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5 tips for living in a motor-home

Swapping your house for a motor-home sounds like a good idea and a pretty routine life switch, doesn’t it? In a lot of ways, you’re right with that assumption – however, that is only the case if you are fully prepared for what is ahead of you.

Although there are many benefits to making such a big decision, it is important that you think it through thoroughly and plan the future before you embark on it. While the positives are relatively obvious, there can be a number of downsides if you have not put sufficient work into the planning.

Living in a motor-home can be rewarding, but we are all different; it’s not the lifestyle for everyone, but many people find it exhilarating.  

There are some constants that can stand everyone in good stead. Here are our leading tips on how to live in your motor-home.

Prepare for the change.

We will begin with something a little obvious. Putting it quite simply, how you live in your home is not how it will be in your motor-home. That is a good thing, though, not a bad thing!

When you are at home enjoying everything that home life brings, the chances are you will be spread over a number of rooms. One of you will be in one room, watching TV or playing video games or such, while another could be in the office continuing the working day. The kids might be in their bedroom, making mischief and having fun, but things will be different in the motor-home.

Obviously, there is not as much space, so in the condensed environment, you’ll need to go against modern trends and do things together as a family. Playing games is often a good way to enjoy the setting. Card games, board games, and other such activities can be a good thing.

Basically, however you do it, the key thing is to be prepared for the difference in how to enjoy yourselves. Do not try to replicate home life in the motor-home. You won’t be able to, and you’ll probably suffer more problems than solutions in trying.

Only take what you need.

motorhome
Images by Siggy Nowak by Pixabay

If you are sensible, you will have looked at a few different motor-homes and prioritized the ones which will provide you with the most space for comfortable living while you inhabit it. Nonetheless, regardless of how big it might look, there will never be the space in it for everything, so the need to scale down what you take is imperative.

It is the way of the human mind that you think you need a lot more than you actually do. The mind-set is generally “take it just in case,” but that cannot be the way forward when living in a motor-home. For example, at home, you might have a blender or a toaster, but are you actually going to use those things when you are away in a motor-home?

Space is already limited with all the travel essentials that you have to have on-board, without cluttering up what room is left with things you are unlikely to use at any stage on your travels.

Make sure your motor-home is safe and insured.

Possibly the biggest piece of work you need to do before you consider setting off on your travels is to make sure that all dynamics of your motor-home are fit for use. Naturally, you will check that it is suitable to house you and the family for when you are parked up on your jollies, but don’t neglect the thought that everything will be hunky-dory in getting you to your destination.

Of course, everything should be absolutely fine in that regard, but a check of all the inner workings can never be a bad thing just to be on the safe side. The last thing you want is to be traveling the highways or the motorways, and then your vehicle gives up on you halfway, causing untold panic and ruining any trip that was planned.

We would recommend that you would take the motor-home on a short drive just to ensure everything is working, but as well as that, before you set off, hook it up and make sure all the utilities are in working order as well. You are unlikely to have the opportunity to repair anything on the go, so make sure you have completed all the maintenance suggestions from the manufacturer before you set off to avoid disappointment down the line.

Hopefully, you will never need it, but remember to have the right insurance in place for your motor-home. It’s better to be safe with the right coverage than to encounter an issue and have a huge unexpected out of pocket expense. 

Earning a living

While there are many upsides to living on the road, one of the issues you will face are the costs involved, with campsite fees, laundry, fuel, and maintenance charges all needing to be covered. It might well be cheaper than if you were living at home, where you would be paying rental costs or for a mortgage, but it can all add up if you are not careful.

Living in your motor-home, you’re going to need a way to fund everything, just as in everyday life at home. Just because you are not under bricks and mortar does not mean there isn’t a job for you. In fact, you might even have a wider choice when it comes to work.

If the work that you do is office-based, then it might well be that you are able to keep doing that job, as all sites and patches have much better Wi-Fi receptions these days, while mobile phones can become hotspots as well when the need arises. The dream of working in one’s ideal surroundings is a goal for many, so keep that on your side if possible.

There are plenty of jobs that you can do wherever you base your motor-home, be it things which mean you don’t need to leave your new home such as telesales, virtual assistants or surveys, or roles that are off-site, such as bar work, tutoring or even running your own business.

Options are boundless. You can find out details on many of them by having a look here, which is a perfect guide to earning money while in your motor-home.

Deal with struggles head-on

Being on the road can be challenging. The novelty of it is fantastic, but all kinds of challenges are likely to come your way, as they do for everyone who embarks on a life away from home. Try to keep a level head and be pragmatic wherever possible and follow some of these tips.

Remember, things will go wrong, so stay calm when this happens. Inevitably at some point, no matter how many checks you have done beforehand, your motor-home will break down, or there will be a problem with the campsite or spot you are staying in. These are regular problems that are encountered, but tell yourself they can be fixed and don’t get too flustered.

There are many motor home travelers out there; don’t be afraid to ask for help either. The chances are that your fellow travelers wherever you are staying, will have come across the issues you have themselves, so reach out and accept some help and guidance wherever possible rather than face everything alone. A problem shared is a problem halved after all.

Hopefully, these five tips will stand you in good stead when you are embarking on life in your motor-home. Happy caravanning!