My younger brother, Chris, asked me this-“Can you do a review of your home and/or what you’ve learned is important to have being mobile and what you thought would be important but isn’t wanted or needed?” And my cousin, Kathy, chimed in with the perfect question, “Less is more?” The question Kathy posed is the answer. Less is more in a nomadic life.

When we bought our first camper, we were very excited to fill it with all the essential items and choose the decor to make it feel like home. We purchased pillows, throw blankets, and hung artwork created by family and friends.

We loved the way it looked, but as time went on, and we lived in the space, we realized that all those pillows were not very practical and usually ended up on the floor or pushed aside. Only the sun and lizard pillows survived to continue into the 2nd camper we purchased. We found that less was more comfortable and more functional.

All of the art made the cut, except for that beautiful painted glass with the flowers. It was secured to the refrigerator very well, but we did not think to check how the glass was secured to the wooden frame. After a day’s drive on a very bumpy highway, we entered the camper to find the glass shattered on the floor, and the frame still attached to the refrigerator. I loved that piece, and it was a hard-earned lesson. The metal lizards and the metal arrows are still with us as well.

I am sad that my collage of photos was not able to make it to the second camper. When I took them down, I did not store them properly, and they became unusable as a result. That broke my heart a little bit. This is something I will eventually do again.

We began with two pots, a small frying pan, a large sauté pan, a cast-iron skillet, a French press, a water kettle, and two pans for use in the oven. We rarely used the cast iron, as it was very heavy and too large for just two people, so we got rid of it. We also only have 4 plates, 4 bowls, 4 salad plates, 4 drinking cups, 4 spoons, 4 forks, and 4 knives. I have one spatula, one large serving spoon, and a very small whisk. We also have nesting measuring cups that can measure wet and dry items.

We used to have a camp stove and a grill that we carried in the back of the truck. We realized that we really did not need both, and opted to give away the grill, and the camp stove can be used as a grill, and in most campgrounds, there is a grill in each campsite we are able to use if we really wanted.

As far as clothing, we each have about 2 weeks’ worth of clothes, with a few layering pieces to add in for cold weather. I also have 1 wrinkle-free dress that could be worn at a wedding or funeral, and 2 dressier shirts, just in case. In 2 and a half years, I have been lucky enough to not need the dress. We each have a raincoat and a heavy winter coat, and only 3 or 4 pairs of shoes. One pair of waterproof shoes is a must. It is also very convenient to have a pair of slide-on shoes and a pair of tennis shoes. I have one pair of dress shoes in a cabinet, just in case they are needed for a wedding, funeral, or other formal occasion where dressy attire is appropriate. .

We also have two sets of sheets, two towels, and two washcloths each.

Our space is small, and storage is limited by space and also weight. We gave to be careful to not put too uch weight in the Airstream due to weight limitations on the axles and the frame.

My favorite addition to our new trailer is the water filtration system we (and by we, I mean Aaron) installed. In our first year, we bought all of our drinking water. That got very expensive, as we both drink mostly water. Now we feel much better about using the water provided at campgrounds or the water from our onboard water tank. We keep extra jugs for water to refill our tank when we are camping where there is no potable water available. This system, combined with the external water filter attached to our water hose, ensures that the water we drink is safe.

One of our biggest challenges is remembering that we only have space to buy groceries for one week at a time. With limited storage space and a small refrigerator and freezer, we must be mindful of what we purchase to consume.

One thing I thought I would miss more than I do is online purchasing. Since we do not have a large space, what we want and what we need can be very different. However, they are becoming increasingly similar as time passes. When we are able to receive packages, we do still shop online. Now, shopping online is a treat, not a daily activity.

I have learned that I can look at, like, and admire something without having to possess it. It really has to be something special and meaningful to be added to our home. A small living space can become cluttered very quickly. Less is more functional space, more living space, more window space, more collecting of pictures and memories instead of things.

We slowly add decorations as we find things that we like. I picked up this piece at the International UFO Museum in New Mexico. I really like New Mexico, and feel I could spend months there and still not see everything the state has to show. The symbol is from the state flag, with an alien incorporated into the design. We had a lot of fun that day, and I thought this would look good in the camper.

Before we moved to Florida from Louisiana, I was a keeper of all the things. I felt comfortable in the clutter, and if I saw something I liked, I would usually get it. I did not have to love it, because I could always give it away or donate the item. When we bought our home in Florida, we purchased a smaller home that had only a quarter of the storage space. I conducted a massive purge before we moved, getting rid of over half of the things we had accumulated while raising three kids and living together for over twenty years. I was actually shocked at how good it felt to get rid of so many things. And I did it again when we decided to start living and traveling in our Airstream. It felt freeing. And I honestly can not tell you what I miss besides my own washer and dryer. However, doing two weeks’ worth of laundry all at once in an hour has its perks as well. So, I guess I don’t miss the washer and dryer too much.

I don’t think I could go back to lots of knick-knacks and clutter again. For me, less is more. Less is more freedom, less is more experiences, less is more life being lived. One way that less is less, is in time spent cleaning, which translates to more time doing other, more enjoyable things, like when we visited the Grand Canyon.

Thank you for taking the time to read about our wandering life.