That’s not a typo in the headline, folks. A common concern for new RVers is how they can handle life together in a cramped RV. Being together can be wonderful, but how much is too much?
I cover this in depth in my The Reluctant RVer seminar. It is a real issue for some couples, and not a problem at all for others. A lot depends on how your relationship is going in. If you can’t get along together in a 2,000 square foot house, you’ll hate it in a 300 square foot RV. There is no shop in the garage or sewing room to escape to.
It’s one thing to love each other, but if you plan to live together long term in an RV, you really have to like each other as well. You have to learn to rely on each other, because there are times when one or the other of you has to be the strong one and carry the load for both of you.
You must each have your own space. Maybe that is when one goes into the bedroom to watch TV 
alone or read a book. Maybe one goes for an occasional walk alone. In our case, I hate shopping, and Terry enjoys taking her time at the grocery store looking for bargains. So she usually goes alone, and I have the bus to myself for a while.
It is also important to be able to communicate and to compromise. If the husband enjoys baseball and wants to go to every baseball stadium in America to see a major league game, that is fine. But what if the wife wants to visit museums or Presidential homes? Is there time for her interests too? There must be if you will have a successful RVing experience.
Another thing us guys are guilty of, all too often, is wanting to cover too many miles, never stopping to smell the roses along the way. We talked to one couple that had been on the road for a year, and had never spent two nights in the same place, nor had they ever spent a night in an RV park. It was all Wal-Mart parking lots, truck stops, and rest areas. The wife was absolutely miserable, but the husband was proud of how much they had “seen” in their travels.
Many times little things can be a problem in the close confines of an RV. If one party wants to sleep in, and the other one is an early bird, a loud TV or radio can become a major point of contention. This is where headphones come in handy, as well as basic courtesy.
Terry and I are best friends and very comfortable together. We may go two or three hours without speaking a word. I’ll be busy writing and she’ll be doing bookwork or something else, and we don’t feel the need to say much. But, by the same token, one or the other will be passing by and just lay a gentle hand on the other’s shoulder, or say “I love you” as we go by. Of course, there are times we’ll lay in bed in the morning and talk for an hour or two before we get up to face the day. It’s our time to be together.
Thought For The Day – Men are from earth. Women are from earth. Deal with it!
Nick Russell
World-Famous, New York Times Best Selling Author, and All-Around Nice Guy!
Jim and I celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary yesterday and it dawned on us that 6 of those years … over half … have been in this 30 ft, class C, no slides motorhome. And, it’s our office too! Sometimes it does amaze me.
A motorhome may not have the space that a house does, but it doesn’t have the responsibilities either! No debates over who does the yardwork. Gone is the obligation to host the family Thanksgiving. Yes, you definitely need to get along well with each other … but, nobody else. The grown kid can’t move back in with you!
Nick that morning time in bed is the trick. My wife and I say that is our time before anything else. The first one to wake up in the morning gets the coffee and brings it to bed where we sit up and talk. It must work because we have been married for 53 years.
Joe
Ain’t love grand?!
Indeed, love is grand. Happiness is being married to your best friend!
Nancy asked me the other day what I was smiling about. . . I merely stated that I loved her. Seems to be enough. I’m always grateful for the calm times before the storm, however. Thanks for the blog, Nick. As always, Orv
You said it, Nick! Suzy and Ihave been best friends over 50 years, nearly 49 of them as husband and wife. We’ve learned a lot about each other in the past nearly 7 years on the road, and like everything we have learned. Compromises? Yes, but they always made sense and made life better for both of us.
Great advice! It sounds like a lot of fun 😀 It must be wonderful being married to your best friend. And it’s great that neither of you have to talk all the time.
I have told people the same thing for years–Love really has nothing to do with it, you have to like the person you are with to make it living fulltime in an RV. We’ve have been fulltimers for 9 years, and still enjoy each other’s company.