Outfitting, Part 1: First Things First
When tackling a multi-step checklist, it's only natural that some steps get placed top priority. Those are the things that need to be complete before tackling more tasks. Anthony worked on combing through every inch of the rig, outside and in, making sure to seal up any holes around wiring, piping, etc. This is important for a few reasons:
- It helps to keep rodents and insects out, which was especially important since we knew the trailer would be sitting in our parents' wooded yard for a couple of months, during the wildlife's hunt/gather/hibernation prep season.
- It can help with insulation. We aimed to get this done as early as possible for insulation purposes, and since we knew the cold weather could roll in at any minute, it was more comfortable for Anthony to do the exterior work right away when we still had reasonably warm weather.
- It's a good opportunity to make sure everything is intact and where it should be.
While Anthony got to work, my first task was to also add some extra insulating materials. I started by putting foam tiles in the storage space under the bed.
The next step was to add Reflectix to the backs of all the cabinets. Reflectix is a foil insulating material that regulates temperature by reflecting radiant heat. It's often used on windows for this purpose, but it can also be handy to use as an extra barrier against a wall, for added insulation. Since I was going through all the cabinets already, I also took this time to cut rubber drawer liners to line each cabinet and drawer. This is mainly so items will slide less in transport, but the extra rubber layer certainly can't hurt when it comes to temperature control.
My first roadblock was realizing that, in order to adequately line the cabinet above the kitchen sink, I needed to remove the Jensen stereo that comes stock in the trailer. I didn't even take any photos of it; that's how quickly I got rid of it. But, it was attached under/wired into the kitchen cabinet. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be an easy way to get rid of the stereo + wiring completely; most ATC owners will just replace the stereo with their own gadget. However, we didn't want anything there. So I unscrewed the stereo from the bottom of the cabinet, and we clipped and capped the wires and tucked them away as best as we could. Hanging wires are certainly not the prettiest, but removing the Jensen was definitely well worth it.
Near the Jensen was our TV, mounted to the wall next to the fridge. In our initial attempts to live a more minimalist life, Anthony and I got rid of our cable service in January of 2020. We never looked back. Besides streaming a few shows and watching some of our favorite RV YouTube channels, we are not big television people. We want this new chapter in our lives to prioritize outdoor time and productivity, and so we knew the TV was going to be one of the first things to go. Besides, it also kept us from opening our freezer door the whole way, and to us, food is way more important than television! Unmounting the TV took over an hour, thanks to a desperate search for the right screw head (double square shape so that it creates a star...whaaa?) but it was surely another huge relief when that thing was down. And as for satisfying our TV whims? We have a killer projector that gives us a theater-style display any time we want. Where on earth will that go in 250 square feet? You'll see!
Once the audiovisual eyesores were disconnected from our trailer, I continued adding more Reflectix and drawer liners.
Like with Anthony's caulk-and-seal task, I took this time to double check all the shelving, hinges, and bolts in all the drawers and cabinets. The only problem we found was one cabinet shelf that wasn't cut straight. I feared that any weight on that shelf would cause it to come crashing down. Thankfully, the simplest solution was right in front of our nose: don't use the shelf! It was in a cabinet where we didn't really need the extra shelf anyway, so crisis averted!
These simple tasks were surprisingly time-consuming, but getting them done first meant that we could immediately start moving items into the cabinets (which we didn't until many weeks later) and not need to worry about extra cold coming into the rig during the late fall/winter weeks (now that was a good call!). Personally, I couldn't wait to start bringing in decorative items. If you've read the mission page on our website, you know that I've had an idea for the look/vibe of this RV for months. As someone who works in the wellness field, I am very tuned into the energy of my environment, so it's a big deal to make sure this space is a good energetic fit. Just because a space is small doesn't mean it can't look and feel amazing. My goal was to bring in minimal, chic touches, ones that would give an indoor-outdoor feel so that we can embrace nature. After all, that is one of the main reasons for choosing this lifestyle. Here's hoping that vision comes to life!