Clothes - RV-Dreams Community Forum

kimbrellsf · RV-Dreams Family Member

Clothes

Ckerr · RV-Dreams Family Member

It's not silly for me as I struggle with the same issue. In fact there's a thread on this topic from last year when I was really struggling with this issue.

I think it depends a great deal on your plans as a fulltimer. Since we are not in a position to retire yet, I'm planning to continue consulting. That means I need work (as in business appropriate) clothes along for the ride. We also find ourselves in colder climates at times, so we need layers to make that work. And then just because I want to continue being something of the "girly girl" I tend to be, there is a variety of day to day items. Let's just say that I'm not willing to give up some high heels and cute dresses just because I'm going to be traveling fulltime.

On the other hand, if you're more the outdoors, casual type and plan to confine your travels to warm weather areas, a wardrobe of various shorts, capris and tee shirts with a couple of sweatshirts/sweaters thrown in might do it for you.

I think it's easier for the guys. Their clothes seem to go across situations better.

And to answer your specific question, yes we are planning to keep a few things with us for dress up occasions.

-- Edited by Ckerr on Thursday 25th of August 2011 10:10:06 AM

kimbrellsf · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks! I enjoyed reading the thread from last year. I see I'm not alone with this concern. We are just starting to talk about and research full-timing so it won't be something that happens right away. There's a chance we will stay in NC, where we live now, for the 1st year while my husband continues with his work. This would mean he'd need some dress clothes. He's a big man, and he has summer and winter weight dress clothes since he works all of NC in all kinds of weather. His coats take up a lot of space. Maybe we could ditch what he has now, and buy a 2 travel sport coats that are all season-wear and consume less space. We are probably not using our under-bed storage to it's best advantage. I have laundry baskets in there that we use to sort out things like shoes, tees, dirty clothes, but the sides slope, wasting space at the floor level. Our closets are not very big at all. I hope ultimately to travel all over the country, so we'll need lots of layers. I do have a thing for sport & athletic shoes, as well as boots, so storing those is going to be a challenge.

The Bear II · RV-Dreams Family Member

All I know is we take too many clothes....

It's funny, we both have lots of clothes to choose from but we end up wearing the same several outfits. I usually wear shorts and a Tee-Shirt no socks and sandals. Once in a while I may put on a light jacket/sweatshirt and or long pants. So as long as I have a couple of pairs of shorts and tee-shirts and a way to wash them, I'm set.

I could actually get by with two pairs of shorts, a swim suit, three tee-shirts (one old one to work in), a dress up shirt with collar, 2 pairs of jeans, 1 pair of dress pants, 3 pairs of socks, a light jacket, a heavy jacket and a few of the unmentionables. That's all I end up wearing even though I have a lot more to choose from. The only real reason I need multiples of some items is to give me something to wear while the laundry is being done.

RVPAINTER · RV-Dreams Family Member

I was reading on line about a nudist RV park --------- OH never mind :>)

kimbrellsf · RV-Dreams Family Member

Could get chilly in winter..........

53 Merc · RV-Dreams Family Member

fraziers wrote:
Could get chilly in winter..........

Yeah, but the chillbumps would take up all the slack and hide wrinkles.

Jim Dean · RV-Dreams Family Member

To get back to fraziers original problem, the visuals are getting crazy.

Take what you think you will need. Hang the clothes in the closet with the hooks pointing outward. As you wear something put it back into the closet with the hooks pointing the normal way. After a period of time look to see which clothes are still hanging with the hangers in the backward position. Those are the clothes you have not worn. Do you still need them?

My wife and I are living in our 5th wheel in a static location. When we started out in March both of us were working full time. She has since retired and purged some of her stuff. I still have several weeks left before I am through working. At that time I will follow my suggestion and turn my hangers around. Our winter clothes are in spacebags under the bed. When it comes time to make the switch I will have to do the same thing for those clothes. Being in the first year we have a tendency to overthink what we need. As time and experiences happen we get smarter and can make decisions to purge those items we don't use.

RVPAINTER · RV-Dreams Family Member

Good suggestion Jim - I've made note of this one!

Luvglass · RV-Dreams Family Member

Most everybody brings far more clothes than they end up using, and eventually discards most of it.

It's an amazingly relaxed lifestyle and you can literally get by with 3 or 4 pair of shorts, a couple of jeans and bathing suits, a dozen Tee shirts and a few pair of sneakers and some flip fops.

This advice is of course, null and void, if you will be exclusively staying at ritzy "Motorhomes Only" parks. :)

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Luvglass wrote:
This advice is of course, null and void, if you will be exclusively staying at ritzy "Motorhomes Only" parks. :)

We need to sneak one of our members into one of those places and find out what they are like. wink

RVRon · RV-Dreams Family Member

53 Merc wrote:
fraziers wrote:
Could get chilly in winter..........
Yeah, but the chillbumps would take up all the slack and hide wrinkles.

Now that made me laugh out loud!

Laura and Bunk · RV-Dreams Family Member

Luvglass wrote:
This advice is of course, null and void, if you will be exclusively staying at ritzy "Motorhomes Only" parks. :)

We need to sneak one of our members into one of those places and find out what they are like. wink

Tried to get in one once with my tent, emergency situation. Should have taken pictures of the looks I got. Bet that type has a lot of drowning in rain storms.

They are not RV-Dreams type people (am I being prejudiced) Can not imagine one of you all turning someone in need away!

foxriverguy · RV-Dreams Family Member

Take a dark blue suit. Donate the rest to Goodwill. Keep a pair of good khaki Dockers and now you have a casual outfit: dark jacket, light colored slacks and a button down shirt and no tie. Bring two ties. Gym shoes, hiking shoes and casual dress shoes. You are good to go. Then a year later you can donate what you don't use.

53 Merc · RV-Dreams Family Member

Yeah, the comment about both having a lot of winter coats about threw me. Whatever for? The good part about the RV life is, no winter. Well, maybe a bit chilly on a couple of days. But no winter. Move the darn thing south. If you are cold, go further south. A light jacket or a sweater is enough.

kimbrellsf · RV-Dreams Family Member

I like places that are colder. I'm sure we will go south in the dead of winter, but in general, we like the mountains. I found the perfect jacket at LL Bean, that has a waterproof shell with a primaloft jacket liner that zips out and can be worn together or separately. The coats I have now are going to the consignment shop.
I really like Jim's idea of reversing hangers. I don't have much trouble culling my wardrobe, but it's going to harder to get my husband to. Maybe I could go ahead and get him started on that strategy now, so it will be easier later to let go of all those shirts in his closet that he never wears.

Ckerr · RV-Dreams Family Member

Great idea about the hangers Jim!

Also, thanks George for the man's perspective. That's exactly what we were thinking for Johnny's "dressier" wardrobe. Other than that he's good with shorts, blue jeans, workout pants, golf shirts and t-shirts. Of course he keeps thinking he needs all 10 pairs of blue jeans cuz that's what he needed when he was working full time... lol