30 Things We've Learned in the First Month of Full-Time RVing

We left Indiana on June 1 and have now been "on the road" (in quotes because much of our time is spent in campgrounds, not on the highway) for almost six weeks. All of this is totally experimental, and we had no way of knowing how well our expectations for the RV lifestyle would match up with reality. Trent and I can both say that we're enjoying it and have no regrets. Sam seems to be enjoying it, too, though some days are easier than others.

But full-time RVing involves a steep learning curve. It isn't always fun, it isn't always easy, and it's often tiring. Sometimes it takes hard work, especially when it comes to logistics and repairs.

Here are 30 things we've learned during our first month in Clark:

1. Washing dishes is practically a full-time job. We don't have that many dishes or that much kitchenware, but nevertheless, all of it seems bound and determined to continuously pile up in the sink. We do the dishes at least three times a day and the sink is never really clear for more than an hour at a time - if we're lucky.

2. We don't need long showers. At this point, we don't even want long showers in the RV. The bathroom is so tiny that we're constantly bumping into things. Moreover, we're always paranoid about overfilling the gray tank (the tank that holds all gray water - water from showering, washing hands, and dish washing). I'm never in there for more than five minutes, and even then, I find myself turning the water off as I soap up.

3. And we don't need hot showers. That will change in the winter, but for now, the Texas heat is such that a nice cool shower is welcome and refreshing. Furthermore, every time we want a hot shower, we have to turn on the propane and the hot water heater. It takes about 15 minutes to get the water hot enough to be worthwhile. 

4. Our kitchen is one of our (okay, MY) greatest sources of stress. That's totally on me, really: when I cook, I like to have space. The RV kitchen is tiny and offers very little in the way of room to roam while preparing a meal. I find myself getting impatient with Trent and Sam when I'm trying to make dinner and they're searching through a cabinet or getting a snack out of the fridge. I'm working on this.

5. We need far fewer clothes than we used to believe. All of us re-wear the same items multiple times before washing them because a) again, storage space is limited and b) going to the laundromat isn't something we want to do every other day. But it's fine. Currently, I own two pairs of shorts, three pairs of jeans (which I barely wear during the summer), several t-shirts, plenty of underwear and socks, a pair of flip flops, a pair of running shoes, and that's about it. And I'm still tempted to keep purging the closet!

6. But we do need the Internet. Big time. Given that Trent works online full time and I work online part time, a good, consistent Internet connection is absolutely crucial. WiFi at campgrounds is spotty and we don't even bother to rely on them. Instead, we have a Verizon JetPack and a recently-acquired unlimited Internet plan. As long as we can get a cellular signal, we can get on the Internet.

7. RV maintenance is expensive. Case in point: last week we spent $200 to get Clark's oil changed and his tires checked out. Whew. The maintenance is crucial, though. If we take good care of Clark, he'll take care of us.

8. Sometimes things break. Sometimes in the middle of the night. Like last night, when water from our fridge started leaking all over the kitchen, and we had to go outside at 4 in the morning to adjust some hoses.

9. When you're traveling with kids, down days are a must. You can be in the coolest place in the world but if your child is tired and needs to chill out with some Minecraft instead of checking out the local scene, then go with Minecraft. I keep reminding myself that all of this constant change and adjustment is hard on anyone - but especially a child.

10. We still have job stress. Trent works from home, but he's on the job all day for the entire week. I have a small Beachbody business, teach online, and am working towards a Certified Health Coach certification. We're always trying to think of ways to bring in a little more cash (because no, we are definitely not wealthy!) Just like most other people, we spend a lot of time on our computers.

11. Thousand Trails is a good deal (for us). Although some of the TT campgrounds are nicer than others, we love that they all offer full hook-ups, things for kids to do (read: swimming pools) and an RVer-friendly atmosphere. We have a country-wide pass, which means that we can stay in any Thousand Trails park throughout the U.S. for up to two weeks. (The only caveat is that we have to leave the system for one week in between.) We're a member of other organizations that offer camping discounts (including Good Sam's, KOA, and Passport America), but TT is our favorite program so far.

12. State parks are also a good deal. For instance, right now we're staying at a state park in Texas for $100. The price includes partial hookups (water and electricity). Not having a sewer hookup is a bit of a pain, but we can just use the park's bathrooms and showers. It's worth it if you consider that the price is far, far less than what we'd pay at a commercial place like KOA, which often runs for ~$40 to $50 a night during peak season.

13. Speaking of campgrounds, get there on Sunday. Not Friday. Absolutely not Friday. Weekends have been very busy at the campgrounds we've visited, but the majority of visitors clear out on Sunday morning. If we arrive at the check in time on Sunday afternoon, we usually have plenty of spots to choose from and can set ourselves up nicely.

14. You can increase the time between laundromat visits if you're willing to "wash" your clothes in the shower and dry them outside. Note: This method doesn't work so well for running clothes. #stinkysocks

15. Shaving seems less important now. cf: Trent's beard; my legs on most days.

16. Odor-control cat litter is vital. We love Biscuit's Modcat kitty litter box because it fits perfectly in the cab of the RV between the driver's and passenger's seats, but finding cat litter that controls odors has been a bit of a journey. Recently we purchased Exquisicat Fragrance Free Clumping Micro-Crystals, and I think this is the one. It's easy to clean, it clumps so that we can actually remove the soiled litter (not the case with other crystal-type litter), and it doesn't smell weird.

17. Trader Joes is the best grocery store in the world. I've joked that we should select our destinations based on whether there's a TJs in close proximity, and I'm only partly kidding. The prices are low, the produce is fresh, and they have wine. Sold.

18. Best things to get at Trader Joe's for easier RV living: microwaveable rice and quinoa, veggie burgers, frozen fruit for smoothies, giant tubs of hummus, fruit for snacking.

19. Sometimes it's easier not to cook. Instead, we make big salads, smoothies, and sandwiches.

20. But you can save a lot of money by cooking instead of going out to eat. Restaurant dining is not a sustainable option for us.

21. It's vital that you and your spouse are on the same page about hand signals before trying to back into a camping site. Because otherwise, you will probably argue.

22. Being a nomad is tiring. I guess that's obvious to some people, but I was hoping to maintain a high level of productivity even on the road. Some days, though, I just want to hang out in bed, read, and snack. Other people who live in small spaces and/or maintain a peripatetic lifestyle have told me that this is normal. Moving on a regular basis is tiring. Daily cleaning and organizing are tiring. Living in a couple hundred square feet of space with two other people and a cat is tiring. I'm going to assume the periodic exhaustion is normal and just roll with it.

23. I'm way more okay with our shifting roles than I ever thought I would be. I've always been a very driven person, and up until now, I always channeled that drive into my work. My work was my life. Before we left, I was concerned about how I'd feel about Trent working full time and having to cobble together part-time gigs. Honestly? Now that we're here, I feel totally, completely fine with it. Some days I work on marketing my coaching business, some days I blog, some days I do domestic chores, and some days - as noted above - I make a lot of snacks for a hungry nine year old. Much to my surprise, I rarely feel like I'm not contributing or that my work - paid or not - isn't important. My stress levels have decreased substantially.

24. Your RV will never be as organized as you want it to be, and periods of peak organization will last for all of five minutes before entropy takes over again. Especially if you have kids.

25. It's easy for more stuff to find its way into the RV because it's tempting to make purchases that seem like a good idea in the moment. Examples: t-shirts, small toys, notepads, pens and pencils.

26. That's why frequent purging is a must. Luckily, many campgrounds have shelves or boxes where you can donate anything you don't need anymore, as long as it's in good enough condition for others to use it.

27. Under-seat storage is a pain in the butt. (No pun intended.) Remove the seat cushion, pick up lid, scrabble around in the storage area, fail to locate needed item, yell in pain as lid closes down on head and/or fingers.

28. Leveling blocks are also a pain in the butt. Sometimes they work well; sometimes we live at an angle for days on end. I've become quite envious of RVers who have rigs equipped with automatic leveling devices.

29. We're fine with not knowing exactly where we'll be in three months, but we like to know where we'll be in a few weeks. At this point, we're making plans and reservations about 3-4 weeks out. Many RVers prefer to live more spontaneously, and perhaps we'll get to that point someday. For now, though, I find comfort in having a short-term action plan.

30. Time flies when you're having fun (and even sometimes when you're not). We can't believe it's been six weeks already, and we can't wait to see what the rest of the summer will bring. My prediction: more adventure, more things breaking, more cool places to see, more bickering, more fun.

The benefits of living in a small space

As I mentioned to a friend on Instagram this morning, moving into our tiny space has involved a steep learning curve - not so much in terms of figuring out sewer/water/electric hookups or deciding where to travel, but very much so in terms of learning to live together in the smallest place we've ever owned.

Three humans and one cat cohabitating in a relatively modest-sized RV can be fraught with challenges, like when the dishes pile up (happens quickly, and can make the kitchen feel chaotic), or when someone's in a less-than-happy mood and doesn't feel like hanging out with family members, or when I reallllly want to get my yoga workout in but have to wait until Trent and Sam are off at the pool for an hour.

When the slide-out is out, this is where I do my workout. Right next to the kitty litter. Ommmm....

But! Even though it's frustrating sometimes, I see multiple benefits to living together in this little home:

1. We can keep only what we really need and/or want. There's simply no room for extraneous things we won't use or can't appreciate, so we carefully consider every single item we bring into our space. We did this before we moved in, but - because it was difficult to predict what we would actually use - we continue to evaluate our belongings. For example, the pretty serving tray that I carefully stowed into a cabinet for Pinterest-worthy dinner picnics is proving to be worthless, so it's not going to stick around. It needs to give up its home for something that we will actually utilize. 

Along the same lines, until we started preparing for RV life, I didn't realize how much random crap people are constantly trying to pass on to one another, such as the little towels that our campground gave us as a "welcome present" (they're not large enough to dry off with and not absorbent enough to dry dishes with), or the mini-frisbees and beer koozies available as "gifts" in the activity center this morning. It's tempting to take and keep these, but we don't need them and ultimately they're just going to serve as dust-catchers. Not worth it. MUST. RESIST. FREE. STUFF.

2. We have a better appreciation for what we do have. This sounds silly, but every morning I look at my coffee pot and think, "Man, I love this thing." I like its design, I like how easy it is to clean, and I like that it produces my favorite caffeinated beverage. I look at it and I appreciate it, whereas before this journey, I owned a lot of things that I walked by every single day and barely even noticed, much less acknowledged.

Coffee pot and rooster mug: Key players in my morning ritual

3. It's easy to clean and organize. Sam - the most organized person in our family - will tell you that I have a lot of opportunity for growth here, but overall I think we do a good job of keeping Clark tidy. And because Clark is small, it really doesn't take all that much time and effort. We can go from kitchen disaster zone to Instagram-worthy countertops in a matter of minutes. (Not saying that lasts long, but whatever.)

Post-breakfast is always messy, but it takes minutes to clean it up.

4. A small space requires less energy to heat and cool than a traditional home. It's hot here in Texas, so yes, we have our fan or A/C on most of the time. That said, it doesn't take much to cool the place down. Of course, our goal is to eventually "follow the weather" and get solar panels so that we can further minimize the use of fossil fuels for heating and cooling. At the very least, we're more aware now of what it takes to bring our space to a comfortable temperature. It encourages us to think about the resources and processes required.

5. We're forced to deal with interpersonal issues right away. This is a tough one even for a family that generally gets along. Sometimes our RV is like a pressure cooker! Things I've been trying to work on: not getting bent out of shape about the way Trent does the dishes (yes, I realize I'm crazy), being more patient when I need space but can't have it immediately, and talking through problems as they happen instead of letting the issues build up. This was my idea, and yet of anyone in the family, I'm the one who is most attached to the concept of a personal bubble. That part is tough for me, and I'm figuring out how to navigate that particular issue. So... yeah. Definitely a learning experience. 

6. I get to spend more time with my family. I love that. Sometimes it's really nice to hang out for hours in the same tiny room with them. As I write this, Sam is sitting across from me with a pad of paper, a ruler, and a pencil, designing a new hotel for his Minecraft world. I type, he draws, and we share ideas as we go. That kind of experience makes this wild journey totally worth it.