It’s been over a yr now that we’re Fulltime within the RV. We really wouldn’t commerce this life-style for the world. However we’ve come to comprehend that typically we do miss the safety of the stick and bricks. At occasions it isn’t even the safety, however simply “issues.” Doug not too long ago wrote an article concerning the 10 Issues That Suck About RV Residing. Nevertheless, on this article, I’d prefer to concentrate on issues which are missed while you not have an precise home.
When Doug and I began out we didn’t have a lot. Each of us are employee bee’s and made one thing out of nothing fairly shortly. We’ve each all the time strived for enchancment or to achieve our subsequent purpose. Shopping for a house. Transferring to a greater faculty district. Surviving the lack of every little thing we’d labored for in Hurricane Sandy. We simply hold going. That’s what we do. Objectives are set with the intent of assembly them. Transferring into the camper was a kind of targets. And we achieved it.
However typically, having a home would actually be superior. There have been loads of issues that we each simply MISS from the Stick and Bricks!
Safety Of The Stick and Bricks
Yeah, you’re proper, there are nonetheless doorways and home windows. However they’re a lot thinner now. Sure, we are able to nonetheless lock every little thing up, and we do. My neighbors are loads nearer now although. You don’t have a possibility to know your neighbors both. Yeah, you’ve stated hello. You’ve even shared dinners. However do you KNOW them? Like actually know them the identical manner you knew your previous neighborhood? Do you must know every little thing about them? Simply while you suppose you’re snug, certainly one of you strikes! Onto new neighbors as soon as once more.
Campground theft is an actual factor. At my home, I may go away my bicycle within the driveway over night time. Since transferring into the camper, it must be locked up on a regular basis. Whether or not staying in a Nationwide Forest or a Campground Resort, theft has been a difficulty in every single place. We weren’t on the resort in South Florida for 10 minutes earlier than we had been advised of e-bikes being stolen. Not by fellow campers, however by folks within the surrounding neighborhoods. Out to House Depot for some thick cable and Amazon for bike alarms.
Even foolish issues like new sounds outdoors could make you search that safety of a home extra. Whenever you stay someplace for some time, you develop accustomed to the noises. Creeks within the floorboards. Trains going previous within the distance. Street visitors. Something. However while you’re consistently on the transfer, these noises are all the time altering. Even Lagertha has her ears tuned in additional to the completely different sounds.
A Family Kitchen
The camper we selected for our Fulltime Way of life was partially chosen due to the scale and structure of the kitchen. In all honesty, I can’t say that my camper kitchen is little per se. The range and the oven ARE little although. Consuming out the entire time shouldn’t be an possibility. First, it’s manner too costly. Second, it’s severely unhealthy. I take pleasure in cooking! We prepare dinner within the camper. Outdoors area and cooking devices are a should, and we use them regularly too. However have you ever ever tried to make use of your camper oven for one thing massive? Like possibly a turkey breast?
The oven doesn’t even maintain an ordinary pan. I needed to exit and get a particular 13×9 cooking pan with little or no handles to slot in there. Overlook about making a cake. You’ll be able to solely do one layer at a time. Cookies too! The tiny cookie sheet I used to be capable of finding holds 8 cookies at a time. A batch of cookies is now an all day challenge.
Except for the scale of the oven and range is counter area. Within the camper, every little thing has a really particular house. Any deviation from that house creates muddle. Maybe I’ve all the time been spoiled with a big kitchen. However discovering a spot to prep any meal or goodies is like discovering a needle in a haystack. Not not possible, simply not going. And definitely not with out some sort of mess taking place.
Sidewalks
I didn’t know I missed these. Actually, till our final house, we by no means even had them. We’ve all the time lived in fairly rural areas and sidewalks didn’t exist. In our final house although, we lived in a growth that had sidewalks. On a regular basis I’d take Lagertha out for a stroll up and down the sidewalks in our neighborhood. She knew to sit down on the finish of the street and watch for me to inform her it was alright to cross. We didn’t fear about automobiles driving down the street. They had been within the street. We had been on the sidewalk.
Now that we’re in campgrounds or out on public land, there is no such thing as a such factor as sidewalks anymore. I’m glad there aren’t… It will actually look a bit ridiculous. However I miss them! I miss having them there once I go for my day by day stroll with Lagertha. She’s fairly good about staying on the facet of the street, however typically… “SQUIRRELL!” We’ve to be much more vigilant listening for automobiles arising behind us. Not all the time a straightforward process with electrical automobiles nowadays.
Lagertha has selected her personal, that she doesn’t go to the lavatory on our website. Placing up somewhat fence for her to roam in on the positioning isn’t actually an possibility for her. We have to take our stroll on a regular basis. Hikes are fantastic, and certainly one of her favourite issues. However typically, she simply must do her enterprise. And going for a stroll is what we do. Having a sidewalk to take action on, would actually be good typically.
Storage / Store / Driveway
That is one we KNEW we had been going to overlook. Doug positively misses it greater than me, however rattling! I didn’t notice simply how a lot we had been going to overlook having a spot to work on issues. Issues go unsuitable in a camper. Repairs will have to be made. Earlier than transferring into the camper, we had a storage. If the automobile Doug was engaged on didn’t match within the storage, we had the driveway. And if the challenge was extra sophisticated we actually have a buddy with a full mechanics store.
Not everybody has entry to the entire above, however earlier than transferring into the camper, all of us doubtless have a driveway. Or a spot the place we are able to pull issues out and work on them. When issues break now, we’re actually quarantined to our website. Which is fairly full with the camper and the truck already. Not to mention the instruments that we not have. Time to finish a restore in a campground is way tighter too. We solely have so long as we’re there.
I’m enthusiastic about portray and transforming our front room within the RV. I’m not about to begin this challenge at a campground, Harvest Host, or boondocking location. Area is required! I’ve to have the ability to pull all of it aside to color. Put it outdoors to dry. If I had a driveway, I may lay every little thing out and do it there. However I don’t. So this challenge requires much more logistics and inventive considering to perform. And as soon as once more, I’m again to the time for completion.
A Fenced Yard
That is completely a double edge sword. We definitely do NOT miss yard work like mowing and weeding. However, we do miss simply letting Lagertha outdoors. She misses sunbathing at any time when she needs. Some mornings we’re busy doing issues and all she needs is to be outdoors. If we nonetheless had a fenced in yard, we may let her out to run round. She may get her train with out us dropping what we’re doing. Since being within the camper, that’s not an possibility.
I miss adorning my yard. Sounds foolish, and it kinda is. However I miss placing my pretend flowers out for each vacation. Making my yard and residential really feel liked and welcoming brings me pleasure. We’re solely often at any given camp website for two weeks. I’m not adorning my website each time we transfer. Not solely as a result of it isn’t my property to brighten. However we don’t have area to retailer decorations. Halloween is arising proper now. I’d actually prefer to carve a pumpkin for my entrance steps. However I don’t have entrance steps anymore. And I definitely don’t have area for large ol’ carved and embellished pumpkin.
A Actual Bathe
As soon as once more, that is one thing that we knew we had been sacrificing after we determined to go fulltime within the camper. The showerhead has been upgraded. We modified out our mixing valve to have separate cold and hot dials. Doug even put a holding tank in so our water stress was extra regular. However even with the entire modifications, we nonetheless don’t have a REAL bathe like we did in our home.
Each Doug and I agree {that a} scorching bathe is fairly rattling near the highest of the checklist of all time finest innovations. After an extended strenuous day of climbing an extended scorching bathe feels superb. Nevertheless, should you stay in a camper, you finest go discover the bathhouse if that’s what you need. Lengthy scorching showers are a factor of the previous. At finest we are able to get an extended reasonably heat bathe. Or a brief scorching bathe. By no means lengthy AND scorching in the identical bathe.
Similar goes while you aren’t feeling nice. I’ve been combating a head chilly for every week now. There isn’t a lot I wouldn’t do to simply stand in a scorching bathe for so long as I would like. Let the water beat on my face to assist break every little thing up. Sadly, that isn’t an possibility. Thank God for Vicks, or I’ll not be capable to breathe out of my nostril.
Nonetheless Wouldn’t Give It Up
There are most likely a number of extra issues that I may add to this checklist. Little issues. Easy issues. Stuff you don’t even take into consideration till they’re not there. However we aren’t able to commerce the wheels in for bricks simply but. The professionals nonetheless outweigh the cons on our checklist.
Earlier than you make the leap and determine to go fulltime, actually take into consideration the entire belongings you’ll be giving up although. Take into consideration the issues that you just’re gonna miss. Make an inventory and browse different’s articles. It’s essential guarantee that each factor in your checklist is one thing you can stay with out. Lacking issues are one factor, however are you able to actually give them up?
