Before heading west, we did a 10-day mini trip through Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine in order to evaluate our supplies. As we learned to operate in our new mini home, we were forced to ask, “What could we do without? What could serve multiple uses?”

The first thing that needed to go was the camper’s original shaggy, red carpeting. It was old and worn, and we knew it’d be a nightmare to keep clean. After tearing it out, we installed birch plywood flooring, which was a breeze to sweep. We quickly ditched a small trunk we initially thought would both provide storage and serve as a table. Instead, we found ourselves maneuvering around it more than using it. After that, we used stumps as table tops. We switched from full-sized pots and pans to our compact titanium cook set previously used only for backpacking.

An 18-pocket shoe caddy on the inside of the bathroom door provided organization for odds and ends
– John Doe

Kyle and I each had a plastic trunk to hold our clothes, which sat atop the camper benches while driving. We made do with small amounts of everything: two forks, one set of sheets and a few pairs of underwear. Our four months on the road were a concentrated lesson in adaptability, an important skill for all realms of life. I explored the edges of my capabilities and learned the difference between my needs and my desires.