Misc How do I title this? Not sure, but read anyway please

[timbo]

We have had 3 motorhomes over the last almost 20 years. From a real old fart to two newer ones. Shortest was 28' then 32 and now 35'.
Mostly it's trips of 3 weeks or so of camping and traveling around Michigan.

This last 'vacation' was just finished. While up and around, I tried to see us (DW, 2 small dogs and Big Emma and me) going at this full timing.

In the end I decided to write about mental attitude and morale.

There were 3 things that I decided made motor homing enjoyable.

First was you have to keep your little home neat!
Sounds easy in a house but it's amazing how just a few things left out makes the place cluttered. I'm talking a couple of tv remotes and a couple of books and 2 coffee cups!
So the first rule is: Put it back! Right now! Don't let it clutter. It can drag you down without hardly knowing it.

2nd rule is: Keep it clean! With 2 real shedders (dogs) sharing your place it only takes about 2 days of fur and walked in dirt and the floor looks like an environmental disaster!

Wipe up the counter in the kitchen......right after you spill something!
Put away dishes. Wash them daily or have a place to 'hide them'. Don't just let them hang around in the sink......yuk.

Clean the bathroom the same way. Wipe up the toothpaste and the soap scum and wipe down the toilet all the time.

3rd and lastly: Keep the place smelling nice. Seems like a small thing but it really can put a downer on you if all you can smell is last night's dinner and wet dog.
We keep a glassed candle burning safely in the bathroom almost all the time.
We also have plug ins for the bedroom and of course the living room/kitchen area.

Living in a small area can be a morale buster for many people. You feel like the walls close in after a few weeks of living like that.
When you feel down........light up the place. Put on as many lights as you can. I found on cloudy days that a few lights can really help to keep your spirits up.

I tried to keep this short and direct but of course I do go on at times.

Low morale and low spirits are something you have to work on in camping vehicles.
Rainy days where you are stuck in for many hours can drag you down.

I believe the 3 points I made here can help you get through low times.

 

[Publius]

But in that rally hot weather, on the road for three days and having to flush the toilet WhoooooWeeeeee.

 

[lectrickitty]

I totally agree with you. RV living demands that the minute something is out of place, it must go back where it belongs, and the minute something is messed up, it must be cleaned. DH lived in an RV on job sites for about 15 years. I spent a lot of time with him since he couldn't get home very often. The one thing that helped us a lot was having a large covered screen porch. It enabled us to spend time outside even in the rain. It made the space feel twice as large. Having some outside living spots really made a difference. We had lawn chairs, bbq grill, at one time he even had a recliner in the screen porch.

 

[timbo]

We bought a 'Wally' patio tent, mostly for the black flies in upper MI. It works very well.

In the past, with other rigs, I had a screened in porch. On blustery days we would clothes pin up clear plastic on 3 sides or so. That also kept the rain away.

 

[Freeholder]

Timbo, those are also good tips for living in a small house.

And you are very right -- morale is extremely important. That's one reason why I've mentioned my desire to replace all the wall-to-wall carpet in the house (and got razzed for it by some people). If the electricity goes off, or even just becomes horribly expensive, how are you going to keep that carpet clean without a vacuum cleaner? I've got one room done in our house so far, by the way, and I love it even though it's just strips that I cut out of plywood, stained, and polyurethaned. It looks very nice.

Kathleen

 

[nomifyle]

Having lived in a camper a few times I completely agree about keeping things tidy and clean. It makes such a difference. And in a few days I'll be living in a camper again, only it will be stationary. I'm looking forward to it.

Judy