10 RULES FOR THRIVING WHILE SHARING SMALL SPACES

Regardless of the size of your RV, the limited space can become quite confining and possibily create controversy without some give-and-take between the occumpants. This short article has a few simple guidelines that are applicable to almost any situation of close quarters.

Mike and Jennifer Wendland’s top 10 rules for surviving and thriving while sharing small spaces.

By Mike Wendland

Rule #1. If you don’t get along at home, don’t expect to get along in a motorhome. Two people can share small spaces, but only with mutual respect and not trying to do two different things in the same space at the same time.

Rule #2. Don’t overpack. You don’t need more than a two- or three-day supply of clothes or food. Laundry can be done in most campgrounds; groceries can be obtained in the towns you visit. Besides, you can purchase locally grown produce from the locales you visit, and that means food will be at its freshest.

Rule #3. Everything in its place, and a place for everything. Agree beforehand where you will store things, and when you are finished using something, return it to that place and nowhere else.

Rule #4: If you travel with pets, they need a place, too. Assign them their spot in the motorhome and train them to sleep there. A word of advice, though: make sure that spot is not in front of the bathroom door where you’ll trip over them in the middle of the night.

Rule #5. As best as you can, plan your meals ahead of time. Grill outside as much as possible. And if you dirty a dish or glass, clean it and put it away right after eating. Clutter is the motorhome’s greatest enemy.

Rule #6. Don’t overdrive; 350 to 400 miles should be the farthest you travel in a single day. Remember, you’re motorhoming because it’s fun. Driving too far and too long makes everyone cranky.

Rule #7. Stay fit. Eat right and exercise. Traveling is no excuse to pack on the pounds. Take long walks. Bring a bike. Find and visit health clubs along the way. Too much sitting, like too much driving, is not good for anyone.

Rule #8. Explore. To find unique places, use your GPS or do an Internet search related to the towns you’re visiting. Learn the town’s history. Explore its museum. Try to eat at local, unique restaurants instead of fast-food places. Don’t be in such a hurry all the time.

Rule #9. Be careful buying souvenirs. Your motorhome only has so much space. Ship the must-have things home instead of jamming every available storage spot with items that aren’t essential for being on the road.

Rule #10. This is the big one. Understand that conflict is inevitable. Apologize when you’re wrong, and don’t hesitate to forgive when you’ve been wronged.

That’s the list Jennifer and I came up with. As noted by a reader named Ellen: “We’ve been on the road full-time for more than three years now (newbies compared to many of the great people we’ve met on the road) and though we’ve seen and experienced the most amazing things in this time, we’ve also been through some wild curveballs, too. Having a great relationship trumps it all. If a couple doesn’t have mutual respect or a sense of humor, you might as well stay at home.”