Community Forums

CascadeBob · 01-08-2017, 05:39 PM

OK, some of you may know us by now since we post so many questions, but:

We're an active etired couple positive we want to jump into full-time RVing.

Also pretty sure we'll start off with a 3500 Silverado, 6.6L diesel, crew-cab, standard (6'6") bed towing a Mountain Fox 235 RSL fifth wheel. Plan to dry camp & boondock 90% of the time.

So, the question for this thread is this:

What mistakes did you make when you started full-time RVing? What lessons learned can you pass on to newbies?

This is a great forum with lots of experience and we really appre3ciate your advice.

Thanks,

Bob & Sonia

Old-Biscuit · 01-11-2017, 01:36 PM

Packed too much stuff!!!

We packed our 5th wheel with:
Items we knew we needed
Items we thought we needed
Items we thought we might need
Items we wanted to keep

6 months later we:
Discarded many items we thought we needed......really only need 1 on each BASIC Items
Discarded many items we thought we might need......can purchase a new one IF really needed vs haul it around/taking up space

Full Time is about minimizing down to BASICS.
One..you don;t need all that stuff
Two...you don't need to haul all that stuff and extra weight
Three...life is much simpler when uncluttered.
Four....1 Bag IN+2 Bags OUT
FIVE.....Go to CAT Scales and get weighed. Then repeat every year and downsize stuff in rig

Forget about vacation.......you are NOT on vacation so ENJOY the travel along with the adventure.
Stay away from Interstates..use secondary/back roads and SEE small town USA
We traveled FT weekly/bi-monthly for 7 yrs and rarely used an Interstate.

It is a 'lifestyle'....slow down and enjoy it.

Finally · 01-12-2017, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

Packed too much stuff!!!

We packed our 5th wheel with:
Items we knew we needed
Items we thought we needed
Items we thought we might need
Items we wanted to keep

6 months later we:
Discarded many items we thought we needed......really only need 1 on each BASIC Items
Discarded many items we thought we might need......can purchase a new one IF really needed vs haul it around/taking up space

Full Time is about minimizing down to BASICS.
One..you don;t need all that stuff
Two...you don't need to haul all that stuff and extra weight
Three...life is much simpler when uncluttered.
Four....1 Bag IN+2 Bags OUT
FIVE.....Go to CAT Scales and get weighed. Then repeat every year and downsize stuff in rig

Forget about vacation.......you are NOT on vacation so ENJOY the travel along with the adventure.
Stay away from Interstates..use secondary/back roads and SEE small town USA
We traveled FT weekly/bi-monthly for 7 yrs and rarely used an Interstate.

It is a 'lifestyle'....slow down and enjoy it.

X2. We are down about 2000 lbs from when we first started. We had our trailer and basement filled with stuff...

Sent from somewhere in the USA

Barbaraok · 01-12-2017, 04:18 PM

We did 11,000 miles in less than 6 months. NEVER, EVER, AGAIN. You don't have to see everything that first year. It is ok to take 5 yrs to get from one coast to the other. Follow the 2-2-2 rule: 200 miles a day, stop by 2:00 pm, stay 2 nights or something similar. Sometimes we only stay 1 night, but the other two parts of the rule are pretty close to iron clad for us - - if nothing else than by stopping by 2:00 pm you get the pick of sights, and you are in, drink in hand, watching everyone else try to get parked for the night. We also never leave until about 9:30-10:00 am.

Barb

CascadeBob · 01-13-2017, 04:47 AM

Thanks folks. Yep, we know that sometimes the stuff you own ends up owning you. And Barbaraok; love the 2-2-2 rule. Made me think that it's strange we're getting into full-time RVing while we really don't like to drive that much.

How about physical or organizational stuff?

Did you wish you'd started off with a bigger (or smaller) RV (or fifth wheel/TT or whatever)?
Did you find after being on the road a while better services (internet, cell phone, health or vehicle insurance)?
Did you find you needed different or better equipment for boondocking once you got out there?

Great stuff from great people - thanks, we appreciate it all.

blang · 01-13-2017, 07:13 AM

As someone above said, forget about the stuff you "might" need. It only clutters and, maybe, keeps you from finding things that you really do need. Even things that you WILL need can, in a pinch, be sourced when you really need it. For example, I recently needed to replace a fuel filter. The local NAPA guy brought me one (tipped him, of course). I do, however, keep things that are important and difficult to source in an emergency. For example, I do keep a box with compartment door lock parts as well as a replacement entry door handle/latch/lock.

As for which rig to buy... as they say, try to buy your "last" RV first. Many people have lost significant sums of money and time thinking they'd start smaller and see how it goes. We, for example, bought a 30' bumper pull trailer and a pickup. In just over a year, it became apparent we needed more storage in basement areas, clothes closets and kitchen. Sold the almost new trailer for about a 10k loss and bought a 40' motorhome. The additional ten feet doesn't sound like much but the difference between the two in basement storage is HUGE. Now, I even have slide-out trays that lets me get to everything. Sure wish I'd done that first.

MisterT · 01-13-2017, 07:21 AM

my first mistake in our old 5vr was to get distracted and forgetting to set the king pin...
that 5vr is probably still rolling down that hill, and my truck got a new tailgate...

our second mistake in our old Georgetown Class A 38' was to allow someone else to 'tell me' how to turn into a very tight site ... I should have went with my gut and not taken their directions: they didn't have to buy a passenger door for a Cadillac, but I did...

our third mistake was to forget to make sure the sewer hose was connected properly to the park sewer connector... that's a mess you'll not quickly forget
oh, that was also mistake number four... : /

CarolynanBob · 01-13-2017, 08:32 AM

We just started full timing last Saturday.

We packed to much stuff. Do NOT go to costco at least six month before you leave.
Slowly getting rid of stuff. My wife is having a harder time doing that than I.

We are driving no more than 6 hr a day. Stopping before 3 pm and staying at least 2 days. If we are only staying 2 days we will limit what we set up outside. No grill, table etc.. We only put out the rug, chairs and dog pen.

Put stuff in storage bins inside the cabinets and label the bins with what is inside.

scout4eagles · 01-13-2017, 06:18 PM

We are reading to go full-time in late fall. We got a 36' Mobile Suite and it has a lot of storage.

scout4eagles · 01-13-2017, 06:26 PM

We are having a hard time filling the living area storage areas up (maybe using 50-60%) of available storage areas. The basement area is pretty full and I am working on figuring out how to organize and get rid of things that we haven't used. We will start working on things again in the spring when it warm up. We were going to work on things earlier but on hold until the RV dealer that damaged the rig gets the body work done, the roof redone.

Smitty77 · 01-13-2017, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barbaraok

We did 11,000 miles in less than 6 months. NEVER, EVER, AGAIN. You don't have to see everything that first year. It is ok to take 5 yrs to get from one coast to the other. Follow the 2-2-2 rule: 200 miles a day, stop by 2:00 pm, stay 2 nights or something similar. Sometimes we only stay 1 night, but the other two parts of the rule are pretty close to iron clad for us - - if nothing else than by stopping by 2:00 pm you get the pick of sights, and you are in, drink in hand, watching everyone else try to get parked for the night. We also never leave until about 9:30-10:00 am.

Barb

Now Barb. I've learned many things from your posts here, and on the Escapees forum too...

But I must have missed understood. You see, I've been telling my DW, fellow RV'er, and friends about the 2-2-2-2 rule. The first three are the ones you mentioned, but (And again, I may have misunderstood...) I also thought Full Timers had a duty to the clan, to consume two glassed of good vino too(?)

!

OP - Concur with going slow and easy. Unless you really need to be somewhere for an obligation... Let your instincts tell you when, and where to move...

And yeah, get everything you each think you musth have, and put them in three piles. Your's, her's and combined. Then both of you go three each pile again, and really talk about if it's needed... (Word of warning. For some reason, when I approached my DW's pile, she seemed to get quite perturbed that I would question why she needed that many shoes & sandals... Falling back to my core believe that it is better to keep the DW happy then be possibly right - I immediately backed off. (And yes, the bruises to my wrist have now gone away - where I tried to pull a few shoes out of the pile...)).

Less, is best!!!

Have a blast. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Just be prepared to adjust regularly as needed...
Smitty

RV-Writer · 01-13-2017, 06:45 PM

Not full time yet (happens in May) but have been downsizing for a couple of months now.

My must keep item pile is pretty small. Digitalized my pictures, throwing out all the old pots and pans etc... Wife isn't liking that process much. But my garage pile for the RV really needs to be reduced. Tools for the "might happen" is what my problem is. I have a couple of bins full with surge protectors, leveling blocks, stinky slinky, extension cords, water regulators, on and on

Since I went through the house items, will have the wife go through the garage items and make me justify what I am keeping

fair is fair right

CarolynanBob · 01-14-2017, 07:48 AM

Be flexible. We were in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico yesterday and were supposed to travel to Carlsbad Caverns today.

I was watching the weather and it looked ok for us to leave early this morning for the drive. Checked the weather again yesterday morning and it changed. It showed the storm coming in early. Supposed to be pretty windy today with rain. Didn't want to drive in high wind, so we packed up and came to Carlsbad,NM yesterday. Now we are here all set up and ready for the rain and wind.

Fiesta48 · 01-14-2017, 07:57 AM

Got to do a lot of research before going.
1. Is it near where you want to be
2. Is it not next to tracks, the Interstate, or the end of a runway. Use Google maps.
3. Cost/rates off their Web site.
4. Is it not a old, run down mobile home park.
5. Hookups as you need. 50A, sewer, etc.
6. Do they honor one of the discount clubs?
7. Arrival, departure times.
8. Pet friendly?
9. Reservation and Deposit refund policies. If it's bad, or you can't make it there.
10. Weather. Time of year considerations.