Hopefully you've read Part I of this series, as well as Part II; it explains how and why we ended up living in a fifth-wheel -- the second Arctic Fox trailer we've owned.
More than two years later, would we do it again?
Yes... in part because we've learned certain tricks that help us adapt. Even if you don't live in a smaller amount of space, these may be handy for you, too.
WHAT WE'RE DOING TO ADAPT:
*We use the Mexican method, to help keep our blackwater tank from filling too quickly. That means depositing used toilet paper in a lined wastebasket, instead of putting it in the toilet. We bag and empty the wastebasket once a week.
*Keeping unpleasant smells to a minimum. Cleaning our bathroom, particularly the toilet, takes from 5-10 minutes. I try to do it daily. I also mist the bed mattress and carpet with Fabreze-type sprays. (It also helps with inevitable "doggy" smells produced by Charley and Ruby.) Air fresheners, as well as open windows whenever possible, also help keep things smelling fresh.
*Staying tidy. I change bed and bath linens out weekly; our dirty clothes go down a chute underneath the bathroom sink to a clothes bin in the "basement." When it gets full, I make a trip to the laundry.
The bedroom takes just a few minutes to straighten. Our 'living room' takes longer, but I can do a quickie job in ten minutes. (We do have several areas that need work. I'm tackling them one at a time.)
*Grocery shopping less often, but focusing on milk and eggs. I don't bake much during summer; just keeping the pilot on in the oven heats up the trailer uncomfortably during hot weather. (On the plus side, it helps keep us comfortable during chilly days.)
When the truck acts up -- like it's doing now -- I'll buy extra milk and keep it in the freezer. (Our landlord friends let us use the bottom shelf and pull-out drawer in their big freezer, for overflow.) Eggs will keep up to 4 weeks in the fridge, so I buy extra of those, too. (I still miss our chickens, though.)
I do keep a supply of shelf-stable supplies in the basement (sour cream and milk powder, dried eggs, beans, flour, sugar, etc.). We also have a small freezer on top of the refrigerator. It doesn't hold a lot, but I could make meals for at least a month with what we've got at hand.
*Keeping dishes washed and the kitchen area clean -- and using paper products when water is at a premium. We wire the cupboards shut before traveling, and carefully open them when we arrive. (Things can 'leap' out at you, if you're not paying attention.) Everything on the table, currently my 'desk,' also has to come down when traveling, but it stores nicely underneath, and is quickly put back in place when we're settled.
I have a small group of pots & pans, including ceramic baking dishes, which fit nicely inside the stove. A hand-held mixer, toaster and crockpot are stored in cupboards. We keep fresh pitchers of water on the counter when we're at rest, and stored in the sink when we're on the road.
*Using temporary storage -- for now. Some canned goods, flour, etc. are in our friends' basement. More of our storage, including furniture, books, quilts, etc., is in a bay of The Mama's garage -- which means a trip to Michigan when we need to replenish or pick up needed items. (After we sold the house, we even rented a storage unit for a few months, so the Brick had hunting items. But that was surprisingly expensive.)
Yes, we have storage under our chair seats...
We have been looking for land to put a pole barn on. Or a small cabin that we can use for storage, while parking nearby. Maybe two of these. We just haven't found the right property for the right price yet. Inevitably, we will need to clear out our property in both our friends' basement, and The Mama's garage. We continue to search for the right spot. I think we'll know when we find it.
*We don't have cable. But we do have access to Amazon Prime. Our secret weapons, though, are heavy-duty zipped folders that each hold up to 400 different DVDs and CDs. We have three folders, and they fit nicely underneath the fireplace. Hundreds of videos -- available at a moment's notice! (Many of these are $1 and $2 wonders gleaned from our public library, as well as Amazon.)
*We brought in extra heating and cooling. A small fan has worked wonders for sleeping on hot nights, even with the air conditioning running, it can be sweltering. A space heater, and keeping the electric fireplace on, has helped a lot with cold spots in the winter. These wait in a corner until we need them.
*Buying space-saving appliances and tools. I don't have many -- actually, I never did. But instead of a blender, I have a handheld mixer. A palm-sized waffle iron. Smaller laptops. Things like that.
*Using easy-care whenever possible. I just don't have room for an ironing board...but a small finger-sized iron and a towel are useful for patchwork. Otherwise, I buy knit or easy-care shirts and pants for myself and the Brick. I used to iron a lot, including pillowcases. Now, I roll them tightly before putting them away. They take up less room -- and stay largely wrinkle-free!
We use this rolling technique for other things, like large towels. They take up a lot less room this way...and look nice, when displayed on a wall-mounted holder inside the bathroom.
*We keep a schedule -- sort of. Friday night is always Movie Night, using DVDs from the library, or our own collection. Sunday is church -- and Worship Team, if we're singing/playing. Monday is 'Start-up-the-Week' day; I rarely take any work commitments then. And we generally do not make appts before 10 a.m. (We've been night owls for a long time.) We try to meet friends every other week, sharing food prep and often playing a game afterwards. This pattern holds fairly steady, wherever we are.
There are still things we haven't figured out. High winds -- a dog changing position-- or even wiggling your knee can set the trailer rocking, especially during short-term stops. And it can heat up quickly during sweltering temperatures. (Maybe use a toaster oven then? Meanwhile, the slow cooker helps with this.) The internet doesn't always cooperate. It's easy to start building up boxes of STUFF. We generally have to meet friends elsewhere...or borrow our friends' balcony.
Tempers can flare over little things like dog vomit ("It's your turn, Honey!"), a dropped jar or misplaced gloves. And the current issue: what do we do when our truck, our only source of transportation, isn't operating properly? (The answer to that: borrow a vehicle from kind friends who are out of town. And get the truck repaired before they return.)
But when I'm busy writing at the kitchen table, and watch deer prance by in the pasture, unknowing that someone is watching...
Looking out the window at a changing landscape, depending on where we are, from flowering spring to snowy winter...
Trudging home after an exhausting workday to family, hot pizza and my favorite movie...
Cooking up ham and eggs, with fresh peaches bought at the stand the day before, and coffee fresh-brewed by the Brick, in a Wal-Mart parking lot...
Or on a gloomy night, snug in our warm bed, with rain or snowflakes pattering overhead...
I feel very lucky, indeed.
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