This last weekend we sold our little vintage trailer we’ve had for 10 years that I wrote about here – the trailer that saw our family through many camping trips and vacations (like this and this). I LOVE that little trailer – the sweet little shape, the wood interior, the compactness that still held everything we needed – and I loved owning it. It was easy to tow, easy to park, easy to pack.
But we haven’t used it at all in the past two years. Since living simply is not just a blog tagline to me but a way we really want to live, we started talking, honestly, about our need for it. We came to the realization that without little kids anymore, Brian and I just aren’t going to camp on our own. I think we thought we might and we’d love to be known as campers – but we’re not. I don’t sleep well in the trailer anymore and we just find it kinda boring to camp just the two of us. I’d much rather go somewhere and stay in a motel or just day trip somewhere. And that’s okay. It’s a new stage of life and it’s not bad, just different (this is what I tell myself…). So we listed it on Craigslist and started getting calls within hours – the farthest from Bremerton, Washington. Okay, clue: vintage trailers are hot.
But, oh how bittersweet this is! Look at that original wood screen door, one of my favorite things about it. The trailer wasn’t in mint condition and not everything was original still, but all the cabinets where original and they’re what gave it so much character. The walls, though redone, were still wood which just makes you feel cozy and content inside. Our family of four had no trouble hanging out in here to get away from rain or mosquitos – between the bench and the table there was plenty of room. It served us well.
So, yeah, I found myself crying as I cleaned out the trailer, packing up our special camping cups, finding the pad we used for games and the treasures the kids found in a drawer. But as you probably guess, it’s not all about the trailer, but also the end of an era for our family where it’s just the four of us taking school vacations and weekends to get away. Again, not bad, just different. A new normal. But definitely something I have to get used to.
And so this? This helped ease the transition SO much. The sweet family who bought our trailer has been dreaming of a little vintage trailer for a of couple years. They loved it and thought it was perfect – dents, imperfections and all. They drove 2 hours to come check it out and in the end they drove home with it. I hope they get as many years of enjoyment out of it as we did (and really hope they finally get rid of the red paint job that we never got to!).
As they drove away with it, my thought was, “man, that’s a cute trailer.”
Goodbye trailer…and goodbye season of life. {sniff}
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Bridget says
We are basically going through the same thing right now with our boat. This boat was where we lived and played when our kids were little, such wonderful times and great memories, but now, the kids are grown and gone. We haven’t used it for four years. It is so hard to part with it, but hopefully someone else can build memories like we did.
Jami says
It is hard, Bridget, isn’t it? Sure helps when the right person buys it, and there is a good feeling of cleaning out stuff that you don’t use anymore. Now we have tons of room in our garage!
Julie says
We used to have a tent then when Charlie was 2 and Tom 4 we got a small trailer or a caravan as we call them over here. It went all over the uk and as the kids got bigger we would take a two man tent as well it was amazing we had good times but the kids grew up did their own thing for holidays and we sold ours too. There comes a time. I didn’t just have a small tear in my eye I howled. We had a few years borrowing a house from my boss in France and now we have come full circle. We had up until June a Motorhome which we have travelled all over France in. Just nick and I it’s been wonderful. Now looking for a bit newer one as we have more time to spend on holiday and our ‘old bird’, as she was affectionately known, was 25! She has gone to a younger family with two children and they are loving it. So it’s a new phase in your life. Thank you so much for sharing it’s brought back our happy memories.
Jami says
You know, Julie, if we could’ve used it to tour France I certainly would’ve kept it! 🙂 I seriously have travel-envy now, ha!
Pat says
I am a 63 yr old gramma to 3 wonderful boys, 21, 18, and 8. Ihave a hard time adjusting, it happens in it own sweet time. Your kids grow up so fast… Life changes and we have no choice but to move on. I wouldn’t let my hubby get rid of my 40 yr old daughters car seat, crazy right, but I did it myself last week and then cried and now moving on again. Live is good and memories sweet.
Jami says
Amen, Pat!
Michele says
Jami, I feel your pain- it’s not really the trailer, it’s about the kids not really going with you anymore 🙁 OK, well, the trailer was cool, too!
We tent camped with our boys from the time the oldest was 6 weeks old up until the youngest went to college…and after he graduated from college, we bought our first trailer. It’s a ‘retro’ Aljo and we have found a renewed love for camping! It’s perfect for just the two of us on two or three day trips…we have found that we are taking it out twice a month from May-October.
Congrats that the trailer went to a nice family….but camping only with your spouse is actually quite a treat.
Patti says
I absolutely agree that camping with “just” a spouse is quite a treat—-I’ve never thought of it once as boring—-but, we’re all different! My two oldest boys are grown and my youngest, 15, HATES tent camping. So, rather than give up what my husband and I love doing, our 15 year old stays with our middle son while we go and camp, explore, relax—just enjoy being outdoors on our own schedule. I would love to own a little trailer, but we simply cannot afford one at this time. So, we just pack up our tent and camping supplies and hit the road, usually within just an hour or so of home (we live in northern-most CA and there are campgrounds galore!). We just returned Sunday from a weekend camping trip where we had the incredible pleasure of seeing bears for the first time in all our years of camping—–absolutely NOT boring!
Jami says
So glad you have fun camping, Patti! You’re right it shouldn’t be boring to us, which is why I wrote that I wished we were campers. I still love being outdoors and there are so many things to appreciate there. I wonder if it’s because I’ve camped my whole life and now I want to do other things? It also doesn’t help that I just don’t sleep well, so I come back really exhausted. 🙁 I’m sure we’ll still camp occasionally with family and we’ll do an air mattress in a tent like we used to – it’s just not enough to warrant keeping a trailer for, though.
Jami says
I know, Michelle, you’re right – we have a lot of friends and neighbors who like to camp on their own, which is why I’d love if it was our thing, but we’ve tried and it’s just not us. Sure glad you enjoy it!!
Mindy says
Ohhhh, it’s so cute! I want one so bad. An Airstream is the big dream, but I love the little ones like yours, too. I would have been sad to see it go. 🙁
Jami says
Yeah, I always look longingly at the airstreams – they are too cool.
Caterina B says
Oh….you have courage! We have a 1972 Airstream Argosy that I simply cannot part with. The kids were older when we bought it and were leaving home one by one. We had just moved a couple of years before that to a rundown cabin in the mountains in Colorado and wanted to park it on the “back forty” for company. The previous owners had named it the “Twinky” because of its shape. So, we call it the Twinky, too.
I don’t remember if we thought we would ever pull it anywhere, though. It’s so wonderful just being at home on our little farm that we don’t seem to have to go camping at all. I would like to rent it at weekends to poor, unfortunate folks who live in Denver and need a mountain fix. I have plans, oh yes I do. I just have to get hubby to come around to my plan. We’ll see! When the kids come home one or two of them like to sleep out there. It’s a very peaceful feeling just sitting in it. At Christmas we always drape it in colored lights just for our daughter. It looks so pretty in the twilight with snow all around.
Jami says
Oh, my, that sounds amazing Caterina! What a great idea. We actually thought of using the trailer for an office, but it’s a bit too tight to be comfortable at the table for office hours. 🙂 Those airstreams, though – sigh…they’re perfect for that!
Carole says
Oh…if only I’d known. Sigh. My dream is to own a little camper like this. Hubby and I used to camp before we were married, and for several years afterwards. However, I’m no longer a tent girl…I want something that’s packed and ready to go on a Friday evening. Nothing to do except to gather food and essentials, hook it up and go. I’m on the lookout. They seem to come up so rarely close by here.
Jami says
Oh, too bad, Carole! I am still shocked at how much interest we had and how quick it went.
Valerie says
I always loved seeing pics of your little red camper. Sounds like your family got some really good use out of it. That’s so cool!! And now a new family will get even more awesome memories from using it. Such a sweet story.
Mary of Front Porch Ideas says
Aww, what a sweet story and I bet it was truly bittersweet to see your little vintage trailer get driven away. Relish those family memories you had in it. The new owners are sure going to enjoy it.
Samantha Smith says
We sold our little camper in June. I know exactly what you mean, and how you felt. Finding those little treasures made the memories come flooding back…but as you said, we are in a different chapter now. A sweet older couple bought ours. They were going to visit their out of state children, and didn’t want to crowd their space.
It was fun while it lasted!
Patricia says
That is a cute trailer! I bet that family will have loads of fun in it.
Sounds like you’ve made peace with saying goodbye. Plus you have wonderful memories.
We are STILL trying to get ours ready to camp.
Just the Honey and I.
I’m eager and looking forward to it. -Pat