How much space does one person need?

[mayble]

How many answers does one person need?
https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-How-much-space-does-one-person-actually-need

The only constant is that it will be different for everyone.

 

[Ballenxj]

How many answers does one person need?

As many as it takes to ease a worried mind?

 

[gcal]

How many answers does one person need?
https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-How-much-space-does-one-person-actually-need

The only constant is that it will be different for everyone.

Hmm. I had forgetten that. I think that the topic had come up with friends, one of whom had a Roadtrek that impressed me. I did not think about it very deeply, then, but started to think about it, again, after a recent conversation with DH. I think that remark was made in an offhand way. The thread seemed to be mainly about couples.

The question is going to concern women who are in traditional relationship and who like being on the road. Usually, the man handles most of the heavy tasks, any mechanical issues, and probably most of the financial ones. DH does, for sure. I have every confidence in being about to keep my lifestyle if I were in a house or an apartment or a condo if I were a left a widow. On the road, I would not be so sure.

 

[Queen]

... Now, I guess I better start paying attention when he wants to tell me about the finances.

Definitely, and any online or account passwords, security questions, and contact information for each.  I do all the banking and handle the finances, when I was drugged out from my knee replacement surgery a couple of years ago we realized my wife knew none of that info.  We've rectified that situation and she occasionally helps with the bills now.

 

[ceejay]

As a Newbie this is a great topic ... for me great reading ... for me the biggest issue is letting go of stuff ... and what to put into storage. and yes what rig to buy ... one that is not too big yet big enough ... I can see why many say their third was their best ...

 

[SoulRaven]

For me, it wouldn't be as much about "space" as "simplicity". Now, in the "family" unit still looking for a program for our son, we have all the trappings of the kitchen and bath areas which consume huge amounts of time. All the things that might break or need replacement. Still hoping to embrace "simplicity" when I am on my own, either "tiny trailer" or the teardrop. If I never saw a kitchen again in my life, it would still be too soon!

 

[hepcat]

As many as it takes to ease a worried mind?

The Kingston Trio

 

[hepcat]

For me, it wouldn't be as much about "space" as "simplicity".  Now, in the "family" unit still looking for a program for our son, we have all the trappings of the kitchen and bath areas which consume huge amounts of time.   All the things that might break or need replacement.  Still hoping to embrace "simplicity" when I am on my own, either "tiny trailer" or the teardrop.  If I never saw a kitchen again in my life, it would still be too soon!

Simplicity doesn't so much come from a lack of amenities as it does from minor but regular maintenance of things as they come up.  Now of course, if you don't have them, you don't have to maintain them... I'll grant you that... but having the amenities and using them can radically increase your personal comfort when you're traveling.  And honestly the maintenance end is usually pretty simple.  I had to put a new kitchen faucet in my Coachmen while I was out on my last trip... it just wore out.  It was $31 and about a half-hour of time.

Now, my generator... well that's been a money pit...  but that's a 'nother whole story...

 

[Ballenxj]

The Kingston Trio

LOL!

 

[Queen]

Simplicity doesn't so much come from a lack of amenities as it does from minor but regular maintenance of things as they come up.  Now of course, if you don't have them, you don't have to maintain them... I'll grant you that... but having the amenities and using them can radically increase your personal comfort when you're traveling.  And honestly the maintenance end is usually pretty simple.  I had to put a new kitchen faucet in my Coachmen while I was out on my last trip... it just wore out.  It was $31 and about a half-hour of time.

Now, my generator... well that's been a money pit...  but that's a 'nother whole story...

Can't speak for SG, but for me I know how to do most maintenance, but can no longer physically do it.  It gets cost prohibitive paying someone to do almost everything... like that silly faucet (VERY frustrating to pay someone to do things for you).

 

[ceejay]

  If I never saw a kitchen again in my life, it would still be too soon!

lol ... I like to cook so space in a kitchen is important to me ... funny how we are all different

 

[hepcat]

Can't speak for SG, but for me I know how to do most maintenance, but can no longer physically do it.  It gets cost prohibitive paying someone to do almost everything... like that silly faucet (VERY frustrating to pay someone to do things for you).

Oh, don't I know it!  I can't do nearly as much as I could a few years ago.  That stupid faucet should have taken about 15 minutes... but I've got some pretty significant arthritis and stuff takes twice or three times as long now.  But I still do it because I can.  

My genset is another example... twenty years ago I'd have done all of what it needed myself.  Now I've got $2k in it, mostly in labor.  But it's still worth its weight in gold to me.  While I was on this last trip, for example, my first night out in Wichita KS it got down to 16*F.  I ended up running the genset with an electric heater AND the furnace to keep it warm enough in the van to sleep; AND,   I'm a heavy microwave user, so the genset is invaluable for that as well.   I'm pretty sure I could have bought an inverter, solar array and three glass mat batteries for what I've got in maintenance now, but I'm a slow adopter.

 

[bullfrog]

Simple living get complicated as you get older and physical limitations cause you to need more space. But I still think back to the picture of the old dirty unclean bun eating ice cream out of a thrown away carton at a rest stop dumpster and the caption was "Stay hungry stay free".

 

[SoulRaven]

I'm still staying with simplicity. At 62, the issues I foresee can't be made less complicated by space. We just moved out of a 4 bedroom house, with 2 floors and a basement which I worked on for 4 years. If there is a youtube on something, I can follow it and get something done, I just don't want to have to do it. I haven't had a vacation, well, in forever, so planning to take a really long one, from not a minute for myself to almost every minute for myself!

I am one that plans to "live out of" rather than "live in".

 

[mayble]

I had a motorhome for a minute and I enjoyed the comfort and convenience, but quickly realized I no longer have any interest in crawling under, over and around, fixing and replacing things.  I also hated the expense and inconvenience of bringing in the professionals.  I'm trying to escape the maintenance and responsibility of owning a home - the motorhome was just more of the same.

I think I'd rather travel in a van and poop in a bucket.  If the bucket breaks, get a new bucket.

The motorhome, even tho it was only a 22' Class C, was also just too big for spontaneous trips and "hey, what's down that road?" kind of traveling.

 

[Stargazer]

My late husband (gone nine years) and I had every kind of camper, from tents to popups to TT's to Class A.  After he died, I sold the 2,000 SF house and motorhome, kept one car, went to a 1500 SF house, then 800 SF house, then the van.  No plumbing, no electricity, used camping gear, loved it!  Very easy, very simple.  Circumstances required staying put so bought a 15' TT and lived in it for over a year.  Now am living in a 31' fiver, but recently acquired a Class B and getting ready to head back out there!  Yay!

I have been happy in all of the above.  Changes happened because life happened.  But each was chosen to fit the circumstances.

Funny thing is, as I'm loading the Class B and thinking about using it, it occurs to me that I don't need to take the Coleman stove, the jugs of water, the lanterns, etc.  i kept thinking, "Where can I store all the water jugs?" Then forehead slapped, realizing that water carried in the fresh tank weighs the same as water stored in jugs.  Duh!  And I may not use the grey and black tanks because then I have to find a place to dump them.  Mainly I got the B because I want to include an occasional grandchild.  It has the forward facing sofa with seat belts.

As for how much space, I like small spaces.  Feels like a cocoon and so much easier to keep clean and maintain.  If there was a second person, it wouldn't work for me.

 

[hepcat]

 And I may not use the grey and black tanks because then I have to find a place to dump them.  

As I use my B-van year-round and I live in the midwest where it is below freezing from October through April, I also have a Thetford portable-potty that I carry in the winter while the fresh water lines are winterized and the tanks are empty.   Some places are difficult to find black-tank dump sites; others like Iowa have free dump stations in every interstate rest stop and most towns.  Even if you have to pay to dump here, the fee is nominal.. usually $3.

In warmer weather,  I don't worry too much about my gray tank... the water isn't toxic and I've been known to use a stealthy black washing-machine hose hooked to the hose fitting of my gray tank valve cap to drain the gray water on a lawn if it really needed it and I wasn't in a spot to go looking for a dump staton.  In a B-van, it's not like you're dumping a 50 gallon gray tank that has a lot of laundry-detergent and cleaning chemicals in it that a huge Class A might have.  Generally it's just a few sink-fulls of dish and wash-up water.   Generally I dump the gray and black tanks together at a dump station, but dumping wash water on the ground just isn't a big deal as long as you're not doing it regularly, or in a parking lot or somewhere else that is obnoxious.

 

[Ballenxj]

  Generally I dump the gray and black tanks together at a dump station, but dumping wash water on the ground just isn't a big deal as long as you're not doing it regularly, or in a parking lot or somewhere else that is obnoxious.

If I recall correctly, plants, trees, and lawns respond positively to grey water, so yeah, that doesn't hurt a thing. In fact, I would rather see the vegetation get it, as opposed to just dumping it down a tank. More ecologically sound. Dumping in a parking lot OTOH, not so good.

 

[minimotos95]

Depends on the gray water, some people use soaps that are toxic to plants.

All I need is enough room to sleep(and maybe cook out) of the elements, I no longer have any desire to defecate in my own home and at this point would rather drop drawer on the side of the highway than crap where I live.
While I am still working on it, preparing it but I have been living out of the civic for a few weeks, seems quite doable full time even in foul weather to live in based on the time I have spent in it so far.
Yes I want more on some occasions but don't "need" it. There's a very clear distinction between "want" and "need" that seems to have disappeared in these modern times.

 

[Ballenxj]

I no longer have any desire to defecate in my own home and at this point would rather drop drawer on the side of the highway than crap where I live.

If you're living in a Civic, I totally understand.