Full time in smaller RV

Solar and big AGM batteries make a huge difference. I really do not want to run the generator unless it is hot and we need a/c. Even then we only run it for a while in the late afternoon or evening. If it is too hot to sleep at night without a/c, it is time to travel elsewhere. We are able to get by with 2 solar panels even though my wife has a CPAP and the refrigerator is totally electric.

Our "toys" are mainly lots of photography gear, a handful of books, computers and some DVDs. We have a kite, art supplies, archery gear and some other small items. We rarely use them. Photography and travel in the national parks is sufficient.

JimK-NY wrote:
Six years ago my wife and I sold the house and took off full time in a truck camper. We also had two cats. We had plenty of space and took way too much stuff. Now we have resettled and only travel 3-6 months of each year. I keep cutting back and cutting back and still find I have too much stuff that is never used. This past year I cut the tools in half. I also cut back on clothing again and find I can still go 3-4 weeks between Laundromat stops. I have plenty of specialized clothing for extreme hot, cold or wet weather.

I recommend traveling small and light. I also recommend taking steps to eliminate or minimize the need for hook ups. I have two solar panels, agm batteries and a generator for when I must have A/C. With some care, I can take a daily shower and still go at least 4-5 days on a water tank refill.

I so like this post, less stuff, travel lighter without as much 'junk' to haul around. I am right there with you....we had the entire house packed with us when we started RVing long ago....now we are down to very little. Like you we travel light. Our 'toys' we bring is our most important stuff in our toyhauler....I always think, I loved when we tent camped long ago and traveled so light and never missed anything extra, so we kinda put that value on our RV....even if you can bring it and store it, why bother :) We have a genny but solar does interest us....our new TT TH will have solar wiring. something to look into for the future.

colliehauler wrote:

FunnyCamper wrote:
we are currently downgrading. we are just like you....we do state/federal campgrounds over commercial and we need that smaller size for ease of getting a site and thru the narrow roads loaded with trees in every possible worst position :)

we have 40 ft 5th toyhauler. going to a 29 ft. travel trailer toyhauler. (34 total with tongue). losing like 5 ft. and some height to make it easier on us.

key is like everyone said, get the floorplan that suits what you want. size isn't as much a matter as long as your happy with the feel/comfort and more in it. We got everything we needed in our 29 ft TT toyhauler that we have in our 40 ft 5th toyhauler. just more compact.

best of luck to you in finding what you want!!

Similar story, I have a 32' 5er TH and bought a 17' TT TH to go to tight campgrounds. I did not sell the larger 5er but use the small TT as a supplement.

I met a older couple from Canada that full timed in a 17' Casita tt. They cooked outside. They would leave early in the morning exploring the area and return of a evening. For them it was perfect.

I love this! A 17TT TH as a supplement :) We thought big about keeping the big boy and getting a second, but in the end we said, nope, just one is all we want so we just went for smaller, but oh yes, we were surely considering what you did LOL

very cool you have best of both worlds, bigger and smaller :)

Six years ago my wife and I sold the house and took off full time in a truck camper. We also had two cats. We had plenty of space and took way too much stuff. Now we have resettled and only travel 3-6 months of each year. I keep cutting back and cutting back and still find I have too much stuff that is never used. This past year I cut the tools in half. I also cut back on clothing again and find I can still go 3-4 weeks between Laundromat stops. I have plenty of specialized clothing for extreme hot, cold or wet weather.

I recommend traveling small and light. I also recommend taking steps to eliminate or minimize the need for hook ups. I have two solar panels, agm batteries and a generator for when I must have A/C. With some care, I can take a daily shower and still go at least 4-5 days on a water tank refill.

We only spend 4 or 5 months out at a time, so its almost full timing. We do it in a 18 foot box, or as Funfinder calls it a 22 footer. We have a cover on our pick up truck so that is our storage area.The trailer has a full bathroom which we like, a short queen which is OK and I am 6 foo 2. Only thing we would like to change is get rid of the couch and put in two recliners, can do it because of the slide and wheel well. Oh well its paid for works great and we like it a lot.

FunnyCamper wrote:
we are currently downgrading. we are just like you....we do state/federal campgrounds over commercial and we need that smaller size for ease of getting a site and thru the narrow roads loaded with trees in every possible worst position :)

we have 40 ft 5th toyhauler. going to a 29 ft. travel trailer toyhauler. (34 total with tongue). losing like 5 ft. and some height to make it easier on us.

key is like everyone said, get the floorplan that suits what you want. size isn't as much a matter as long as your happy with the feel/comfort and more in it. We got everything we needed in our 29 ft TT toyhauler that we have in our 40 ft 5th toyhauler. just more compact.

best of luck to you in finding what you want!!

Similar story, I have a 32' 5er TH and bought a 17' TT TH to go to tight campgrounds. I did not sell the larger 5er but use the small TT as a supplement.

I met a older couple from Canada that full timed in a 17' Casita tt. They cooked outside. They would leave early in the morning exploring the area and return of a evening. For them it was perfect.

we are currently downgrading. we are just like you....we do state/federal campgrounds over commercial and we need that smaller size for ease of getting a site and thru the narrow roads loaded with trees in every possible worst position :)

we have 40 ft 5th toyhauler. going to a 29 ft. travel trailer toyhauler. (34 total with tongue). losing like 5 ft. and some height to make it easier on us.

key is like everyone said, get the floorplan that suits what you want. size isn't as much a matter as long as your happy with the feel/comfort and more in it. We got everything we needed in our 29 ft TT toyhauler that we have in our 40 ft 5th toyhauler. just more compact.

best of luck to you in finding what you want!!

To the OP. If you think you might come up to PA to check out a dealer this summer, you might want to consider coming to the largest RV show in the country in Hershey PA usually in mid-September. You can view lots of possibilities in a relatively short amount of time.

We full-timed in the 32' AF fiver and loved it. It had plenty of room for us. The 27' AF is very similar with everything just a little bit smaller. I don't know what the poster meant about lack of windows because the 27' fiver has huge windows and a large living area. We all have our own needs and you will have to decide. Many won't fulltime in anything less that 40' and counting. Many of us are content with far less.

It is up to you how much space you think you need. I know people full timing in 18-foot van conversions and the 17-foot model of the Casita. For both cases, their full time lifestyle is mobile.

I've met a man full-timing and work camping in a pop-up, 12-foot box. His lifestyle was not so mobile, rather seasonal moves between work locations.

Personally I would be more comfortable at 24-28 feet, for separation of living or working areas from sleeping areas. But that's old habit, I have friends of my generation (WW2 children) getting into the small house movement or moving into tiny urban apartments.

However, most of the full timers, and even the snowbirders, I know are living with 300 to 400 sq ft of space, e.g. 38-45 feet of motorcoach or 38+ in a fiver. Some of the snowbirders make their moves with an additional vehicle hauling a 24-30 foot utility trailer full of toys, or a substantial boat.

The space has to be adequate to your chosen lifestyle, or your lifestyle adjusted to the space.