15 things we have learned traveling full time

These are 15 things we have learned while traveling full-time in an RV. Honestly guys this is just meant to be fun and makes me laugh every time I think about them. When we started three years ago traveling full time we had never camped before. So you can only imagine how much we have learned. So enjoy!

Who needs a stick and brick (S&B) house because your home is where you park our RV and that can be anywhere.

We have been traveling for three years on October 31, and I don’t miss my house one bit. Our little family will have visited 40 states by our NomaticAnversary. We have slept by the ocean, near lakes, overlooking snowy mountain ridges, and in Walmart and Lowe’s Parking lots.
That I can live 24/7 with everyone in my family and get along like most families.

Every family has a breaking point but since we have to be together more than most are breaking points are less and less. You have to learn to get along because you can’t run away to school or work.
I love moving day!!

I really look forward to the days we get to move to our new destination. Though, I am not crazy about some of the long drives to our new destination. I love seeing what’s new, and what museums, zoos, and history we get to visit. We have been to water parks and amusement parks we never knew existed and have met so many amazing people along the way.
We live for the weekdays much more than the weekends.

Sounds silly right? We love the weekdays because that is when most people are at work and school. The campsites are quiet along with zoos, aquariums, historical sites, and museums. Of course excluding those pesky holidays and summer vacation.
We really don’t miss all that stuff we got rid of when we first started

I think the most challenging part of moving into a small home is deciding what to get rid of and worrying if you will miss it. News Flash… you won’t and (if you’re like me) won’t even remember what the heck you left behind or got rid of. So purge, purge, purge and think of as a cleansing not only for your life but for your sole.
How important is maintenance on your vehicles (tires mostly)

This is probably one of the most important things to check every time you stop. We have avoided several blowouts because we check the tires and have noticed irregular bulges. It also helps that we are not overweight, and are constantly purging (every pound helps). When we first got our camper we got it weight in Texas with the Escapees club (well worth the $15) and we were the only family so far that had been underweight in 15 years.
Would be nice if the RV fridge had an ice maker

Raise your hand if you hate camper fridges. Ok, everyone put your hands down. The honest truth is they just don’t work as well as a residential fridge. Most do not have an ice maker which I miss the most. Check out the portable ice maker we did get and I love it so much.
We enjoy the diversity of the people we meet in different areas of the country

We have met so many amazing people and stayed in contact with as many as we can. People from all over the world walks of life, and religions. My favorite was the wonderful family, Mignonettes, camping near us at Diamond Lake in Oregon. The Canadians gave us some great information about traveling to and from Alaska.
You don’t need a lot of space to make you happy

Most people tell me they could never live in 300 square feet. People do it in New York all the time, and we have the great outdoors. I am sitting outside writing this, looking at nature and enjoying the birds. We spend most of our time outside exploring. So our little house doesn’t bother me.
We have been to places that it actually snowed in June and July

This one shocked me and the girls. I am from the south and it only snows once every 10 years. So when we were 6,400 feet up on a mountain in Organ and it snow in July for 3 days I was shocked. Still am and the people back home still don’t believe me, so cool to witness firsthand.
No matter what state, town, or city kids can be mean to homeschoolers and you just have to learn to take it with a grain of salt and keep on swimming

I was thinking of the movie, “Dori”, but really kids are mean no matter where you go. My kids were called city kids because they knew big words, my thought was what the heck are they teaching them in “normal school”. We teach our kids how to handle comments and that everyone needs to not let it bother them and just keep swimming. Most kids are super nice, we just happen to run into some very unlikeable ones.
Kids can make friends with anyone (just takes a simple Hello)

We are like military kids because we move so much. Mine have learned to adapt and will go up to any kid say hi and have instant friends. Sadly, sometimes it takes longer than others but they find friends everywhere.
We love “Do Nothing days”

This is our favorite day, we do nothing, which really means we don’t do our formal school work. Every day is a learning day so it really just means we don’t go anywhere, like a field trip.
We have seen more history than we could possibly ever have learned in a school book

My kids are going to know way more history than I ever learned in school. We have lived it, touched it, seen where so and so did that thing. We have learned about Lewis and Clark because we went down the same path (sort of). We stopped at so many museums and historical sites that all told us something new.
Not everyone lives by the Ocean and knows how to swim

Never really thought about this till we started traveling, but yes it is true. Some kids (not all) that live in the center of the United States have never seen the ocean. Some of these sad soles don’t know how to swim and some have no desire. We met a family that thought the ocean was a huge lake, yep a huge lake. I hope one day they will get to see how enormous the ocean is and love it as much as we do.

We do miss the ocean and our friends from our hometown but the great thing is the internet, email, and phones. Yes, that is a hint to our friends and family that we are only a click or call away.