3 Months in.

Well, it’s been three months in the Van now and I am starting to settle into my new way of life.  Due to some unforeseen personal circumstances I had thought about life back in a house and I wasn’t happy about the idea.  Fortunately this has not happened and I am full timing for the foreseeable.

I am loving the lifestyle so much and have started to settle into a few routines now.  When I lived in a bricks and mortar house I used to have to dedicate around 4 hours to keeping it clean per week excluding any gardening or other maintenance that needed doing.  I have got a full van clean down to 20 minutes on average and I do this once a week on a sunday.  Yes you heard me correctly,  I clean my entire house top to bottom in only 20 minutes and I do it every week.  It takes 5 minutes to wash the shower/toilet and sink,  After each shower though I use the damp towel to wipe down the shower area.  I do this to prevent mildew or anything else growing so this makes things easier on the weekly clean.  Hoovering the carpets takes me 5 minutes also.  Washing up, cleaning the cooker and oven and putting everthing away takes another 5 minutes.  Then it is a quick whiz round the van with Mr Sheen impregnated cloths.  All cabinets are dusted including the tops which you can’t actually see.

After the cleaning has been done,  I empty the tanks and refill with fresh water  this does take around 20 minutes all in.  I then head to the laundrette put a large washload in (£5.00) and while this is going wander round to the local supermarket to stock up on weekly supplies.  I get back to the Laundrette in time to spend another £3 on the tumble dryer and 40 minutes later they are all away.  The van is now looking good, I have a full set of clean clothes and towels etc.

All in all it takes me 3 hours from start to finish to do ALL my domestic chores for the week and that includes travelling time, shopping, cleaning and laundering.

I haven’t yet come up against any major downsides to full timing that I haven’t experienced in my (ex) normal life.   The things that I thought would get old and tedious fast such as emptying the toilet cassette have just become one of those things I need to do and doesn’t actually bother me in the slighest.

All in all I love full fulltiming in my van and cannot forsee this every changing.  However I am writing this in the summer so my views may change come winter time…  We shall just have to wait and see.