I gotta be me! - Our Life in Costa Rica

Today's post comes from my Changing Direction (fashion/lifestyle) blog and is all about my current clothing dilemma.

I have included a short excerpt below. 

If you would like to read the entire post I have also provided the link 

****************

Things are a changin!

but...

one of the things that has not changed, is my love for fashion and design. 

My next project...

my clothes

Since we decided not to bring a lot of clothing, I downsized my wardrobe and then selected the clothing I thought would be most appropriate for our new lifestyle and a very different climate (mostly based on what I had read or heard from other expats).

Since we have now been here almost 5 months, I have learned quite a bit about how I want to dress and it turns out that I brought many of the wrong items.

So...What to do???

Read the rest of the post here Changing Direction

It won't be long now - Countdown to Relocation Costa Rica

Our 2 boxes were successfully picked up this morning using Door to Door shipping 

by Mario Barquero Ent

The boxes are driven to LA, put into a container, trucked to NJ and then go by ship to their final destination. 

Thank you Johnny Morales -- the West Coast driver! What a nice guy and on time too. 

See you in Costa Rica in about 5-6 wks. 

Next up, get out of this apartment! That move goes down on 5/12.

The hardest part - Relocation Costa Rica

This post was written on Sunday but not posted until today

Lily & Lola in Martinez

It's almost time.

We bought a couple of wardrobe boxes from U-Haul over the weekend to ship a few of our personal belongings. We contacted a shipping service Mario Barquero Enterprises Inc. (referred to us by a friend from Costa Rica). The company ships door to door. A wardrobe size box (U-Haul Grand Wardrobe) will cost about $530 and it will take about a month to receive the goods.

Although I have been focused on the move for more then 6 months, it was all mental calculation until I could actually start packing the boxes. Over the months I've studied my walls and pondered about which artwork I would take and which pieces I couldn't.  In the end, the majority will have to be stored. It’s impossible to take my valued pieces with me and too expensive to ship them so they will be here waiting if (and/or) when I return.

I am also finding it a lot easier to make decisions now that we know where we will be staying and have seen the inside of the house. Since the house is fully furnished we won't need any big furniture or appliances but I still want to take some personal items to make the place feel like its “our” home. So far I've taken down most of my decorative items and have them lined up on the kitchen counters and on every available chair. Over the next few days I will make the first cut regarding what I want to pack in the box. The box will be subject to several more inspections and additional cuts will be made until we feel that we have what we need.

Lily sunbathes @ her 2nd home in Oregon

The hardest part of this so far has been sending my Lily and Lola off to Oregon where they will stay until we have a safe and suitable area for them. Then we will send for them. The good thing about it is that they instantly recognized my friend Jan (she drove down from OR to pick them up, has watched them for every trip we’ve taken and has known both of them since I got them at about 10 wks old) That was a big relief! I really appreciate her friendship and her help.  They are leaving for OR in the morning but Jan took them to Martinez for the evening and they were able to go out in the yard and hang out with a couple of other dogs. That is something they never get to do here. So, for that I am grateful but I really do miss them!!

Much has been written about the loyalty of dogs, but what I love about them isn’t their devotion to me so much as their devotion to being alive. – Steve Bauer

Getting down to business! - Countdown to Relocation in Costa Rica

With the clock ticking

102 days and counting

Ask me how we spent our Saturday.

Time to start putting things in boxes
(We also have a lead on a short term rental in Grecia. Tell you more when I know more)

I still have a lot of "things" stored from 3 previous local moves

I am currently storing them in a garage some miles from my apartment

I am long overdue to go though all of these items and
discard the things I have not used in the 

last 7 sevens years
because

I plan to replace some of those items with current ones that I plan to keep
just in case of a possible return to the Bay Area.
You just never know, so I stick by the old Girl Scout motto "be prepared!"

I am not one of those people selling off everything they own and moving with a back pack

So off we went to Home Depot 

(BTW-buying new boxes, even from Home depot, is not cheap) 

We did make a bit of a dent in what was stored, but still have quite a bit to go. 

It was almost like Christmas going through things I had not seen in many years
(I had a lot of good stuff in those boxes)

I did my best to resist the urge to add too many of them back into my everyday life.

After I went through the clothing, we made a trip to Goodwill
(I also took 2 big bags from my apartment last week).
While there, it was interesting that the donation worker told us that
they have been very busy with donations.
Seems that quite a few people are leaving the country.
Some moving to France while others were moving to Europe.

Record number of Americans dump U.S passports

Our plan is to complete the project next weekend.

Oh, and if I haven't told you lately -- I enjoy moving but I HATE packing!!! 

My trunk isn't exactly made to haul boxes

most of them ended up in the back seat

The endless possibilities of living in a shipping container - Relocation to Costa Rica

At our last several weekly meetings, we have been discussing housing options using alternative construction based on repurposed shipping containers thus reducing environmental impact. Since we will all be downsizing to make the move to Costa Rica, the container home will challenge us to be effcient. We wanted to come up with a relatively inexpensive plan for sustainable housing in a community setting so that we could all live in close proximity to one another. Materials will be renewable, reusable or recyclable. We also plan to utilize solar and incorporate a pool.

Abron, the architect set out to draw up the plans, which he presented to us on Sunday.

We were all pretty impressed and we will begin the search for land (and that perfect spot) when we are in Costa Rica in July

Besides providing food, the roof top terrace also helps to keep the dwelling cool by blocking sunlight from hitting the metal container directly.

Abron is our architect and drew the plans

Container Facts:

Shipping containers are flood and fire proof, making them a great home-building material. Ranging in length from 20 to 30 feet, shipping containers are typically only used for 10 to 15 years, but they can last much longer. A 20 ft shipping container is about 160ft of living space. (I think I heard Abron say that our containers are 40ft but don't quote me!) It is estimated that there are 24 million empty shipping containers in the world that will not be used for cargo again.

Container Plans for Costa Rica pt4 from Devon on Vimeo.

Where will we build?

Container Plans for Costa Rica pt 2 from Devon on Vimeo.

There are 4 short videos all total. If you are interested in hearing a bit more of our container discussion meeting check them out on Vimeo. 

A Promise kept - Countdown to Costa Rica Relocation

Wow, do I feel better or what?

It didn't really take that long. It's only a small cabinet after all. I just had to set my mind to it. 

The question I asked was, have I used this in the last 6 months and will I need it in Costa Rica? Many items can be replaced and are not worth taking.

This is downsize #1 for the cabinet. Since I have to be here for almost a year I can't clean out everything but I did separate things. 

The left side has daily items, makeup and hair. The 2 zipper bags have carry on items that I usually travel with. On the right side in the bins are items that I don't expect to use before I leave but will need to re evaluate them as I move closer to the date.

Next up in July, the hall closet. It stores coats, hats, gloves and some items like pillow shams, table linen.

Promises, Promises - Countdown to Costa Rica Relocation - For Real!

Well people, we are only 1 year out from our move date. Yay!

I made a promise to start my downsizing at the 12 month mark and I plan to keep my promise. A blog will keep you honest!

I'm going to start at the easiest place (small -- but not so easy really) which is under the sink in my bathroom. Now, I know it looks like a complete mess in the photos and I do consider myself a pretty tidy person -- but I ask that you cut me a little slack because my apartment is only a little over 600 sq feet and this is my only bathroom storage. (Shaking my head)

So, today (on my day off) I went to the cabinet and I am going to clean it out. Really, I am, as soon as I complete this post!

There are all kinds of hair products (which I don't use) Hair clips, which you know I don't use (or rarely use) since my hair has been locked since 2000 (do you ever see a clip in my hair?).

I have a lot of "just in case" stuff junk under there.

I see prescriptions back to the 90's. Mostly because I rarely take any drugs.

Once upon a time it looked pretty neat under there.

but now....

It's a Big Fat Mess!!

Needless to say, I won't be taking this stuff with me (even if I wanted to, which I don't)

It bothers me every time I open that cabinet door. Last week Lavanson asked me where the hair dryer was as we were giving the dogs a bath. It was hard to explain. I told him to look on the left hand side in the back, behind the hair products, cases and clips (in the other plastic box). I don't understand why he looked so dazed! He couldn't find it. Now, since it is way too hard to put it back in that special spot (which immediately filled itself in with other junk after the dryer was removed) it is in the front of the cabinet and gets in the way every time I open the door.

Geez!

Wish me luck!

Stop back for the after pics.