A question and potentially provocation for the experienced full-timers! How do you deal with the challenges of two (or more) people living in a couple hundred square feet when the weather outside is challenging? One wants to watch TV or play on the computer, the other wants a quiet read? Hobbies take up space needed by the other. You can't disassemble that alternator on the dining table!! This quilting stuff is allover my recliner, etc. etc.
What approaches have worked for you? Noise cancelling headphones! Bedroom hobby setup? Two TVs or laptops!! ....
Have you make any modification or would you suggest any for a new RV design, to accommodate the special "my spaces" or allow for the "my times"?
Hopefully, I will not start any family feuds, dig up old wounds, but hopefully get some happy resolutions to funny situations.
Dutch said
06:20 AM Jun 23, 2017
We have TV's in the living area and bedroom, so watching different programs is not an issue. We also have Bluetooth headphones we use as needed if one of us wants to quietly read, etc., while the other watches TV or listens to music. If the rain isn't too heavy or windy, we can also sit outside or work on dirty projects under the awning. We each have our own laptops, tablets, phones, etc., so that's never been an issue. The bottom line for us is that the limited space has never been an issue for us, just something we've adapted to over the years. And it's still fun squeezing by each other in the narrow hallway...
-- Edited by Dutch on Friday 23rd of June 2017 06:21:27 AM
BiggarView said
06:49 AM Jun 23, 2017
While not "experienced" in sharing a couple hundred spare feet or so of living space (Navy time not withstanding)... I have found that nerf blunderbusses at ten paces usually solves most space disputes.
Acheron2010 said
07:09 AM Jun 23, 2017
Hindsight being perfect, I probably should have taken a day or two and left my hobby alone, and attempt to get immersed in the wife's hobby. It would not have killed me to learn how to crochet, or quilt, or build those memory photo albums. She might have then taken a day to ride the Harley or go fishing.
Second Chance said
07:18 AM Jun 23, 2017
It's an issue for us only rarely - I guess we're fortunate that way. My wife would just as soon not watch TV, so the bedroom (door open or closed) with her laptop, Kindle, or just for a good nap becomes her refuge. She'll often doze in the theater seats while I watch a program or just read quietly. She actually likes me being in the living area when she's working on a big cooking project (like the homemade cinnamon rolls for a wedding party and all guests for our son's wedding this weekend). At those times, she'll listen to a TV documentary with me, listen to music on the sound system while I read (or more likely, surf the forums), etc.
Rob
mycroft8 said
11:27 AM Jun 23, 2017
There are some larger fifth wheel floor plans with an additional room. An example is the Keystone Montana 3950br. That floor plan has an additional room off the kitchen with a door, desk area, another tv, and another fold out couch.
Dave
Barbaraok said
12:27 PM Jun 23, 2017
First, marry your best friend. Second, of course you can't do alternator repair on the table. Quilting sets can be picked up and moved and don't leave grease, etc., so your comparison is flawed. Most bedrooms have a door of some sort to use to close off for privacy. Again, be best friends with your travel companion.
LarryW21 said
02:42 PM Jun 23, 2017
I'll mention two ways: 1. Very adequate rain gear so that we can walk around in a downpour, stay dry and have fun. 2. A good awning so if it isn't windy we can sit outside. PS - I can read no matter the noise level....learned to ignore noise from Uncle Sam.
NWescapee said
05:30 PM Jun 23, 2017
Rainy days are great museum days!!
Other than that, we have a portable table we can set up in the bedroom and one of uses that while the other gets the dining table for various hobbies. Of course, it helps to sleep in late, have a good movie to stream, etc. We both love to cook so rainy days are great days to try out new recipes, especially ones that take lots of prep time.
We've not really had an issue, you just have to learn to laugh about it and call it the small space syndrome!!
IrishRover said
05:53 PM Jun 26, 2017
Barbaraok wrote:
First, marry your best friend. Second, of course you can't do alternator repair on the table. Quilting sets can be picked up and moved and don't leave grease, etc., so your comparison is flawed. Most bedrooms have a door of some sort to use to close off for privacy. Again, be best friends with your travel companion.
Not intended as a comparison, just a unrealistic provocative statement to get a reaction. Apparently struck a nerve! Some hobbies are difficult to do in a bedroom - cooking, soldering, some exercises, art or water based activities. Everyone need a my space and my time, every now and then. Even your best friend.
Seemingly more manufacturers are catering to families with kids, and diverse user needs and adding "separate" rooms for noisy play or other distractions. Nice suggestion from Dave (mycroft8). Grand Design has one also Solitude MB377MBS, that is not a toy hauler.
Speaking of toy hauler, anyone use the space for anything other than toys? Seen one couple setup their "store/workshop" in the garage section and used the deck for an outdoor display when at events. Creative. How do you HAM radio users out there, deal with you HAM station? Where do you musicians practice? Who run a business while the other person does misc. house work? What to you mechanical and assembly project folks do when the weather outside is frightful! More ideas like that?
But some great creative solutions here. Love the small space syndrome!
NWescapee said
06:53 PM Jun 26, 2017
One other thing to consider is the furniture in your RV. If you really want hobby space, do you need a couch and 2 recliners, or whatever your unit comes with? We both work full time, our 5th wheel came with a built in desk area, we added a keyboard tray and I had my new workstation.
For hubby, who is an artist, we removed the couch, put in a workbench and our kitty got her space as well, with a kitty condo!! You know, gotta keep the cat happy if we want to sleep at night.
Part of his art work requires soldering, that is done on a portable table, not on a wood surface. We've learned to deal with the mess and rearrange so he can work indoors almost all of the time. Weather can make it really difficult to work outside, wind, rain, heat, cold, dust, etc.
It's a learning process and there's still times where we have to just laugh about both of us wanting the same space at the same time or me trying to get into the kitchen to refill my coffee cup while he's using the kitchen sink or counter for part of his process. You just learn to make it work because in the end it's just so worth it to be on the road, having all the wonderful opportunities we have to explore new places and enjoy new experiences that we would never have if we still lived in suburbia.
Barbaraok said
12:34 AM Jun 27, 2017
post deleted
-- Edited by Barbaraok on Tuesday 27th of June 2017 12:03:37 PM
el Rojo and Pam said
06:42 AM Jun 27, 2017
Toy haulers work pretty good for space. they add two rooms, the garage and patio. I repair my alternators in the garage...no problem LOL.
BiggarView said
07:47 AM Jun 27, 2017
X2 on Dale & Ruth comment. There are no rules on reconfiguring your space to fit your needs. The Montana 3811 we have on our list of candidate rigs has a large lounging seat in the bedroom that we would rip out to put in a crafting space for Cindi. Just sayin'.... nothing wrong with remaking any space... "your space". To El Rojo and Pam... whatever your "alternator" reality... its all good.
Brian
Dutch said
06:26 AM Jun 28, 2017
I think the primary requirement for living in relatively tight quarters with one or more other people is a good sense of humor! We learned that early on when we traveled with three adults and a then teenager in a little 21' Class C for three weeks. I was the only male versus three females, my wife, her sister, and our granddaughter. It quickly became quite obvious that "privacy" was pretty much a wistful memory when everyone was getting ready for bed or to start the day at the same time. We did have a lot of good laughs though (and few red faces) every time someone got caught "overexposed" shall we say. Now, just the two of us sharing a 34' Class A is like living in a mansion in comparison!
RonC said
09:45 AM Jun 28, 2017
We really don't have any "challenges". We each have a phone, tablet and laptop ... so no sharing issues. We've been married 50 years and our needs, wants and accommodations have all been worked out long ago. We get along well and talk to each other and laugh a lot. Our only "rule" is one at a time in the galley. It's like a successful marriage ... there are no rules that work for everyone, only what works for you. Good Luck ... keep a sense of humor ... try not to make minor issues into major ones.
A question and potentially provocation for the experienced full-timers! How do you deal with the challenges of two (or more) people living in a couple hundred square feet when the weather outside is challenging? One wants to watch TV or play on the computer, the other wants a quiet read? Hobbies take up space needed by the other. You can't disassemble that alternator on the dining table!! This quilting stuff is allover my recliner, etc. etc.
What approaches have worked for you? Noise cancelling headphones! Bedroom hobby setup? Two TVs or laptops!! ....
Have you make any modification or would you suggest any for a new RV design, to accommodate the special "my spaces" or allow for the "my times"?
Hopefully, I will not start any family feuds, dig up old wounds, but hopefully get some happy resolutions to funny situations.
We have TV's in the living area and bedroom, so watching different programs is not an issue. We also have Bluetooth headphones we use as needed if one of us wants to quietly read, etc., while the other watches TV or listens to music. If the rain isn't too heavy or windy, we can also sit outside or work on dirty projects under the awning. We each have our own laptops, tablets, phones, etc., so that's never been an issue. The bottom line for us is that the limited space has never been an issue for us, just something we've adapted to over the years. And it's still fun squeezing by each other in the narrow hallway...
-- Edited by Dutch on Friday 23rd of June 2017 06:21:27 AM
While not "experienced" in sharing a couple hundred spare feet or so of living space (Navy time not withstanding)... I have found that nerf blunderbusses at ten paces usually solves most space disputes.
Rob
There are some larger fifth wheel floor plans with an additional room. An example is the Keystone Montana 3950br. That floor plan has an additional room off the kitchen with a door, desk area, another tv, and another fold out couch.
Dave
Other than that, we have a portable table we can set up in the bedroom and one of uses that while the other gets the dining table for various hobbies. Of course, it helps to sleep in late, have a good movie to stream, etc. We both love to cook so rainy days are great days to try out new recipes, especially ones that take lots of prep time.
We've not really had an issue, you just have to learn to laugh about it and call it the small space syndrome!!
Not intended as a comparison, just a unrealistic provocative statement to get a reaction. Apparently struck a nerve!
Some hobbies are difficult to do in a bedroom - cooking, soldering, some exercises, art or water based activities. Everyone need a my space and my time, every now and then. Even your best friend.
Seemingly more manufacturers are catering to families with kids, and diverse user needs and adding "separate" rooms for noisy play or other distractions. Nice suggestion from Dave (mycroft8). Grand Design has one also Solitude MB377MBS, that is not a toy hauler.
Speaking of toy hauler, anyone use the space for anything other than toys? Seen one couple setup their "store/workshop" in the garage section and used the deck for an outdoor display when at events. Creative. How do you HAM radio users out there, deal with you HAM station? Where do you musicians practice? Who run a business while the other person does misc. house work? What to you mechanical and assembly project folks do when the weather outside is frightful! More ideas like that?
But some great creative solutions here. Love the small space syndrome!
For hubby, who is an artist, we removed the couch, put in a workbench and our kitty got her space as well, with a kitty condo!! You know, gotta keep the cat happy if we want to sleep at night.
Part of his art work requires soldering, that is done on a portable table, not on a wood surface. We've learned to deal with the mess and rearrange so he can work indoors almost all of the time. Weather can make it really difficult to work outside, wind, rain, heat, cold, dust, etc.
It's a learning process and there's still times where we have to just laugh about both of us wanting the same space at the same time or me trying to get into the kitchen to refill my coffee cup while he's using the kitchen sink or counter for part of his process. You just learn to make it work because in the end it's just so worth it to be on the road, having all the wonderful opportunities we have to explore new places and enjoy new experiences that we would never have if we still lived in suburbia.
post deleted
-- Edited by Barbaraok on Tuesday 27th of June 2017 12:03:37 PM
X2 on Dale & Ruth comment. There are no rules on reconfiguring your space to fit your needs. The Montana 3811 we have on our list of candidate rigs has a large lounging seat in the bedroom that we would rip out to put in a crafting space for Cindi. Just sayin'.... nothing wrong with remaking any space... "your space". To El Rojo and Pam... whatever your "alternator" reality... its all good.
Brian
I think the primary requirement for living in relatively tight quarters with one or more other people is a good sense of humor! We learned that early on when we traveled with three adults and a then teenager in a little 21' Class C for three weeks. I was the only male versus three females, my wife, her sister, and our granddaughter. It quickly became quite obvious that "privacy" was pretty much a wistful memory when everyone was getting ready for bed or to start the day at the same time. We did have a lot of good laughs though (and few red faces) every time someone got caught "overexposed" shall we say. Now, just the two of us sharing a 34' Class A is like living in a mansion in comparison!