Cowboy Gypsy
- January 24, 2016
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- Tayler Teichert
Posted in: Featured, Ranch Life
Cowboy Gypsies aren’t supposed to have a truck load of belongings and a trailer full of 6 horses. It makes up and moving a lot less glamorous, fun, and stress free. I’m stuck between wanting wings and roots. The roots in me tell me to buy the bed and keep the old school green carpet couches my parents don’t want anymore. The wings are telling me to purge everything but a few pair of jeans and a tooth brush.
Being a Cowboy Gypsy back in the day was a lot easier because there were ranch cooks and cavvys. Now days, most places required their hands to have their own cooking skills and utensils. Many also require hands to bring personal horses, which can be awesome because you are putting your time into your own horses instead of the ranch’s horses which you could leave behind if you decide to get a new zip code. But this also means another trailer load every time you try to relocate. I guess what I am saying is it’s easy to acquire way too much stuff. Moving is the pits and can be a really hard transition. I have done a lot of moving in the past few years; who am I kidding?… I’ve done a lot of moving my entire life! So, after so much practice, I might be getting kind of good at it. I will impart some of my tips on how to pack lighter while still having the essential belongings and how to make a place feel more like home in a hurry.
If you have more than 2 weeks notice that you are going to be relocating, use your evenings to purge some extra weight. I was recently packing up my pajama drawer and I decided I do not need 15 t-shirts to sleep in. Let’s be honest, I usually pick a shirt out and sleep in it for about a week. I do in fact, wash my clothes more often than every 15 weeks so I guess I can get rid of about 10 of those gems.
Do not subscribe to too many magazines if you are a wanderer. It will be a pain to get your address changed every time you move and those babies pile up fast. I love a good magazine, but I feel so bad throwing them away. Just make some new friends and you can read theirs. Problem solved. Also, a lot of articles can be found online now. Some of the best information can be found on blogs such as Cavvy Savvy (shameless plug intended) and other sites related to whatever type of magazines you fancy.
Pack in duffle bags. They are so durable and they have handles, making them so much easier to carry to the back of the pickup. If you encounter some precipitation you won’t have a soggy cardboard box to fart around with when you are unloading in the dark.
I always like to show up the afternoon before my new job starts. That way I can unpack a few necessities that night. I like to unpack my kitchen soon so I can bake cookies. Nothing makes you feel more at home than fresh baked cookies. For some of the rest of you, it could be artwork or photographs. Maybe it’s getting your tack out and stored. Whatever makes you feel at home, do that the first night. The rest can be unpacked over the next week after work. That way you stay busy and don’t dwell on how lonely you are while you haven’t had a chance to meet anyone.
I’ve decided I am a bit of a hoarder gypsy. That is kind of an oxymoron, but it is true. If you find yourself with this title also, my advice is to get rid of the excess sleeping t-shirts and old crafts from elementary school. While purging I almost get nostalgic and keep everything. I came up with a few questions to determine if it should go in the giveaway pile or go on my next adventure. Is this worth anything? If I died tomorrow would anyone want this? Will my children actually care about these sorta cool crafts I did in art class? Most of the time the answer is no! So junk it and make room for things actually worth hoarding. You also are not responsible for anyone else’s memories. If you don’t want it, but your friend from 7th grade gave it to you, you don’t have to keep it. If it’s something cool, but you just don’t have room to carry around, try asking a settled down friend or family member if you can have a little storage space in their basement or garage.
Hopefully some of these tips help you balance your roots and wings and settle into your new job and home quickly.
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Posted in: Featured, Ranch Life
About Tayler Teichert
Tayler Teichert was raised on ranches all over the west. She is the youngest of seven children. She is a full time ranch hand and loves classy ugly sweaters. She masquerades as a freelance photographer. You can check out her photography at www.taylerteichert.com. She writes...