Tuesday, October 13, 2009

272 Square Feet


We're moving out of our home into 272 square feet of living space in our motorhome. We must pare down our daily living articles to bare necessities since we are moving out of our home which is about 1700 square feet. Although our motorhome looks new, it is used and it was another bargain just like our moving on a shoestring "moving van". Here's a brief tour of our soon-to-be new home, a 32 foot 1997 Rexhall Aerbus.


From front to back the motorhome has the driving section with two captains chairs, behind that is a living room with a couch and a easy chair opposite, then there is a kitchen with a dinette booth, next is a bathroom complete with a shower, toilet and sink and opposite that is a large closet, and in the back is a bedroom. The kitchen has a refrigerator, sink, stove and microwave/convection oven. The refrigerator can run on electricity or propane. There are two air conditioning units on the roof, and there is central heat run by propane. The motorhome is self-contained which means we have drinking water on board and we have holding tanks for gray and black water (what normally goes into a sewer or septic tank). The motorhome also has a generator which will run electric items if we are not connected to electricity.


We're still packing our old home and sorting what we'll put in our motorhome and what we will put in storage. When you are moving into 272 square feet you have to be very selective with what you can take. It is best not to overload a motorhome because the more weight you carry, the less fuel mileage you will get. The motorhome also has storage bins underneath for some tools, lawn chairs, a little BBQ, etc. Once we get somewhere and get set up, I'll take you through how we set up camp and use the various motorhome systems.

I like to use plastic bins to store many of the items I carry in the motorhome. Since we are rolling down the highway, items can shift in cabinets. I also line the cabinets with non-skid shelf paper which helps keep items in place. Some of the bins I have set up so far are a first aid kit, important papers, maps and tour books, camera and electronic items, warm and cold weather clothing, books to read. I also have a bin for art. While I was packing I found some colored markers, colored pencils, acrylics, and a few extra journal books which I'll include in the art bin. I might even take some small canvases for my acrylic paints.


Well I've got more packing to do so I'll see you next time. I'll go into more detail about our motorhome once we start traveling. Feel free to ask questions or make comments, I'd love to hear from you.

19 comments:

  1. That really is a nice motorhome. My brother lives in one 5 months out of the year and they love it. They follow the sun.
    Just think of it as less to clean.
    Only bad thing I can see is that your crafts will have to be scaled down.
    Hope the pets get to go.

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  2. Will one of you drive the motor home & the other drive your moving van/bus? Or will you store your bus until you choose your location?

    The motorhome looks comfortable. Do you have an initial direction to head?

    I know yall must be worn out from all the packing & sorting -- but what an exciting adventure you are about to embark on!

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  3. Wow! What an adventure! Like Judy, I wonder where you will head first?

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  4. I'm taking very careful notes of all you do because as soon as Gerry retires we are going to do the same thing! Hope you too like each other a lot :)

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  5. I like follow the sun, unless it is setting in the ocean, ha ha.
    Go east Linda, go east.
    M

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  6. Hi Patti, thanks, those that follow the sun actually have a name called snowbirds. Less to clean I can handle that. The pets are going all three cats, not sure how we are going to do that yet. I have about a week to figure it out.

    Hi Judy, thanks, our storage bus will stay in storage until we find a new place to live. But I will be driving my surburban which I think I will have the cats in - Gary doesn't want the cats tearing up the motorhome, plus if we open the door they may run out and we wouldn't get them back. We are heading South then East; we are in about the middle of California because about the time we leave the winter will be setting in and we don't want to encounter snow if we can help it. We will do a pre-run to the Coast where I hope to meet Patricia Griffin in person if we can coordinate.

    Hi Miri, thanks we are heading for a pre-run to the coast and then southeast to avoid the snow and bad weather hopefully.

    Hi Tracey, thanks, we have done this before and have gotten used to each other after 24 years of marriage so we should be ok.

    Hi Meredith. thanks we couldn't go to far West or we'd be in the ocean, just two and a half hours away, then it's southeast. See you soon.

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  7. Wowsa, thjat's gonna be some fun. Where's the kiln go?

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  8. Hi Michael, thanks, the kiln will go in storage temporarily, didn't I tell you I'd be coming by to put a few pieces in your kiln? must have slipped my mind with all the packing I've been doing.

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  9. Haha, no problem, we'll leave the light on! ;-)

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  10. You're gonna be traveling like a Rock Star!! (no pun intended hehe!) the only thing better is if it had a Kiln Tip Out, and Gallery Wall Slide Out Shelving for instant "Road Shows!" I've seen a handful of artists who travel in converted Airstream's that have Galleries on Wheels type of road shows! FUN, FUN, FUN!

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  11. Hey Michael, thanks, I do hope I get to stop by when we get out that way, so watch for me.

    Hi Cindy, thanks, you have the greatest ideas. We were thinking along those lines to do with our moving van after we get moved - a traveling ceramic studio - wouldn't that be fun - who knows it might be in the works. Yes there is the airstream traveling ceramic gallery in which several artists participate - bring the art to the people.

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  12. Thanks Craig, we're look forward to it.

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  13. Thanks Linda, is a pleasure your visit. It was a long trip very enjoyable and interesting, I made contact with the potters in Seoul and I hope to return to Korea for a ceramics workshop next summer.
    Is dry fly fishing with a strange racket with no more than 15 m. of wire, there are little salmonid in the river, very good kitchen with soy sauce and sugar in sweet and sour. The chilli is the base of the entire Korean cuisine and I love it.
    Soon I will put in my blog more photos of Korean ceramics.
    Bello your motorhome!
    Ciao

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  14. Hi Filippo, glad you enjoyed your visit. I am looking forward to seeing your photos of the Korean ceramics. I have been intrigued by the onggi pots made in Korea and want to try those one of these days once we get moved. Chilis are very good for you and it seems every culture has some variety of them they use in their cuisine. Interesting in how they fish for the salmonid with such a short fishing line, you would think the fish would be frightened off, but I guess not they must get used to the humans wading in the water. One more week and we are out of here.

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  15. Wow! A wonderful home, reminds me of my friend's boat inside (make sure it floats so you can come and see us!). You're going to have a great time.

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  16. Hi Peter, a floating home, like how the Cubans travel to Florida and somehow they make it on precarious homemade boats. Thanks I can't wait till all this packing is over.

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  17. Linda, I am a little late in commenting on your trip. I am very impressed with your thoughtful responses to life's mean little twists.
    My partner and I sold our house a few years back; then she lost her job just after I retired.. then then the story goes.. we did what you are doing rethought LIFE.

    We bought a smaller simple house with a garage for a studio and a garden.. we have 2 cats. we bought used vehicles. We paid and paid bills and try to keep from being in debt. this is hard.
    The fixed income is a rough transition and living low takes some practice. We are grateful everyday for health, family, insurance, cars that work and the new old RV which allows us to get out of "dodge" occasionally.

    I wish you the best in your house search and also in your adventures. Blessing to you both along the way. Stay in touch with Off Center and a wild patience.
    Joan and Lana

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  18. Thanks so much for all your support Joan and Hi to Lana too, you have been so wonderful and I hope to meet you in person one of these days, yes the trials of life make us appreciate what is important that is for sure. We are slowly getting over the recent trauma and hope to be on our way as soon as a few repairs are done. Used cars have always been our mainstay, but this last time we had two payments and not enough buffer which we are going to avoid at all costs this go around for sure. Thanks again.

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