I've been intrigued by tiny living and tiny houses for several years now and I'm looking at this experience as a way to have a small taste of it, without taking a huge leap, selling everything and committing to this lifestyle full time. So, after 25 days, here is my take on our tiny/RV living experience:
* Space. The lack of space is interesting, as it keeps you in continual 'editing' mode. I have always preferred small spaces, but this is a bit extreme compared to any other place that I've called home (except maybe when, in an effort to get away from my sister, I turned our bedroom closet into "my" room when I was a kid). I am now constantly considering whether or not any item is worth having, relative to the amount of space it occupies. For example: When I shop, I don't go for the larger container of anything- I go for the smallest container because I have to consider every square inch of the space that said container will occupy, once I get home with it. Another example: During our first few days here, I was all about decorating, but I quickly began removing any decorative items that were not also functional. Everything must have multiple uses or it doesn't get to stay here.
* Utilities. We are hooked up to water and electric in the parking lot of my husband's business. We checked into parking it at a campground and the monthly rent was as much as renting an apartment. Crazy! So, we are making do with what we have available. I'm just glad we have the option. So, the water is not potable at this point, as we have yet to purchase a water filter, so we have to carry in our fresh water. No big deal, really- plus, you become acutely aware of how much water you actually need in a day. For example, do I really need to have the water running through the faucet while I'm brushing my teeth? Actually, no. It's just a habit. I know now that it takes exactly one cup of water to brush my teeth and that includes rinsing my toothbrush. As for the electric, my husband gave me the formula for calculating how many amps it takes to use any of our appliances, so we don't go over our 30 amps at any given time and blow a breaker or a transformer (again!). Again, you become aware of every single activity and what kind of impact that activity will have on your ability to do any other activity.
*Utilities, cont. This time.... septic. I know! Gross, right?! Well, we are not close enough to be connected to the septic system on our property, so we rely on the holding tanks. For me, it's not so bad, because my husband is the one who gets the lovely job of dumping the tank. Again, I know, so gross! BUT, that's often the case for RV'ers, especially those who live this lifestyle full time, so the RV companies have come up with lots of chemicals that reduce the "yuck" factor (at least a little bit!).
*We are now very aware that we are living in a complicated piece of machinery that is basically a house/car combo. We have things that run on gasoline. We have things that run on propane. And we have things that run on electric. And they are all connected. If you don't use them in a balanced way, one of them could drain the others. We found this out the hard way and ended up at the Super 8 for a night!
*With a house/car combo, when you have to take the car to the shop, you are also taking your house to the shop. So, on the days when your house/car is in the shop, you are basically homeless for the day. It's unsettling to be in that situation for an entire day, but it really does make you realize how lucky you are to have a home at all. I've only had a couple of days like this, so it hasn't been too bad. I consider myself lucky because I can take our dog to my daughter's house and I have access to my classroom, which is only a few minutes away and it's a place that feels like a home-away-from-home. We are also lucky that, considering the RV is 17 years old, most everything is in perfect working order and it is obvious that it was well-maintained by it's previous owner.
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| Taking your "home" on the road feels a little weird! |
*We actually like going to the laundromat! (We found one with a craft brewery next door!)
* We have a greater appreciation for open spaces and for being outdoors.
* The sound of rain on the metal roof.
* We are parked in the middle of Missouri Wine Country. Having a parking lot for a yard is not so bad when you get to take your dog out for a walk through the vineyard. Again, so grateful!
* Having a gas stove and oven.
* Having access to the business Wi-Fi (and having Netflix!)
* It takes all of 10 minutes to clean the entire space, which means you have more time for other things that are a lot more fun than cleaning.
* We have been able to socialize more, since we are parked at a fun, bustling business (great wine and free live music just across the parking lot on the weekends!)
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| My view in the morning, while I have my coffee. I know it could be better, but it could also be a lot worse. I am grateful, for sure! |
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| More time for simple, mindful activities, like snapping green beans. It's the little things, right? |
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| A view of our time at the Super 8. haha! |
There are many more positives and many more negatives, but these are just a few that came to mind, quickly. Most of the negatives have to do with the utilities and, if we knew we would be here for a longer time period, we would make sure we had more convenient access to water, power, etc. In retrospect, I'm not quite sure we would do it again. So far, it has been an interesting learning experience, though. We're living in a completely different way, which has given us a whole, new perspective on a lot of things.
But right now, I just really want a house!!
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you have any questions about this lifestyle, if you are considering it. We feel like we are becoming old pros at this!
Have a great week! Be Still. Be Strong. Be Happy!
Juli
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