Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 11-29-2016, 12:43 PM   #1
New Member
 
Simian's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 4
Question How did you make the transition?

I've been giving some thought to how we're going to make the transition from a 1600 sq ft townhouse to a converted bus and thought I'd ask the experts how they made the transition. One thing I've been considering is picking up an older motor home that may not be as tricked out as our eventual conversion build, but will do while our midget is still pretty small (he's 18 months right now.)

So please, share your experiences. Did you hold off until your end of the rainbow conversion was completed, did you take downsize to a smaller space while you were working on your skoolie, what did you do?

Simian is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2016, 01:21 PM   #2
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Marietta, GA
Posts: 192
I wonder about this too! Our house is 3,784 sqft with an additional 2 car garage, sun room, deck, and patio. I cleaned out the basement and set it up an apartment (the basement itself is 1264 sqft) and the whole family has moved down here. That's still a huge amount of space compared to the bus, but we're finding we don't even notice the loss of the rest of the house. It is making us realize how much space is wasted just containing "stuff" that we don't really use or care about. As we plan out life on the bus, we've come up with a bunch of hypothetical situations and how we think we'd deal with them in a much more confined space - ie. What happens when someone gets sick? Where do we all change and get ready in the mornings? How do the adults get some "alone time" now and then? What if we want some peace and quiet for reading? How will we get to our clothes if they're being stored under a bed someone is sleeping on? Where will we put the garbage can?!?
mysty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2016, 03:05 PM   #3
Bus Crazy
 
milkmania's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Oklahoma aka "God's blind spot"
Posts: 2,446
Year: 1989
Coachwork: 1853FC International/Navistar
Chassis: 35' Retired Air Force Ambulance
Engine: DT466, MT643
Rated Cap: 6 souls and a driver
Quote:
Originally Posted by mysty View Post
I wonder about this too! Our house is 3,784 sqft with an additional 2 car garage, sun room, deck, and patio. I cleaned out the basement and set it up an apartment (the basement itself is 1264 sqft) and the whole family has moved down here. That's still a huge amount of space compared to the bus, but we're finding we don't even notice the loss of the rest of the house. It is making us realize how much space is wasted just containing "stuff" that we don't really use or care about. As we plan out life on the bus, we've come up with a bunch of hypothetical situations and how we think we'd deal with them in a much more confined space - ie. What happens when someone gets sick? Where do we all change and get ready in the mornings? How do the adults get some "alone time" now and then? What if we want some peace and quiet for reading? How will we get to our clothes if they're being stored under a bed someone is sleeping on? Where will we put the garbage can?!?
make note of your daily activities for a week or so, and you'll really start to see what you can do without....

for me(not a family), I was sitting in my recliner looking at my $400 electric bill... I started mentally thinking about all the space I wasn't using, but I was cooling. My turning point was when I realized there's rooms that I haven't been in in months.
2700sqft, 4 bedroom, 2 bath, 4 garages, 4 carports equals plenty of places to put ****
__________________
I once complained I had no shoes....
Until I met a man with no feet
milkmania is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2016, 04:21 PM   #4
Mini-Skoolie
 
Blkjacksabbath's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Fresno, CA
Posts: 15
I think you just have to dive into it head first.
Blkjacksabbath is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2016, 04:54 PM   #5
Bus Nut
 
Carytowncat's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Richmond Virginia
Posts: 932
Year: 1984
Engine: 366 Big block Chevy! :) w/ Stick shift
One step at a time.
Carytowncat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2016, 08:38 PM   #6
Bus Geek
 
Tango's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 8,462
Year: 1946
Coachwork: Chevrolet/Wayne
Chassis: 1- 1/2 ton
Engine: Cummins 4BT
Rated Cap: 15
I believe the first step is to come to grips with the difference between "needs"...and "wants". The older I get, the less I discover I require of both.
Tango is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2016, 08:47 PM   #7
Bus Crazy
 
gbstewart's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,208
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: 3800 International
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 72
you might want to read rv forums, irv2 is a good one and there's a few of us on it, there's lots of people that down sized and went full time.
gbstewart
__________________
my bus build viewtopic.php?f=9&t=5931
gbstewart is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2016, 08:58 PM   #8
Bus Crazy
 
milkmania's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Oklahoma aka "God's blind spot"
Posts: 2,446
Year: 1989
Coachwork: 1853FC International/Navistar
Chassis: 35' Retired Air Force Ambulance
Engine: DT466, MT643
Rated Cap: 6 souls and a driver
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tango View Post
I believe the first step is to come to grips with the difference between "needs"...and "wants". The older I get, the less I discover I require of both.
I've learned... I'd rather have nothing, than worry about what I do have!
I've got an ex-brother-in-law that keeps Master padlock company in business... He'd padlock his padlock if he thought about it! I don't want to live like that.

If you can relate to child custody court.. That judge does not give a damn whether that child has a x-box, Nintendo, iPhone, Nike, etc... Their only concern is food, clothing, shelter! Aka Basic Needs
__________________
I once complained I had no shoes....
Until I met a man with no feet
milkmania is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2016, 02:45 AM   #9
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: NorCal
Posts: 33
Year: 1996
Coachwork: Girardin
Chassis: Ford E350
Engine: 7.3L Powerstroke Diesel
Quote:
Originally Posted by Simian View Post
I've been giving some thought to how we're going to make the transition from a 1600 sq ft townhouse to a converted bus and thought I'd ask the experts how they made the transition. One thing I've been considering is picking up an older motor home that may not be as tricked out as our eventual conversion build, but will do while our midget is still pretty small (he's 18 months right now.)

So please, share your experiences. Did you hold off until your end of the rainbow conversion was completed, did you take downsize to a smaller space while you were working on your skoolie, what did you do?
While I'm not planning on full timing on my (future) conversion, I did live on a 35' sailboat for a year and a half. This guy right here:



Before I even picked or bought a boat, I sold my bed, my furniture, and most of my "belongings" which I realized I didn't want or need (these were things that I was hanging out to for sentimental value, which I realized really meant I was afraid of letting go). Other things I got rid of included lamps, desks, most of my kitchenware. This was right before I moved to a new state for a new job, and when I got there I just got a hotel room until I purchased a boat (that was good motivation--the longer I waited, the more I paid!).

Then I moved directly onto the boat and worried about making it perfect later on. Things I realized I needed but didn't have on the boat: refrigeration (I thought I could do with just the icebox), proper lighting, and heating--those were the big ones.

So I think the biggest thing to consider when moving into a smaller space than you're used to is twofold. 1, make sure that it is at least somewhat livable before you move on (toilet, bed, kitchen). And 2, realize that it will never be perfect, and if you wait until it's perfect to move in to, you'll never move in at all.

There is definitely an adventurous part of making that plunge because you don't know what you're in for, and fun things will happen when you least expect it because it's a new experience (such as when my blackwater tank began overflowing one night, just before my family came into town... but now I know all about those systems, and there was no way I could've learned that by just reading about it).

Of course, I'm a young unmarried dude with no kids, so our perspectives and requirements are probably a little different. But I think my last point stands: if you wait for it to be perfect, you'll never do it. Now, to what degree you will accept "limitations" on livability is up to you, but for me, my tolerance is pretty high for unusual living situations.
vroom is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2016, 03:38 AM   #10
Bus Nut
 
AlleyCat67's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Music City USA
Posts: 737
Year: 2005
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freightliner
Engine: Detroit MBE906
Rated Cap: 72
That's one advantage of having been an over the road trucker..... living for extended periods in a space the size of a walk-in closet, most of which is taken up by your bunk. You learn pretty quick what you need and what you can really do without.





__________________
My bus - Jasmine - External Build Website - YouTube Channel - TN/KY Meetup Group
As a level 1 burglar, Bilbo got a pony when he accompanied the level 60 dwarves on the Smaug the Dragon raid. Those powerlevelers probably invited him solely so he could trigger fellowship attacks for them.
AlleyCat67 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:53 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.