One of the effects of full-time RVing is, unlike living in a house or apartment, we don't stay in one place for very long. Sometimes it's a few months, other times just a week, or even a couple nights. One of our social media viewers asked a few questions about what we have to do when it comes time for moving day.
First and foremost, recognize how much time you have. Some campgrounds have a relatively early checkout, and if you're not exactly one to enjoy a nice sunrise, you're probably going to want the night before leaving to pack at least some of your belongings. Try to get an idea of how long it takes to pack each "section" of your rig, such as the dining/living area, the kitchen, the bed and bathroom, your patio, and everything else you may have. Figure out what you need for the evening and the morning, and maybe everything else can get packed.
For us, moving around quite a bit in our first month of full-timing made our packing down to a science. Closets and cupboards are well stocked with both our non-breakable pantry and our knife set the night before leaving. Breakable and sensitive items, such as our electronics, office needs, and potent potables, are packed the night before and moved in the cab of the truck in the morning with us. Not only are they less susceptible to movement there, but can remain somewhat climate controlled. Our patio gets packed up at night, including the grill once cooking time is over. Some of our loose odds and ends that don't fit in the cupboards go into our tub and sinks for the ride in the morning. Once morning hits, after getting a shower, just move things into the truck, hook up, and be on our way.
Once we're on the road, it's important to remember, even if you drive your rig like a limousine, your things are going to move around a bit. Lock the refrigerator and freezer doors if, like us, you're lucky enough to have that. Bunks are good places to store heavier items, though you'll want to make sure it's somewhat secured with bungee cords or baby gates. Newer RVs will have good cabinet latches, so those should be fine on the trip. Just make sure they're closed. Some will go so far as to use bungee cords on their cabinets; it's up to you if you want to do that. Most importantly, before you pull out of your site, make sure that everything is as secure as you want it. Check, double check, and triple check if you want. The one time you miss something may result in disaster.
So the next time you're ready to move, have a plan. Don't be afraid to adapt and make changes if things don't seem to work out. Just make sure, as you follow your internal compass, you're able to bring everything safely with you.
Two months ago, we officially sold our house with a postage stamp for property, packed up our RV, and hit the road. As a little insider secret: One of the working titles we had for this blog was, "Our Two Month Not-So-Risk-Free Trial", documenting the process of buying a rig and traveling the country for a few months. With the laws at our old place, it wasn't feasible to do this long of a trip, and now that the house has been sold, there's no turning back. However, do join us as we look back on our incredible adventure.
Thus far, we've been two months, five trips, three time zones, and been through 19 states during that time. Some may remember, from our shakedown posts, that we mentioned how many arguments we had. Believe us when we say it hasn't been the limerence couples experience in the honeymoon phase. We've had our fair share of arguments. Some of the memorable spats include when we were driving in Iowa, realizing we were two days early, and didn't agree on how to use up that time. Also memorable were frustrations out of complications from staying in Missouri. Then there came the time when our connectivity plan went completely out the window. However, no matter the arguments, no matter how much we wanted to give up, we knew the one thing we would always truly have on this adventure is each other, and we can rely and depend on each other to get through this adventure.
In the last two months, there's so much we've seen. Basins, beaches, and bison barely scratch the surface. Rocket launches, river valleys, and the wide open road have been an amazing reward for our travels. Even just learning the history of where we go has provided a story not only to tell you, but also for our potential children in the future. One of our favorites in the last two months had to have been Custer State Park in western South Dakota, driving through to see the wonderful wildlife in their natural habitat. Even one of our most common trips from before the RV that we were able to do this time, Franconia Notch in New Hampshire, provided peace and tranquility in an otherwise bustling time when we had just begun, nearly tripping at the starting blocks.
Two months have given us our fair share of bumps and bruises. Little things like jamming a thumb in the door of the RV, dropping a sway bar on a nearly exposed foot, a hand being stuck in the commode while attempting to flush the black tank, and tripping over our dog fence, to massive sunburns while enjoying the beach. It wasn't limited to our bodies, either. Twice we thought we were going to lose our awning while it was open, rushing to pack it up as quickly as we could, sometimes forgetting steps along the way in a panic. Then came the black tank odors that only seemed to happen on one of our trips, but made our home nearly unlivable. Our little fur baby also had issues of his own, needing several trips to local vets, while finding previous doctors hadn't treated him properly.
Living on the road full-time has meant we had to make some personal sacrifices two months ago. No longer are we near our family and friends from the previous chapter of our lives. Some to which we weren't even able to say "goodbye" due to circumstance. Some were already used to the distance which made keeping in touch easy, while with others, we were able to develop much closer bonds during the transition. With each person, we find our own special way. Some find us through our social media outlets. Others are able to find us on this blog. We've even developed some communication ideas, such as sending postcards from our various destinations to our loved ones. Although we now live just about anywhere on our own, we always remember those special bonds we once had, and enjoy reflecting on those good times.
Many of you may wonder, as you read through our two-month memoir, what we would change if we had to do these two months over again. This question is always difficult, because if we were to visit our past and make a different decision, nearly everything leading to the present would also be affected. The biggest thing we would have changed was our preparedness when we first started. The last couple of weeks were rushing to pack what we still had from the house, constantly making trips to store our possessions, all while grieving the loss of one of our beloved pets. In addition, we would have fared much better had we trusted each other more, and been more understanding of each other's needs. Too many arguments stemmed from the different directions we wanted to take not only day-to-day, but also in our lives as a whole. The good news is, although changing the past is impossible and would otherwise be disastrous, we can use our past to help shape a better future and not only make better decisions, but also hope any future RVers can heed our advice and save themselves plenty of headache.
At the end of the two months, we're still alive, and our relationship has become so much stronger. We know that we can lean on each other and work together to be prosperous. Who knows how we will fare after another few months. We look forward to much more of this adventure, improving our lives as we go, and following our internal compass.
Everyone, regardless of where they live, either has or should have a contingency plan. Any number of things could happen, whether it be fires, weather, militia actions, or something else you could imagine. When living in the RV, this is no different.
Let's consider the immediate escape, where you have to abandon the RV. You'll probably want to pack a quick escape bag, which we've coloquially come to call a "go bag", and have it in your tow vehicle. Try to have one for everyone in your party. A few sets of clothes and travel toiletries should do. Maybe also add a few snacks, along with a flashlight and lighter. Don't forget your furry companion, either. You're going to want a food and water bowl for them, along with some food and water itself, maybe a couple toys to keep them occupied, as well as what you need to walk them around. You might be able to grab one or two quick personal items also, but that may be about it. The idea is that you get out of dodge for a small amount of time, and then come back to assess any damage. Just be aware, during hurricanes and the like, the government may prohibit you from accessing your property if you choose to abandon it, so your supplies will have to stretch.
Emergency planning isn't just about the quick escape. Sometimes, things will happen in general travels or stays where you need a contingency. Think about carrying some cash with you. We're talking maybe a hundred bucks or so; you don't have to empty your bank account. You may come across a fuel station or even a last minute campground that only accepts cash. One of your bank or credit cards may get cancelled, perhaps as a result of a ne'er-do-well putting a skimmer on a gas pump you used. And remember that you're not going to have a good chance to receive a new card in the mail unless you're stationary for at least a week.
Cash isn't the only thing of concern, because you may not be near anywhere where you can use that cash, so bring some supplies with you. RVers should already be somewhat prepared for boondocking trips, meaning you'll take propane, a generator with gasoline, a small camp stove with some basic cookware and a lighter, maybe some storable food as well. Water, however, is going to be the most precious commodity. Even with two people and a pup, you'll go through at least a gallon of water every day. If it's a hot and muggy day, it may even be more than that. Remember that it doesn't store as well as meals ready-to-eat (MREs) or long lasting storable food. You'll have to use it within a few months. Consider a rotation for a large cooler, whether or not there's ice. Except for extreme situations, such as burns and curing heat exhaustion, warm water is better than no water.
So while you're out there following your internal compass, know that it may lead you through a sticky situation. Just be prepared, and you should be able to make it just fine.
Finally, we have arrived at our destination. However, unlike the other trips, this one's for a longer term.
Some have asked how we deal with finances while on the road. Workamping, or working while camping, is one of the ways to do this. In many cases, the compensation for working at the park is a complimentary site for the length of the job, anywhere from a couple months to a year. Some may say that we aren't actually getting anything, but that's not entirely true. One of the easiest ways to save money is to not spend it. Not only are we not spending money on campground fees, but we're also not burning fuel carrying the heavy load of our home from place to place. This advice isn't limited to full-time RVers, though. If you have thoughts about saving money, decide you're not going to spend some in a month and sock it away, even if it's what seems like a small amount. After a while, it adds up.
There still has to be some sort of income despite workamping, as there are food, fuel, health, insurance, and other miscellaneous costs. How much you spend is truly up to you. Some have pensions or investments to be able to use. Others may be lucky enough to be able to get a salary as part of workamping. Some may have their own side businesses. A part-time job outside the park is also an option. However, be very careful about earning salaries when you travel. A number of states will charge you an income tax for earning money while in their state, even if you are domiciled in a state that doesn't have an income tax.
We look forward to this workamping opportunity and improving the experience of our fellow campers. This location is where our internal compass led us to be, and we hope to enjoy it for the entire time we are here.
Once again, it's time to travel! The RV lifestyle makes us migratory, so it's time to head south. However, plans may not always be as they seem.
When getting ready to travel, it was previously mentioned that you want to give at least a little bit of extra time when getting to your destination. Along with this, it's necessary to have some flexibility in your route, and not just for construction, either. As we embark on this trip, all of a sudden we receive word about some inclement weather. Ida tell you all about it, but it's all over the news. Bad puns aside, this is where you want your co-pilot to be giving you updates about road and weather conditions around you and your route. In today's day and age, cellular data makes this easy and is what we use, but for those not able, there's always talk radio on the half-hours. As we track the storm, given our destination, instead of heading directly to our end location, we'll take a little trip east before heading south. Sure, it might mean a little more in gas costs, but compared to what it could be, the preventive measure is worth it.
When you live in the RV full-time, mobility is your greatest advantage. With enough advance notice, if work obligations permit, pack everything up and get out of dodge if needed. When looking at routes to get to and from your destination, never limit yourself to the interstate highways. In fact, you may not be able to reach some of the higher speed limits in the west, as clogged as they may be, so taking the state and US highways may be your best option. Remember that everything you have is with you, and it isn't that stable if you choose to abandon it, when compared to a house. But an "evac" doesn't mean you can't tow. Stick to the less-traveled byways while everyone else jams up the interstate, leave a little room for merging and swerving traffic to keep it all moving, and you and your home should be just fine.
So definitely follow your internal compass, but don't let it slam you into bad weather. Consider a byway detour. Who knows? Maybe you'll encounter something you'll like but never thought of visiting.
Our next trip is upon us, and this time, there is no return. The house and tiny plot of land have been sold. All the strife of suburbia is behind us. Now it's time to be on the road for good. As this is being typed, the realization has come that we fell flat on our faces.
As we pulled out of our former driveway for the final time, the trailer and the truck were jam-packed. The entire aisle between the dining area and kitchen was filled. The beds and couches were packed, as we hoped a bump or a quick yellow-to-red light wasn't hit to send everything flying. Even now, after consolidating and packing away more stuff, barely enough space was made to fit the Raspberry Pi used to type this. What seemed to be the biggest mistake was that we had two living spaces established: The RV, and our former house. Had we been able to turn the clock back about a month to try this again, the game plan would be to live in the house with what we used to live in the RV during our first trips.
The biggest culprit in double living for us, thus far, has been clothing. We had a number of clothes packed for the RV, but then also had more for the house. A week's worth of clothes has been endorsed by some outlets as a good target for how much to have. You may want to adjust based on your personal preferences, or how often you go through a particular article. It may take a couple rounds to decide what you really want or need, and you can always replace clothes as they wear out. Care needs to taken for adverse weather, business, and formal conditions as needed, but in lesser quantities.
Aside from clothes, there were several other areas where our planning could have used some improvement. Kitchen and dining left room to be desired. It wasn't until about a week or two before the closing that we finally ditched our house dinnerware for what we have in the RV. Flatware also had multiple sets, we were still using breakable glassware as opposed to travel-friendly tumblers, and cookware we bought as a result of lessons learned, but never began to use until late. Emergency storage is also an adjustment. Although meals ready-to-eat (MREs) aren't the most desirable, we may have to pare down some of the supplies, even though we'll be saving a bit on groceries, especially for travel days. Tough decisions with personal items also had to be made, although we've thus far made the best with the room we have. Thankfully, we are still close to a storage point so we have a final opportunity to make these adjustments.
A little bit of organization time later, and we seem to be much more stable. Another storage trip or two later, and we should once again be ready to follow our internal compass.
We received an interesting question from one of our followers wondering about our place of residency. We mentioned that we were thinking about becoming citizens of a particular state, and then we were asked how long we'd be there. This leads to a quick discussion about permanent addresses.
Each person in the United States, for purposes of census, income tax collection, identification, and voting, are allocated an address. This is typically designated as a person's "permanent address". This doesn't necessarily mean that they are spending most of their time at that location. Let's consider college students as an example. They aren't spending most of their time and money at their permanent address. Instead, they're living in a dormitory or apartment near their studies, and going back to their original location for a couple months out of the year. They'll still retain the original address and citizenship for the aforementioned purposes, so they're legally still "living there", even if they aren't physically there.
For those who are living full-time in their RV, the concept and execution really isn't that different. There are mail handling services available that will also offer the ability for the patron to use the address as a permanent location, and help them establish necessities associated with citizenship, such as driver's licenses, vehicle registration, voting address, and so on. These services are usually found where there aren't any state income taxes, and municipal responsibilities are minimal. Once again, although we'll establish citizenship in a particular state, we're not necessarily going to be there. We may not set foot in the particular state for a couple years, but we'd still be citizens of the state.
When looking into becoming citizens of a state, there are plenty of things to review. Are there residency requirements to receive services? Taxes are a big issue, and you'll likely want to save some money by being a citizen of a state without a state income tax. Income isn't the only tax, though, as you'll also want to consider vehicle registrations and driver's licenses renewals, if property tax is charged on vehicles, potential municipal taxes, health care taxes, and also taxes related to a small business you might be doing on the road to generate some income. Vehicle maintenance is also important; are you going to want to have to go back to a state every year to get your RV and any other vehicle inspected, or will preventive maintenance during your regular oil changes and tune-ups suffice? If you have or plan to have children, a state may also have some red tape surrounding their home schooling. There may be other things important in your life to consider.
At the end of the day, we simply intend to choose a permanent address for the legal basics, and hit the road. Less time worrying about the day-to-day red tape will give us more time to follow our internal compass.
Before selling off the house and going completely full time on our RV adventure, there is one more trip we need to make to give ourselves full information on what we can handle. Enter our first boondock adventure. After about four days or so on the road for this one, here's what we've found.
Boondocking is a term those in the business use to describe what most would consider actual camping. We're in the wilderness, typically a national forest or state preserve. There are no amenities such as electric, plumbed water, or sewer. We'd be lucky to have a fire pit, picnic table, and natural body of water. We still have the RV with us, so it's not the "pure" experience one would think with a tent, like one of our adventures before the RV. It is, however, a true test of our ability to survive both the environment and each other. Think similar to the show "Survivor", except we're not voting each other out (as much as the urge may pop up once in a while), there aren't any reward challenges, and no one's giving us a million dollars, at least not today.
The biggest thing we've figured out thus far is to ensure we have a boondock pack list. Even though the non-consumables are always going to be with us, and is something we are trying to emulate with this trip, there is much more. There are plenty of tools that are needed. Your typical rake and shovel are important. So are buckets and totes, because you never know what you might need to collect or carry. Insect repellents are also something to keep in mind. Maybe you'll want a few tarps in reserve as well. Unlike many RV campgrounds and resorts, you aren't as easily able to send out for supplies, and they're more expensive than an urban big box store if you do find them.
In speaking of preparation, along with food supply, you can never have enough drinking water. Although the rig comes with a potable water tank, we still prefer drinking something filtered, so our drinking water is carried separately. Commercial pitchers and dispensers are nice for a plumbed supply, but when you are limited to what you're carrying, we're trying to conserve the potable for kitchen and bathroom use. Drinking out of a river isn't the best option because you have to boil the water before it's potable, but it's not a bad option for bathing. If you've ever seen documentaries on people trying to save a buck by reusing water, although parts of what they do are extreme, you begin to recognize that some of their odd ways make sense in the woods.
Food and water is important, but fuel supply is a big concern. Do you have enough propane and/or gasoline? We picked up a dual fuel generator to bring with us for times like these, but how often is that going to be run, and for what would it be used? Are you simply charging your rig's battery, or do you want to use it on a central air system? Can you spare propane for the generator, or is that needed for a reliable cooking system such as a portable grill? Wood is something you must either find or purchase locally; are you wanting to build a campfire, and what is its use?
These are some of the lessons we've learned thus far on our boondocking adventure. Check back for more about how we've been living on this trip. Will boondocking remain on our internal compass?
With a few trips under our belt, and also transitioning ourselves to full-time living in the RV, we've been able to experiment a bit with our electronics situation. This is what we've learned so far, and hopefully you are just as able to take advantage of what we've learned when you start your adventure.
The first is internet. We did decide to switch service providers to one that's more friendly towards unlimited data and hotspots. Sadly, this came with a hidden termination fee for unlocking the phone to be able to switch carriers, and it was a policy that changed recently. Let's just say they didn't want us to "kindly do the needful". Once that headache was completed, the next step was to hooking up the wireless router because the phone only afforded one hotspot connection. The good news is that the router was able to setup properly, and even now we're using the hotspot for our internet, shunning the wired connection we've had at the house. Remember that public wi-fi is not dependable, not to mention you want something encrypted for personal matters, such as banking and bill paying.
Some of you reading this are probably wondering how we hooked up everything. The first thing is to configure the router. There are tutorials from Smart Domotik, Wi-Fi Planet, and Quick Fix that can help you with your setup. To get your phone's subnet information, you should be able to simply connect a computer directly to your phone's hotspot; in our case, we didn't have to change the router's subnet. I also recommend using "Client" mode instead of "Client Bridge" because you want to be connecting to your router even though it will have the same name as your phone. The next and most important step, especially when you're given only one hotspot connection, is that the order in which everything is connected matters. You have to turn on the router first, then your hotspot, and only after the router and hotspot are connected can you then add other devices. If another device gets the IP Address first, the router won't be able to connect because the one address is gone. Third, once you have everything set, keep an ethernet cable attached to your router, even if you don't have the other side connected, because if something goes down, you may need to hook a computer to that wired connection to be able to troubleshoot the router.
Once you have connectivity, start looking at your devices. During Trip 1, we found that the bulky desktop wasn't used at all, even though we brought it along. The shakedown had it as a sort of file storage area, but was a little noisy and cumbersome to put together. A small solid state drive with a smaller computer should do the trick for what we need. Since we don't have a toy hauler with an office room equipped, there's no reason to bring the desktop and we can live without the heavy gaming apps, so that will likely go to storage. As for computers, some people prefer cell phones today for accessing internet and apps, but it's still good to have a straight computer with you. Laptops are nice to have, but one newer invention we seem to like is the Raspberry Pi. These are small, inexpensive, yet powerful computers able to do what we need, and we're also able to do small electronics projects not only to entertain us, but also for potential rig improvements. They also have HDMI outputs, meaning you can connect it to your TV, not needing an additional monitor. Round it all out with a video game system doubling as a Blu-Ray player, along with a streaming video device, and we're good to go.
Sometimes you're going to have lessons learned while you travel, and looking at our situation, we find ourselves ready to go. We can spend less time worrying about our living arrangement in terms of electronics, and more time following our internal compass.
If you're like us, you've taken a couple of trips, and have decided to commit to living the full time RV lifestyle. However, it's not necessarily something that you can do overnight. There's going to be a transition period, and we hope to help those making the decision through their transition.
You'll need to be able to deal with the old quarters. This is going to depend on your situation. If you own a house or something similar, you're going to need to get that on the market, especially if you live somewhere with habitation requirements. If you rent an apartment or equivalent, you'll need to look at your contract, since there are usually early termination fees. Maybe you live with family, or are newly married or engaged and are ready to move together, and that may seem easier from that standpoint. Maybe you aren't ready to give it up right away, but remember you'll still have to pay all the associated taxes and costs, not to mention winterize if that's needed in your area. Figure out what's best for you, make a plan, and have some contingency options in case things don't work the way you'd like them to happen.
Just like when you pack for your first adventures, you'll need to still be able to live in both places. Some pack things as soon as possible because of the daunting move, while others may wait for the last second because they don't want to end up in a situation where something they need has been moved. A compromise will make this smooth. Go room by room in your old quarters and take an inventory. Everything you come across, figure out how it was last used, and place it into any of several categories:
Remember that these categories are going to overlap. Common items, such as clothes and kitchen utensils, are things you're going to pack, but you'll also need at your old place. Keep them around, but make sure there's room. Furniture items, like your couch or kitchen table, you'll still need during the transition, but you aren't going to take with you. Decorative things, like the knick-knacks on the window sill, are typically something where you can make a decision and act right away. Don't feel like you have to give up everything, either. Very commonly, when someone gives away something, they'll recognize the need for it within a week. We're not saying that everything you have should be hoarded, though. Find a balance. Hopefully some family is willing to help you store what you want to hold, or you may need to rent a small garage in the multitude of storage services across the country. Yard and garage sales are also a good way to help get rid of what you're not taking, and can generate a small amount of income.
Your other affairs are things you'll need to keep in mind. If you're in a physical location job, there will be a time you'll have to resign. Maybe you have memberships with various stores or clubs, and you'll need to think about how those are going to be used. Utilities are something you'll need to be ready to cancel. How are you going to deal with your vehicles? Do your bank and/or credit union accounts allow for good online access, and how accessible are they should you need brick-and-mortar services, such as cash deposits? Make sure to have a plan, but remember you'll have to still live with all of these through your transition.
Transition is hard, but with careful planning, you can ease the stress of change. Once you're through these tough times, you'll finally be freely able to follow your internal compass.
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