| At the time my wife and I decided to move our family | | | | required so you can't just ditch all your tools. First thing |
| into an RV or travel trailer and live on the road, we | | | | that went was almost all the power tools and most |
| were living on 5 acres in Alaska in a 3,800 square foot | | | | things that were woodworking specific. I did keep a |
| house. We ended up in a 26' travel trailer that has 208 | | | | Dremel tool and attachments because there are many |
| square feet. How in the world can a family of four | | | | uses for that and it packs small. |
| (and the kids are teenagers, not toddlers) downsize | | | | Sidebar: Packs small - those are the words you live by. |
| that much? | | | | If you have two similar tools and one's smaller and |
| If you're wondering about living in an RV that may be | | | | lighter than the other, that's the one you take, even if |
| the thought that keeps nagging away at you. Let me | | | | the other one has better features, etc. |
| give you some tips that we found helpful and allowed | | | | Besides wrenches and screwdrivers, which can be |
| us to shrink our world without (much) pain. | | | | used on the trailer and your tow vehicle, I also kept a |
| Outdoor Stuff | | | | small-sized handsaw and a few other tools that could |
| When you're living on the road you don't have a yard | | | | be used to build a shelf in the trailer or something like |
| to keep up, so all your lawn tools can go away. No | | | | that. I ended up with a small toolbox plus a |
| rakes, no hoes, no lawnmowers, hedgeclippers, etc. | | | | medium-sized plastic bin - and those had to hold all the |
| Almost everything that has to do with outdoor work | | | | tools I was going to take. |
| won't be needed on the road. | | | | After living in a trailer on the road for more than a year |
| One exception to that is extension cords. One way or | | | | and a half, I will admit I have too many tools, still. I could |
| another you're going to need one at some point. We | | | | probably cut the amount by half and be fine -- and I |
| took along a 20' cord and a 100' cord and used them | | | | may do that before we make our next long jaunt. |
| both at times. | | | | You're trading an old life for a new life and the new life |
| Garage/Shop Stuff | | | | has different rules. You can't keep all your stuff - this is |
| Okay, now we get to the place where I had the | | | | the time to get brutal. Even though it's hard at the time, |
| biggest problem, because garage stuff includes tools - | | | | when you're out on the road heading for parts known |
| and while I knew I wouldn't be making any bookcases, | | | | or unknown, you'll feel good that you're not "trapped" |
| there's a certain amount of upkeep that will be | | | | by all the stuff that normal people hang on to. |