Friday, March 27, 2009

So how much can you fit in a 30 foot motorhome?

Well, it would appear quite a bit.

Let me backtrack here and tell you that all RVs (recreational Vehicles) have weight limits. This is determined by the chassis, the weight of the "house" and a variety of other elements unique to each unit. While many RVers ignore this limit, we try to adhere to it as closely as possible. We do this by closely monitoring our tire pressure, and constantly maintaining awareness of what we bring into the rig.

And there's the rub. I have to admit that this is a tough one, but we are pretty careful.

To stay on top of this, every three months or so I go through a couple of easily accessible cabinets, closets or drawers and get rid of things we don't need.

But once a year, I do a REAL clean out, and that's what I'm in the middle of right now. I'm opening every drawer, cabinet, closet, bin, nook and cranny and taking everything out and giving it the once over. So far, three large bags of "stuff" have gone to the Goodwill.

Now I'm into the hardcore, not so easy to reach places. You know, the ones that you only get into once a year.

Poor Cholula looks like a bomb has gone off in her innards.

This is a long process, one I don't take lightly. Since I started with my closet, every once in a while I have to run back there and open the closet door to see how nice and roomy and organized it looks.

It gives me hope.

While we're talking about "stuff", where did all this Tupperware, Loc-Tite and Snap-Ware come from? I suspect there are wild parties going on when we're away, leading to a colossal bacchanal that results in massive plasticine reproduction.

And books. We very rarely buy new books, but we do go to many yard sales and junk stores. And honestly, our intentions are to read every single one of them; however during this time of the year, those too have to be dealt with. We both look long and hard at every book and decide which ones we'll really read and those that simply look good on the book shelf, or were just purchased with the best of intentions.

It's a hard job, but someone has to do it.

I also use this time to go through my pantry and check out our food supply. I try especially hard not to hoard food, try being the operative word here. All it takes is to put one bag of beans or one can of green chili in the wrong place and before you know it, I have six of everything. And that bag of chips that slipped behind the flour really doesn't look so appetizing any more. . .

It's all such a huge daunting task that I decided to take a break and moan and groan via this blog.

So think of me kindly as I continue on this (seemingly) endless task. It can't take forever, can it?

Here's till I can once again say that

9 comments:

Lew and Jan Johns said...

Kate, I love the Visual of a Bomb gone off in her innards. For me its nuts, bolts, screws, washers, strange shaped clips, and odd dodads that seem to multiply. I carry an old 1Lb coffee can in which the Things must delight one another with Hardware Sex. Periodically I have to dump the can.

Lew

Kate said...

Well, Lew, actually, we have one of those cans too. For a while we kept everything we found laying around, thinking some day we'd find where it actually belonged. Now it's just another black hole!

Kate

Lew and Jan Johns said...

Yup. We bought a brand new TT and already there is a handfull of Screws and Widgets which don't seem to have a Home. Oh well.

Lew

M said...

I am doing the same thing here.....and my house isn't on wheels! Where does this cra p come from and why am I saving it????

More bags to Goodwill!

Jonna said...

Good for you! I think in the 7years we fulltimed, we did that maybe 2 or 3 times which explains why we had so damn much stuff to haul out of Tortuga when we got a house. I will never, never, buy a can of mushroom soup again unless I know I'm using it that night. I found cans that were not just out of date, but rusted through. Yuck!

pictureeachday said...

Books are the hardest one for me! I'm pretty good about going through my closet, my kitchen.. but the bookshelf! I can never quite admit to myself that I'm just never going to read it. And they're so hard to resist when they're cheap at yard sales. Maybe I'd be more selective about them if I had only the limited space of an RV..

Nancy G said...

its a non ending battle. We try to do the one in, one out rule but it doesn't always happen. My couch is my bookshelf, along with the bedroom, the back cabinet and I hate to get rid of a cookbook! I also have a drawer where the scres, plastic clips, etc are having an orgy...but If I throw it out we will need it! Read also your part two post and the bread looks delicious! I have some photos on my flickr blog and posted under the Az Solar Cooking group photo section!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ncyg46/

Kate said...

Jonna,

While it's mushroom soup for you, it's green chili for me! Lots of cans!

M,

Goodwill is our friend!

Pictureeachday,

Books are also our real downfall. We read a lot, but NEVER get around to all of them

Nancy,

When I first looked at your pictures, I thought the Weinermobile was your motorhome! How did you hook up to that? The solar pictures were great, were you also using a parabolic cooker?

Kate
cholulared.blogspot.com

Nancy G said...

Kate...
lol...no the weinermobile was parked at Walmart in Happy Valley just north of Phoenix and I wanted to see the inside. I have the gso solar cooker and not a parabolic. Bruce made the one with the fresnel lens. His is a fast cooker, Tom and mine are slow cookers. Bruce was burning wood in under a minute with his. Not practical for a campground, would probably wind up burning down the rv next door on a sunny day! On the Az Solar Cookers yahoo group I posted a link to a video I made on youtube of Bruces.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDyr0QOFU8Y
this is it!