It's funny, the kids each have very different favorites from the places we have visited...one liked the fast pace and lights of Salt Lake City, Utah and another preferred the silence and solitude of Death Valley. I find it hard to pick just one favorite. I liked parts of them all :).
When we first started out, I was unsure whether 365 square feet of living space would fit all seven of us and our belongings comfortably. Well, I'm happy to tell you that it does.
It's eye opening how little we actually need. I have had empty cabinet space from the beginning...a pleasant surprise when we were all loaded up and ready to set out on this adventure. So, to those of you that wonder if we are crammed in...the answer is no :).
Even though we aren't packed in here with "stuff", I definitely did over pack. If I thought we'd want it, I brought it. I have gotten rid of things at pretty regular intervals along the way. The first thing to go was our regular hard sided laundry hamper and baskets. They simply took up too much floor space. I donated them and replaced them with mesh laundry bags for our hamper and the collapsible laundry baskets that fold flat. I can store both items in our closet when not in use and they take up a tiny amount of space. Much better :).
Another thing I was unsure about was the tiny little RV fridge. Would it hold enough groceries to feed my hungry bunch? The answer to that is yes. I am amazed at how much actually does fit in there. I took out the little shelf with the notch in it and we can fit two gallons of milk and a carton of juice easily on the top shelf. I only have to shop once or twice a week for groceries, no different than when we lived in a house.
One thing I thought I could skimp on was a vacuum cleaner. We got rid of our big upright vacuum and only brought a little stick vac, which is basically one of those small hand held vacuums on a stick. Yes...it was easier to store, it would fit in the closet...but it didn't do a good enough job. So out it went and we had to purchase a better (and bigger) one with the rotating brush thing on the bottom for the carpet. Definitely worth the extra space it takes up to store :).
Speaking of floors, I highly recommend a large rug for just outside the door to your camper. Most people probably already know this and have one, but if you don't you should consider it. We have a large rug out there with a small bristly mat to clean our shoes off on also. Just inside the camper door we have a small rug to catch any dirt that managed to make it in. These really keep our floors pretty clean. When I mop, I use a spray and clean the floor with white towels and there has only ever been just a slight trace of dirt on the rag after I've done the entire floor. So that's good...
Laundromats? I will never like those. Nothing more to say about that, hahaha
Your comments remind me of our pastor's sermon last week on the seriousness of getting bogged down with too much stuff--as he said, there's no way we can keep track of everything and it all eventually will degenerate and decay (He's preaching from the Sermon on the Mount and used the passage from Matthew about focusing on things that moths, rust, and thieves will destroy. He wasn't preaching against having those things, but against making them our life's focus more than on treasures that last forever in heaven. It's amazing what we really CAN live without! I'm glad your family has had this chance to find this out and focus on family relationships. You're teaching them some good lessons!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rhoda :).
DeleteMy family and I are heading out in two weeks for a year long rv adventure. Thank you for sharing about your journey. I'm happy to hear packing light is the way to go! :)
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