The Great and not so Great of Full Time RVing
09-04-2015
Author: Blog Editor in RV Tips & Education
By Stephanie A. Mayberry
I am a full timer and I love it. I have absolutely no desire to live in a regular house and definitely not an apartment. Been there, done that, and the simple life chose me. For me, going back is not an option. Now, there’s good and bad with everything and I’m pretty realistic. My husband and I walked into this life with our eyes fairly wide open but I admit we didn’t know a whole lot.
There is just something though when you are living the life and getting a crash course in full timing. Make no mistake, it can make you or break you. It’s a great life if you’re cut out for it. If not it will drive you to distraction.
So here is my rundown of the great and not so great things about full timing. Yours might be different but if you are about to embark on your own full timing adventure be prepared for anything – and I do mean anything.
Not So Great - The small space can get cluttered quickly.
Set your mail on the counter, leave your shopping bags on the dining table and suddenly you are feeling claustrophobic because your living space just dramatically decreased. It doesn’t take much to clutter such a small space. A simple rule that works for us is to have a place for everything and make sure that it always finds its way to where it belongs every single time.
Great - The small space is easy to clean
We have a 31 foot Vantage travel trailer. It’s probably a couple hundred feet of living area – and it’s super easy to clean. I can do an in depth cleaning from one end to the other in about an hour. For someone who hates to clean, this is beyond awesome. I grab my Clorox wipes and scrub top to bottom then sweep and mop. It looks great and smells so clean in no time.
Not So Great - The toilet and black water tank – where to start?
This has been an ongoing challenge for us. We have learned a lot along the way and we’re still learning, but let me set this up for you. Under the toilet is a tank where all the “stuff” goes. The manufacturer advised we keep the valve shut off and empty the tank when it gets full because we did have it wide open and the smell was – well there are no words. Rookie mistake, but with the valve off and treatment added it actually doesn’t smell that bad. My husband does use a hose to flush the black water tank. When we were learning though – wow. Just wow.
Great - There are lots of ways to personalize my travel trailer.
I am not much of a decorator. As a photographer I have some great photos that I thought about putting in frames, but just never got around to it. Nope, decorating isn’t really for me. However, there is something about the coziness of an RV that just brings out my nesting instincts. I found a few pretty items that I have placed in various points throughout our trailer and it really makes it home. The key, though, is finding pretty stuff that is functional.
Not So Great - People don’t see an RV as a home – boundaries!
Now this one I can’t really explain, but I have seen it time and again. It is a phenomenon that I have observed among non-full timers. They don’t seem to view an RV as a home. How do I know this? Because they walk right in! Sometimes they don’t even knock. They ask about the trailer, strike up a conversation, and the next thing I know someone is traipsing through my home. They wouldn’t dare do that to a brick and mortar home (I would think) but there seems to be something about an RV that says, “Come on in! I don’t want any privacy so forget personal boundaries and come dig through my stuff.” OK, maybe not THAT bad – but close.
Great - I learned a lot about organization.
I’ve always had a knack for organizing but living in an RV takes those skills to a whole new level. I have learned so much about how to organize. Remember how I said get pretty things that are functional? That is my mantra. For instance, I have this great vintage pitcher that I keep on my counter. It holds my cooking utensils. I also have a two tier wire lazy Susan that I have on my dining table. It holds my spices. Frivolous knick nacks don’t really work in this environment.
Not So Great - I had to downsize, then downsize again.
Prior to this life I had stuff and lots of it. I had a nice apartment just outside of Washington, D.C. and my little apartment was stuffed to the gills with furniture, clothing, and things. The simple life sort of chose us, so that first time we downsized may not really count. When we downsized again though, that was deliberate. There is just something freeing about paring down and simplifying. Sometimes you have stuff, but sometimes your stuff has you. We broke free.
Great - The rain sounds wonderful on the roof.
It rained just last week. I admit, I spent the morning lying on the sofa with my little dog beside me and we just listened to the rain hitting the roof. It was wonderful. It’s kinda cool when you are in a house, but in an RV there is something just so cozy about the rain. I made myself a cup of tea and got my comfy blanket from the closet. We just lounged around and listened to the rain. Wish it would rain now.
Not So Great - Never, ever let dinner burn while cooking in your RV (just take my word for it)
This was almost as traumatic as the black water tank ordeal. First time using a gas oven in forever. I did not gauge the heat and turned my back for just a few minutes. Next thing I know black smoke is rolling out of the oven, smoke alarms are going off, dog is howling, and my husband won’t come inside. He peeked in and decided that I had it all under control. Gee, thanks honey. It took me a week of Febreeze and Pink Zebra wax fragrance thingys (you know, the ones you put on the warmers and they melt? I told you I’m not very domestic!) to get the smoky smell out. Now when I open the oven my dog runs and hides.
Great - My marriage has gotten stronger.
This is a journey – marriage, RV full timing, all of it. I was fortunate enough to marry my best friend, but I admit the first month or so when you are living in such a small space you get very well acquainted. Yes, the bathroom has a door, but…well, let’s just say it’s a small space and leave it at that. Oh, and that Poo Pourri stuff you buy online really rocks. Seriously though, we have been through a lot, at one point we lived in our van. You learn a lot about someone – and about yourself – when you can’t retreat to the upstairs or even another room when they irritate you. You have to just sit down and figure things out together.
Yep, our marriage is way stronger.
I would love to hear about the unexpected things that you learned as a full time RVer – good and bad!
Photo Credit: Earthbound RV
I am a full timer and I love it. I have absolutely no desire to live in a regular house and definitely not an apartment. Been there, done that, and the simple life chose me. For me, going back is not an option. Now, there’s good and bad with everything and I’m pretty realistic. My husband and I walked into this life with our eyes fairly wide open but I admit we didn’t know a whole lot.
There is just something though when you are living the life and getting a crash course in full timing. Make no mistake, it can make you or break you. It’s a great life if you’re cut out for it. If not it will drive you to distraction.
So here is my rundown of the great and not so great things about full timing. Yours might be different but if you are about to embark on your own full timing adventure be prepared for anything – and I do mean anything.
Not So Great - The small space can get cluttered quickly.
Set your mail on the counter, leave your shopping bags on the dining table and suddenly you are feeling claustrophobic because your living space just dramatically decreased. It doesn’t take much to clutter such a small space. A simple rule that works for us is to have a place for everything and make sure that it always finds its way to where it belongs every single time.
Great - The small space is easy to clean
We have a 31 foot Vantage travel trailer. It’s probably a couple hundred feet of living area – and it’s super easy to clean. I can do an in depth cleaning from one end to the other in about an hour. For someone who hates to clean, this is beyond awesome. I grab my Clorox wipes and scrub top to bottom then sweep and mop. It looks great and smells so clean in no time.
Not So Great - The toilet and black water tank – where to start?
This has been an ongoing challenge for us. We have learned a lot along the way and we’re still learning, but let me set this up for you. Under the toilet is a tank where all the “stuff” goes. The manufacturer advised we keep the valve shut off and empty the tank when it gets full because we did have it wide open and the smell was – well there are no words. Rookie mistake, but with the valve off and treatment added it actually doesn’t smell that bad. My husband does use a hose to flush the black water tank. When we were learning though – wow. Just wow.
Great - There are lots of ways to personalize my travel trailer.
I am not much of a decorator. As a photographer I have some great photos that I thought about putting in frames, but just never got around to it. Nope, decorating isn’t really for me. However, there is something about the coziness of an RV that just brings out my nesting instincts. I found a few pretty items that I have placed in various points throughout our trailer and it really makes it home. The key, though, is finding pretty stuff that is functional.
Not So Great - People don’t see an RV as a home – boundaries!
Now this one I can’t really explain, but I have seen it time and again. It is a phenomenon that I have observed among non-full timers. They don’t seem to view an RV as a home. How do I know this? Because they walk right in! Sometimes they don’t even knock. They ask about the trailer, strike up a conversation, and the next thing I know someone is traipsing through my home. They wouldn’t dare do that to a brick and mortar home (I would think) but there seems to be something about an RV that says, “Come on in! I don’t want any privacy so forget personal boundaries and come dig through my stuff.” OK, maybe not THAT bad – but close.
Great - I learned a lot about organization.
I’ve always had a knack for organizing but living in an RV takes those skills to a whole new level. I have learned so much about how to organize. Remember how I said get pretty things that are functional? That is my mantra. For instance, I have this great vintage pitcher that I keep on my counter. It holds my cooking utensils. I also have a two tier wire lazy Susan that I have on my dining table. It holds my spices. Frivolous knick nacks don’t really work in this environment.
Not So Great - I had to downsize, then downsize again.
Prior to this life I had stuff and lots of it. I had a nice apartment just outside of Washington, D.C. and my little apartment was stuffed to the gills with furniture, clothing, and things. The simple life sort of chose us, so that first time we downsized may not really count. When we downsized again though, that was deliberate. There is just something freeing about paring down and simplifying. Sometimes you have stuff, but sometimes your stuff has you. We broke free.
Great - The rain sounds wonderful on the roof.
It rained just last week. I admit, I spent the morning lying on the sofa with my little dog beside me and we just listened to the rain hitting the roof. It was wonderful. It’s kinda cool when you are in a house, but in an RV there is something just so cozy about the rain. I made myself a cup of tea and got my comfy blanket from the closet. We just lounged around and listened to the rain. Wish it would rain now.
Not So Great - Never, ever let dinner burn while cooking in your RV (just take my word for it)
This was almost as traumatic as the black water tank ordeal. First time using a gas oven in forever. I did not gauge the heat and turned my back for just a few minutes. Next thing I know black smoke is rolling out of the oven, smoke alarms are going off, dog is howling, and my husband won’t come inside. He peeked in and decided that I had it all under control. Gee, thanks honey. It took me a week of Febreeze and Pink Zebra wax fragrance thingys (you know, the ones you put on the warmers and they melt? I told you I’m not very domestic!) to get the smoky smell out. Now when I open the oven my dog runs and hides.
Great - My marriage has gotten stronger.
This is a journey – marriage, RV full timing, all of it. I was fortunate enough to marry my best friend, but I admit the first month or so when you are living in such a small space you get very well acquainted. Yes, the bathroom has a door, but…well, let’s just say it’s a small space and leave it at that. Oh, and that Poo Pourri stuff you buy online really rocks. Seriously though, we have been through a lot, at one point we lived in our van. You learn a lot about someone – and about yourself – when you can’t retreat to the upstairs or even another room when they irritate you. You have to just sit down and figure things out together.
Yep, our marriage is way stronger.
I would love to hear about the unexpected things that you learned as a full time RVer – good and bad!
You might also like these related articles!
- RV Space: What to Keep, Toss, and What to Stick in Storage
- 4 Maintenance Problems that can Ruin your RV or Camper
- 10 Things to do BEFORE you Jump into Full Timing
Photo Credit: Earthbound RV
Related Tags:RV Tips. Full-time RVingRV Lifestyle
Comment
aprildennaMay 12, 2016 | 11:03 PM
I'm a full timer in Alaska. The clutter was killing me this winter. I downsized several times and did a good spring cleaning. I'm very happy with how well I've gotten it organized. Everything definitely needs it's own space! I have 2 little girls and they're learning where everything goes. We've had our share of black tank tragedies as well, including being clogged up a few times, and frozen! We're also learning that RV mechanics are far and few in between up this way. I learned to fix that toilet and black tank myself. I think I'm a master at it now. It's a lot of work, but it's work it. Wouldn't trade the RV life for anything. I get to live in Alaska and look at the mountains when I drink my coffee. I'm thinking about starting up a blog on all of our adventures! Thanks for sharing! :)
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