Living Small: What I Love & Don't
RV living is living small. There has been a trend among many people to live small. You have the tiny home movement, van life, and of course RVers. So what is the appeal of living small? It isn't for everyone but here are some of the things I love and don't love about living in my RV.
To begin with I love the simplicity of cleaning and the short amount of time it takes to actually clean the inside of the RV. No more Saturdays spent cleaning house, scrubbing tile, or washing windows. Not to mention no more yard work.
Of course when living small you have little choice but to pick up after yourself and put everything in it's place. If you leave things out not only does the place get cluttered and messy, it takes you that much longer to pack things away and get back on the road when it is time to roll.
Keeping the space around you tidy not only looks good, it gives you more room to use enjoy the space that you have.
But what about that limited space? Sometimes it can feel like a juggling act when you have several things going at the same time. For example cooking. You have the stove top and the convection microwave to complete a whole meal, and very limited countertop space. At moments like that it's all about the timing. You have to think a little more carefully about what gets done first so that everything comes together at the right time. Pretty much like any normal Thanksgiving dinner. On the other hand you can simplify your life by using modern wonders like the instapot or that old standby the grill.
Living small means you can't have everything and you have to narrow down the things you really need and narrow even further the things you want. Still when you adjust to not having every item you might ever wish for crammed into cupboards and drawers, and usually forgotten about anyway, it clarifies the process of cooking, baking, and even clean up.
Another wonderful thing about living the RV lifestyle is nature. No, I don't have my own yard or garden any more but I have the full wonder of nature right outside my front door. While wintering here in Florida I have had the pleasure of enjoying my mother-in-laws yard and helping out with the plants. The roses that are just starting to bloom have been especially rewarding. As much as I enjoy growing things I much prefer having my ever changing back yard as I travel from place to place seeing the wonders of this nation.
So I guess I'm saying that I love the simplicity of living small but that doesn't mean there aren't complications as well. One of the major issues is weather. To some extent you must always be thinking about the weather and watching to see how it might impact your situation.
Along with the rain that keeps you in for an extended time you need to be mindful of what resources you need while out and about. Cold weather means using more resources such as propane and gray days mean using more lights which draw from your battery bank. Having solar panels to recharge your batteries helps to provide power for the whole rig but a few gray days and you will be running out of juice.
This is when your generator comes into play and can recharge your batteries or power appliances that need more energy by firing up that fuel happy machine. It's all like layers of preparation to make sure you have what you need when you need it. This is where RV living gets a little complicated. But is it worth it? Not to everyone. Many people try this life style and realize very quickly it is not their cup of tea. Not only are you giving up your house, yard, and many of your things but you are now confined to a small box on wheels with another person or a few people. Many people find that living so closely can be a strain on their relationships.
For us, it seems to work. Everyday gives us more opportunities to explore a partnership that keeps growing as we learn new skills, new abilities, and above all see new things. For now stay tuned for what comes next and don't forget to watch for the next books from this rolling and writing author.