We live in a motorhome. It's not the ordinary choice of shelter in which to live, but comfortable nonetheless. We enjoy the simple pleasures associated with this lifestyle. The mobility this lifestyle offers allows us the opportunity to travel from place to place, keeping our possessions with us at all times.
Nothing is more relaxing than pulling into a beautiful camping spot and setting things up. In a few short minutes, the leveling jacks are in place, the slide-outs are extended, and the utilities are connected. Even though we have satellite television, views of nature and activities of hiking and fishing are more enjoyable for us.
Of course, we haven't always lived in a motorhome. Downsizing was quite an experience. Deciding the important things that we really needed turned out to be quite a challenge. It took us a couple of tries before we actually got it right.
The first things we packed were those of necessity: tools, extra batteries, cleaning supplies, paper products, maps, campground directories and water. As we became more adept in our travels, we added a GPS system and a weather radio.
The galley kitchen is stocked with lightweight cooking pots and pans, dishes that stack easily, utensils and a must-have coffeemaker. The slide-out pantry shelves have ample space for holding several weeks' worth of food/staples. The compact refrigerator/freezer actually holds more perishables than it appears. These food items can be packed in, puzzle-like, as space allows. We have learned that our refrigerator actually works more efficiently when it stays more fully packed.
Clothing is kept simple. Several comfortable outfits to suit the weather conditions can easily be folded and stored in the small drawer spaces and cupboards. Luckily, we do have a nice-sized closet, so we can hang lots of clothing, as well. Of course, as usual, the floor of the closet is filled with shoes: flip-flops, sandals, boots, gym shoes, mocs, etc.
Laundry facilities are available at most campgrounds, so washing our clothes as often as we need poses no problem. I have found a helpful, "tried and true" laundry aid that eliminates the need to separate whites/lights from darks — a square paper-like sheet, similar to a dryer sheet, that is used in the wash cycle and "grabs" the colors of clothing, preventing them from bleeding into each other.
No home is complete without a collection of personal items and collectibles. Photos of family members line our window shelf. A writing journal of daily activities and a camera capturing amazing sights is kept within easy reach, usually on the dinette bench.
An assortment of board games and a deck of cards are kept in the front cupboard, along with DVDs and CDs, for entertainment purposes on those inclement weather days. Of course, we also have our necessities of technology for keeping in touch with friends and family and staying informed of current events via the Internet.
Tasteful decorations are useful, yet simple: a set of flameless candles give us a sense of ambiance and allows a fresh, clean scent to permeate throughout; miniature table lamps provide ample lighting; a vase of colorful artificial roses adds a pop of color; and several sea shells scattered about are treasured mementos of some of our favorite destinations.
Living in a motorhome is an enjoyable lifestyle for us. As we travel in this beautiful country, we choose our route to travel, find a peaceful spot to stay, set up our campsite, and simply live our dream.
