RV Poetry

To store or not to store! That is the question.  Shakespeare’s, “To be or not to be,” has nothing on the question of beginning RVers. I have seen more written on that than which kind of RV.

OK. That was an exaggerated last fact, but people do struggle with it. Downsizing is difficult for people used to buying more and more.  Leon and I have downsized somewhat before - and resized.  ;)  We are not having to deal with a struggle on store or not. Our decision was made immediately.

We are storing, but only a few things to put in the park model once we buy it next Spring.  Even if things work out way beyond our expectations and we buy it before Thanksgiving, we will leave things in storage until we get it caulked, cleaned, aired out, etc.  It is small enough without giving it that initial cleaning while it is filled with stuff!

Our house is a disaster right now. Things are everywhere, some already sorted: RV or sell.  The majority of what we are storing  was moved to the storage unit last night.  WooHOO! We are making progress.

Of course, we take the first load, get caught in a traffic jam and get there a bit close to closing. We had used the same facility when we moved out here, so he didn’t bother walking us out to the unit. Ten minutes until closing, we began unloading the few boxes we had.

Fifteen minutes after closing, we locked the door.  OK. We did not really lock the door.  We had bought a new lock from the man there because the two from before were safely at home, grin. It was a different style.

“Will this lock work on all the units? Leon asked.

“Yes.”

WRONG.  Our door was missing the second tab. Only the other kind could be used.  At least most of the traffic was going in the opposite direction, because we drove all the way home to get another lock, having no proof had actually put our stuff in their storage. (unless they had cameras we didn’t see)

Since we had to go home anyway, loaded the car again, grabbed the locks, and stored the rest.  That meant, however, we didn’t eat until after 8, and had to grab “fast food” rather than the dinner we had planned — or eat well after 9.  Normally, that would have really really frustrated me, but I must already be switching to the RV mode. (That made me smile.)

So, it is real… we are going to get an RV. Now, house, sell.  Someone want our house and be willing to spend money for it right away!  ‘Cause if you do, we can all have Thanksgiving where we want to be, you in your new home, and us in Florida with our son and daughter-in-law.  Otherwise, we will have to miss Thanksgiving with them.

For me, first consideration is safety. My mind cannot separate the word, “safety” from the words, “alive and well”.  Safety is a tall order with many variables. Some require money we don’t have… “compromise” is a word I hate when combined with “on safety”!

Things like back up cameras, proper mirrors, tire monitors, good locks, gas leak detectors, fire/smoke/propane/Co detectors, fire extinguishers now that I know how to use one, the right tools, cell phones, well maintained vehicle and many more I will think of will be high in priority.

However, RVing, if only by the nature of the small square footages involved will require compromises in other areas, and by two different people in our case as we are a married couple with many similarities, but oh, so many differences.

Size is one that we have agreed on, the maximum length, anyway: less than 30 feet. We chose that length to prevent limiting our choices of locations we could comfortably set up in.  (Did you notice I did not say camp?  I don’t camp, there are creatures and monsters of the non-human kind mixed with the human kind.)  As beginners we want to leave the options open, just in case braveness   befalls me. (Yeah, right.)

Of course, that size limitation just about took my washer/dryer combination right out of the picture.

Now Leon, said he doesn’t want his feet hanging over the edge of the bed and he doesn’t want to feel like he is in a sardine can.

Having the TV where we can see it without straining our neck is another requirement we both have.

It would be nice to have enough room to take a shower without pulling a muscle trying to twist ourselves into a small ball to fit within the shower confines.

I need some counter space.  I am not the best cook to begin with and need room to sprawl when I attempt to cook.  (Somehow I don’t think I will get it.)

And the biggest problem: room for an air filter that removes chemicals from confined spaces. I am sensitive to all that stuff and don’t plan on making myself sick!

Should be interesting trying to even get just that, much less all else I want… Stay tuned… but first we have to sell the house… and we haven’t even finished all the work needed.

Yesterday it was all quite exciting, today it is exciting tempered by a bit of overwhelmed sense of too much to do NOW. Stay tuned.

I love kitchen gadgets! So, how do I downsize for the RV and the future (dream) park model on a lake?

I started downsizing by utilizing a 30″ high standard cabinet height that is 72 inches long. I put everything I want to take for kitchen use in our future RV in it. But I couldn’t fit a couple of things, more like 1/2 dozen things — and I even stacked items within items — and those empty spaces, not really, just not washed yet…

Doesn’t look like 2.5 feet by 6 feet of stuff in these little pictures, but it is.

I know, I know! What is the chance I am going to even have close to that much room in a kitchen - or even in the entire little RV? But at least it is a start! And we will be cooking more in an RV — honest! In fact, we will be cooking more in the next few months!

Stop laughing and shaking your heads, please!

At the same time I put other items on a large table to pack for our future park model. No, I am not re-buying them. We had to re-buy almost everything except kitchen items when we moved from Florida out to Washington. Granted, there is not a LOT of room in a 399 square foot park model either, but if we get one with a loft I can put a cabinet up there for the infrequently used items.

And, contrary to popular opinion of my abilities to let go of kitchen stuff, there is a rather large area on the table of things to let go of…. including my Campbell Soup logo plates, bowls, and cups, though if there is room in the storage, they might get a reprieve.

So, we don’t know yet what RV we are going to buy, even after 8 RV shows in 2.5 years! We are somewhat at the mercy of what comes up cheap enough and close enough. So, how much more will I have to pare down?

The rough draft of our plan is in place.  We are going to buy an RV when we sell the house.  Where we will live in it… well…. many decisions to make.

What RV to buy? Ha! They don’t make the perfect one for me… I want it all and in too many different configurations…. And money IS a deciding factor on which perfect things I will do without… or get…. Positive thinking there, those last two words.

Now, we won’t get the house sold if I don’t get myself in gear, and not neutral, either.