Living in a Caravan vs Living at Home
Our Top 5 Lifestyle Differences
One month into our Lap of Australia, we have made some observations about dramatic changes to our lifestyle. There are some that are obvious; spending time on the road, sightseeing, etc. But there are some unusual ones that we could never have expected. These are the ones we are sharing in this article. The lifestyle changes that you only realise when you are living on the road, as a family.
1. Our Appetites!!!
We have 3 hungry boys who ate adult sized meals at home. Since living on the road, they have taken it to a whole new level. ‘Leftovers – what are they?’ There used to be a time when I could stretch the evening meal into lunch the next day. Not anymore! Our boys were active at home, but this is a step up. I blame the fresh air, living in the outdoors, and extra activity. Their appetites have increased notably, and we have had to adjust out budget, meal portions and shopping list accordingly. ‘Please Sir, may I have some more?’
2. Water Usage
This one applies when you are ‘off the grid’, disconnected from mains power and water. Did you know that on average, Australians use 165 litres of water per person, per day? That’s a lot of water! When you are living off the grid out of a van, with limited supply, you make every drop count. Including drinking, cooking, washing (ourselves, dishes and clothes), we are living on 160 litres of water per day…between 5 of us! That is one fifth of the average water consumption. One benefit – we only wash the dishes once a day to save water!!
3. Electricity and Gas Usage
Again, this one applies for those who are camping without mains connections. Whereas at home, we don’t think twice before flicking on a light when it gets dark, in the van we monitor our inputs and outputs hourly. A cloudy day with affect our battery power significantly, as the solar panels will not receive optimum levels of input. There is one major change in our behavior – at home, we would charge devices, do a load of laundry and turn on the dishwasher overnight or on the weekends when electricity was at the ‘off peak’ rate. In the van, it is the opposite. When the sun is out and solar inputs are maximum, that is the time to charge devices and use the most power. This requires some changes tour habits. Likewise, with gas, turning on the gas bottle and hearing the hot water system comes on, is a reminder of our usage. We only turn on the gas hot water when we need it.
4. Cleaning (or lack thereof!)
This is one of my favourites! Do I miss cleaning a 4 bedroom house with two bathrooms, a large kitchen, multiple living areas…absolutely not! Cleaning the van is a simple wipe over of surfaces as we use them. The boys love mopping our tiny floor space, and mess just isn’t an option. There is no space for clothes or toys to be left on the floor, and dinner can not be prepared wirh drawings or games on the table. If you use it, you put is away. If it is dirty, it is cleaned in a moment.
5. Time
Time together to play games, read and draw together. Or just hang out. I love this one. In our busy schedules at home, it was hard to find time to play a hand of cards or sit down and have quality time together. Living on the road whilst travelling Australia, it is happening daily. And it’s coming naturally. The boys are up in the morning, they eat brekky and grab their current favourite game or drawing book. Throughout the day, we enjoy learning new games together and having ample time without feeling rushed. There are no bedrooms to escape to, and everyone contributes and joins in.
We would love to hear about your lifestyle on the road…let us know in the comment section below.