Wonder who’s going to live here?
I commute to work every day, often driving through some very wealthy communities. For years I’ve been watching a couple of really big houses being built even though our area was hard hit by the recession.
I’ve watched these homes go up painstakingly slowly and wondered why. I’ve wondered who needs so much space, wondered what all the rooms were for.
Must have lots of bedrooms.
At the same time I’ve been reading blogs written by women living full time in RVs…some of them in very small places. The life of living small has always intrigued me. Many years ago I told my Mom I wanted to grow up and live in an RV full time. She said that I’d always want some home base, and maybe that’s so, but I don’t think way back then many people were living full time in RVs; certainly it wasn’t a movement it seems to be now.
I recognize that I view life on the road with rose colored glasses and by reading blogs I have come to realize a few of the realities of life in a fourteen foot recreational vehicle. The dumping of tanks, the challenges of cooking, finding internet access, doing laundry. Safety and health issues add even more levels to the discussion.
Still. I look at the photos of miles of dessert in the front yard of a small RV, or the canyons and mountains glowing under an evening sun and my heart is tugged.
Could you do it? Could you pare your life down to essentials…and would those essentials fit an RV life? Or are your essentials such that you need more space? Which would you rather live in? The new build? Or the little trailer in the yard?
Which provides a more interesting life?
I’m torn. But it’s fun to dream regardless.
Lots to think about.
Change Is Hard 
March 16, 2013 at 3:01 pm
I don’t know about an RV( my husband sells them for a living even though we never had one), but a little house in the woods would be super cool! I long to someday be “off the grid”.
Check out this website – as if you needed further things to ponder- http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/
I don’t get the mcmansion way of life. I’d rather have a big outdoors than a big box to live in.
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March 16, 2013 at 3:49 pm
I’ve been watching tumbleweed houses…then I think if I’m living that small I might as well be mobile….but then again..a tiny house in the big woods would be cool. I don’t know…I have so much STUFF….
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March 16, 2013 at 3:36 pm
We have a humungous house like that built here on the way to my PARK…..they built it in 3 months !!!! Curiosity got to me and I stopped one day to talk to the builders …turns out it is a pair of empty nesters who decided to build the house of their dreams. They are in their early 60’s and now have a seven bedroom house, 8 bathrooms, 2 kitchens 6 car garage and so on. Am I the only one that thinks this is crazy the older I get the less house I want – the less cleaning, the less care and so on?
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March 16, 2013 at 4:07 pm
Definitely crazy.
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March 16, 2013 at 3:37 pm
I’m torn, too. Part of me would like to live that small, that free. We live in a very small house, as it is, but part of me would like to live smaller. What would be TOO small? It’s an unanswerable question, perhaps, but it’s good that we’re contemplating…
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March 16, 2013 at 4:08 pm
You might live in the perfect place..!
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March 16, 2013 at 4:44 pm
Where I live, there are many houses so big they look (to me) more like conference centers than homes, most nhabited only part of the year by a couple with no kids or grown children. Five bathrooms is no longer considered outrageous, apparently, but my mouth dropped open when I was shown a kitchen with two dishwashers. The woman of the house was advised by a friend that she would always be grateful for the second dishwasher. I was speechless. But then, I’ve never had a dishwasher at all. To me, washing dishes is a contemplative activity. Even after a party, I enjoy the slow, quiet gearing-down time.
As for how much room, the three of us (that’s counting the dog) have lived many winters basically in two rooms. We do have a lot of stuff but don’t need most of it. What I would miss most on the road would be my own land and surrounding woods and fields. What I would worry about most would be getting my mail. I don’t see it as a permanent way of life but would love to do it for maybe six months to a year sometime — and then come back to my garden space! I’d miss that!
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March 16, 2013 at 5:33 pm
I might miss the land too…but then again I’d be out in land that I could borrower. I’d still have trouble getting rid of the ‘stuff’ first though.
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March 16, 2013 at 5:29 pm
I seriously just went and got the tumbleweed house website link – http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/ for you. Just like Sara. I think having one of these in the middle of nowhere (but with excellent wifi – LOL!) would be perfect!
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March 16, 2013 at 5:32 pm
It might be a good compromise…they are really cute!
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March 16, 2013 at 5:35 pm
I think we live pretty middle of the road. With just husband, two cats and I (no plans for kids), we don’t need all the space we have most days, but we love having friends and family come stay with us. A few times a year we have a completely full house, which is totally chaotic, but I love that we can. I’m definitely a return-to-base girl, and I absolutely would not want to live with an RV kitchen. But, I understand the urge to live in a small space in whatever giant backyard you happen to park yourself!
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March 19, 2013 at 7:17 am
I think I could do it…would be fun to try for a year or so. Bet I would do it longer given the chance.
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March 16, 2013 at 10:52 pm
Do you remember the show from way back called “Promise Land?” The main character, Russell Greene loses his job, and decides to go on the road with his family. So he gathers his wife, Claire, his son, Josh, his daughter, Dinah, his mother, Hattie, and his nephew, Nathaniel and hits the road. With only an old Suburban, a trailer, and a dream, Russell and his family travel across the country in search of adventure and helping many people along the way.
Joe and I loved this show and watched it every week. It would not have been our lifestyle of choice in reality but it was such a nice idea. I have also thought how cool it would be to homeschool a kid by visiting (when possible by car) all 50 States. Just like I have always longed to be the girl who could live out of her purse or flexible enough to be comfortable with ” Well, why don’t we just met up around 7ish.” plans, I’ve always thought life on the road sounded appealing. Of-course, I also dream of living the life of Dowtown Abbey before the war :-D.
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March 19, 2013 at 7:18 am
I almost remember that show…not quite…sounds like I’d enjoy it. Wonder if it’s on DVD now.
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March 17, 2013 at 8:43 am
I’ve wondered about ginormous houses too. As beautiful as some of them are, I’ve never dreamed of owning something so large, even if I were weathy. Even if I hit one of those ridiculously large lotteries, I’d just like a comfortable place at the beach with enough room for family and friends to visit. On the other end, the RV thing, I wouldn’t want to do it permanently – maybe just for a couple months one summer. I have a very close friend whose parents do that and they have been all over this wonderful country and seen many wonderful things. Her mother told her father she was willing to do it for one year – that was about 15 years ago, I think, and they are still at it. They do stay put for the winter in an RV park in Florida however.
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March 19, 2013 at 7:19 am
Yes, I think we’d agree a place on a beach would be perfect!
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March 17, 2013 at 1:50 pm
I think either the ginormous house or the RV trailer is an extreme. I’m more middle-of-the-road, I guess.
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March 17, 2013 at 3:06 pm
For me, there is too big – anymore than a couple of thousand square feet – and too small. I think, if I were alone (except for dogs and cats) I could live in an RV, but I want the space for my kids and friends to come and visit, so I think I’ll stay right where I am. Although I would love to spend more time at the coast – a week or so each season would be good. Maybe a Tumbleweed home for that?
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March 19, 2013 at 7:19 am
I think if I was in a RV I’d go visit all of THEM….bringing my pack with me. It would be fun!
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March 18, 2013 at 5:36 pm
I lived in an RV for a week — trying to get my foot in the door for a job. The RV was only about 20 yards from the next RV. Now I live in a small apartment. I even have a washer and a dryer! After 3 years here, really yearn for a piece of dirt to grow blackberries so I can make some blackberry jam. I think a little house with some dirt (and I’d like to keep a washer at least) would be wonderful. If it had a view, and a dog it would be heavenly.
I am ordering a copy of “The Lucia’s Little Houses Portfolio” so I can imagine myself in a little house. 🙂
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March 19, 2013 at 7:20 am
Sounds like a plan! And you’re not that far away from being able to execute it!
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March 19, 2013 at 4:34 am
Mommy wouldn’t want a big house –too many rooms to clean.
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March 19, 2013 at 7:21 am
Too many BATHROOMS to clean!
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March 29, 2013 at 8:56 pm
I *always* wanted a bigger house and I always knew exactly what I’d do with all the other bedrooms–office/hobby room for me, office/hobby room for my significant other, nice spacious guest room, library room with a couple of comfy chairs and a table and floor-to ceiling books… and every house I bought had more and more and more space. And then suddenly a few years ago it hit me–I might actually really want to live in a nice RV and travel everywhere. So ever since I’ve been slowly (very slowly) clearing away all the things that I have in all of my rooms and attic and garage–still a long way to go, but I’m trying. The dang floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall books are my biggest challenge.
A friend’s parents dreamed about doing the RV retirement thing for years. Retired, bought a nice RV, traveled for 6 months, and decided they were done with it. So who knows…
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March 29, 2013 at 8:57 pm
P.S. But those first two houses you show *still* make my heart go flippy-flop–such interesting exteriors! Great for lining with Christmas lights!
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March 30, 2013 at 7:24 am
Definitely my dream to RV…..but I haven’t even started to downsize the “stuff.”
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