Do We Miss The Safety Of The Stick And Bricks?

It’s been over a yr now that we’re Fulltime within the RV. We actually wouldn’t commerce this way of life for the world. However we’ve come to understand that typically we do miss the safety of the stick and bricks. At instances it isn’t even the safety, however simply “issues.” Doug just lately wrote an article concerning the 10 Issues That Suck About RV Residing. Nevertheless, on this article, I’d prefer to concentrate on issues which might be missed if you not have an precise home.

When Doug and I began out we didn’t have a lot. Each of us are employee bee’s and made one thing out of nothing fairly shortly. We’ve each all the time strived for enchancment or to achieve our subsequent objective. Shopping for a house. Transferring to a greater college district. Surviving the lack of all the pieces we’d labored for in Hurricane Sandy. We simply maintain going. That’s what we do. Targets are set with the intent of assembly them. Transferring into the camper was a kind of objectives. And we completed it.

However typically, having a home would actually be superior. There have been loads of issues that we each simply MISS from the Stick and Bricks!

Safety Of The Stick and Bricks

Yeah, you’re proper, there are nonetheless doorways and home windows. However they’re a lot thinner now. Sure, we will nonetheless lock all the pieces up, and we do. My neighbors are lots nearer now although. You don’t have a chance to know your neighbors both. Yeah, you’ve stated hello. You’ve even shared dinners. However do you KNOW them? Like actually know them the identical manner you knew your outdated neighborhood? Do it’s essential know all the pieces about them? Simply if you assume you’re comfy, one in all you strikes! Onto new neighbors as soon as once more.

Campground theft is an actual factor. At my home, I may depart my bicycle within the driveway over evening. Since shifting into the camper, it must be locked up on a regular basis. Whether or not staying in a Nationwide Forest or a Campground Resort, theft has been a problem in every single place. We weren’t on the resort in South Florida for 10 minutes earlier than we have been informed of e-bikes being stolen. Not by fellow campers, however by folks within the surrounding neighborhoods. Out to House Depot for some thick cable and Amazon for bike alarms.

Even foolish issues like new sounds exterior could make you search that safety of a home extra. Whenever you dwell someplace for some time, you develop accustomed to the noises. Creeks within the floorboards. Trains going previous within the distance. Highway visitors. Something. However if you’re consistently on the transfer, these noises are all the time altering. Even Lagertha has her ears tuned in additional to the completely different sounds.

A Family Kitchen

The camper we selected for our Fulltime Way of life was partially chosen due to the dimensions and structure of the kitchen. In all honesty, I can’t say that my camper kitchen is little per se. The range and the oven ARE little although. Consuming out all the time is just not an possibility. First, it’s manner too costly. Second, it’s critically unhealthy. I get pleasure from cooking! We prepare dinner within the camper. Outdoors house and cooking devices are a should, and we use them regularly too. However have you ever ever tried to make use of your camper oven for one thing giant? Like possibly a turkey breast?

The oven doesn’t even maintain a regular pan. I needed to exit and get a particular 13×9 cooking pan with little or no handles to slot in there. Neglect about making a cake. You may solely do one layer at a time. Cookies too! The tiny cookie sheet I used to be capable of finding holds 8 cookies at a time. A batch of cookies is now an all day venture.

Other than the dimensions of the oven and range is counter house. Within the camper, all the pieces has a really particular residence. Any deviation from that residence creates muddle. Maybe I’ve all the time been spoiled with a big kitchen. However discovering a spot to prep any meal or goodies is like discovering a needle in a haystack. Not inconceivable, simply unlikely. And definitely not with out some form of mess taking place.

Sidewalks

I didn’t know I missed these. Actually, till our final residence, we by no means even had them. We’ve all the time lived in fairly rural areas and sidewalks didn’t exist. In our final residence although, we lived in a improvement that had sidewalks. On a regular basis I’d take Lagertha out for a stroll up and down the sidewalks in our neighborhood. She knew to sit down on the finish of the highway and await me to inform her it was alright to cross. We didn’t fear about vehicles driving down the highway. They have been within the highway. We have been on the sidewalk.

Now that we’re in campgrounds or out on public land, there is no such thing as a such factor as sidewalks anymore. I’m glad there aren’t… It might actually look a bit ridiculous. However I miss them! I miss having them there after I go for my every day stroll with Lagertha. She’s fairly good about staying on the facet of the highway, however typically… “SQUIRRELL!” We’ve to be much more vigilant listening for vehicles developing behind us. Not all the time a simple process with electrical vehicles lately.

Lagertha has selected her personal, that she doesn’t go to the lavatory on our website. Placing up slightly fence for her to roam in on the location isn’t actually an possibility for her. We have to take our stroll on a regular basis. Hikes are great, and one in all her favourite issues. However typically, she simply must do her enterprise. And going for a stroll is what we do. Having a sidewalk to take action on, would actually be good typically.

Storage / Store / Driveway

That is one we KNEW we have been going to overlook. Doug positively misses it greater than me, however rattling! I didn’t understand simply how a lot we have been going to overlook having a spot to work on issues. Issues go unsuitable in a camper. Repairs will have to be made. Earlier than shifting into the camper, we had a storage. If the car Doug was engaged on didn’t match within the storage, we had the driveway. And if the venture was extra difficult we actually have a good friend with a full mechanics store.

Not everybody has entry to all the above, however earlier than shifting into the camper, all of us possible have a driveway. Or a spot the place we will pull issues out and work on them. When issues break now, we’re actually quarantined to our website. Which is fairly full with the camper and the truck already. Not to mention the instruments that we not have. Time to finish a restore in a campground is way tighter too. We solely have so long as we’re there.

I’m occupied with portray and transforming our front room within the RV. I’m not about to start out this venture at a campground, Harvest Host, or boondocking location. Area is required! I’ve to have the ability to pull all of it aside to color. Put it exterior to dry. If I had a driveway, I may lay all the pieces out and do it there. However I don’t. So this venture requires much more logistics and inventive considering to perform. And as soon as once more, I’m again to the time for completion.

A Fenced Yard

That is completely a double edge sword. We definitely do NOT miss yard work like mowing and weeding. However, we do miss simply letting Lagertha exterior. She misses sunbathing at any time when she needs. Some mornings we’re busy doing issues and all she needs is to be exterior. If we nonetheless had a fenced in yard, we may let her out to run round. She may get her train with out us dropping what we’re doing. Since being within the camper, that’s not an possibility.

I miss adorning my yard. Sounds foolish, and it kinda is. However I miss placing my pretend flowers out for each vacation. Making my yard and residential really feel liked and welcoming brings me pleasure. We’re solely normally at any given camp website for two weeks. I’m not adorning my website each time we transfer. Not solely as a result of it isn’t my property to brighten. However we don’t have house to retailer decorations. Halloween is developing proper now. I’d actually prefer to carve a pumpkin for my entrance steps. However I don’t have entrance steps anymore. And I definitely don’t have house for giant ol’ carved and embellished pumpkin.

A Actual Bathe

As soon as once more, that is one thing that we knew we have been sacrificing after we determined to go fulltime within the camper. The showerhead has been upgraded. We modified out our mixing valve to have separate cold and warm dials. Doug even put a holding tank in so our water strain was extra regular. However even with all the modifications, we nonetheless don’t have a REAL bathe like we did in our home.

Each Doug and I agree {that a} sizzling bathe is fairly rattling near the highest of the checklist of all time greatest innovations. After an extended strenuous day of mountain climbing an extended sizzling bathe feels wonderful. Nevertheless, for those who dwell in a camper, you greatest go discover the bathhouse if that’s what you need. Lengthy sizzling showers are a factor of the previous. At greatest we will get an extended reasonably heat bathe. Or a brief sizzling bathe. By no means lengthy AND sizzling in the identical bathe.

Identical goes if you aren’t feeling nice. I’ve been combating a head chilly for per week now. There isn’t a lot I wouldn’t do to only stand in a sizzling bathe for so long as I need. Let the water beat on my face to assist break all the pieces up. Sadly, that isn’t an possibility. Thank God for Vicks, or I could not be capable of breathe out of my nostril.

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Nonetheless Wouldn’t Give It Up

There are in all probability a number of extra issues that I may add to this checklist. Little issues. Easy issues. Belongings you don’t even take into consideration till they’re not there. However we aren’t able to commerce the wheels in for bricks simply but. The professionals nonetheless outweigh the cons on our checklist.

Earlier than you make the leap and resolve to go fulltime, actually take into consideration all the belongings you’ll be giving up although. Take into consideration the issues that you simply’re gonna miss. Make an inventory and skim different’s articles. It’s essential ensure that each factor in your checklist is one thing you can dwell with out. Lacking issues are one factor, however are you able to actually give them up?

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