

Monday, April 22 we moved the last of the stuff that we were keeping into the RV and took up residence.  The following Saturday some of those great friends I mentioned came over and helped us clean the house – washing walls, windows, floors, hauling out trash and taking home the few remaining pieces of furniture.  The family that bought the house came over and started moving in as soon as I handed them the keys.  It was good to see them so excited about the house.

The move was easier than we expected because of our friends and because we realized that it isn’t the things we have that are important to us.  The important things are the events we experience and the people in our lives with whom we can share them.  It was a good house and we enjoyed living there for 25 years.  Our current house on wheels is a good home too and we will enjoy living in it until it is time to do something else.