How to live simply in a motorhome

You’ve heard the saying that less is more. I believe that the less complicated life is and the less stuff you have, the more content you are. Living in a motorhome is a simple life: we have all we need, and we can go where we like, and whenever we like. Well, not at the moment but we’ll pretend all is well in the world. ☺️

How do we do this, you ask?

Taking a break in Beechmont

Don't plug in

Have no reliance on shore power, as they say in the boating world. Our power needs are entirely serviced by the sun, but we do have a gas stove. Two solar panels and associated equipment are enough to run the 110 litre Waeco fridge, charge our electronic equipment, and watch a movie at night. Good battery management is essential to get the most out of being off the grid.

Sometimes we have to move Delvy to get maximum sunshine.

Know how to fix things

It’s very handy having a diesel mechanic and ships engineer on board! We have spare belts, for example, as we know how to replace them (well hubby does – I am the trusty trades assistant). Whatever spare parts you carry depend on your ability to use them. If you don’t have a clue, don’t worry about spares; if you do then you’ll have an idea of what you can and can’t do yourself and stock up accordingly.  A well-maintained vehicle shouldn’t give you too much trouble, but machinery can and will break down.

Late summer evening roadside repairs - it was too hot to commence them earlier!

Want less

Do you really need a coffee machine? The less you want the less chance of things going astray and less you need to look after. Try and come up with simpler alternatives, or go without. When we first set out on our Delvy adventures, I thought I needed to be able to dry my hair (it was winter) and sometimes straighten it (so I could look half decent), so we installed a pure sine wave 12 volt to 240-volt inverter. On overcast days we had to run the engine so these appliances could operate but this became annoying. I came up with an alternative solution: I used the diesel heater to dry my hair, and eventually grew it long enough to tie up so didn’t worry about styling. Once we travelled to warmer climes, none of it mattered. The invertor is now used to charge the eMTB bike batteries. Priorities!

The eMTBs are a great way to explore any area

Use free public facilities

Every Australian town and village has free use of BBQs. We often cook at lunchtime for a couple of reasons: one, it’s not dark; and two, we can enjoy the town atmosphere and its offerings, plus buy any groceries or fuel we need whilst there. We always cook enough to have leftovers for the next couple of days. What dish can’t you enhance with a cold sausage?

Barbie Master

Evening BBQs can be a bit too cool

Use minimal water

We only carry 240 litres of fresh water across two tanks, and when used wisely can last us a week to ten days. While we do have a shower on board, we are regular ocean or pool swimmers so we take advantage of a quick fresh water rinse off at these venues. As luxurious as it is, there really is no need to stand under a shower for several minutes, 

A swim in the local pool is a great way to cool off

An ocean swim is always refreshing in southern waters

Spend less

It’s not about how much money you make, it’s about how much you don’t spend. Trading skills and knowledge for food is a favourite of ours, but we also love buying fresh fruit and veg, eggs, honey etc from roadside stalls to support local communities. We examine our priorities and make sure we only buy what we need and not fill our small space with clutter.

While we are still reliant on the outside world for fuel, water and food, we’ve learnt to be self-sufficient with the set-up we have so we can spend more time in the great outdoors doing the things we enjoy. That’s what living simply is all about.

Freedom camping in the Australian outback