Will we drive each other crazy?

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by ltcajh

If my wife and I live full-time on the road, will we drive each other crazy being in close proximity all of the time? Yeah, we get on each other's nerves sometimes.

Are you still tracking this thread? Thanks.

[Piggy Bank]

It is very much like the college dorm room type of situation.

The space IS small and you have a lot of stuff along. Although it may seem counterintuitive to "double up", I think it important to give each person as much autonomy over their (limited) physical space as possible. This means you each have your own laptop and headphones and small fan and flashlight and set of car and trailer keys, and backpack, and snacks packed in it.

Don't think you need to do everything together. It only takes 1 person to get gas, or do laundry, or go to the grocery store, or walk the dog, or prep dinner, or pack the inside, or pack the outside, etc. It is OK as long as it evens out with equal work and leisure overall to split some of this stuff up instead of doing it all together.

We also are very disciplined about clutter. I like it clear and we have a place to put everything. Housekeeping on a daily basis is important when camping, even if you are lax at home. Avoiding visual clutter which causes a feeling of chaos means I don't buy things that clash (IE-rugs/towels/pillows/bedding all coordinate so it looks good if a blanket is on the couch area or bed area.) Taking a few minutes every day and on departure day to start at the beds and work toward the other end means that the beds are made, bathroom is tidy, dishes are put away, trash is taken out, ball hats, jackets, shoes, backpacks are put away. I assure you I am not like this at home, but it becomes very very important in the airstream to avoid stressing.

So figure out what you will need to bring and get a trailer with enough space to store everything and then get a process to keep it serene.

[57Wanderer]

My husband and I are living in the 30ft Serenity. Truth be told, this is a whole new level of intimacy. Here's what I tell anyone who asks how it's going: "we're still married." Aside from that the only advice I can give is: if you find out that something you're doing is getting on your partner's last nerve, you just STOP DOING it. No questions asked and no on-the-spot processing. There's time enough for that after the heat gets turned down, if you know what I mean......and my other coping mechanism is: you can JWA: Just Walk Away. Things are not always what you hope and expect them to be. I always feel free to just walk away for a few minutes, take a few deep breaths and come back with a different perspective. It can only help if you're staring at the Rockies, or the Pacific Ocean, or the stars spread out above you. That strategy worked in 1100 sf, and it works in 240 sf also. The perks far outweigh the occasional disagreement. In for a penny, in for a pound. Enjoy and CHEERS to the life nomadic.

[ltcajh]

Thank you for the input. We're in an old 26 footer, but we're looking into our biggest, best, final camper. Most of the time we argue it's about my bad hearing. I'm looking into a cochlear implant. Most of the time we are good friends as a married couple. We've spent up to 3 weeks on the road, or in the camper. Pretty much we do okay. If I want to read or surf the net I go lay on the bed. We're looking at nearly full-time, or full-time on the road. I think we need a home base, but that's more expense.

[OTRA15]

Thanks for the reply. Given your experience, you will probably be fine, especially in an Airstream at least 25' or longer IMO. You might want to look for a good used one, as the newer ones have all kinds of "high-tech improvements" which are not finding a universally enthusiastic audience.

Happy Trails,

Peter

[Rocinante]

Married over 34 years and counting. We enjoy each other's company.

That said, we like the space in our 27FB. Dinette in one end, bedroom in the other. Having two rooms inside is great. When the mosquitoes aren't intolerable, we have a 3rd "room" outside, but there are plenty of times when two rooms inside lets one person use the bedroom to read, nap, etc., while the other uses the dinette and/or galley to watch TV, cook, read something else, etc.

So, our core recommendation would be to have a trailer big enough to have what feels like two relatively separate spaces, one of them a dedicated bedroom so you don't have to keep tearing down and making the bed each day, as well as a bed that's relatively easy to make. Regarding the bed, we would not have been happy with a corner bed that requires (1) gymnastics to change sheets / make bed or (2) gymnastics at night whenever one person has to climb over the other to get out of bed.

[Daquenzer]

If I was doing full time a 30’ would be a minimum length[emoji16]

[mayco]

If you're best friends at home you'll be best friends on the road. We celebrate our teamwork, both at home and on the road, and it definitely takes team work. If you're both playing for the same team in your daily lives it will become even more valuable and satisfying on the road. I personally couldnt imagine a better road and traveling partner than my wife. Can't stress this enough, it's all about teamwork. How satisfying it is to share our traveling experiences together, couldn't/wouldn't do it without my sweetie.

As someone mentioned earlier, if you two don't relish your moments together at home, I would not consider long trips on the road. Your pet peaves and irritants will be only magnified on the road.

But like I said, we really do CELEBRATE accomplishing our travel adventures together!
We are definitely blessed no doubt.

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by mayco

If you're best friends at home you'll be best friends on the road.
. . .

. . . and ditto for the converse . . .



Well said, mayco, in general.

[TBRich]

We only have a 19' Bambi, and do not full time. BUT we were forced to live in it for 4 months straight in front of our house ... after said house got flooded while we were gone on a trip. Everything (and I mean EVERYthing) had to be removed and put into storage...water damage in every room but the garage. It was so empty that it echoed like empty houses do. It was an odd feeling. And did I mention that I ran my own business from our home? So throw that twist into the mix ...

We survived amazing well with us and our 2 cockers (at the time) and business to do. We both were accustomed to living in smaller spaces previously so we had that to our advantage.

After the flood experience we know that we COULD full time in and Airstream, but we would require a much larger one ... the 30s are nice. We also decided that we should NOT sell our free-and-clear stick & mortar home. That would be just dumb because at some point we will not be able to trailer on short trips, much less full time any longer ... nor is that the right time in our lives to figure out living arrangements ... or to begin a new mortgage ... and possibly doing al this alone. It happens. We've seen it. Nothing is forever.

You can probably survive living that closely if you are smart about how your actions affect your partner, you strive to be kind, and you do not attempt to hide anything from the other .. except for surprises of good things, like gifts and gatherings with friends, a special night our, or even checking into a nice hotel/resort for a "stay-vacation"... or even planning a cruise or other nice non-Airstreaming things.

The most important thing is to make sure that you are attentive to your partner and you are interested in making their life better, even if it means you adjusting or even sacrificing some things ore habits at your end of the deal.

[ltcajh]

True, at some point you can't drive anymore. So if you full-time, that means you stay planted in your trailer at one location, or you give it all up.

You'd have to keep short accounts with the spouse. None of us are little angels, and differences in close proximity can be magnified.

[Mattirs]

Originally Posted by ltcajh

If my wife and I live full-time on the road, will we drive each other crazy being in close proximity all of the time? Yeah, we get on each other's nerves sometimes.

Headphones and ear plugs used judiciously

[3wd67rg]

We live in a tiny house the other half of the year, and our AS Moho is a 32.5. Retirement is your first trial, if you’re managing that you should be fine. I am very much a loner and I take the bedroom to spread out in with my computer to write and keep in touch with family, read news, listen to books and music. I think 29 years with my big family has wiped me out and I am loving the quiet. He watches old movies and news and sketches/writes in his journals, makes or fixes things in the front half. I’m dealing with a back injury and my knee is acting up so he takes our dog for walks, and does some fairly regular trail bike riding. We come together for meals, a couple netflix shows, outings or just to sit and talk and we alwys sleep together. We found each other late in life and I am grateful we did. We get grumpy sometimes, but we always smooth it out in the end because we want to be together. We aren’t married, but we consider ourselves to be. We have committed to each other and our relationship. Nothing is more important. No problem we cannot solve together. No crankiness I cannot resolve with some deep breathing and Mindfulness Meditation, OR, some LOUD ROCK ‘N ROLL sung at the top of my Lungs!

[redhat200]

First I would like to congratulate you on making the decision to Airstream. You made that decision Together and it is a great Decision.
Make a list of the 5 reasons for choosing Airstream Life. Post it . Good time to read Don’t sweat the small stuff it’s all small stuff.by Richard Carlson PHD ( by the way the book is very small )
Take a walk and hold hands without words it’s hard to be mad . Remember to play and have fun every day. And laugh till you cry. It will all work out. The beauty of this great country is your home. Your home without boundaries. And every night kiss each other good night .
In a world where we can be anything we want. Kindness is a great treasure to share.
Gods Peace & Grace to you ,
The Silver Buffalo

[Barnyard]

Don't keep score.

[Jaxon]

Originally Posted by ltcajh

If my wife and I live full-time on the road, will we drive each other crazy being in close proximity all of the time? Yeah, we get on each other's nerves sometimes.

.

That's a tough one... uh... maybe make sure y'alls insurance is all paid up... just in case...

We full time (our second time full-timing) and enjoy it immensly. One thing we've learned is to give each other space whether that be actual space as in me here, her over there or in doing things individually as in her going riding solo (bike), me going hiking, me going to town, her staying put, and so on. We both have differents hobbies/interests that we like to feed, too.

While we do an awful lot together and really like each others company (she's my best friend), there are regular times we like to do things individually.... gives us new things & experiences to talk about.


Don't worry about it, just find your stride and remember, you don't own here and she doesn't own you. You've chosen to share this life together.
.

[RALgranger]

My wife and I have been full timing in a 30bunk with a big dog and our 3yr old for a little over a year. It's been great and we haven't had any issues with the close proximity. We both work full time though and are not together the entire day. I'd say if you have been married a while you should already know the answer to this question. We've been married 11yrs and have figured out how to get along and resolve conflicts with each other. It would have been much more difficult to live in a trailer earlier in our marriage.

[BrokeDown]

YES, 100% YES!!! But not 100% of the time, so my guess is that if you are together most of the time in your stick and brick house, the trailer will not change things much. My wife and I have worked from home for over 10 years, moving into a motorhome did not change things much for us.



-B

Full Timing since 6/2016

[BJCallahan]

Originally Posted by redhat200

First I would like to congratulate you on making the decision to Airstream. You made that decision Together and it is a great Decision.
Make a list of the 5 reasons for choosing Airstream Life. Post it . Good time to read Don’t sweat the small stuff it’s all small stuff.by Richard Carlson PHD ( by the way the book is very small )
Take a walk and hold hands without words it’s hard to be mad . Remember to play and have fun every day. And laugh till you cry. It will all work out. The beauty of this great country is your home. Your home without boundaries. And every night kiss each other good night .
In a world where we can be anything we want. Kindness is a great treasure to share.
Gods Peace & Grace to you ,
The Silver Buffalo

Beautiful redhat200!

[mjayjensen]

On returning from Mazatlan, we stop in San Carlos and purchase used books at a store set up for the benefit of stray animals.
One of the books purchased was "Why men don't listen and women can't read maps" by Barbara and Allan Pease. This book raised our level of understanding our spouse to a new level. I highly recommend the book to anyone wishing to enjoy and get along with their partner.
Jay