RV Life and a Pandemic - How to Survive and Thrive
03-25-2020
Author: in Education
The events unfolding are unprecedented and serious changes to everyday life are being implemented and practiced at an accelerated rate. Living in an RV has a few advantages in terms of mobility and the ability to maintain distance from others while continuing a simple lifestyle. It also comes with a few difficulties in terms of campground closures and reduced resources and access to supplies. We hope to offer a reminder of the advantages and offer suggestions on how to navigate the challenges. Here’s how you can live and even thrive in an RV during these times.
Start with a Deep Clean
Before you do anything, complete a deep clean of the entire RV. Wash and sanitize clothing and linens and bedding then wipe down all hard surfaces with bleach solutions to disinfect. Alcohol and other disinfectants are also adequate but bleach works really well for bathroom and kitchen surfaces. Lastly, hit the carpets and soft surfaces with a vacuum to remove loose particles and help clean the air. Also consider replacing the air filter on your air conditioner and any other filtering device to keep a clean flow in the living space. After the deep clean, continue with daily cleaning practices to maintain disinfected surfaces. Wash your hands regularly and be diligent about disinfecting everything for the foreseeable future. These are not bad practices to have in regular times and many of you may already being doing most of these simple and effective things.
Plan Ahead with Your Campsite
New on State Park closures can be easily found on MobileRVing.com. Choosing your location is very important right now. You can also contact your existing campsite for information about closures and services. Ideally, the campsite will remain open with access to hookups. Expect common areas to close however and maintain a safe distance from your neighbors. Working together with the community while avoiding physical contact is critical at this time. Prepare to be flexible if needed and if you are unsure about closures find out before getting back on the road. While boondocking remains an option, access to supplies is difficult and remaining in a grid-tied space is the best course of action at this time. You might consider boondocking in a remote area for a quarantine period but you will require access to supplies and services at some point and boondocking is best as a short term solution. For RV travelers in contagious hotspots or high risk areas, the RV provides an advantage. Consider moving to a campground in a safe zone and self quarantine while sanitizing your RV and planning your next round of supply runs.
Stay Informed
Staying on top of current information is critical right now. Local news is important for learning about business closures and current events in a very specific area. Avoid gathering information from social media and utilize reliable news sources for information. The Center for Disease Control is your best outlet for national information concerning the virus and the spread to specific locations. They have the most up to date and accurate data regarding the spread and risk to specific regions and areas. Focus on the facts and travel restrictions rather than social media and unreliable news sources.
Stock Your Basic Supplies
Panic buying is unnecessary and not recommended but intelligent stocking of basic supplies is a good idea. Basic cleaning supplies, canned foods and non-perishables make it easier to avoid making regular trips to the store. Stock up for the self quarantine period at the very least and ideally for a week or two longer to ensure you have plenty of food and supplies. The point of stocking is to limit contact with the public via grocery stores and other high traffic areas. You will require future trips to stores for fruits, vegetables and meats but filling your fridge and freezer for the next couple of weeks is a good idea. Buy green fruits when possible as they will become edible once ripened. Freeze meat and enjoy baking and barbecues with a side of veggies. When the veggies run low, eat potatoes and other foods that have a long shelf life. There are plenty of supplies to go around when the public is not engaged in panic buying. Purchase what you need and others will be able to do the same. Working together is important during this time and you can communicate with neighbors and loved ones to share resources as needed.
Continue Being Active while Distancing Yourself
Now that you are sanitized, stocked with supplies and well informed, it’s time to continue enjoying life in your RV. Catch up on reading, watch your favorite movies and most important, stay active and get outside. Take a walk in the park, paddle your kayak, go fishing and continue pursuing your favorite activities that require little to no contact with other people. Continue enjoying life and eventually the chaos will settle and things can return to normal.
Start with a Deep Clean
Before you do anything, complete a deep clean of the entire RV. Wash and sanitize clothing and linens and bedding then wipe down all hard surfaces with bleach solutions to disinfect. Alcohol and other disinfectants are also adequate but bleach works really well for bathroom and kitchen surfaces. Lastly, hit the carpets and soft surfaces with a vacuum to remove loose particles and help clean the air. Also consider replacing the air filter on your air conditioner and any other filtering device to keep a clean flow in the living space. After the deep clean, continue with daily cleaning practices to maintain disinfected surfaces. Wash your hands regularly and be diligent about disinfecting everything for the foreseeable future. These are not bad practices to have in regular times and many of you may already being doing most of these simple and effective things.
Plan Ahead with Your Campsite
New on State Park closures can be easily found on MobileRVing.com. Choosing your location is very important right now. You can also contact your existing campsite for information about closures and services. Ideally, the campsite will remain open with access to hookups. Expect common areas to close however and maintain a safe distance from your neighbors. Working together with the community while avoiding physical contact is critical at this time. Prepare to be flexible if needed and if you are unsure about closures find out before getting back on the road. While boondocking remains an option, access to supplies is difficult and remaining in a grid-tied space is the best course of action at this time. You might consider boondocking in a remote area for a quarantine period but you will require access to supplies and services at some point and boondocking is best as a short term solution. For RV travelers in contagious hotspots or high risk areas, the RV provides an advantage. Consider moving to a campground in a safe zone and self quarantine while sanitizing your RV and planning your next round of supply runs.
Stay Informed
Staying on top of current information is critical right now. Local news is important for learning about business closures and current events in a very specific area. Avoid gathering information from social media and utilize reliable news sources for information. The Center for Disease Control is your best outlet for national information concerning the virus and the spread to specific locations. They have the most up to date and accurate data regarding the spread and risk to specific regions and areas. Focus on the facts and travel restrictions rather than social media and unreliable news sources.
Stock Your Basic Supplies
Panic buying is unnecessary and not recommended but intelligent stocking of basic supplies is a good idea. Basic cleaning supplies, canned foods and non-perishables make it easier to avoid making regular trips to the store. Stock up for the self quarantine period at the very least and ideally for a week or two longer to ensure you have plenty of food and supplies. The point of stocking is to limit contact with the public via grocery stores and other high traffic areas. You will require future trips to stores for fruits, vegetables and meats but filling your fridge and freezer for the next couple of weeks is a good idea. Buy green fruits when possible as they will become edible once ripened. Freeze meat and enjoy baking and barbecues with a side of veggies. When the veggies run low, eat potatoes and other foods that have a long shelf life. There are plenty of supplies to go around when the public is not engaged in panic buying. Purchase what you need and others will be able to do the same. Working together is important during this time and you can communicate with neighbors and loved ones to share resources as needed.
Continue Being Active while Distancing Yourself
Now that you are sanitized, stocked with supplies and well informed, it’s time to continue enjoying life in your RV. Catch up on reading, watch your favorite movies and most important, stay active and get outside. Take a walk in the park, paddle your kayak, go fishing and continue pursuing your favorite activities that require little to no contact with other people. Continue enjoying life and eventually the chaos will settle and things can return to normal.
Comment
No comments found! Be the first one to write a comment!
Author: Zach Lazzari
