Why we couldn’t part with our Four Wheel Camper but are loving our Casita

full time rv living

It’s been a little over two months since we bought our Casita travel trailer and nearly as long since we moved in to it full-time (combined with our Four Wheel Camper).  The setup may be unique but it couldn’t be working out better.  I thought I’d take the opportunity to share with you guys how we’re using everything and a few more details about why we ended up going this route.

It all started with the one thing we knew to be true:  There was no way we were giving up our Four Wheel Camper.  Here’s why:

  1.  We loved our FWC setup so much we wanted to add on to that idea rather than start over from scratch.
  2.  We loved the idea of two separate spaces.  When you’re with your spouse 24/7, it’s nice to have a division of space.
  3. We loved the idea of still having our FWC to take places the Casita can’t go if we ever wanted to leave the Casita behind for such a trip.  For instance, we would love to go to Baja someday and for that we would want to leave the Casita behind.
  4. We owned a 30′ travel trailer in the past and hated towing it.  We knew we wanted a trailer much smaller, so keeping our sleeping space, among other things, in the bed of our truck allowed us to shop for the smallest trailer possible.
  5. Just because we loved the idea of living on the road full-time didn’t mean it was going to work.  If in 6 months or a year we decided it wasn’t for us, we wanted to be able to sell the Casita and still have the FWC.
  6. The whole idea to live on the road full-time arose from loving our FWC so much so selling it just didn’t make any sense!

For our extended trips (4-6 weeks) that we previously took, our utility trailer worked perfectly.  However, for full-timing, we desired something different because:

  1.  It doesn’t have climate control.  Although we planned on following the weather, we wanted the ability to be comfortable in any conditions.
  2.  It’s not weather sealed.  We spend a lot of time in the desert and everything inside that trailer would get covered in dirt.  We wanted a space that would be better protected from the wind and rain.
  3. We had to cook and bathe outside.  No problem for vacations but not ideal for full-time living.

It took close to a month for everything to find its place but we’re finding our groove and it’s really feeling like home.  Here’s how we’re using each space:

The Four Wheel Camper:  The truck camper is primarily used for sleeping, clothing and storage.  Since it’s a shell model with a dinette setup, we have a fair amount of storage space and don’t have a kitchen that’s not getting used.  We’re also using our ARB refrigerator in the camper instead of the refrigerator in the Casita.  We love that refrigerator because it’s 100% solar powered (we’ve not yet setup solar on the Casita) and find that the top-loading refrigerators hold so much more than a traditional front-loading refrigerator.  The fridge in the Casita is used as a pantry.

The Casita:  We shower, cook and work in the Casita.  Some of the things I’m loving that make the Casita the perfect upgrade for us:

  1.  Running water!
  2.  A shower that doesn’t require setup, teardown and being outside.
  3. The ability to cook inside.  I do miss cooking outside, however, there have been some really windy and cold days that have made me so appreciative of the indoor kitchen.
  4. The windows!  I am all about windows.  If I’m inside, I want to be able to see outside.  This is one of my only qualms about the FWC.  The placement of the window is such that when you’re sitting at the dinette, the window is lower than you so you can only see the ground, not the view.  Sitting at the dinette in the Casita with 3 big windows surrounding me makes me very happy!
  5.  It’s extremely cozy during bad weather.
  6.  The separate space where Mark can stay up late and I can get up and go to early is just as nice as we thought it would be.
  7.  It’s easy to tow and takes very little time to set up and teardown.

So far we are absolutely loving our new setup and the full-time RV lifestyle!  As of now, is there anything we would do differently?  No.  Is it the perfect setup?  No, but it’s very close to it.  At this point, we feel like the only thing that’s missing is some utility space to store dirty, outdoor items like tools, hoses and firewood but Mark is currently working on a remedy for that.  Once the mods are complete I’ll give you guys a tour!

 

 

 

9 Comments

Leave a Reply to Mike JacksonCancel reply

  • It looks like a great combination 🙂 I agree with the previous comment – that a video tour would be awesome 🙂 Looking forward to Mark’s remedy! Thanks!

  • Looks like a great combo – and flexible too. I have been thinking that the FWC and a small trailer make for a good extended trip system – which also allows for short side trips with just the FWC.

  • Looks like a great set up. I love my roadtrek 190 with 4 wheel drive (but not a lot of extra ground clearance). My sister went with me for the first time this winter to big bend and now since we are both retiring we are thinking about going on the road. The van just isn’t big enough for us both. My roadtrek dealer suggested getting a casita and pulling it with the RT. The van is rated to pull about 7,000 and she said I’d hardly notice the casita behind us. We kinda like developed campgrounds so wondering if ya’ll have had experience with hooking up both units to electricity. I’m not a cheapskate but wondering what the campground would think if we had about a 40 ft space. I think I could plug one unit into the 30 amp plug and the other into the 50 amp with an adapter. Any advice appreciated.

  • My husband and I have made the decision to move into our 35’ Motorhome full time for our retirement. Although it’s a scary thought, selling our home and most of our things, it’s also very exciting. Any tips on getting through this would be very welcome. We have had our Motorhome for 6 years and we just love it.

By michele

About

Hi!  We’re Mark & Michele, a couple of modern-day nomads perfecting the art of slow, perpetual travel.  Our tiny home on wheels and slow-paced travel style allows us maximum freedom at minimal expense.  This blog is where we share our travels as well as our insights in to this lifestyle that we absolutely love.  Thanks so much for being here.

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