Faith & Freedom Lifestyle

• January 26th, 2023 •

The day we closed on our home. Everything we have been working towards, the vision we dreamt, was now reality. Getting to this point was exhausting, exciting and everything in between. I’ll never forget sitting down to eat dinner after closing and exhaling this “we did it” sigh of relief. Josh and I just shook our heads at one another and smiled. I’ll never forget that feeling. It was so freeing and light. Like a huge weight was lifted off of our shoulders. We had less “stuff” in our possession, but all our debt was paid. We finally had choices that we were able to make because there were no longer chains holding us down.

Now to stay disciplined!

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Camper Life! 

Although temporary, living in a camper full-time seemed a little daunting, but, it was a sacrifice we were willing to try. We had somewhat of an idea what we were getting into, having already owned a camper. However, we had to trade in our travel trailer for something a little more practical to live in. We were able to plan ahead and “prepare” the new camper for everyday living instead of the occasional camping trip. We replaced all of our camper essentials with household items, bedding and toiletries. Minimizing was key to making it work, but we (I mostly) wanted to make it feel like a home. So, I decorated it with a few things that came from our house but I didn’t want it to feel cluttered. That can be tricky. There is limited wall space and very little to no counter top space. My new best friends are velcro strips, command hooks and over-the-door hangers! I don’t care how luxurious RVs are these days, the walls are still thin. Unless it’s pre-fabricated with extra plywood, there’s no way to safely hang anything with screws and nails. I’m proud to say that we’ve gotten pretty creative over the last month.

Moving from 2000 to 400 square feet is no easy task. Our goal was to fit everything we wanted to keep in our RV and a 7×16 enclosed trailer. This not only made moving easier, but will also save us from paying a monthly storage fee. Organization was also key. We consolidated pretty much everything. Example: a friend of mine gave me the idea to unbox all of our board games and put the pieces in these nifty little storage bags that I found on Amazon.

The enclosed trailer had to be packed in such a way that we could get to what we needed. We used clear boxes that are also labeled for easy access from the side door. Holiday decor and such are stored behind and underneath the essentials. We have all of Josh’s fishing gear and tools at the back of the trailer where the ramp can be lowered to get to it. It was all going well until we got to the point that nothing else could fit without sacrificing our “walking room”. Therefore, we decided to get rid of just a few more things. It really does get easier to let go of stuff when you’re already in the habit of it. Looking back, we probably could have stuffed a few more things in…oh well. What’s done is done!

A few simple things I’m thankful for:

• Beddy’s brand of bedding (it zips all the way around for easy bed making).
• Space heaters to save on propane use.
• Tankless water heaters for unlimited hot water.
• My compact Keurig!
• Our combo washer/dryer unit. It’s small but doing laundry is no issue.
• Velcro, command hooks and over the door hangers.
• Hidden storage areas.

Let’s face it. Full-time RV living also has its drawbacks as well. I can’t speak for Josh, but a few things I miss are concrete (thank goodness for outdoor RV rugs), a garage when it’s raining, a dishwasher and simply larger living spaces. These things will come back around…but they are luxuries that are taken for granted when you don’t have them. Humbling!

I am often asked how our kids are transitioning to camper life. To be honest, they are perfectly fine…most of the time. We were able to set up their trampoline and they stay occupied with electronics when it’s rainy and there’s just nothing else to do (don’t judge). Getting them through this part of the journey, smoothly, is what we are trying to achieve. We don’t want them to have PTSD looking back on this adventure! For the most part, they think it’s just an extended camping trip. Lincoln especially. He hasn’t really voiced any discontentment and seems to really be enjoying himself there! Cohen, on the other hand – being older and such – misses the amount of “space” that a house has. That’s his only complaint. He does appreciate that the camper has a private bunk room. He’s a teenager now, and I think it’s important that he can retreat to an area of his own. Since the weather is finally warming up a bit, we are looking forward to being out and about more. We love to take bike rides and we are fortunate to have a nice basketball court right down the road.

Naturally, we each have our moments of frustration. Small spaces, the rain, having to switch over propane, emptying the tanks (yuck), remembering to not flush the toilet when the shower is being used (ha!) and so on…can be taxing. We try to remind each another of the big picture when we get discouraged. It definitely helps. Sacrifices we make now will bring extraordinary rewards later. In the mean time we are planning to do some traveling, catch up on some much needed family time, continue pursuing financial goals and focus on keeping our hearts and minds open to what God has in store for us. He has proven His grace and sovereignty with each step so far, and we have faith He will continue to carry us through.

The search for land has begun!

“One reason people resist change is because they focus on what they have to give up instead of what they have to gain.”

Rick Godwin