Outfitting, Part 3: We've Been Mod-Blocked
When we have 11 weeks to get a giant list done (and those weeks include a Nor 'Easter + cold weather + holidays + we both have full-time jobs), setbacks are no fun. We had a series of days where we would take the afternoon off to work on the RV, only to finish our day with zero tasks complete. There is only so much sighing/shrugging/saying "RV Life, amiright?" before things really start to get frustrating. While most of the setbacks were small (like the trouble of unmounting the TV), added together they can be quite the nuisance. We were glad to have reset our perspective after the big storm. Buggy was safe and he was ready to make us warm and cozy when we needed him. So we took each setback in stride and did what we could.
Ever since our tree farm experience of not lowering our patio screen, I couldn't wait to clean all the dead bugs out our lights, but removing the covers to our LEDs proved extremely difficult. No one seemed to know how to remove the covers, not other ATC Owners, not East Coast Trailers, not even ATC! So we stuck a pin in that plan and moved onto the next items on the list. Though we have a Clear2O water filter setup, we decided to also install an under-the-sink filter because we want to make sure we're filtering the water closer to the rig too. The day Anthony was going to install the filter, the forecast was saying the temperature would drop well into the 20s, and this wouldn't be the first day. We made the decision to winterize the RV, and so the water filter will need to wait.
Our biggest modification setback was the building of our workstation. When we were expecting to take delivery of the trailer in June, we had discussed building a custom workstation with my uncle. This would take the place of our stock dining table and would serve as our office/dining space. Not to be dramatic, but this was expected to be the most significant piece of furniture in our entire rig! So, when we didn't get our trailer until October, it left my uncle no time to build a workstation from scratch. Knowing I still wanted to do something, I began researching ways to possibly modify an existing unit to fit our needs. In the meantime, we went back to the outfitting task list.
When I experience setbacks, I always try to figure out what I can do to feel like there is some forward momentum. That might mean putting our area rug in the RV before we have our flooring installed, but if it makes me feel better, why not? I was also able to do a few more aesthetic changes. I changed out the bathroom shower curtain and added a bath mat and some storage. My mom and I teamed up to jerry rig a mount for a lampshade I designed for the bedroom ceiling light. We also created a fabric covering for the headboard. I even began hanging a few decorative pieces. Little by little, the RV was coming together. It's amazing what adding some pops of color can do to brighten up a space and make it seem larger!
One final addition that made a huge difference was adding our ramp door curtains. Again, not really something that should have gone in before the flooring, but I couldn't help myself.
Finally feeling like we were making some progress, we decided it was time to tackle the big projects. We got in contact with our handyman to come and see the RV, hoping he'd help us install our vinyl flooring. We also made some final decisions on how we could fashion a workstation with limited time, furniture, and expertise. This was going to be quite the endeavor, but no risk, no reward!