Living in a 400 square foot motor home isn’t for everyone.  When we made this decision about 2 years ago, we weren’t really sure what we were getting into.  All the planning for years in advance does not totally prepare you for the reality.  But we knew that any obstacles would be figured out on the fly.  I mean, you only live once, right?

So we jumped into it with both feet.  Now that two years are behind us, we are so glad we made this life-changing decision.  In an effort to keep things real and help out anyone else who is considering this lifestyle, here are 5 things to think about before you hit the road.

Downsizing is pretty painful

In order to fit your life into 400 square feet, you have to decide which possessions you can and cannot live without.  Unfortunately, many of them will have to go, especially if your are a full timer that also sells their home like we did.  I have to say that many of our treasured belongings went to people that did not treasure them nearly as much as we did.

As I talked about in my earlier post “Never Say Free on Facebook“, the hardest thing about simpler living is learning to let go.

What can you live without?  Well, sometimes it takes a little time to know.  We packed the bottom of our coach with those things we could not part with such as vintage books, golf clubs, various craft supplies and fabric.  We have reached the point now that we will be going through those things again.  What we haven’t used in the two years on the road will find a new place to live.  Downsizing is hard, but it really is freeing.

Choose a coach with an all-weather package

Coaches are rated for living and traveling in various types of weather.  Unfortunately, that is something we did not know when we bought ours.  Ours is a bit shy on insulation and it really hates cold weather.  Which means that we spend a bit of time each year avoiding cold weather and just like the snowbirds, head south in the winter.

Even so, places such as Tucson can get cold in the winter.  This year we purchased an electric radiator to help keep the chill out.  But we still have to worry about pipes freezing.

It is best to choose an all weather unit to ensure that it will hold up to temperature differences and be comfortable no matter where you are.

Choose a RV that works for your lifestyle

I have to say that love our washer and dryer.  I would never want to have to hang out at the laundromat once a week like many of our coworkers do.   We also love the large storage area under the coach.

When planning to hit the road consider what is important to you.  What conveniences you really would love to have.  Because once you are out on the road, those things are not always as easy to come by.

Gadgets make life easier.  Be sure to check out my list of 10 Great Gadgets for the RVer.

Keep the clutter down to a roar

Living in tight quarters involves a bit of organization.  We have two people and two dogs in our coach.  Everything has a place.  Otherwise craziness will ensue.  I’m lying if I say that my RV is always organized, but each day I put in an effort to keep things down to a roar.

I am a professional crafter, and about half of the cabinets in our coach are designated for supplies.  Keeping things organized helps keep us both sane.

What is great is the fact that there is always that amazingly beautiful place right outside our front door to enjoy when things get a little tight inside.

Keeping in touch with the rest of the world

I’ll tell you now, most campground wifi is not worth the effort.  Occasionally, you will find a good one, but for the most part, there are too many people trying to access it, too many people trying to stream videos and not enough signal to compensate.

We use our own data most commonly, but that involves having a decent phone signal.  We have actually turned down jobs where a phone signal was not existent.  Because of my websites, this is one area where I cannot compromise.

While life on the road full time can be a major adjustment, we took the chance and have never looked back!