Need help

[captainperry]

Ok, this is for the married guys only. I keep telling my DW of 21 years that I'm concerned with the trailer weight. So, what does my DW do.....she keeps bringing things onto the camper. Then I tried the "if you put something in the trailer, you have to take something out" method. Well, that didn't work either. Any suggestions other than waving the white flag???....P.S. I go to bed earlier than her LOL so it needs to be a "diplomatic" solution.

[elrand]

Yes keeping the DW happy is always important. Do you have the numbers for your weight numbers. Dry weight of the trailer, TV weight and gcwr. So how much load you can handle. Heck you might go with the new TV route if she doesn't want to loose items from the trailer

[ColoradoRick]

Are y'all new to camping? When we first started, five years ago, we brought EVERYTHING! (Why? We didn't know!!)

I think it's normal for a woman to want to bring it all...gosh we only seem to, still, use about 25% of what we actually bring but she still insists on bringing it all..."just in case" (We have learned to bring lighter things...plastic instead of metal, etc.)

Is it really that heavy? (My tools I like to bring are far heavier than most of what Momma brings...but I do put it in the back seat of the truck.)

[rana]

Originally Posted by captainperry

it needs to be a "diplomatic" solution.

You've been together for 21 years and haven't figured it out yet that there is no such animal?

There's no point in trying to hold back an avalanche. It's best to just get out of it's way. If it's just a long weekend trip then there are any number of things you can drop to offset her load.

- Drop one of the LP cylinders.
- If you're going to be on FHU, you don't need the genny or extra fuel. Don't know your battery setup, but if you have multiples, drop what you won't absolutely need.
- Tools. I know we all love our tools, but be realistic. How much gear can you get by with 90% of the time? Remembering of course that in a CG you will be surrounded by any number of neighbors willing to let you dip into their tool box. Granted you're carrying in the truck, but anywhere you cut back just makes more space for her, right?
- Do you really need all those extra hoses and extension cords? Even if you find out that you do when you get there, pick up a cheapo wallyworld or dollar tree extension and donate it to a neighbor or CG when you leave. Why spend more money on a cheapo hose when I left a perfectly good one back home?? Because it's worth the extra coin to not have to push her to leave something at home that she just KNOWS she will need.
- Food and bottled consumables. Don't take a 1lb bag of flour.. only what you'll need for that one breakfast. Dishsoap, shampoo, cleanser, etc etc can all go in travel size portions.
- If you have good roadside assistance, what are the odds you'll get a flat? Do you really need the spare tire, mount, and jack?

That's probably long enough and some are extreme examples, but I think you get the idea. Think outta the box because in the end you know it has nothing to do with limiting what she wants to take, right? It's about what risks you're willing to take with a minimum load out of resources.

[captainperry]

Some good ideas guys.Yarome, that's funny but true. I can only hope I win one once in awhile.Good point about the tools, I do bring to many. So, I'm gathering from the info here , the weight loss is up to me!.

[rana]

Originally Posted by captainperry

I can only hope I win one once in awhile.

Now why would you want to go and something like that?? You know you'll have to pay for it later.

I prefer the "long con". Accommodate her in any way you can on a day-to-day basis. Her manipulative skills and defenses will get rusty over time so when you tell her you need a bigger truck, she'll be caught off guard and won't know quite what to say.

Badabing!! New truck!!

[elind]

Dw got the new bigger FW to hold more stuff for snow birding. Then I get the new Duramax to haul it around. But in the end she lost the game, almost! DW found a washer/dryer on our travels and had to have it so now she lost 1/3 of the closet space and to put that stuff on the bed. Only problem is it was mostly stuff was from my side closet.

[Ford Idaho]

Originally Posted by elind

Dw got the new bigger FW to hold more stuff for snow birding. Then I get the new Duramax to haul it around. But in the end she lost the game, almost! DW found a washer/dryer on our travels and had to have it so now she lost 1/3 of the closet space and to put that stuff on the bed. Only problem is it was mostly stuff was from my side closet.

You had closet space?

I got a overnight bag......

[Cowracer]

My wife is a borderline packrat. At the end of the year I totally empty the camper of her 'useless' stuff. I put it in a box, in the far corner of the garage under some other stuff. Most of the time she don't even miss any of it, and if she does its only when we are out camping and she cant easily retrieve it. If its something that we/she really really needs, she will remember when we get home and dig it out of the box for next trip.

I shudder to hear her use the words "for the camper...". Case in point; she has 5 or 6 'travel' games like portable checkers, and whatnot in one of the drawers in the camper right now. I don't know why we have them. I'm honestly not even sure when they showed up. We've never played games like that. Our kids are 27 and 22 and have never camped with us. But somewhere in her mind she thought that the games would be a good idea for the camper. Those will go in the box at the end of this year. At some point next year, I will donate them to the Salvation Army store by the house. She will probably buy them back without even knowing we had already owned them once. The circle of life goes on...

Tim

[mcnabbwr]

It's very simple. Happy wife, happy life.

[oxcamper]

Larger TV.

[mikel68]

I thought I was the only one experiencing this. Chairs, outdoor ovens, grills, more chairs, tables, beach junk, tv trays, etc. plus tools, etc. to make sure things go smoothly.

you could show DW this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WofNyst6fRc

[BamaBob]

Originally Posted by mikel68

I thought I was the only one experiencing this. Chairs, outdoor ovens, grills, more chairs, tables, beach junk, tv trays, etc. plus tools, etc. to make sure things go smoothly.

you could show DW this video:

and (As long as no one was hurt!)


And I agree with others - get a RAM 1T Dually Diesel and as long as you don't exceed 29K you are good to go

[Islander]

"captainperry"......


~ I feel your pain ~


Not only clothes but food gets brought onboard...like we are never going see a grocery store ever again !


Islander

[elind]

Have DW watch Long Long Trailer with Lucy & Desi.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNC5Dn0Dtnc

[vinmaker]

As a married man, I have only one job. That is to make the DW happy.

You just need to figure out a way to do that. If it means upgrading the unit, then so be it.

If she is not happy, then you have failed. That is the prime directive. It is the only reason you exist.

Vin.

[captainperry]

LMBO!.... you guys at least made me laugh about it and at least I'm not the only one... I'm assuming I can still keep my man card...

[AquaMan]

Originally Posted by Ford Idaho

You had closet space?

I got a overnight bag......

You got an overnight bag?


Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums

[Ford Idaho]

Originally Posted by AquaMan

You got an overnight bag?


Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums

Ya, it was in the door step when I got home, I probably forgot some anniversary for something....

[Avenger61]

I subscribe to Cowracer's method and it seems to work well. If she hasn't used it in a couple of trips then I sneak it back into the house and hope she doesn't notice. If she does notice, I tell her it was in the way or something and I moved it into the house temporarily. If she insists it needs to go along, then I take the walk of shame and return it to the camper. I have learned that anything in the back of a cabinet or shelf is usually never noticed and if she notices it missing on a camping trip I immediately give an accusing look at my 14 year old son!