Full Time RVer

By Adrienne Kristine

At the end of every season, the workampers move on to other locations or a well-deserved rest during the winter. If you’ve been workamping for a while, you’ll pick up something here and there during your stay. It’s usually stuff you’ll only use at that location. For example, it rains quite a bit here during the winter months so we all have galoshes and raincoats with hoods. The road surface is sometimes uneven and dark so we all have several flashlights. I have a headlamp that leaves my hands free when I walk to the gas pump to take the meter readings before closing. I also have a small charcoal barbecue that sits on the picnic table under the trees.

It’s time to move on and I find these items will not be needed in my new location. They have been passed along to a woman who will be spending the winter working here. I’m getting my rig ready to travel in a couple of weeks and this is the ideal time to go through the closets. I can find many items I don’t wear and will share with someone at Goodwill. Each of the workampers will usually leave unwanted items on their picnic table when they move out and anyone who remains can share them.

I’ve spoken to my fellow workampers and I find that most of them have an RV large enough for their needs. I’ve also spoken to those who want to downsize. Mileage is better and the rig is easier to handle in bad weather, especially by the female half of the couple. Most of the men do the driving.

Since summer is coming to an end soon, now is the time to ask yourself, “Do I need it?” If you continue to drive your RV, less weight will improve mileage. If you are going to winterize your RV, remove unused items before tucking it into your garage or storage area. Give away the items to family members, friends or someone else who needs them. Don’t forget the women’s shelters that need clothing and toiletries for women who have arrived with only the clothes on their backs. Homeless shelters and agencies can certainly use men’s clothing. If you’ve moved from the corporate world to the RV lifestyle, give your business suits, leather briefcases and portfolios to an older workers retraining center. Both the YMCA and YWCA have adult training centers.

Ask yourself, “Do I need it?” If you don’t, someone else does. Your RV will be lighter and your heart will be too.

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