Becoming a Sailor

27 posts

Packing up and moving

Packing Up and Moving describes how we transitioned from life in a house to a life on a St Francis 50 catamaran. The blog posts in this sub-category covers the pure chaos of downsizing to being able to reflect back and provide some lessons learned and checklists.

  1. Transitioning to a Boat: House Rented, Sailboat Not Ready

    Moving from a house to a sailboat: tenants arriving in a week, painters in the kitchen, and a tent in an Ottawa campground as our in-between home.

  2. Long-Term Basement Storage While You Travel: 2 DIY Options

    Two ways to store your things in your own basement while you travel: a drywalled-in room, or a locked room with custom shelves. Pros, cons, lessons.

  3. Before Moving Aboard: With House Rented, Where Will We Live?

    We rented our house and sold most of our things weeks before moving aboard. How our family of six juggled Florida, Ottawa and borrowed housing in the gap.

  4. Catamaran Refit: Preparing Our St Francis 50 for Cruising

    Rick orders refit parts in Florida while I pack up our Ottawa house: late-night calls about plumbing and lighting, and a marina berth we'd avoid.

  5. Preparing to Move Aboard: Getting Our House Ready to Rent

    Before moving aboard our catamaran, we readied our Ottawa house for tenants: late-night pressure washing, red begonias and some ruthless downsizing.

  6. Moving Out Before Sailing: Our Final House Checklist

    Our checklist for moving out of the house before sailing: what we'd done, what was left, and why hurricane season left our family of six camping in limbo.

  7. Downsizing Room by Room: A Simple Strategy for a Big Task

    How we downsized our house room by room before moving aboard: closing off rooms, cutting kids' clothes to a packing list, and sorting a year of boxes.

  8. Thrift Store Shopping: Was the Adrenaline Rush Worth It?

    Downsizing our house to move aboard a catamaran showed me most thrift store finds weren't worth keeping. What I let go, what I kept, and why it matters.

  9. Creating Curb Appeal in a Forest: A 5-Acre Woodland Retreat

    Our 5-acre Ontario woodland had trails, bridges and no grass. Taking down dead pines before moving aboard, and why a simple yard project escalates.

  10. Decluttering Before Moving Aboard: 200 Boxes and a Minivan

    Decluttering a family home before moving aboard a catamaran: our keep, store or let-go rule, 200 unopened boxes, 11 filing cabinets, and a minivan.