How do you get it all in?! (1 Viewer)

Chani

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Mar 26, 2009
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If you're fulltiming, how do you fit everything in the van? We're looking at working on the road (gives us a chance to explore - we'd never get the chance otherwise!), and even if we only took the bare essentials we're sure we'd run out of space - even before we'd installed the smallest PC's and server available! :Eeek: So, what do you do? Do you modify your van in any way, tow a trailer? Or is there less to carry than we think?

Ta muchly for your thoughts :)
 

scotjimland

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Jul 25, 2007
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Hi

Many if not most fulltimers have RVs for the extra living space, storage space and payload, they are also more robust and can stand up to the rigours of full time life.
I know some who have European vans but they generally have a home base so don't need to carry absolutely everything .. ie, clothes for four seasons, tools, musical instruments, hobby stuff, toys etc etc etc

IMO if you are serous about going fulltime then an RV is the only practical way to go..

Jim
 

moandick

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Jul 28, 2007
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Chani

What size vehicle are you thinking of full-timing in?

What do you consider the 'bare' essentials?

When we first started we began with two sets of good clothing and two sets of working clothes, a couple of towels and pots and pans and crockery and cutlery - and nothing else! Our computers and printers (laptop and desktop plus 2 printers) went under the bed and we bought paper as and when we needed it.

We pruned absolutely everything down to the less than necessary essentials - and then if we didn't use it once in three months, it got ditched. !

Now, even though we are in a 36ft American motorhome, we still look twice at every purchase - and then only buy what we absolutely cannot do without.

Surprising what you think you need and then find you can do without - quite easily.

One thing we always practised from our sailing days - the cook washes up - amazing how few saucepans and utensils need to be used, when you are the one to do the washing-up.

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Douglas

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If you're fulltiming, how do you fit everything in the van? We're looking at working on the road (gives us a chance to explore - we'd never get the chance otherwise!), and even if we only took the bare essentials we're sure we'd run out of space - even before we'd installed the smallest PC's and server available! :Eeek: So, what do you do? Do you modify your van in any way, tow a trailer? Or is there less to carry than we think?

Ta muchly for your thoughts :)

One way that help us is, If we have something that has not been used for 3 months then it goes on to the "don't bring next time" list.

Of course there are some thing that you carry and hope that you never use, for me that is tools and some special spares that cant be found locally, but if its an every day item that can be purchased anywhere then I don't bring it, and example of this would be a battery drill, I carry the drill machine and a few small drill bits but any bigger bits or tools to fit it I leave at home.

The same goes for clothes, medicines, food and all the rest that ends up in the van.

Doug...
 

Spacerunner

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Apr 7, 2008
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"One thing we always practised from our sailing days - the cook washes up - amazing how few saucepans and utensils need to be used, when you are the one to do the washing-up."

I've always told her that!! :thumb:
 

kkclassic

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Oct 31, 2008
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Hi

I have to agree an RV is the way to go. We are only 30ft but the under belly storage lockers and the rear locker are a boon.

One thing you might consider for storing clothes and bedding is that you can buy the suck out vacuum bags which will compress things down to a very small size thus saving space storing the other seasons clothes.

Kevin and Tricia

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Douglas

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Aug 22, 2008
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Hi
IMO if you are serous about going fulltime then an RV is the only practical way to go..

Jim

Hi Jim

Horses for courses, we manage OK with a 7meter massed produced mobile lump of s--t but we do as you said have a base to return to once a year, (reluctantly).

Doug...
 

Boo

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My problem is I had to try and sell all the contents of my 2 bed flat in a month...............I did very well but every bit of space in my 32ft Winnebago is crambed to the brim!

I have sooooo much stuff to sell I don't know where to begin.........and even though i must have been well over weight she drove great (apart from a little wandering :winky:)

Hopefully I will have thinned it out a little by the time she is ready to go driveabouts to some meets etc....:thumb:

Anyone want a cameraphonewatch? lol!

Boo
 
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Chani

Chani

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Mar 26, 2009
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Thanks for all your replies :Smile:

We're looking to get a European motorhome, mainly because we don't fancy the 6-7.5 lt engines (and associated fuel consumption), of the American RV's. Plus we've heard it mentioned that they're rather large to drive around some of our rather narrow roads! How do those of you driving RV's find fuel consumption? What do you get out them on average?

I like the 3 month rule. Think we might start a list - see what we actually use! Some of our stuff will be in one of those self-storage warehouses, which will help, but we obviously don't want to have to visit it too often!

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moandick

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Jul 28, 2007
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Well, time to throw my hat into the ring and prepare to have heaps of abuse piled upon my balding head!

I'm sorry Chani - but you are not going full-timing, you are going to play at it.

The one simple statement you made, where you say you are storing some of your stuff in a depot sums it all up - in other words, if it doesn't work we can go back to normal life.

We have experience of one couple who spent £400 a month storing their goods and chattels as well as another £400 a month to keep their two dogs in kennels.

They spent £90,000 on an American motorhome in the expectation that they were going to join the upper crust of caravanners, wanted to attend cocktail parties every night of the week and fully expected to become the equivalent of a Hollywood 'A' lister.

It didn't work, they got bored stiff after three months - and then lost tens of thousands of pounds when they tried to sell their RV.

My very simple advice to you, personally, on becoming a full-timer is DON'T. :Eeek:

Being a full timer is a commitment that will cost you almost as much as it does to live in a house and if you do not go into it with the necessary commitment, you are going to lose a packet!

Either take the bull by the horns and go for it full-on - or stand back and watch other people make the mistakes.

And by-the-by - getting away from "dealer-speak" - in an RV you can expect to get approximately 10 miles to the gallon, it will cost you £1000 per year to service and another £500 to £1000 to insure. On the benefit side my bedroom measures 12ft by 10ft when I am set up on a pitch (almost big enough to fit most European motorhomes into), our lounge measures 21ft by 12ft (definitely big enough to garage the majority of Euro motorhomes), we have every single labour saving device that we want and/or consider necessary.
 
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scotjimland

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Jul 25, 2007
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Well, time to throw my hat into the ring and prepare to have heaps of abuse piled upon my balding head!

I'm sorry Chani - but you are not going full-timing, you are going to play at it.

I agree with Dick, lots of folk go on long trips of several months or more but it's not fulltiming in the truest sense.. If you full time it's your only residence.
If you are going on a long trip and depending on your intended journey the advice will be different.. smaller van etc.

On storing stuff..

We met an elderly British couple in Germany who had been full timing for 20 odd years.. when they set out on their new lifestyle the boxed up all the stuff they couldn't part with and put in storage at a relatives .. that was twenty years ago and they had NEVER went back to it and couldn't remember what they had stored .. :Doh:

We surround ourselves with stuff, mostly cheap tat from Saturday morning retail therapy..most of it useless baggage .. it's liberating to toss it all out.. keep only the irreplaceable, photos and memories.. all the rest is just tat..

Jim
 
Feb 25, 2008
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on and off for the whole of my existance
hi,
my own way of sorting things and keeping sort of control of 'tat', Do i need it or do i want it?? If it is only a want then i could probably do without, need is a different thing. Also if you are thinking of buyng say clothing, for every item you buy make sure you throw one away. But what ever you do, it should also be enjoyable. Happy adventures.

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Chani

Chani

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Mar 26, 2009
124
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Somerset
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I'm sorry Chani - but you are not going full-timing, you are going to play at it.

The one simple statement you made, where you say you are storing some of your stuff in a depot sums it all up - in other words, if it doesn't work we can go back to normal life.

We have experience of one couple who spent £400 a month storing their goods and chattels as well as another £400 a month to keep their two dogs in kennels.

They spent £90,000 on an American motorhome in the expectation that they were going to join the upper crust of caravanners, wanted to attend cocktail parties every night of the week and fully expected to become the equivalent of a Hollywood 'A' lister.

It didn't work, they got bored stiff after three months - and then lost tens of thousands of pounds when they tried to sell their RV.

My very simple advice to you, personally, on becoming a full-timer is DON'T. :Eeek:

Being a full timer is a commitment that will cost you almost as much as it does to live in a house and if you do not go into it with the necessary commitment, you are going to lose a packet!

Either take the bull by the horns and go for it full-on - or stand back and watch other people make the mistakes.

And by-the-by - getting away from "dealer-speak" - in an RV you can expect to get approximately 10 miles to the gallon, it will cost you £1000 per year to service and another £500 to £1000 to insure. On the benefit side my bedroom measures 12ft by 10ft when I am set up on a pitch (almost big enough to fit most European motorhomes into), our lounge measures 21ft by 12ft (definitely big enough to garage the majority of Euro motorhomes), we have every single labour saving device that we want and/or consider necessary.

Well, what an interesting response. Did you get out of bed the wrong side this morning?

So, we have to give up everything so we can't be tempted to go back to our old lives? That's very reminiscent of cult mentality. Is there something I should know? Do you honestly believe an 'old life' consists of a few items in storage? You don't even know what we're storing!

I don't quite know what image you have in your mind of us, but I can assure you it bears no resemblance to the person you mentioned above. Apart from anything else, we don't own enough stuff NOW to fill a £400 a month storage facility!
 

Boo

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Jan 26, 2009
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Well, what an interesting response. Did you get out of bed the wrong side this morning?

So, we have to give up everything so we can't be tempted to go back to our old lives? That's very reminiscent of cult mentality. Is there something I should know? Do you honestly believe an 'old life' consists of a few items in storage? You don't even know what we're storing!

I don't quite know what image you have in your mind of us, but I can assure you it bears no resemblance to the person you mentioned above. Apart from anything else, we don't own enough stuff NOW to fill a £400 a month storage facility!

Herehere!

You did fly off the handle abit there...............remember........we're friendly and fun on here dude! :Smile:

The Booster
 
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Chani

Chani

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Mar 26, 2009
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Herehere!

You did fly off the handle abit there...............remember........we're friendly and fun on here dude! :Smile:

The Booster

Hey Boo, maybe I did (sorry!), but I didn't find moandick's post particularly friendly either :Smile:

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moandick

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Jul 28, 2007
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Well, time to throw my hat into the ring and prepare to have heaps of abuse piled upon my balding head!

I'm sorry Chani - but you are not going full-timing, you are going to play at it.

No offence intended to anyone but we have been there so many times to see others fail and lose lots of money in the process.

I accept that it is not something some people will want to hear but I'm afraid that it is time to take off the rose-tinted spectacles and face reality - full-timing is not for everyone.

Like it or not, I stand by what I said. :Sad:
 
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Chani

Chani

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Mar 26, 2009
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No offence intended to anyone but we have been there so many times to see others fail and lose lots of money in the process.

I accept that it is not something some people will want to hear but I'm afraid that it is time to take off the rose-tinted spectacles and face reality - full-timing is not for everyone.

Like it or not, I stand by what I said. :Sad:

Hi,

No problem :Smile: and I appreciate you probably HAVE seen it many times. Judging by the number of nearly new second hand motorhomes on the market, it's fairly obvious :Sad: But we don't make big decisions of this type lightly. We do our research and make sure we know our own minds first.

Regarding losing money, put it this way, if you think we're going to spend £90,000 on an RV ... :ROFLMAO:
 

Boo

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Jan 26, 2009
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4
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No offence intended to anyone but we have been there so many times to see others fail and lose lots of money in the process.

I accept that it is not something some people will want to hear but I'm afraid that it is time to take off the rose-tinted spectacles and face reality - full-timing is not for everyone.

Like it or not, I stand by what I said. :Sad:

S'pose you could say the same about moving from a house into a flat or bungalow couldn't you? :winky:

The only REAL way of knowing if fulltiming suites you is to buy the sweets and suck em n see in my mind, I was O.K going full time as I had lived in a motorhome for 18 months a few years back.

Lets face it, where else can you get a detached property with acres of patio where you chan change your views daily and if you don't get on with THEM next door...............then it's minimal fuss and 10 mins setting up time to move :thumb:

As a full timer it suites me fine, i'm 3 miles from work and can take my home on holiday with me..................no more hotel beds. YaY!
I have no council tax to pay, my rent inc elec, showers, etc etc for 3 months is less than a months rent on a crapy flat, I have no water bills, no gardens, lawns or flowers to maintain but still get to look and be among them.
My insurance is cheaper than my sports car (now in storage awaiting a new engine) and it has made me more eco and buy a micro car (Ka), I've never had as much freashair in years as i'm always busy fitting or painting something so I now have a built in hobby too ::bigsmile:

All for under £20,000

Beat that with ya flimsy houses :ROFLMAO:

Boo

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Stephen & Jeannie

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Aug 27, 2008
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hi,
my own way of sorting things and keeping sort of control of 'tat', Do i need it or do i want it?? If it is only a want then i could probably do without, need is a different thing. Also if you are thinking of buying say clothing, for every item you buy make sure you throw one away. But what ever you do, it should also be enjoyable. Happy adventures.

My sentiments exactly...I have been living in my MH now for three years and six years before that in a caravan..so I can speak from experience..:thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
 

Boo

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Hey Boo, maybe I did (sorry!), but I didn't find moandick's post particularly friendly either :Smile:

Sorry I was refering to Dick's comments mate :winky:

Boo

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geoff1947

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May 20, 2008
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Full Timing

Personally I want a base with bricks and mortar to return to once in a while and so 3 - 4 month trips are fine for us. I've met a few full timers who would LOVE to have a house but have been out off the market too long and have eaten into their finances so much they will never be able to buy a house. They are getting to the stage where old age and illness in starting to take it's toll and then what happens when the money runs out and all they have is a state pension and of no fixed abode!. They are very worried people So think carefully and plan for the future. Its not for me but then thats why we have "Choices" in how we live. Good luck:thumb:
 

Boo

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Jan 26, 2009
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Personally I want a base with bricks and mortar to return to once in a while and so 3 - 4 month trips are fine for us. I've met a few full timers who would LOVE to have a house but have been out off the market too long and have eaten into their finances so much they will never be able to buy a house. They are getting to the stage where old age and illness in starting to take it's toll and then what happens when the money runs out and all they have is a state pension and of no fixed abode!. They are very worried people So think carefully and plan for the future. Its not for me but then thats why we have "Choices" in how we live. Good luck:thumb:

The money you save in not having to pay inflated rates,water,stamp duty, electric, gas, maintainance and capitol gains tax if you sell would well outwiegh any miserable pitance the this crooked government are going to throw my way dude :winky:

I'm already saving so I can retire when i'm 60 :thumb:

Boo
 

johng

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Aug 15, 2007
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hi all..

I am in a slightly odd postion with this..
because

I have an RV, yet it is onlt 23', so little benfits from that..
it was cheap and is simple engineered, and I do all my own work on it
it runs on LPG, so it shouldnt be a nightmare on fuel...
I live in it, but have a career, and a tiny bit of storage for tools and things that dont need to go on the van.
In the next few months, I suspect holidays and weekends away are all that is available to me..

so with this in mind, I emptied the van into a Gazeebo last week.. I weighed everything as it came out :ROFLMAO:
All cupboards were full, I have been living in it for 2 years...
Also, the cupboards are badly designed, in that they are just huge open spaces, often with small entrances.. I am making ply shelving for most of them, to enable items to be seperated and easily retreived..

In my case, when I come to put everything back in, my 3 questions are : Do I need this in the next week>? Do i need this if I go camping sometime? and will I need this in an emergency?

I removed 400 KGs :Eeek:

I will let you know how much goes back in :)

John

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Douglas

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Aug 22, 2008
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Personally I want a base with bricks and mortar to return to once in a while and so 3 - 4 month trips are fine for us. I've met a few full timers who would LOVE to have a house but have been out off the market too long and have eaten into their finances so much they will never be able to buy a house. They are getting to the stage where old age and illness in starting to take it's toll and then what happens when the money runs out and all they have is a state pension and of no fixed abode!. They are very worried people So think carefully and plan for the future. Its not for me but then thats why we have "Choices" in how we live. Good luck:thumb:

The prospect of not having a fixed abode and leaving the wife with a vehicle she cant drive has been mentioned before on the site, its the main reason why I won't fully commit even though I would love to throw off all the shackles and chains.

I personally know a lady who's husband died leaving her with a boat that is no longer sea worthy and she could not sail it single handed even if she wanted to, so she is left living in a wreck of a boat in a boat yard in a very hot climate, 44'C in the summer and no way to escape it. That's not the life I want to leave my wife with.

Doug...
 

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