Our Wandering Pack

We are Jess and Maddy, and with our two dogs, we make up Our Wandering Pack. As we transition to full-time RV living, one of the biggest challenges we’ve faced is downsizing. Moving from a traditional home into a travel trailer means making tough decisions about what stays, what goes, and how to organize what we keep.

The Reality of Downsizing

When we first started this journey, we thought we had a pretty minimal lifestyle. We camp regularly and prioritize experiences over possessions. But once we began sorting through our belongings, we realized just how much stuff we had accumulated. Downsizing for RV life isn’t just about decluttering—it’s about shifting your mindset.

Our Downsizing Strategy

To make this process more manageable, we broke it down into steps:

1. Assessing What We Really Need

We started by categorizing our belongings into essentials, nice-to-haves, and unnecessary items. For RV life, everything we bring must have a purpose, be multi-functional, or truly bring us joy. We asked ourselves:

• Have we used this in the last six months?
• Does it serve more than one purpose?
• Can it fit in the RV without causing clutter?

2. The Great Purge: Selling, Donating, and Letting Go

Once we determined what wasn’t coming with us, we sorted items into three categories:

• Sell – Valuable items went on Facebook Marketplace, Poshmark, or local buy/sell groups.
• Donate – Clothes, books, and home goods were donated to local charities and shelters.
• Trash/Recycling – Broken or unusable items were responsibly disposed of or recycled.

3. Digitizing Where Possible

Paper clutter adds up fast! We scanned important documents, switched to digital billing, and uploaded sentimental photos to cloud storage. Now, our physical paperwork fits into one small folder.

• Portable Document Scanner- Digitize paperwork and reduce clutter! This was well worth the upfront costs! We use it to keep extra clutter at bay whether its receipts for tax season or memories we made that we can’t keep on paper!

4. Trial Runs in a Smaller Space

To prepare for the transition, we simulated RV life by living in a single room of our home for a week with only the essentials. This helped us see what we actually used and what we could do without.

• Cordless Handheld Vacuum – We quickly learned how much the dogs shed when we stayed in this small space. We realized that a vacuum like this one would be necessary for our RV!
• Magnetic Spice Organizer – Our kitchen area of the room became overcrowded quickly. We are going to rely on these!
• Bathroom Hanging Storage– We needed a space to hang out wet things!

5. Storage Solutions for the Must-Keeps

There were some things we weren’t ready to part with—like childhood keepsakes, seasonal gear, and extra camping equipment. We rented a small storage unit for these items and made a rule: if we don’t go back for it in a year, it’s time to let it go.

• Vacuum Bags – Help to condense our out of season must haves and blankets!
• Over the Door Shoe Storage– We use this for everything- not just shoes! We have one for Tupperware and we have one for our games/craft supplies!
• Cookware– Lightweight, stackable, and space saving for small kitchens!
• Hanging Closet Organizer– But use it for everything from closets to pantry organization!

The Emotional Side of Downsizing

Letting go of possessions is harder than it sounds. Some items carry memories, while others represent past versions of ourselves. We had to remind ourselves that the memories aren’t in the things—they’re in us. Every item we let go of brings us closer to a life of freedom and adventure.

Final Thoughts

Downsizing has been one of the most challenging yet rewarding parts of preparing for full-time RV life. It’s not just about getting rid of stuff; it’s about creating space—physically and mentally—for new experiences.

If you’re preparing for a major downsizing or transition, our best advice is to take it one step at a time, be intentional with what you keep, and focus on the bigger picture. For us, that’s hitting the road with our travel trailer, our dogs, and a whole lot of excitement for the adventures ahead!

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Are you considering downsizing? Let us know your biggest challenge in the comments below!