Camper Life

                       

    Living in a camper is not all the fun and games you would think it would be. My first initial thought was "okay we can do this!" "This will simplify things and declutter our lives quick." I thought that living in a camper would help me de-stress because I would have to live off less, clean less, and have fewer visual anxieties. Though my initial thought process was not completely out of left field, they were not at all what I had in mind when reality struck. The visual anxieties within the camper quickly became very discouraging. I am claustrophobic, and being in a smaller space only made that worse. We had to move fast at an inconvenient time of year. We had to fit the three of us and two dogs in a camper. The time we moved did factor into the unpleasantness because we did not have time to prepare like we should have. Let's face it though, most things in life, whether good or bad, never really happen as planned or when it's convenient. You get bored or discouraged thinking "when is this going to happen?", then bam here we are, and it is time to act. 

    It is definitely smart to try to plan the best you can but try not to over think things like I did. You should hope for the best but always plan for the worst-case scenario. Prioritize what needs to happen now, decide what can be figured out later, then go from there. Your vision and plans will constantly change and evolve as you find more affordable and more efficient ways of doing things. This all takes time, patience, budgeting, and lots of research. Honestly, life is all trial and error. Learn from the bad, excel from the good, and thank the lord for being by your side every step of the way. 

    At the start, we were a little more cramped than we had anticipated we would be. Some clothes needed to be hung up and we honestly had nowhere to put them. We were not hooked up to plumbing yet, being that it was winter when we moved. So, all the overflow clothes got thrown into the shower to be resolved another day. Slowly I did start buying camper friendly storage organizers on Amazon, along with stackable milk crates we already had, as a way to store what we could. This has helped. Use what you have and only buy what you need. We thankfully were able to park at a family members property. Therefore, we have been able to go inside to shower and use their plumbing for our daily needs, if you know what I mean. Let me tell you though having to walk outside during an artic blast storm to get to indoor plumbing is not fun. I'm definitely not an outhouse kind of lady. Other family members and friends have also helped by letting us use their washer and dryer. We use 2 large 100-pound propane tanks in rotation to heat the camper and cook. We also rotate 4 jugs filled with water to cook, water the dogs, fill the coffee pot, and any other needs. Yes, I put "fill the coffee pot". Some luxuries you just can't let go of. 

    Needless to say, I am very much ready for Spring to arrive. Side note: thank you Phill the ground hog for the early Spring prediction. I very much hope you are right this time. Not sure if Spring will solve all of our problems, but it will be nice to be able to finally hook up to plumbing the right way. We are also just looking forward to being outdoors more. We want to make this experience truly feel like we are in the back yard, camping. We plan on making it as fun as we can for our son. Including cooking out at the campfire more, and planting what we can for food in hanging baskets and repurposed laundry baskets. I'm thinking maybe some strawberries and cherry tomatoes to start. We shall see.  

    Life has not been all bad living in a camper. This experience has tested our limits no doubt, but it also has forced us closer together. It has been a joy bonding with my family. Playing games together, cuddling while watching movies, and running around outside playing with our animals. Even though it is tough, and at times stressful, growing together has been my biggest joy. Taking the time to pause and notice things you would not otherwise notice helps you appreciate the small things in life so much more. After all is said and done, I only hope that what we take away from all of this is that we can do anything so long as we have each other. Family is the most important thing in this world. Family is what makes it all worthwhile. 

     Hopefully by the time fall approaches we will be more prepared for winter. My advice to you if you too plan to go on the same journey we have, is to plan more realistically. Do not rush into it! Stock your essentials first. This will help however you are going to temporarily live be more comfortable. Then list the house. This way when the house sells in the first two weeks it was listed you can hit the ground running. Also, pack everything! Only leave out what you would if you were going on a temporary trip. You can always get the extras back out when you need them. Have a huge garage sale before listing as well. Don't be afraid of living out of boxes for a while. If you need a storage unit, establish this once the house sells. Then immediately take all your extra time organizing and moving your stuff. If 30 days is not enough for you, discuss seeing if 60 days is an option before signing on the dotted line. If you have some place to store a shipping container this could be another more affordable option to store your belongings without those monthly payments. Always factor in time for things to go haywire. This way you have a better idea where stuff is when you need it or when you go to sell anything. If you can take time off work I would recommend it. Maybe attempt making it a long weekend if possible. Because you can always be sure of one thing, and that is the unplanned experiences. 

    One thing is for certain: you live, you learn, and God will always provide! Until next time folks. Remember to enjoy the little things in life along the way.