The Buddha taught that Attachment was suffering. Attachment having to do with, on one level, the amount of stuff one has.Well if preparing to be full-timers doesnt bring you face to face with the huge amount of stuff you have collected and the process of divesting yourself of it nothing will.But, while I agree in general with the Buddhas philosophy on this, I have to say there are some things I think it smart to carry with you.While my Mothers idea of Roughing It was slow room service mine is a bit different. But I still do not want to feel like I am camping-out on an endless basis while full timing.So I have put together a short list of things that (for me at least) make life on the road more civilized.1. Real Wine Glasses The best ones you can get. A set of four2. One set of 4 real plates (not plastic or melmac) and silverware3. A set of 4 Real glass drinking glasses4. Really good sheets and bedding – no sleeping bags except as guest sleeping.5. A really good comfortable chair – one inside and one for outsideThis is not a complete list but it is the big and heavy things. But taken all together the weight is minimal. Especially since you are only dealing with the difference between the cheap stuff and the good stuff.Feeling like you are in a real home not on an extended camping trip I think is key to the success of RV'ing full time. One of my first projects will be to install a good wine cellar.Whats on your list?

Gourmet coffeeBig screen TVNo alarm clocksA beer at dinnertimeA Nook readerA heated mattressA weather stationA Sleep Number bed.OH wait! These are things I have now that I did NOT have in my regular house!!!! This retirement thing is much better than work.

You got that right!!!!I dont have a ton of experience but I talk to others who will be rv'ing and are geeked just as I was when I started out. One of the things I emphasize is what do you do everyday? They often say they will be out hiking and be out doors a lot. I tell them yes you probably will but at the end of the day what will you do? They say I'll be inside. I say will you be comfortable? Oh yes I can sit at the dinette. At that point I tell them to think about it as they will want to be just as comfortable as when they were in the s&b. So you nailed as far as a good comfortable chair. If I bought a small TT I'd be tearing the dinette out to put in lazy boys. We also talk about how they will stay warm even if going to the far south. They say oh I have sleeping bags and warm clothes. So that brings up another comfort issue to me. There is no way that I'm wearing anything different to bed or sleeping on less of a bed or using any different bedding then I use in a house. The thermostat will be set right were I want it and all the supporting batteries, chargers, generators, panels etc will be in place to do so.I'm not roughing it. No way. If a glass or dish breaks I will buy more. I'm helping people all along the way to put shoes on their kids feet.

I'm not roughing it. No way. If a glass or dish breaks I will buy more. I'm helping people all along the way to put shoes on their kids feet. My sentiments exactly. We are now helping the economy by spending the money we saved and saved over the years.:WBarb

After full-timing for over two years I have to agree with 4x4dodger. It's the little things that make the difference in your life and how you enjoy it. Yes we have paper plates and use them for pizza night but we still use our 6 place dinnerware the rest of the time for our meals. The same goes for everything else.This lifestyle or "attachment" is the difference between full-timing and camping. To us camping is sleeping outside, on the ground, cold and wet. Full-timing is living our lives free to be where we want and not having to endure the roughing it aspect.

I brought my mattress and bedding straight from my S&B. My back is very choosy!I quickly learned that I need a freezer (not just the compartment of a fridge), microwave, and hotplate (not just propane stove and crockpot), so I picked those up along the way.I bought one extra cooking pot and I will bring more from home next year.I brought my favorite cooking knives, and my favorite tools for working on the van. No second-best travel set.I brought a lot of clothes and bought some more. I like variety!I did not bring enough choices of perfume :).

The Zen of Full Timing - Living Comfortably | Good Sam Community

44 Replies

JKrussow
Explorer
Jan 28, 2015
After full-timing for over two years I have to agree with 4x4dodger. It's the little things that make the difference in your life and how you enjoy it. Yes we have paper plates and use them for pizza night but we still use our 6 place dinnerware the rest of the time for our meals. The same goes for everything else.

This lifestyle or "attachment" is the difference between full-timing and camping. To us camping is sleeping outside, on the ground, cold and wet. Full-timing is living our lives free to be where we want and not having to endure the roughing it aspect.
BarbaraOK
Explorer
Jan 28, 2015
I'm not roughing it. No way. If a glass or dish breaks I will buy more. I'm helping people all along the way to put shoes on their kids feet.

My sentiments exactly. We are now helping the economy by spending the money we saved and saved over the years.:W

Barb
azrving
Explorer
Jan 28, 2015
You got that right!!!!
I dont have a ton of experience but I talk to others who will be rv'ing and are geeked just as I was when I started out. One of the things I emphasize is what do you do everyday? They often say they will be out hiking and be out doors a lot. I tell them yes you probably will but at the end of the day what will you do? They say I'll be inside. I say will you be comfortable? Oh yes I can sit at the dinette. At that point I tell them to think about it as they will want to be just as comfortable as when they were in the s&b. So you nailed as far as a good comfortable chair. If I bought a small TT I'd be tearing the dinette out to put in lazy boys.

We also talk about how they will stay warm even if going to the far south. They say oh I have sleeping bags and warm clothes. So that brings up another comfort issue to me. There is no way that I'm wearing anything different to bed or sleeping on less of a bed or using any different bedding then I use in a house. The thermostat will be set right were I want it and all the supporting batteries, chargers, generators, panels etc will be in place to do so.

I'm not roughing it. No way. If a glass or dish breaks I will buy more. I'm helping people all along the way to put shoes on their kids feet.
Dog_Folks
Explorer
Jan 28, 2015
Gourmet coffee
Big screen TV
No alarm clocks
A beer at dinnertime
A Nook reader
A heated mattress
A weather station
A Sleep Number bed.

OH wait! These are things I have now that I did NOT have in my regular house!!!!

This retirement thing is much better than work.

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The Zen of Full Timing - Living Comfortably

44 Replies

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