Having just returned from a busy week back in the UK this is a ‘filler’ to cover that week with normal weekly service being resumed next Monday days after our arrival in Sardinia – stay with us for the last 5 months
The motorhomers key to (near) perfect harmony
Living in a confined space can be a challenge – never more so when that space is a motorhome. The dream may be free spirited and laid back but this lifestyle can only be a achieved by the application of a lot of order and a bit of elbow grease. A motorhome needs to be kept clean and needs to be kept tidy.
We are fortunate that one of us is a cleaner – some might say obsessively so – and the other is a tidier. We’ll leave you to guess dear reader which one of us is which.
So in the spirit of universal enlightenment we offer the following top tips on maintaining perfect harmony whilst living in a small space in the middle of some foreign field.
Motorhomes by their nature get dirty. Be it dust, sand or mud it gets in through grills, vents and meshes and open roofs, windows and doors. So a number one priority is a decent, but light dustpan and brush plus a goodly supply of cleaning cloths or discarded “designer” underpants which can be washed and reused. Floors that are swept religiously are much nicer to walk on than gritty ones.
Most surfaces inside a motorhome are multifunctional. For example the dining table doubles as the food preparation area or the office or the card table or a work bench and frequently the bar. The same goes for the top of the hob, the sink or sometimes the dashboard . So in the interests of harmony or to accommodate those times when living outside is not an option it is essential that those surfaces are kept both clean and clear. We quickly found that there is nothing worse than marmite on your Lonely Planet or 3 in 1 oil on your olives.
Then there are the insects and believe us there are lots of them of all shapes and sizes. The thinking motorhomer will invest in a heavy duty door fly screen – this year’s model of choice resembles a row of giant woolly pipe cleaners and can be seen on campers on Aires and campsites throughout Europe protecting travellers and their food from marauding foreign flying things.
Then there is the not insignificant matter of cleaning the outside of the van. A clean motorhome is a smart motorhome. A clear screen is a safe screen and helps avoid collisions with oncoming wing mirrors or backing over partners. But alas motorhomes don’t fit in car washes so it’s a manual task – best performed with minimal clothing a hose and a broom. We have yet to crack how we clean the roof without a stepladder – to carry one would waste valuable weight – but even as we write David is working on a possible solution.
The mantra “A place for everything and everything in its place” could have been written for the motorhomer. If the maps and guide books are always kept and returned to the same slot or the torch is always in the same alcove they don’t disappear and, more importantly, they can be retrieved rapidly. Large bottles are decanted into smaller ones to aid storage and facilitate fridge doors closing. We have found that hanging things on walls or other surfaces with the ever present blue tack is a superb way of controlling Karen’s earrings or David’s screwdriver.
So as we sit in our gleaming, sparkly home from home with our all our possessions within easy reach smugly reflect on the meaning of our well ordered life and start to argue over who last had the corkscrew and where did they put it.
Chris and Peter says
As I amcleaning the bathroom of the house I hear the sound of an email coming in … Oh and yes I can rest awhile and read one of my favourite blogs! Agree with all above, tidy and clean is also our motto en route. Even if we’re always away for the weekend or only just 1 month. We do realise we’ll have to organise even better if we’re leaving for longer periods! Enjoy your trip to Sardinia, you’ll love it there!
David says
Thanks for the wishes looking forward to the new adventure.
Christopher Macgowan says
Excellent advice. I find the only way I can function is to quite literally keep on top of everything and let NOTHING slide. This may sound obsessive – it probably is – but it results in external order and internal happiness. How others operate is entirely their own affair but peering into many motorhomes owned by fellow free spirits frequently reveals utter bedlam and chaos. When I see this I have to lie down but this is obviously my problem and people just carry on regardless and unseeing. One of my adult daughters, not a motorhomer, simply does not see the muddle she lives in and sails on unaffected. In many ways I envy her. But I could not copy her!!
Sylv says
Looking forward to hearing more…….we are going that way too but not till June, maybe see you somewhere!!
GlorYa says
I’m not too sure whether the Controller would be pleased if I gave GlorYa a rub down with some of my Xmas prezzies ! (In my opinion, a betta use !)
Jon Evans says
The solution to cleaning the roof has to be a pair of David’s discarded designer pants attached to the drone with some very careful low level flying.
David says
Indeed the drone presents an issue as really am not that good with it.
Gary Grant says
I assume that by ‘Designer undies’ you meant M&S ! And surely one pair of Dave’s would be usable for most of the tour!! Arf Arf….Anyhow, hope you got things sorted in Blighty and I’m sure you are excited about the next 5 months…..Enjoy guys and hope to see you in Bruges???
Alan - Going Nomad says
Much better to have a place for everything. If you leave stuff lying around it just means more stuff needs tidied away before you move. Is it just me or do sticky things not seem as sticky nowadays? Our latest packet of white tack should just have been called “white”. 🙂