Red Roads Fulltiming Family

Fulltiming FAQ's: Household

1. What chores does each of you do?

    We share the tasks related to setting up and breaking camp. J and Bud can install the wheel chocks, hook up the shore power and the water, and put out the slides. They also help put leveling boards under the tires, if necessary. David connects and disconnects the sewer hose. Bud's special assignment is to climb into the truck bed, under the bicycles, and lock/unlock the hitch. I pack the refrigerator to minimize shifting of contents as we travel. Either David or I will turn the propane off/on, put the TV antenna up/down, hook/unhook the emergency trailer break cord and the power cable, and raise/lower the landing gear. David sets up the TV and the Internet satellite dishes, with the help of someone inside the rig.
    I also do the housekeeping chores, with J's assistance: laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping. David and I wash dishes and J and Bud occasionally dry them. David does the truck maintenance, holding tanks dumps (I assist), and rig washing. 

2. How did you decide what things to bring along with you?

    First, we brought on board things we believed would be used for daily living: dishes, clothing, bedding, office supplies, books, etc. We tried to be conservative and realistic, but we didn't really know how useful any given item would be in our new lifestyle. Next, each of us tried to define "necessities" and select these from our personal belongings. Portions of our limited storage space were designated for individual use. We tried very hard not to be critical of each other's choices, even though eight bins of Legos seemed like a lot to me. After that, we picked a few special items to personalize our living space, such as some decorative (and utilitarian!) baskets, a couple of afghans and woven throws, several pictures, and a clock. Finally, we added things we had specifically purchased for this new way of living, such as bins for organizing small items; a small, handheld mixer to replace our big countertop model;  folding dish drainer; and smaller, more compact versions of other household items.
    As we traveled, we continued to add new items, as we discovered what would make our lives easier. We also got rid of some belongings that we determined were not particularly practical or needed. 

3. What did you do with the rest of your stuff?

    We sold or gave away everything that was easily replaceable: furniture, seldom used kitchen gadgets, seasonal items, extra bedding and linens, etc. Irreplaceable items were stored in bins and distributed among family members who were able and willing to keep them for us: family photos, my wedding dress, childhood memorabilia, original paintings, etc. 
    We spent over a year gradually sorting through things and getting rid of items we probably shouldn't have kept in the first place. I have terrible packrat tendencies, so I had a lot of plain old junk to dispose of. A couple of books by Don Aslett were great helps to me: For Packrats Only and Clutter's Last Stand. I read library copies, but these books can also be ordered at Mr. Aslett's web site.