Full time living in a Travel Trailer

[HelloWorldCANZ]

Hi folks

I'm a full time (widowed) Dad, living in sunny Nelson, New Zealand with my 4 year old daughter.

I've been tossing around the idea for a good little while now about downsizing and reaching out for a more unique and fun life. Namely, I'd like to move my Daughter and I into a Travel Trailer, full time. Currently considering a Rockwood Ultralite 2702WS to do so.

That said, outside of watching a few youtube videos, I don't know much about the lifestyle. I know with almost 100% certainty I am comfortable living in a smaller space however. I'd move into a tiny home, but land price around the area I live and where I want my daughter to go to school is astronomically expensive. I have friends who would be happy for me to park a Trailer on their land though.

I guess I am reaching out for any insight people might wish to share about their own experiences. Resources would be awesome as well, or even just a bit of courage to make what I feel is a awesome but big decision .

I guess if I were to be specific, my biggest concern is the maintenance associated with something that isn't a fixed dwelling. If I made this choice, I'd have a lot of free time to learn though with my newly acquired spare time to sit back, enjoy raising my daughter full time and hopefully travelling around New Zealand on her holidays.

Anyway, thank you ahead for any help.

[Mainframe]

You can't just park a trailer, you will need water, electric hook up and sewage hook up, I suggest you rent a trailer and try one out at an rv park before you get too crazy.

What you are contemplating is doable especially in your weather patterns, but you have to make sure once you go through the expense of setting up a camper site on someone else's property they don't change their mind and ask you to leave.

If at all possible stay in one for at least 2 weeks to get a feel for how you like it, also it helps to be quite handy at repairing and modifying things.

[HelloWorldCANZ]

Originally Posted by Mainframe

You can't just park a trailer, you will need water, electric hook up and sewage hook up, I suggest you rent a trailer and try one out at an rv park before you get too crazy.

What you are contemplating is doable especially in your weather patterns, but you have to make sure once you go through the expense of setting up a camper site on someone else's property they don't change their mind and ask you to leave.

If at all possible stay in one for at least 2 weeks to get a feel for how you like it, also it helps to be quite handy at repairing and modifying things.

Thanks for the suggestion I give it a trial, probably a good idea and I am in no rush.

They have power and water available. It's on the back of their house, so no major expense. I have 3 spots as backup nearby if they change their mind (there are two motorhome camps nearby, and another friend has land up the road, near their house as well).

I can be handy, but not a whizz at it. Will have to think about that.

[ependydad]

The couple of things that come to mind:

1) if using electricity from family or friends, make sure to add a meter to where you plug in. It saves you from any kind of disagreement when it comes to their electric bill jumping. Unfortunately, I've ready of a handful of relationships that were hurt by this exact thing- the home owner claimed the electric jumped by $X and the person living in the trailer claimed it couldn't be that high. A meter tells you exactly what was used by the RV.

2) In the US, we have zoning laws and can't just plunk a trailer anywhere to live in it. I'm not sure if NZ is the same- but make sure you'll be legal wherever you do this. Sounds like you have backup options, so that's good.

3) Small living isn't for everyone. But for some of us (my family of 4 has fulltimed for almost 3 years), it's freeing and wonderful. I'm not sure I would live in a RV if I wasn't traveling, but know plenty of folks who do it.

[donniedu]

Bighest issue with small childrenmis, all their toys, school books etc. Where is she going to sleep? She will need a dedicated space all her own. A place where she can read, study, play, well all the stuff littlem
people do. Putting children on a day bed or fold out couch miht work for a weekend, but not for long term.
Next issue is heating and cooling. Remembers RVs have very limited insulation, so if your in a place that gets really hot or really cold, fuel bills could be a deal breaker. Next is trying to keep water lines from freezing, dumping holding tanks without moving the RV once a week.
Last, depreciation. RVs prices drop like a rock the minute you pull off the sales lot.

[Cypressloser]

We live semi stationary (locked down by this brutal thing called winter) in our RV on our own property.

As Doug has mentioned metered power is a must to avoid potential disagreements.

You may not need access to a septic system if you can run the gray water out in the bush or somewhere else where it bothers nobody, typical gray water is not a bio hazard. Consider a composting toilet instead, they've come a long way over the last few years.

Park your trailer on a gravel pad and keep a close eye on rodents in the neighbourhood and deal with them before they have a chance to enter the trailer.

Don't anchor the trailer down, be ready to go on a trip when you get the chance.

Get insurance for the trailer as a dwelling and liability insurance.

Whether you have a house or an RV there will always be maintenance.

Go for it.

[Cold Lake Kid]

Living full time in a travel trailer, I would be concerned about humidity and mold control.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by donniedu

Bighest issue with small childrenmis, all their toys, school books etc. Where is she going to sleep? She will need a dedicated space all her own. A place where she can read, study, play, well all the stuff littlem
people do. Putting children on a day bed or fold out couch miht work for a weekend, but not for long term.

You'd be amazed at what works for some. We have friends who fulltimed for 4 or 5 years and made up beds for their 2 boys every evening in the living room. They said it was annoying at times, but they said it was never enough to get into a different rig/floorplan.

[BrettN]

Originally Posted by Cold Lake Kid

Living full time in a travel trailer, I would be concerned about humidity and mold control.

As I have been reading about my new RV, it is an issue. Vent fans help, but it is a closed system otherwise. One has to control the humidity.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by Cold Lake Kid

Living full time in a travel trailer, I would be concerned about humidity and mold control.

Lots of my friends run dehumidifiers for that exact reason.

We keep ceiling fans running a vast majority of the time and luckily haven't had many issues.

[ProfChuck]

First, I am so sorry for the loss of your wife and Mom of your 4 year old. We lived in our trailer (Windjammer 3008w) during the time of remodeling our house which took 6 months. We had full hookups at the house so we had electric, water, and (important) sewer. It was just my wife, myself, and, until her death, our dog. I would do it again to remodel the house, but, especially with a 4 year old (we have a grandson who is 4), I would want a full time house and use the RV to go on extended trips, etc. It is too important for kids to have a well grounded place to call "home" with friends and schools that they can have an established spot that is firmly theirs. You can still go on extended trips and enjoy the comforts of the RV, but, I would recommend that you still have a "home base" that is yours and your child's. We have had our house for over 40 years and have found that having that "spot" has meant everything to our families, especially now, with the 4 year old. it may be fine for some people who have few ties or have relatives scattered all over, but, having that special place to come "home" to can be very important. It just has been our experience with our family, but, thought I would pass it on.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by HelloWorldCANZ

Thanks for the suggestion I give it a trial, probably a good idea and I am in no rush.

They have power and water available. It's on the back of their house, so no major expense. I have 3 spots as backup nearby if they change their mind (there are two motorhome camps nearby, and another friend has land up the road, near their house as well).

I can be handy, but not a whizz at it. Will have to think about that.

You answered the power and water but you didn't say how you would handle the sewer.
Not only will you have to dump the black tank but also the grey tank, which fills much faster.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by HelloWorldCANZ

They have power and water available. It's on the back of their house, so no major expense. I have 3 spots as backup nearby if they change their mind (there are two motorhome camps nearby, and another friend has land up the road, near their house as well).

I can be handy, but not a whizz at it. Will have to think about that.

What will you do for sewer? Unless your friend will let you use his shower, kitchen sink, and toilet 24/7, it will go in the holding tank. What happens then?

If you full-time in a motorhome camp, you either get a sewer/septic connection or a "Blueboy" cart to transport gray water and black water to a dump station.

At a motorhome camp, you can shower at the bathhouse. In a travel trailer on private property, you will shower from a 6-gallon water heater and the daughter will wait for more hot water before she can have her turn. And the gallons of gray water thus produced will mean you have to empty the tanks all that sooner.

Not to discourage you. DW lived full time for six years in a 22 foot (7 meter) travel trailer, although it was at a mobile home park where she had a sewer connection and always showered in the bath house. When we got together, the trailer had a good bit of wear. Many are built assuming they will be used for, say, 8 weeks a year for ten years, or 80 weeks design life. Six years is 312 weeks, or nearly four lifetimes and it showed. Roof problems, linoleum wearout, sagging of the plywood bed panel, and disintegration of nearly all the exterior plastics were only the major issues.

And I didn't mention that storage will be tight. DW had several full storage tubs (65 x 44 x 40 cm) under the trailer.

Larry

[buzzliteyear]

Originally Posted by HelloWorldCANZ

Hi folks

I'm a full time (widowed) Dad, living in sunny Nelson, New Zealand with my 4 year old daughter.

I've been tossing around the idea for a good little while now about downsizing and reaching out for a more unique and fun life. Namely, I'd like to move my Daughter and I into a Travel Trailer, full time. Currently considering a Rockwood Ultralite 2702WS to do so.

That said, outside of watching a few youtube videos, I don't know much about the lifestyle. I know with almost 100% certainty I am comfortable living in a smaller space however. I'd move into a tiny home, but land price around the area I live and where I want my daughter to go to school is astronomically expensive. I have friends who would be happy for me to park a Trailer on their land though.

I guess I am reaching out for any insight people might wish to share about their own experiences. Resources would be awesome as well, or even just a bit of courage to make what I feel is a awesome but big decision .

I guess if I were to be specific, my biggest concern is the maintenance associated with something that isn't a fixed dwelling. If I made this choice, I'd have a lot of free time to learn though with my newly acquired spare time to sit back, enjoy raising my daughter full time and hopefully travelling around New Zealand on her holidays.

Anyway, thank you ahead for any help.

Hi there, my wife and I are currently full time living in a Windjammer W008 which is our second van, the first one we had custom built and we have learnt so much from that experience. Without going into any detail you are most welcome to come and see us at the NZMCA camping ground on Lower Queen street Richmond, Nelson. Just ask the camp managers for Brett and Rebecca or just stop at the only Rockwood Windjammer in the camp.
C U soon maybe.

[HelloWorldCANZ]

Thanks again for all the replies, woke up and had a lot to think about .

Re: Grey water & black water, sorry I didn't mention anything about it.

I am confident I can solve the grey water issue, not sure about the black water. Need to consider, thank you.

Re: Mold and mildew. It is a pretty temperate climate here. Dry winters, and moderate summers. Never drops below 0 Celsius or higher then 25. I think a modern double glazed and insulated trailer will be OK.

Re: Daughter's toys & space - I'm a bit of a minimalist, we don't own a lot. New Zealand weather is so nice, 80% of our time is spent outdoors anyway. I own a home now, it is a tidy 3 bedroom place (124 sqm) and half the reason I am looking to downsize is I am being driven mad by how little of my house I actually use. A lot of my finances are tied into the place as well. If I rented my place out (this is very common to do in NZ, my region is currently suffering a rental crisis, so demand is high), I could sustain a good weekly income for my Daughter and I, without having to work throughout the majority of the year. For me, that means getting to be there (and travel around!) while she is on school holidays, never worry about her or I being sick and choosing between a sick day or working. Just providing context for my current thoughts.

She would have a home base. The population of my town is 2,200. It is a small
community, next to the ocean, with a really good school and I would be hard pressed to ever leave it. The spot I have picked out for the trailer (with a friend, and thank you everyone for the meter suggestions etc!) is right across the street where we live now .

I would ensure the trailer is certified self contained (a requirement in NZ) and I would be adding a good amount of solar panels to take advantage if living in one of the sunniest towns in New Zealand.

The maintenance side, after speaking with my Father, worries me a lot less. I could spend my time working 20-30 hours a week, or I could spend a year learning to maintain a trailer. Given the choice, I know what I would like to pick.

It's a unique opportunity and only one of a few ideas I have. So I am definitely not going to rush into anything.

Thank you all again.

[HelloWorldCANZ]

Originally Posted by buzzliteyear

Hi there, my wife and I are currently full time living in a Windjammer W008 which is our second van, the first one we had custom built and we have learnt so much from that experience. Without going into any detail you are most welcome to come and see us at the NZMCA camping ground on Lower Queen street Richmond, Nelson. Just ask the camp managers for Brett and Rebecca or just stop at the only Rockwood Windjammer in the camp.
C U soon maybe.

I think I will 100% C U soon! Amazing offer, really appreciated.

[ronnieapple]

In the mid 1990's, I found myself in custody of my 2 young sons, aged 2 and a half, and 4 years of age. I bought a used class A motorhome, and we lived in it for a number of years. I was (now retired) a full time musician. I would spend summers in Michigan, and winters in Arizona. This required a cross country trek twice a year, and I always chose a different route. My sons are now grown men, college grads. (We eventually settled in Tennessee, where they finished high school) Those years we spent in the motorhome, were some of the best years we had, and we share some of our best memories. There was a learning curve about living this way. ( I removed the front passenger seat in order to house musical equipment) and finding places to set up, but I will never regret my choice of this lifestyle. I, we, made many lifelong friends, and shared many great adventures living this way. One of the advantages of this lifestyle, was I never was surprised by unexpected utility bills. Good luck to you and your daughter. By the way, I spent a week in New Zealand in 1988. I loved it there!

[kittlecat]

My first thought on living full-time in a TT with a child is: where will the child sleep? Store clothing? Store toys, etc.? I am traveling right now with my sister and her husband in their 5th wheel and let me tell you, having to get up every morning and fold up the sofa sleeper and find somewhere to store the mattress topper and other bedding, and then go through the reverse every night gets really old really fast. Additionally, I cannot go to bed when I'm ready, nor can I linger in bed in the morning. And changing clothing can get interesting as well.

I agree with another poster who stated your daughter will need her own space. Not sure if the TT you are looking at is a bunkhouse, but if not, I encourage you to give it some serious thought. RVs are really, really small when compared to most houses. I encourage you to look at the largest TT you can afford and can pull with your tow vehicle. Space is forever at a premium in an RV.

Good luck! I applaud you for thinking outside the box when it comes to raising your daughter!

[Robin and Jan with Ziva]

If you haven’t check out the group on Facebook “ Fulltime Families”, lots of folks doing it . The issues you mention are manageable but the truth is these things aren’t made to be used full time so wear is a problem, that said if you are handy and not afraid to tear things apart it can work. We have been living full time stationary in a 40 ft 5 th wheel for almost 3 years after selling our house, stationary because we wanted to be near grandkids and don’t want to tow anything that size, but it is so nice not to have yard to keep up, we are in a RV park and have a Wolf Pup to travel with. Best wishes to you enjoy the time with the little one they grow up so fast!

[HelloWorldCANZ]

Originally Posted by ronnieapple

In the mid 1990's, I found myself in custody of my 2 young sons, aged 2 and a half, and 4 years of age. I bought a used class A motorhome, and we lived in it for a number of years. I was (now retired) a full time musician. I would spend summers in Michigan, and winters in Arizona. This required a cross country trek twice a year, and I always chose a different route. My sons are now grown men, college grads. (We eventually settled in Tennessee, where they finished high school) Those years we spent in the motorhome, were some of the best years we had, and we share some of our best memories. There was a learning curve about living this way. ( I removed the front passenger seat in order to house musical equipment) and finding places to set up, but I will never regret my choice of this lifestyle. I, we, made many lifelong friends, and shared many great adventures living this way. One of the advantages of this lifestyle, was I never was surprised by unexpected utility bills. Good luck to you and your daughter. By the way, I spent a week in New Zealand in 1988. I loved it there!

This was a really inspiring post, thank you for sharing.

I've been caring for my Daughter full time since she was 3 months old (long story, as I imagine yours is as well). Been the best experience ever.

To everyone else:

Again, thank you for your thoughts and well wishes. Will continue my research.

I am looking at the Rockwood Ultralite 7202WS. Big enough for some space for the two of us, including bunk beds for my Daughter. I might remove the lower bunk and make it a play area with a table.