A very common question we’re asked is if we ever wish we had selected a larger living space. Our quick answer is, no – our space is perfect and well considered for our needs.
At only 80 square feet of living space, our Oliver Travel Trailer is a lot smaller than most folks consider that they can live in. Nevermind work in. For us however, it’s a lot larger than the T@b teardrop trailer we lived out of for the first 7 months we traveled about together. After living in a very small space for such a long time, we had the opportunity to adapt to living with less and really consider what would be ideal for our style of traveling, living and working.
Some of the major benefits for us in choosing a smaller size RV include:
1) More mobility. A smaller trailer gives us a huge amount of flexibility in the places we can go. While most public and private campgrounds can accommodate very large motorhomes and trailers, a lot of other places simply can’t. And with us designed with solar power, raised axle and large holding tanks, we’re well equipped to go to places others don’t usually. We enjoy staying in friend’s driveways, undeveloped land and more. Even with just the moderate increase in our size, we lost of a good bit of flexibility as compared to when we had our T@b.
2) Less Stuff. A small space also gives us reason to keep our lives simplified and not get caught in consumeristic cycles of acquiring stuff. A decision to buy something doesn’t just come down to ‘can we afford it?’, but also ‘will it fit?’. We actually do have an amazing amount of storage space onboard, and there’s very little we feel we’re lacking (such as, a hot tub!).
- Tucked into a National forest
3) More efficiency. Our smaller trailer also means we can tow with a smaller more fuel efficient vehicle, allowing us to have an ideal mode of transit when we’re unhitched.
Living in a small space is not as much as a compromise as I once thought it might be. When you consider that your view changes regularly, you have the entire world as your front porch and everything you need is at arm’s reach – it’s become a downright luxury to me.
But living in this small of space is not for everyone, for sure. There are such a wide variety of mobile homes out there, and it’s all about personal taste, style, intended use and how well you get along with your travel mates.
Our best advice when selecting your first home on wheels is to consider it a temporary trial to see how it fits you after living in it for several months or a year. After you have time under your belt, you’ll know what is your ideal setup. If nomadism is still your calling, then invest the time and energy into finding your perfect balance.
Our space is considerably larger than yours, but smaller than a stationary home and somewhat smaller than most newer coaches as well. *gasp* We’ve got no slides? How do we manage? Yet, our space is perfect. Even when I’m feeling the capitalist peer pressure that says the Incorrigible is too old or Not Big Enough, I can’t imagine a better home.
.-= Emmy´s last blog ..Surge protection is good. =-.