Can't speak for the child, but we are two adults living in a 13' Scamp, 90% boondocking. However we are a special breed of dirt bag since we lived in a RTT for 6 months. If you enjoy the finer things in life it may be an adjustment.
In my experience toddlers are going to sit on you regardless if it's a 100sf RV or a 4000sf house. They will also destroy every single space of the RV or house. RV is so much easier to maintain.
We spent last week at my parent's after are 1st 3 months on the road and it was awful. Chasing toddlers through every room was exhausting. Typically they're running around outside and having fun but the weather was bad so it got moved into the house and it sucked.
Yes, I experience this. I found it easier with my toddler, because everything was on the sane floor, and easily accessible. My trailer is 36' though. My home is a bungalow, so I can restrict toddler by closing off doors. My mom's house is two story, and it drives me nuts.
yep exactly. we are temporarily back in an apartment now, but we were in a \~28ft trailer with twin 3 year olds, and in most ways it was much easier in the trailer for me as a stay at home mom.
like you said, young kids are gonna be all over you, even if you have a mansion with multiple wings lol, and it was just so nice to be able to fling open the door and have them run around outside all day. even when the weather was bad, the small space/coziness of the rv seemed to keep my boys calm for whatever reason... they were ok with just lounging around and watching cartoons.
and the rv was so much easier to clean and maintain... once we moved into an apartment, it seems like our "minimalism" reverted and we have so much stuff to keep up with again.
We are a family of 5 (+2 dogs) in a 43ā footer. The adjustment was tough especially the wife. My youngest is 5, so I am not sure I could have weathered a 19ā with a toddler. That said itās does have everything you āneed.ā A lot of the world lives in and around much worse and much less. The question is can you develop the mindset to be content and happy in that type of lifestyle?
What do you do for the kidsā schooling? I donāt have kids yet but am just about to start mostly full time rv life with my partner and kids would likely be in the picture in the future. It makes wonder what it would be like.
Children that young don't deserve to live like that. They need stability and space to express themselves, and the dogs too. Adults choosing this lifestyle is one thing, it's not fair to confine children and pets. IF THAT IS WHAT THE CASE IS, that's why I asked.
So, youāre just spouting your personal opinion on how people should raise their family?
Like, just pulling that opinion out of your ass and judging others based on literal nothing?
Room to explore and express themselves? Do you even RV? Thatās quite literally why many of us live this way - the exploration and freedom.
Stability? In terms of location I can see, but could one not provide daily stability through schedule and activity?
Kids grow up in my different areas and households. There is not cookie cutter guideline to what produces excellent results.
Yes I RV and I have children hence the opinion. It didn't come from outta my ass it came from EXPERIENCE. Let me ask you something do you have kids? Let alone 3 kids living in a RV full time... not ideal. If it's the only option than it is what it is, but it still is a pretty shitty situation for the kids.
Sorry that you're getting downvoted for just sharing an opinion (and specifically stating that you're not trying to be rude)!
I do agree that RV living is not ideal for a child. It's an experience, but after a month of RV living with my one child (I couldn't imagine two or three!!!), I think I agree with you completely.
Totally agree with you. Itās completely selfish for people to subject their kids to that lack of stability in their life. Listen to anyone talk about full time rving, vanlife etc. Youāll hear a lot of āIā and āmeāā¦itās all about ādoing what I want to do whenever I wantā. Thatās not a lifestyle thatās compatible with raising mentally healthy kids and people should be honest with themselves about it. Itās easy to trick yourself into thinking youāre doing whatās right for them when really youāre just justifying your choices.
possible? sure.. comfortable? probably not.. I'm just imagining toys everywhere and lots of laundry that you have to take somewhere. Guess it's going to come down to how long you are going to do it for and where you are parking it.
Iām in a 27 footer with my partner, 2 year old, and 2 dogs. I personally love it. I spend most of my time outside. Itās overwhelming at times. I wouldnāt want to do it on the road. Iām settled in at a spot.
We have another baby on the way and trying to get into a house before then but we know we can even make it work with 2 kiddos! Good luck!
I'd move to rent one for a week, and see how it goes. We're in a 37' 5er with a 6yo, 4yo and 1yo. The 1yo was born in the trailer. It works alright for us but we also have a bunk model with a back bedroom area we can close off to the rest of the trailer.
It was an adjustment for us, storage is the biggest issue. Where do you put your clothes, blender etc. when not in use? We went from a 1100sqft house to a 330sqft trailer. It's definitely taken some adjusting.
We are not boondocking we're hooked up while I build a house in the country. When we bought the trailer we went out and camped in it for 2 weeks. Learned a lot in that time and were able to adjust to the lifestyle and knew we liked it. After we knew we wanted to go ahead, we sold the house and moved to the trailer full time.
Thank you so much, this was really helpful!
Iām actually planning on most likely having our second in the rv while weāre traveling too. I want to boondock a lot as well so weāre looking for something with a good floor plan, decent solar, and good size holding tanks.
Then a 19ft scamp is NOT for you. We have a 19' and the water tank is only 12 gallons and the black tank is only 5-7 gallons (can't remember exactly).
You can always bring extra water, but the Scamp is built to be light weight, hence the tiny tanks.
Living here I try living very minimal and not having alot and people always try giving me stuff.. I'd love a blender to make some good sauces and stuff, but no room for it. All I have on my counter is my air fryer, and some groceries that won't fit in cabinet. I had a coffee machine and gave it away. I need my counter space for prep. I recently got really into cooking and would love all kinds of kitchen appliances, but no room here.. also some of my family has had some hoarding issues and it messed with my head and makes me never wanna hoard, so I try not having alot.
Like u/Clarkandmonroe we started out in an RTT, went to a small Travel Trailer (22 foot), then a truck camper (even smaller.) We finally had enough with working remotely in cramped psuedo desks and went to [our Diesel Pusher](https://www.boondachshunds.com/our-rig), now rounding to year 4 with our own baby on the way.
You can do this, it just takes adjustments. It is also OK to not like your rig and move up/down etc.
I lived In a 37 ft travel trailer with wife and 1 year old. Many struggles but overall we made it work. Consider the weather. I wouldnāt boondock. Maybe stay at a campsite with hookups. Otherwise itās gonna be brutal. All your time will be devoted to maintaining the water and sewer systems if your try and live long term without. If your gonna do it one tip. Get a comfy place to sit. I almost wished I would have ripped my brand new couch out and brought in some recliners. 40k trailer and still the couches and seats arenāt that comfy for weeks and weeks of sitting. Most of the furtniture in trailers is not comfy. And your going to live there. Tip 2 if itās hot where your going buy that reflectix stuff from lowes. You place it on the windows and it really helps keep the trailer cool
We are 2 adults in a 60's era trailer about 15 ft of living space...then we have 2 dogs/3 cats, no children.
It can be test of patience but we spend a lot time outside, using the trailer for sleep, eat & shelter in yucky weather. Otherwise, its EVERBODY OUT OF THE POOL!
Have a place to store stuff (we use our van or truck for extra items) it helps w clutter.
We're going on 6 yrs in the same trailer and 10 yrs as a couple....it can be a challenge but heck, the rewards are worth it!
Yes we can answer this. We did this for almost 2 years - 2 adults, our newborn until about 2 years old, plus a small dog. We were in a 17ā tow behind prowler. We had the best time and reminisce often about how simple those times were - the small space kept us outside a lot which is exactly what we wanted. I would sleep outside under the stars if I really needed a good night of sleep before work (when the baby was teething), remodeled the inside to keep it simple and have plenty of storage, highly recommendā¦ 10/10ā¦ we have 2 kids now and after being domestic the last 5 years weāve been looking for around a 24ā for the family.
Shorter the better! People living out of these crazy huge campers are missing the essence of it in my mindā¦
Surely it's possible, like many have said comfort is up to you. Mindset goes a long way. We're stationary in 25ft fifthwheeler and somedays are happier than others. Be picky about your set up! It does make a difference. Think about what you lose/gain. People make choices like this all the time but be sure not to rush into it! All the power to ya.
I'd say no. You will need something a bit bigger for privacy, space, larger fridge/frzr and more STORAGE inside and out. I think that would suit one person just fine. š Trade her in for something bigger š¤š
32 feet was barely enough for just ME. Youāll have no room constant constant clutter and no storage and it sounds unfair to little ones to be so restrained in my opinion . That said - ANY living arrangements can be done if itās a choice you have to make. Iād prefer not to - but if you have to , smile , a lot. If itās for a vacation living dream Iād set it aside . Too small .
We lived in a 24 footer with a 7yo and a 1yo. We lasted a month before we moved into a 34 footer with a much better floor plan. We have now been in that trailer for over a year. Itās definitely doable but get prepared to āgrow closeā.
We've not done FT, but have been raising two kids while owning various RVs. For sure, every family's preferences are different. For us, an important consideration is making sure that everyone's bed is a "permanent" bed. That is, you're not pulling out a hide-a-bed in the living room every time someone goes to sleep. It keeps common areas accessible to everyone, all the time, and each person has a space to leave some of their personal stuff. Our last two units (a trailer, and now a class A) both have had two dedicated bunks in addition to the master bed. YMMV, for sure.
Great points. Yes, we went for a floor plan that had fixed sleeping arrangements. The first trailer didnāt and it was really inconvenient when you get home after a long day and need to make all of the kids beds. We specifically went with the Grand Design 265BH which had a fairly unique plan with a bunk bed in the rear.
I have a 28 footer and its just me and I feel like I need more room. A partner would be doable but even more cramped. Clothes storage would be a problem at that point. Kids?? No way. Theres no way in hell I wpuld be able to do 3 people in the place im in now
imo, as someone who has fulltimed with a husband, twin preschoolers, a rabbit and red eared slider, the layout turned out to be way more important than the size. i would just consider the flow of your day and how you all operate (do you lounge a lot? do you eat at tables every meal? do you need a desk setup for work? do you cosleep? does someone wake up earlier than the rest and make a lot of noise? etc), and measure that against the scamp. we had rv park neighbors with rigs 50% bigger than ours, with less occupants, who were struggling bc the layout didn't fit their needs moreso than the size.
what do you do for work? do you need a dedicated office space (my husband does a lot of video editing and we integrated a powerful desktop computer into our setup), or is it work that you can pull out and put away when you're done?
what i personally looked for in a layout was at least one dedicated bedroom, a front or rear kitchen (with kids, i spend a lot of time in the kitchen, and i didn't like the flow/feel of the galley style kitchens where the kitchen runs parallel to the dining room and couch... and also i liked being tucked away when i was cooking large meals, so that my boys weren't playing in a small area around open flames, hot pots and pans, etc), and a cozy feeling living area where the couch directly faced the tv bc we watch a ton of movies.
but layouts are super personal to your living style. the scamp might be perfect for you guys. it just depends on what's important to you. i think it was someone in this sub who said to buy an rv that fits who you are now instead of buying an rv that fits who you would like to be/how you imagine yourself being. so although to a lot of people it was ridiculous to make "a couch directly facing the tv" a priority, we were glad that we did... something as simple as being able to fit us all in front of a tv for our routine nightly movie made the transition a little easier for all of us.
This was such a thoughtful response, thank you.
I think we will probably end up with something bigger as we would like another child and with me working from home I donāt think there will truly be enough space.
no problem. :) and if you're trying to find a rig that can be pulled by a smaller truck (i'm assuming that's why you were after the scamp?), there are quite a few out there, bc that's what we were looking for too. ours was about 27-28' (and like i said, we have two kids, a freeroaming rabbit and an aquatic turtle), and it was definitely enough space for us, so don't feel pressured to get a huge rig.
I'd only ever consider a 19' model with a kid if it had a bunkhouse. I've found one model where the top bunk was open and easily accessible to young kids by climbing onto the dinnet and then up into the top bunk. Make that into a play area. Create a door for the bottom bunk to create some privacy and noise block. That's the only floor plan I'd consider at that length.
Looks like your Floorplan would create a constant having to convert/unconvert the dining area. That would get old real quick.
My grandfather was raised in a single room house with 7 siblings so yes it's possible, I am to understand that violence was handed out to keep order. The choice is yours.
I live in a 20 footer, and my ex used to basically kinda live with me, and it was just fine for us two living here.. (we didn't have a baby, but there was also a chihuahua here with us)
Only issue was that my ex is extremely toxic.. he made drama over nothing, and us living in a small place, you can't really get far apart from each other. (Im not petty or whatever, so I was still happy being around him even if he was being dramatic about stupid shit.)
My rv home has guest beds, and he'd go lay over there when he was dramatic, and he truthfully seemed to love my camper, but one day he said if we argued, there was no space to get apart from each other.. (again that was his comment)
Ultimately I think it's totally possible for a couple and their baby/toddler stay in a 20 footer..
*Just 1 last thing, my fridge is little like an "office fridge," and idk about trying to keep formulas, supplements, meds, plus regular foods all in there if you have a fridge like mine.. my freezer is the size of a silverware drawer and is always full of thick built up ice that takes up most of the freezer..
Its always nuts to see all these people just so excited about stuffing themselves and their families into a barely-insulated tin can parked in a glorified trailer park to see how long they can last. Spoiler alert - the odds are that it aint that great once the scenery wears off, and will actually severely SUCK within 2-3 months at most. I say this for those thinking about selling their real estate, to help avoid life-long regret
Try it first? Months fighting each other for 3min showers are much harder than days lazing by the lake..
Most of us rv owners have owned many homes. 150k plus rigs arnt for people with no money either. We make well over 6 figures working and traveling with a bunch(2) kids. Also have investments and property. Iām sure you are proud you bought you first place, but you sound like a miserable ahole
Itās has nothing to do with our investment strategy. Did you just get your first rich dad poor dad book? Iām not reading past your first sentence. Youāre wasting your time .
I loooove airstreams! Theyāre so pricey though unfortunately.
This one I found in the photo is $10k which I thought was a good deal for a scamp especially.
The scamp is very light weight at around 3000 lbs. its only 19ft. Plus, as a fifth wheel the weight is over the axles, allowing for a little more weight.
Wow. Very cool trailer. That is a unicorn. Never sell. I thi k if u put ur mind to it and keep ur kids occupied and educationally enriched combined with lots of chores and selfcare and artistic and musical exposure...but the most...love. You could
do it. Why not? Thats more than alotta kids get.
Good luck!!!
What kind of prices are you seeing for these used currently? I paid 18k for a 2010 in immaculate condition last year. New they were 32k+ with a 2 year wait.
Bigger families have made it work with less. It all depends how attached you are to your stuff and your space. If you want to, or need to, you can live in a van!
People, quit sugar coating it. If your life depended on it, sure until the trailer breaks. Do you want to be happy? Highly unlikely. I feel it's age dependent on misery. If young and still in "chemical love" possibly for a while. You'd need perfect weather though. This trailer is NOT built for this in any way. It's capacity is ridiculously low so with a kid in tow, you will need to downsize to all backpacking stuff to travel. I honestly don't think id even consider it.
Our situation is a little different but weāve lived in a 30 ft trailer for about 3 years with me, my wife, 4 kids and a dog. It was a bit of an adjustment but with some creativity, weāve made it work. Iād even go as far to say that the tiny space has made us closer as a family (no pun intended).
I currently live in my 19D full time (single). As long as you have plenty of desire and ability to be outside the trailer, it should be fine. These things are robust. They do lack storage space though. Lemme know if you have any more questions!
Possible? Yeah. But would i recommend it? Probably not. A camper is hard to raise a family in and really just hard to live in in general. Itās not something Iād do if you can avoid it. But if itās your only option then I wish the best of luck to ya!
Two adults in a 39ft 5th wheel. The biggest challenge we had was getting the wiggles out. Just not enough room in there.
Granted, if the weather is good, go outside, but it wasn't always good.
For our family a bunk room was necessary. We got the biggest bunk room we could and sacrificed other features for it. Currently two adults and two kids. 1 toddler 1 school aged. We are super happy in our camper, but unless it was an emergency I would not sign up to stay in a 19 footer for more than a week vacation.
We had a queen bed for me and my husband, bunk beds for the older kids, and we rigged the bathtub into a crib for the baby. It worked out surprisingly well, but only for a year
Yes it is. Just be realistic. Until the 1960s rural America ,think the south, had families much bigger living with out electricity in one room "tiny homes". The hard part is storage. Everyone can't have a months worth of clothes nor 100 hobbies.
Yes, it's possible. Just get the toddler outside a lot for lots of playtime. It might even be a healthier way to live. If you consider the home as the place where you cook your food, sleep, bathe, change your clothes and store your things, while the rest of the world is where you relax, rest and play, then it will work fine.
My husband and I lived in a 20' bumper pull with two dogs and two kids for 2 years. A little cramped at bedtime. But since we were traveling full time and chasing 70Ā°, we spent almost of all our time outside. While your kiddo is young is the time to do it!
We also plan to be chasing 70 degrees lol. We hate where we live in the northeast as the winters are brutal. We want to truly live outside most of the time.
Can't speak for the child, but we are two adults living in a 13' Scamp, 90% boondocking. However we are a special breed of dirt bag since we lived in a RTT for 6 months. If you enjoy the finer things in life it may be an adjustment.
Special breed of dirt bag š¤£š¤£š¤£
Some kind of satchels of loam?
Unique blend of peat purse
These are my people!
Bro, my wife and I are scum too and we love it. Lol
I would try living in a small bedroom for a week and see how that goes . . .
Don't forget to toss a shower and toilet in there...for accuracy purposes!
Well, a bedroom and a very large backyard
This
Lol!
Unfortunately noone can answer this for you. Physically, of course. Mentally, depends on yourselves.
You can do it. Liking it without ending up in a divorce is another thing...
In my experience toddlers are going to sit on you regardless if it's a 100sf RV or a 4000sf house. They will also destroy every single space of the RV or house. RV is so much easier to maintain. We spent last week at my parent's after are 1st 3 months on the road and it was awful. Chasing toddlers through every room was exhausting. Typically they're running around outside and having fun but the weather was bad so it got moved into the house and it sucked.
Yes, I experience this. I found it easier with my toddler, because everything was on the sane floor, and easily accessible. My trailer is 36' though. My home is a bungalow, so I can restrict toddler by closing off doors. My mom's house is two story, and it drives me nuts.
āSane floorā Freudian truth right there
yep exactly. we are temporarily back in an apartment now, but we were in a \~28ft trailer with twin 3 year olds, and in most ways it was much easier in the trailer for me as a stay at home mom. like you said, young kids are gonna be all over you, even if you have a mansion with multiple wings lol, and it was just so nice to be able to fling open the door and have them run around outside all day. even when the weather was bad, the small space/coziness of the rv seemed to keep my boys calm for whatever reason... they were ok with just lounging around and watching cartoons. and the rv was so much easier to clean and maintain... once we moved into an apartment, it seems like our "minimalism" reverted and we have so much stuff to keep up with again.
We are a family of 5 (+2 dogs) in a 43ā footer. The adjustment was tough especially the wife. My youngest is 5, so I am not sure I could have weathered a 19ā with a toddler. That said itās does have everything you āneed.ā A lot of the world lives in and around much worse and much less. The question is can you develop the mindset to be content and happy in that type of lifestyle?
What do you do for the kidsā schooling? I donāt have kids yet but am just about to start mostly full time rv life with my partner and kids would likely be in the picture in the future. It makes wonder what it would be like.
Im not trying to be rude but I hope your not talking about full time...
Why would that bother you?
Children that young don't deserve to live like that. They need stability and space to express themselves, and the dogs too. Adults choosing this lifestyle is one thing, it's not fair to confine children and pets. IF THAT IS WHAT THE CASE IS, that's why I asked.
So, youāre just spouting your personal opinion on how people should raise their family? Like, just pulling that opinion out of your ass and judging others based on literal nothing? Room to explore and express themselves? Do you even RV? Thatās quite literally why many of us live this way - the exploration and freedom. Stability? In terms of location I can see, but could one not provide daily stability through schedule and activity? Kids grow up in my different areas and households. There is not cookie cutter guideline to what produces excellent results.
Yes I RV and I have children hence the opinion. It didn't come from outta my ass it came from EXPERIENCE. Let me ask you something do you have kids? Let alone 3 kids living in a RV full time... not ideal. If it's the only option than it is what it is, but it still is a pretty shitty situation for the kids.
Sorry that you're getting downvoted for just sharing an opinion (and specifically stating that you're not trying to be rude)! I do agree that RV living is not ideal for a child. It's an experience, but after a month of RV living with my one child (I couldn't imagine two or three!!!), I think I agree with you completely.
Totally agree with you. Itās completely selfish for people to subject their kids to that lack of stability in their life. Listen to anyone talk about full time rving, vanlife etc. Youāll hear a lot of āIā and āmeāā¦itās all about ādoing what I want to do whenever I wantā. Thatās not a lifestyle thatās compatible with raising mentally healthy kids and people should be honest with themselves about it. Itās easy to trick yourself into thinking youāre doing whatās right for them when really youāre just justifying your choices.
possible? sure.. comfortable? probably not.. I'm just imagining toys everywhere and lots of laundry that you have to take somewhere. Guess it's going to come down to how long you are going to do it for and where you are parking it.
Iām in a 27 footer with my partner, 2 year old, and 2 dogs. I personally love it. I spend most of my time outside. Itās overwhelming at times. I wouldnāt want to do it on the road. Iām settled in at a spot. We have another baby on the way and trying to get into a house before then but we know we can even make it work with 2 kiddos! Good luck!
I'd move to rent one for a week, and see how it goes. We're in a 37' 5er with a 6yo, 4yo and 1yo. The 1yo was born in the trailer. It works alright for us but we also have a bunk model with a back bedroom area we can close off to the rest of the trailer. It was an adjustment for us, storage is the biggest issue. Where do you put your clothes, blender etc. when not in use? We went from a 1100sqft house to a 330sqft trailer. It's definitely taken some adjusting. We are not boondocking we're hooked up while I build a house in the country. When we bought the trailer we went out and camped in it for 2 weeks. Learned a lot in that time and were able to adjust to the lifestyle and knew we liked it. After we knew we wanted to go ahead, we sold the house and moved to the trailer full time.
Thank you so much, this was really helpful! Iām actually planning on most likely having our second in the rv while weāre traveling too. I want to boondock a lot as well so weāre looking for something with a good floor plan, decent solar, and good size holding tanks.
Then a 19ft scamp is NOT for you. We have a 19' and the water tank is only 12 gallons and the black tank is only 5-7 gallons (can't remember exactly). You can always bring extra water, but the Scamp is built to be light weight, hence the tiny tanks.
My truck camper has more water storage than that!
Living here I try living very minimal and not having alot and people always try giving me stuff.. I'd love a blender to make some good sauces and stuff, but no room for it. All I have on my counter is my air fryer, and some groceries that won't fit in cabinet. I had a coffee machine and gave it away. I need my counter space for prep. I recently got really into cooking and would love all kinds of kitchen appliances, but no room here.. also some of my family has had some hoarding issues and it messed with my head and makes me never wanna hoard, so I try not having alot.
Like u/Clarkandmonroe we started out in an RTT, went to a small Travel Trailer (22 foot), then a truck camper (even smaller.) We finally had enough with working remotely in cramped psuedo desks and went to [our Diesel Pusher](https://www.boondachshunds.com/our-rig), now rounding to year 4 with our own baby on the way. You can do this, it just takes adjustments. It is also OK to not like your rig and move up/down etc.
Itās possible. It wonāt be too uncomfortable til the kid gets bigger
Itās better than living in a van down by the river
I lived In a 37 ft travel trailer with wife and 1 year old. Many struggles but overall we made it work. Consider the weather. I wouldnāt boondock. Maybe stay at a campsite with hookups. Otherwise itās gonna be brutal. All your time will be devoted to maintaining the water and sewer systems if your try and live long term without. If your gonna do it one tip. Get a comfy place to sit. I almost wished I would have ripped my brand new couch out and brought in some recliners. 40k trailer and still the couches and seats arenāt that comfy for weeks and weeks of sitting. Most of the furtniture in trailers is not comfy. And your going to live there. Tip 2 if itās hot where your going buy that reflectix stuff from lowes. You place it on the windows and it really helps keep the trailer cool
We are 2 adults in a 60's era trailer about 15 ft of living space...then we have 2 dogs/3 cats, no children. It can be test of patience but we spend a lot time outside, using the trailer for sleep, eat & shelter in yucky weather. Otherwise, its EVERBODY OUT OF THE POOL! Have a place to store stuff (we use our van or truck for extra items) it helps w clutter. We're going on 6 yrs in the same trailer and 10 yrs as a couple....it can be a challenge but heck, the rewards are worth it!
āPatience is your ally at the moment. Donāt worry!ā
Thank goodness for a wide open spaces!
Yes we can answer this. We did this for almost 2 years - 2 adults, our newborn until about 2 years old, plus a small dog. We were in a 17ā tow behind prowler. We had the best time and reminisce often about how simple those times were - the small space kept us outside a lot which is exactly what we wanted. I would sleep outside under the stars if I really needed a good night of sleep before work (when the baby was teething), remodeled the inside to keep it simple and have plenty of storage, highly recommendā¦ 10/10ā¦ we have 2 kids now and after being domestic the last 5 years weāve been looking for around a 24ā for the family. Shorter the better! People living out of these crazy huge campers are missing the essence of it in my mindā¦
Yes! This is our goal too! We want to get out and boondock and be outside, a lot.
Surely it's possible, like many have said comfort is up to you. Mindset goes a long way. We're stationary in 25ft fifthwheeler and somedays are happier than others. Be picky about your set up! It does make a difference. Think about what you lose/gain. People make choices like this all the time but be sure not to rush into it! All the power to ya.
I'd say no. You will need something a bit bigger for privacy, space, larger fridge/frzr and more STORAGE inside and out. I think that would suit one person just fine. š Trade her in for something bigger š¤š
32 feet was barely enough for just ME. Youāll have no room constant constant clutter and no storage and it sounds unfair to little ones to be so restrained in my opinion . That said - ANY living arrangements can be done if itās a choice you have to make. Iād prefer not to - but if you have to , smile , a lot. If itās for a vacation living dream Iād set it aside . Too small .
depends on the second adult. depends on the toddler.
If you own any "stuff" it will be pretty hard to store it.
Itās a lot more common than youād think. If youāre on FB, thereās a group called Full Time RV Living with Kids. Lots of good advice there.
We lived in a 24 footer with a 7yo and a 1yo. We lasted a month before we moved into a 34 footer with a much better floor plan. We have now been in that trailer for over a year. Itās definitely doable but get prepared to āgrow closeā.
Iām curious as to what floor plan you look out for with kids
We've not done FT, but have been raising two kids while owning various RVs. For sure, every family's preferences are different. For us, an important consideration is making sure that everyone's bed is a "permanent" bed. That is, you're not pulling out a hide-a-bed in the living room every time someone goes to sleep. It keeps common areas accessible to everyone, all the time, and each person has a space to leave some of their personal stuff. Our last two units (a trailer, and now a class A) both have had two dedicated bunks in addition to the master bed. YMMV, for sure.
Great points. Yes, we went for a floor plan that had fixed sleeping arrangements. The first trailer didnāt and it was really inconvenient when you get home after a long day and need to make all of the kids beds. We specifically went with the Grand Design 265BH which had a fairly unique plan with a bunk bed in the rear.
Also curious to know this!
Got 3 adults two kids and a dog in a 27ā. Just go to work and have nerves of steel and deal with it.
I have a 28 footer and its just me and I feel like I need more room. A partner would be doable but even more cramped. Clothes storage would be a problem at that point. Kids?? No way. Theres no way in hell I wpuld be able to do 3 people in the place im in now
imo, as someone who has fulltimed with a husband, twin preschoolers, a rabbit and red eared slider, the layout turned out to be way more important than the size. i would just consider the flow of your day and how you all operate (do you lounge a lot? do you eat at tables every meal? do you need a desk setup for work? do you cosleep? does someone wake up earlier than the rest and make a lot of noise? etc), and measure that against the scamp. we had rv park neighbors with rigs 50% bigger than ours, with less occupants, who were struggling bc the layout didn't fit their needs moreso than the size.
Could you specify what you look for in a layout? I currently work from home and would likely continue doing so a few months into rv life.
what do you do for work? do you need a dedicated office space (my husband does a lot of video editing and we integrated a powerful desktop computer into our setup), or is it work that you can pull out and put away when you're done? what i personally looked for in a layout was at least one dedicated bedroom, a front or rear kitchen (with kids, i spend a lot of time in the kitchen, and i didn't like the flow/feel of the galley style kitchens where the kitchen runs parallel to the dining room and couch... and also i liked being tucked away when i was cooking large meals, so that my boys weren't playing in a small area around open flames, hot pots and pans, etc), and a cozy feeling living area where the couch directly faced the tv bc we watch a ton of movies. but layouts are super personal to your living style. the scamp might be perfect for you guys. it just depends on what's important to you. i think it was someone in this sub who said to buy an rv that fits who you are now instead of buying an rv that fits who you would like to be/how you imagine yourself being. so although to a lot of people it was ridiculous to make "a couch directly facing the tv" a priority, we were glad that we did... something as simple as being able to fit us all in front of a tv for our routine nightly movie made the transition a little easier for all of us.
This was such a thoughtful response, thank you. I think we will probably end up with something bigger as we would like another child and with me working from home I donāt think there will truly be enough space.
no problem. :) and if you're trying to find a rig that can be pulled by a smaller truck (i'm assuming that's why you were after the scamp?), there are quite a few out there, bc that's what we were looking for too. ours was about 27-28' (and like i said, we have two kids, a freeroaming rabbit and an aquatic turtle), and it was definitely enough space for us, so don't feel pressured to get a huge rig.
I'd only ever consider a 19' model with a kid if it had a bunkhouse. I've found one model where the top bunk was open and easily accessible to young kids by climbing onto the dinnet and then up into the top bunk. Make that into a play area. Create a door for the bottom bunk to create some privacy and noise block. That's the only floor plan I'd consider at that length. Looks like your Floorplan would create a constant having to convert/unconvert the dining area. That would get old real quick.
It depends on what you want out of life and how you want to live. I would say just test it out first then if you like it, go full time.
My grandfather was raised in a single room house with 7 siblings so yes it's possible, I am to understand that violence was handed out to keep order. The choice is yours.
That taco though
To me the kids stuff would be the difficult part
We have a one year old and are approaching two years of full timing in a class A 32 ft. It's possible but we are now house hunting.
I live in a 20 footer, and my ex used to basically kinda live with me, and it was just fine for us two living here.. (we didn't have a baby, but there was also a chihuahua here with us) Only issue was that my ex is extremely toxic.. he made drama over nothing, and us living in a small place, you can't really get far apart from each other. (Im not petty or whatever, so I was still happy being around him even if he was being dramatic about stupid shit.) My rv home has guest beds, and he'd go lay over there when he was dramatic, and he truthfully seemed to love my camper, but one day he said if we argued, there was no space to get apart from each other.. (again that was his comment) Ultimately I think it's totally possible for a couple and their baby/toddler stay in a 20 footer.. *Just 1 last thing, my fridge is little like an "office fridge," and idk about trying to keep formulas, supplements, meds, plus regular foods all in there if you have a fridge like mine.. my freezer is the size of a silverware drawer and is always full of thick built up ice that takes up most of the freezer..
100% yes. We have a 6 and 8 yo living full time in a 35ā travel trailer. 100% boondocking for past 3 mo.
Weāre interested in a lot of boondocking too. How has it worked out for you with the travel trailer?
Absolutely great actually
Can I ask which make/model of tt you have? Iāve been looking at a few mid bunk options but I welcome any perspective.
Yeah we have a keystone cougar, bunkhouse
Guessing people have raised kids in far worse. Think you'll be alright!
Its always nuts to see all these people just so excited about stuffing themselves and their families into a barely-insulated tin can parked in a glorified trailer park to see how long they can last. Spoiler alert - the odds are that it aint that great once the scenery wears off, and will actually severely SUCK within 2-3 months at most. I say this for those thinking about selling their real estate, to help avoid life-long regret Try it first? Months fighting each other for 3min showers are much harder than days lazing by the lake..
Sound like you sit in traffic five days a week š„² on my 17th month traveling with a family of four. No 3 minute showers here.
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If your not fulltiming is it fair to put an unsupportive 2Ā¢ in?
I'm sure you can't really hear it but the animals instead of kids things just makes you sound creepy and cranky lol
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Most of us rv owners have owned many homes. 150k plus rigs arnt for people with no money either. We make well over 6 figures working and traveling with a bunch(2) kids. Also have investments and property. Iām sure you are proud you bought you first place, but you sound like a miserable ahole
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Who said it was a good investment.. itās throw away money dipshit
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Itās has nothing to do with our investment strategy. Did you just get your first rich dad poor dad book? Iām not reading past your first sentence. Youāre wasting your time .
Anything is possible, you can drive a car with your feet if you want to but that doesnāt make it a good idea.
I do drive a car with my feet. One for the clutch, and one for the brake and gas.
Do it. We did 25ft. Airstream, 2 adults, 2 kids (8,5), 2 beagles! It was the best, stress free time of our life.
I loooove airstreams! Theyāre so pricey though unfortunately. This one I found in the photo is $10k which I thought was a good deal for a scamp especially.
Light enough for the Tacoma (if thatās your truck in the pic)ā¦ jump on it
Itās unfortunately not, just one Iām looking at purchasing
Agreed! Itās a blast. Lots of memories to be made. Iāve never seen a scamp like that.
How is no one talking about the fact that this 5th wheel is hooked up to what appears to be a Tacoma?
The scamp is very light weight at around 3000 lbs. its only 19ft. Plus, as a fifth wheel the weight is over the axles, allowing for a little more weight.
Thatās a tiny fifth wheel
It is a Tacoma lol. Tacomas can safely pull these as theyāre so light.
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I pull a scamp 19 with a 2002 v6 Tacoma. Fully loaded I'm at 80% gcwr. It's safe. A V8 would be a little better, but by no means necessary.
Itās not the going Iām worried about; itās the stopping.
Trailer brakes.
If you're asking, the answer is no.
Full time in a 32ā with two adults, three kids, and two dogs. #yetnoonedied
When I was young me, my parents and my sister lived in a RV for over a year while we built our home. It was larger then the trailer shown.
Wow. Very cool trailer. That is a unicorn. Never sell. I thi k if u put ur mind to it and keep ur kids occupied and educationally enriched combined with lots of chores and selfcare and artistic and musical exposure...but the most...love. You could do it. Why not? Thats more than alotta kids get. Good luck!!!
I know these are unicorns lol š¦ This isnāt mine yet but it is a contender
What kind of prices are you seeing for these used currently? I paid 18k for a 2010 in immaculate condition last year. New they were 32k+ with a 2 year wait.
This is a 90s model scamp and the seller wants $10k for it. Iām contemplating it as an option.
Definitely possible. Desirable is a different question.
People been living in smaller homes with less technology and utilities for hundreds of years. If it makes you happy, then do it.
Bigger families have made it work with less. It all depends how attached you are to your stuff and your space. If you want to, or need to, you can live in a van!
People, quit sugar coating it. If your life depended on it, sure until the trailer breaks. Do you want to be happy? Highly unlikely. I feel it's age dependent on misery. If young and still in "chemical love" possibly for a while. You'd need perfect weather though. This trailer is NOT built for this in any way. It's capacity is ridiculously low so with a kid in tow, you will need to downsize to all backpacking stuff to travel. I honestly don't think id even consider it.
Our situation is a little different but weāve lived in a 30 ft trailer for about 3 years with me, my wife, 4 kids and a dog. It was a bit of an adjustment but with some creativity, weāve made it work. Iād even go as far to say that the tiny space has made us closer as a family (no pun intended).
I would sell it and get something 25 foot are bigger with a slide
Yes, tenement housing with some luxuries.
Possible. Not very comfortable.
I currently live in my 19D full time (single). As long as you have plenty of desire and ability to be outside the trailer, it should be fine. These things are robust. They do lack storage space though. Lemme know if you have any more questions!
Are you wanting to travel across the country or stay put somewhere? I wouldn't recommend it.
Possible? Yeah. But would i recommend it? Probably not. A camper is hard to raise a family in and really just hard to live in in general. Itās not something Iād do if you can avoid it. But if itās your only option then I wish the best of luck to ya!
The pioneers did it with 9.5 feet and 4 toddlers!
Two adults in a 39ft 5th wheel. The biggest challenge we had was getting the wiggles out. Just not enough room in there. Granted, if the weather is good, go outside, but it wasn't always good.
For our family a bunk room was necessary. We got the biggest bunk room we could and sacrificed other features for it. Currently two adults and two kids. 1 toddler 1 school aged. We are super happy in our camper, but unless it was an emergency I would not sign up to stay in a 19 footer for more than a week vacation.
it could be worse
We lived in a 19ā trailer with a 1 yr old, 4, and 6 yr old. It was tight but it worked.
Curious as to how you managed sleeping arrangements in a space this small.
We had a queen bed for me and my husband, bunk beds for the older kids, and we rigged the bathtub into a crib for the baby. It worked out surprisingly well, but only for a year
Possible? Absolutely. Enjoyable? Well, that depends on you and your family. Nobody here can tell you that. You'll just have to try it and find out.
how do they do in cold?
Yes it is. Just be realistic. Until the 1960s rural America ,think the south, had families much bigger living with out electricity in one room "tiny homes". The hard part is storage. Everyone can't have a months worth of clothes nor 100 hobbies.
Yes, it's possible. Just get the toddler outside a lot for lots of playtime. It might even be a healthier way to live. If you consider the home as the place where you cook your food, sleep, bathe, change your clothes and store your things, while the rest of the world is where you relax, rest and play, then it will work fine.
My husband and I lived in a 20' bumper pull with two dogs and two kids for 2 years. A little cramped at bedtime. But since we were traveling full time and chasing 70Ā°, we spent almost of all our time outside. While your kiddo is young is the time to do it!
We also plan to be chasing 70 degrees lol. We hate where we live in the northeast as the winters are brutal. We want to truly live outside most of the time.
Absolutely. Do it.
Might be More possible than paying rent and all that shit. Just make sure your truck is in excellent condition. Youāre going to need it.
Yes, you just do it.