Molinda Goforth

Helping You Prosper!

Want To Stop In For a Visit?

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It’s Christmas Season!  I am filled with memories of Christmas past.   Turn on your imagination and let’s visit my Great Grandmothers, Aunt Josie ‘s  house in the woods in Clay County, Kentucky.  Here we go:

wash on Monday

iron on Tuesday

mend on Wednesday

churn on Thursday

clean on Friday

bake on Saturday

rest on Sunday

 list from Little House in the Big Woods, a children’s classic story that began in 1871.   It so reminds me of Aunt Josie’s home and her era.

Of course, there is home made jelly on the ledge of the wood stove in the kitchen!

Yummy memories!

Thanks for joining me.  What are your memories of Christmas past?

 

Want To Take Housing First Steps?

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For months we have talked about plans, visited websites and posted pictures of different dwellings.

My plans are to convert the storage building to a residence.  Can I do this?

I can certainly try.  Since I haven’t completed one, I don’t know all of the obstacles I will encounter.  It will be a learning process!

I wish someone were living who could share with me what my Great Grandmother Aunt Josie felt and thought when she assisted in the delivery of the first baby

My tiny house isn’t the first one.  The concept of smaller housing, returning to basics grows each day.  Becoming debt free also grows each day.  Dave Ramsey is a leader in this field.

I want to be your leader in the little housing market.  Are you willing to consider the idea?

Downsizing? What do You Keep?

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Putting It In Storage

My most difficult choices are to decide what to keep.  Yesterday, they delivered two pods to a storage building in Maynardville, Tennessee.

I feel a bit sad when I think of all the things I have given away or sold.

Reality check:  I still have too much to fit into the little house.  While I am deciding where home is really going to  be, I need to do a plan for placing furniture and items inside the house.  That will be fun to share with you.

Found It! Found My Little House!

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Little House

This is it.   I just have to see if the owner wants to sell.  It fits the description.
Here is a little house that has been home to someone.  it even has furniture stacked to the ceiling inside.  In the back yard, there are lots of old cars, so I know someone worked here!

Ok,  before my family faints,  it really isn’t my little house, but a cute thought.

Blame It all On My Roots!

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Remember my great grand mother,  Aunt Josie Sizemore.  I am thinking today and wondering what thoughts went through her mind as she traveled on foot to deliver babies.

She KNEW her mission in life.  What a wonderful calling and how gratifying it must have been to come to the next part of the journey knowing you had fulfilled your mission here.

My heart plays music.  It has since I was a little girl  practicing the piano and hating not playing what was in my heart and head.  The notes all ran together. It still plays and now I just play what I hear in my spirit!

The next stanza is music about home.  I feel the little house, people gathered to sing, laughter, happiness.  Our housing market in the United States is stressed now and I want to guide others to enjoy living large in the little space needed.

Want to join me?

Will I Build A Little House?

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It is time to get realistic.   Plans are drawn to convert the little building to my residence.

Like waking from a dream, this is a vision inside my head.  Resources are needed.  I have empathy for those seeking employment as I have tasted of the secular world for resources.

My Faith in God sustains me!  Today, I am spending quiet time with him to listen to a plan for moving forward.

With a piece of real estate to put it on and money to buy the materials, pay for labor it is possible to build a house in a month.  However, I don’t have those things.  It is time to be Still and listen to the Master.

Do You Need Storage?

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Most move it your self companies offer free storage for the first month when you arrive.

If you send your stuff in a pod, which is what I did, you have the remainder of the of the month to find somewhere to put them or they will charge per your contract for storing your things.

At this point, I plan to leave mine in the pod for one more month while I find a place.

Think I can build a little house in a month?

Pack And Move!

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You pack your stuff and You save money.  There are other tips for saving!  I was going to do a separate file for you to download, but since you are here, I shall just post it for you!

PACK UP & MOVE  TIPS TO SAVE YOU TIME AND MONEY!

Thinking of Moving?  These tips will save you time and money,  stress on your back and fill your move with joy!   Read through the entire article,  read the second time and highlight what you wish to use and just Pack up & Go in peace!

Just as when you decide to travel you choose the vehicle you will travel in, you will need to select a vehicle to use for moving. Make a spread sheet to become your resource list for moving.

  1. Contact your resource list for moving.  Give each all of your information.  They will inundate you with quotes which are negotiable. Document these quotes as they continue to call you and offer a little better deal!  It’s important to have this item done in time to allow for negotiation.  Have a date in mind for your anticipated move.  Askif there are week day discounts.
  1. Start a spread sheet and list Commercial Movers, U Haul, Penske, Budget or a Pick Up truck, a van, pods or a tag along trailer.  Make several columns on your spread sheet. Include cost of gas, mileage they say their vehicle will get and deduct 2 miles per gallon,  date of quote and name of person giving you the quote.  Set aside this list for the time being.  You will be documenting more information with the call backs or additional emails from them.
  2. Make a list of every item you are moving.  Put it in a notebook with one item on each line.
  3. Do a second spread sheet and itemize every item you are moving.  Check your list twice.  Include 3 columns from your item to move and mark it as Essential,  Keepsake memory or Delete.
  4. Remember donations to Good Will and similar agencies may be tax deductible.  Go online to IRS allowances for their approved allowances for donated goods.
  5. Document what you are donating.
  6. Have any items you could trade for a debt or labor?  List Trade and Barter Items.
  7. Trade and Barter items:  Make a potential list of friends and acquaintances who may want or need your items.
  8. Post some items on Craigs list and mark them for trade labor.
  9. Schedule your calls to your list on number 9.
  10. Make calls, document who is taking what and why.
  11. Items left over?  Donate them to a charity.  Be sure to keep your receipts.
  12. Take items to Good will or other charity.  Get a receipt.
  13. Ascertain if you think it would be profitable to do a moving sale.
  14. Put all moving  sale items in one place.  Wait 24 hours.
  15. Let’s see if maybe you can add to the sale!
  16. Repeat selection for moving sale from the items you still have to pack.
  17. Play a game with yourself. Pretend you are going to buy every item in your house at a yard sale.  What would you pay for each item?   Use this information as a measure of your own properties value for moving.  Add to your moving sale.
  18. Schedule a date for the moving sale.
  19. Price all items
  20. Take pictures of items.
  21. Begin to post on Craigs list.
  22. Choose help for your moving sale
  23. Call local papers for price quotes to run the ad.
  24. It’s your decision!  Be sure you are confident you will not go in a deficit state for the ad.
  25. Make Flyers for the sale
  26. Three days before the sale, start your Craigs list posting of individual items and one ad for the actual sale.  I suggest you use the word moving or estate sale as it seems to create more of a sense of urgency and bargains.
  27. Get your signs ready and some balloons.  Have coin change and some one dollar bills.
  28. Sale, Sell, Sell.   Group all leftovers and run a craigs list ad similar to ,  Last call $20.00 takes all.  Value up to ___________
  29. Give to charity what you don’t sell.  Remember the receipt
  30. Schedule your move date.  Call all your sources and compare prices again
  31. Confirm your vendor for move and dates and time.
  32. Pack, pack pack….
  33. Plastic totes from Home Depot or Walmart are great.  They stack easily and can be reused.  The cost should be around $4.00 each
  34. Purchase what supplies you need for moving,  packing tape, some bubble wrap, permanent marker, notebook, and go to the newspaper and ask for the end rolls of paper.   It should be free or very cheap.  The paper is clean and great for wrapping.
  35. Allow 10 totes for each room.
  36. Put the totes and accessories needed in each room.
  37. One more sweep through the house and look at Books if you are a reader.  Consider eliminating some of them.  Submit the ones you want to delete to Amazon for credit  They will mail you a postage label and credit your account.  Donate the rest to the library.
  38. In your notebook be prepared to document what you put in each tote . Number the totes and correlate it to your notebook.
  39. Pack,  Label according to room.
  40. Fill everything!  Pots, Pans,  put spices inside, or small items.  Glasses hold silverware  Use every space.  Use towels to wrap breakables.
  41. Start Daily Needs List.
  42. Document what you are using each day for one week.  Write down everything, eg  toothpaste, tooth brush mouthwash, combs, shampoo,  clothes, shoes,  keys, coffee trash bags, you use it, vitamins,  document it.
  43. Start 3 Car totes.  One for personal items, one for business and one for clothes. When move time comes you should have from number 44 packed everything you need to survive for a week without stress.
  44. Pack cleaning stuff in the garbage can.  Also, bathroom items fit nicely into little garbage cans.
  45. Use heavy duty rubber bands to secure all drawers.  It will prevent them from coming open and items falling out.
  46. Consider buying blankets from thrift stores for your furniture instead of renting furniture pads.  When you arrive, you can donate them to the charity and may have a tax write off  At the least you will save money over renting blankets.
  47. Do a diagram for packing your truck!  When your moving help comes you can spend a few minutes instructing them what goes where and when.
  48. Advertise on Craigs list for moving help.  Other avenues, would be Walmart employee, furniture store delivery men, most would be happy to earn extra
  49. Guideline for pay:  I paid a total of $40.00 to have my 2 pods loaded and that includes 3 rooms of furniture and 60 totes.

    My Moving Pod

  50. Purchase a lock for your truck if you rent one.
  51. Make a list of food you can take in your car, such as fruit and drinks, saves a bunch on the way!
  52. Plants will probably survive if you set them in a tote, put ice around them.  The ice will melt and water the plants as the truck gets warm.  No guarantees here, but my plants survived.
  • SAVINGS YOU MAY REALIZE

 

  1. $  Several Hundred Dollars by comparing moving prices and negotiating your deal.
  2. $  Several Hundred Dollars by packing your self.
  3. $  Money for eliminating moving unnecessary items.
  4. $  Moving Labor:  Save $200.00 to $300 by choosing people to help with  minimun wage in mind..   If you have everything packed and a moving diagram, 2 men can load your household goods in a couple of hours.   At 15.00 an hour for each you have committed to $60.00.  Even on moving help it’s in the neighborhood of $125.00
  5. $ Possible Tax Benefits.

Enjoy Your Move!   Treat your self to a Massage with some of your savings.

I Told You So! Does The South Trail The West?

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Check This Out!

Over 300 Professionals attended the Build Small Live Large Housing Summitt at  Portland State University in October.  Visit the link above.

Honestly, this has so ignited my fire to build my little house and to invite you to participate.  In this economy one way we could generate more individual money would be to eliminate the debt for a large house.

Home is where you hang your hat, lay your head and feed your face.  It is to be full of joy and laughter, kids playing and warm memories.  That doesn’t leave room for a lot of empty space to pay big utility bills,  huge tax bills,  exorbitant repair bills resulting in a depleted bank account.

Pay Attention!  I will be hosting a meet up in Kentucky and one in Tennessee in January for those interested in converting your money thief into income or building small and living large. Southern people know how to live large in a little house!

Love it that Portland’s slogan is so similar to mine!  Don’t you think great minds  think alike?