According to the RV Industry Association in America, one million people live in RVs. All over the world, more people are starting to ditch their brick and mortar homes for a life on the road. However, before we capitulate into this life of exploration and adventure, first question you need to begin to ponder is whether or not you and your significant other could last a year in such tiny living quarters as an RV.
When two people commit to living together in an RV, you never know what will happen. Cabin fever makes people do weird things. Hopefully, you won’t experience anything like The Shining, but be prepared for the unexpected. If you share the same breathing space with someone else eventually your innocent peculiarities might get under their skin, just as their once quirky temperament could begin to ruffle your feathers.
The Washington Post wrote an article about people living in RVs. The article concluded from a dozen couples who live in RVs, that living in small spaces has improved their marriage and actually made them happier. The “happiness” was the key, considering that living on the road meant a smaller paycheck. Despite the loss of monetary value, the couples were happier living in RVs.
The thought of spending my life in a 25 foot cage with some of my exes is enough to make the hair on my arm stand up. Is that really true? Can living in a confined space be good for a relationship?
Commitment
Before any couple embarks on a life on the road, they should sit down and have a serious conversation. Finances, individual responsibilities, expectations, and alone time needs to be carefully structured.
Discarding that picket fence is certainly a commitment. Living in an RV is a pleasant thought to squish around in your head, but could you and your significant other really survive decades of expensive and uncomfortable campgrounds, cleaning out that disgusting black holding tank, and sustaining those RV costs, which are only getting higher?
Communication
Relationship experts give meticulous advice to couples living in tiny quarters. As usual, communication is key. Unless two people living in the same tent understand each other, life will not be pleasant, or maybe even possible. Everyone gets into moods. When you feel the stress boiling your blood, it is essential to let your significant other know.
Just take a hop, skip and a jump across the internet, and you will see dozens of beautiful pages, about couples that manage relationships perfectly from an RV. According to them, true love can only be found in a Winnebago. They will post a plethora of pictures on their site, of the two love-birds holding hands. They probably won’t advertise news of their divorce six months later.
Oh well, love is blind
Having a pet would most likely be an asset for a couple living together in a tiny RV. A dog or a cat is another life to pay attention to, instead of your significant other. When you and your significant other get into a fight, to have a dog or a cat to snuggle up will be very beneficial. Even if you are not the one snuggling up with your pet, it will be very beneficial. Undoubtedly, a few minutes of cuddling with the pet will release gallons of steam from the fight.
Living in a tiny place with someone else can pose some psychological challenges. Some people require alone time. The ability to slink away into your womb and play some Nintendo or read a book or flip through a photo album, can be extremely therapeutic. What if for six months, everywhere you turn your head, you see your significant other. The only alone time you get, is when you stare at your feet.
Tips on managing relationships in small places
A few tips from a Huffington Post article entitled Moving in Together: Advice for Couples Sharing a Small Space;
- Agree to the placement of furniture in your new small living accommodations. Better yet, pick out some new furniture together.
- Distribute cleaning chores – who will clean the dishes, etc.
- Install some divider, whether it be a screen or a stack of newspapers, so that there is somewhere to go to be “alone”.
A lover’s squabble is inevitable, especially when living in a 200 square foot RV. When the fight takes place in a home or apartment usually, one of the members will storm outside or retreat to the basement to play some darts or drink a lot of coffee or watch some episodes of Cops. However, when the fight takes place in an RV, with nowhere to run, the couple will be forced to talk out their disagreements.
In conclusion, if it isn’t a healthy relationship to begin with, chances are, sticking two people in an RV for a year won’t produce any miracles. However, if it is a healthy relationship, sharing the same breathing space for such a long time will inevitably make the relationship even better.
Conclusion
For the better or for the worse, any fighting in an RV will be worked out quickly. Sometimes, the aftershocks of an argument might last for years. In addition, by spending so much time together, both partners will learn to appreciate the other.
