Posted in Homestead or Bust

Still searching?

It’s really okay that your searching continues – it is normal.  After all, this is a huge, huge step and move to accomplish your homesteading dream.

So what to do in the meantime?

Research your moving options.  Will you move yourself?  Can you afford to have a moving company move you and your family?  Depending upon the geography of your move, do you have family and friends that can help you move?  Will you need to put any amount of your furniture and belongings in storage during the move or while you live on site for improvements or the building of your home?

Clearly, answers to these questions will depend ultimately on when and where you find your homestead property and home.  But it doesn’t hurt to plan ahead and be prepared.  If you are moving to a fairly remote area, the chances of local storage options will be few and far between.  If by chance there are barns and buildings existing on the property you purchase, will your belongings be safe from weather?  In all likelihood they will not.  Likewise, if you store furniture and personal belongings in the area you reside now, will the distance be feasible for you and your family to return to again and again?

Don’t let these uncertain issues overwhelm you.  It is a part of the process and better to address them now, while you are still searching - to be better prepared later.

This list represents some general ideas and areas to further consider when preparing to move your family and all that goes with the family for your move to country life:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_On_Demand_Storage
• Pods.com
• http://www.doortodoor.com/
• Lease the “trailer unit” of a tractor trailer for storage.
• Local storage facilities – this will be governed by geography
• Planning to have a barn or building built – build and use to store ahead of time

During the year of building our home here on the Dirt Road, we researched a number of storage options and ended up leasing a tractor trailer trailer.  We could afford this option, we were able to secure it with our own locks and when completion of our home building was close, we had it delivered to our property here at the farm.  I did not want to "handle" all our belongings three and four times.  We packed the trailer ourselves, had it delivered to our property, and unloaded it at our own pace - handling everything only twice: once in and once out.

BUT – let me expound on  “where” the trailer was until we were ready to have it moved down here………it was in our driveway, in our old subdivision and that was a “no-no”.  But we were between a rock and a hard place at the time (a very long story).  The storage location where the unit could have been stored was in a questionable area (another issue you need to consider…..) and we did not feel comfortable having our things stored and left in this area.  We did, however, discuss our circumstances with all of our neighbors on our immediate street (all nine of them); they knew we were moving, that this was a temporary arrangement and all were in agreement with our doing this.  So we had the trailer parked in our driveway for a limited amount of time.  But of course, another neighbor (several streets over from us) complained to the local county authorities (and rightfully so – I would have done the same thing).  We were just under the ninety day period of time when we had it delivered to the farm.  Can you say, “Whew!”

I do not recommend that anyone considers doing this without first researching local ordinances and restrictions about using any type storage pods or trailers.  You can be subject to significant fines.  You also will need to determine if such a storage unit can be delivered to the geographic area you will be moving to.  Often you will have to pay additional monies per mile over an established distance included in their standard rates quoted.

HomesteadBloggers, share your moving stories with us!  What were some of the challenges you faced when planning your move to rural life?  If you had it all to do over again, what would you do differently to make the move easier?  Blog about your experiences and leave a link here in the comments section.

Have a great week!

Harriette

Since December 2003, the Jacobs have lived in East Central Georgia on their 36 acre homestead.  They raise heirloom chickens and garden while learning the homesteadin’ life.

Visit Harriette at:

South of the Gnat Line

http://www.homesteadblogger.com/southofthegnatline

Or at:

Jacobs Academy: A Dirt Road Education

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/jacobsacademy