That’s right no basements in Florida! Why are there no basements in Florida? It has to do with the water table being about a foot or less below ground! Ok if it can’t be done, it can’t be done.
As someone who grew up in Ohio (lived there almost 30 years) I can attest that a basement really lets you spread out. It’s almost like a second garage and for us men another place to put our stuff. I love so many things about living in Florida, the weather, beaches, etc…but I really do miss having a basement to put my extra things.
My wife and I have been in Florida now for 5 years. We first moved to Indian Harbour Beach and lived in a furnished town home for almost a year. At one time we actually had two storage units and had the garage filled from top to bottom.
We then moved across the state to Bradenton / Lakewood Ranch where I took a sales job and we rented a condo. Again still lots of stuff so the condo and the garage were full. The one bedroom actually consisted of several large boxes stacked one on top of another and a small desk. We definitely are not “pack rats” we just needed to accept that a home in Florida is different without the basements we grew up with and we needed to adjust.
In our present home we did start making the adjustment, but it has taken time. Everything has been placed in specific locations with a lot of thought in mind. The garage has several large bookcases that hold power tools and other items and I used the Rubbermaid Fast Track product to hang items like shovels, rakes, brooms, bikes, etc.
The point is if your moving to Florida keep in mind that the basement you had up north doesn’t exist down here. More stuff equals a larger moving truck which is more gas so a bigger expense. A bigger expense for items you might not own after a year in your new Florida home. Sell the stuff up north while you can and put a little extra money in your pocket. Don’t make the mistakes we did!