Crossing to ‘The Dark Side’

Welcome to CT but let’s right away dispell any myth of 'the dark side'. Motorhoming is as light and bright as caravanning and there's nothing evil about it.👍🏻😀

Well done on choosing a nice small PVC. We have done the same, albeit we went from caravan to coachbuilt MH and then to PVC. In my opinion you need to dump anything you are unlikely to use. That is, spare crockery and cooking pans, water containers (other than perhaps a small one just for drinking water), all those just in case items that never see the light of day. Pare it back to the bone and see how you get on before disposing of items. 

Investigate collapsible buckets, bowls and utensils and see what your cupboards could benefit from by way of extra shelves or plastic storage crates. Non-slip rubber matting in cupboards not only helps stabilise items but cuts down on rattles.

Your ingenuity will come into play both with finding nooks and crannies to store items, and with silencing the numerous rattles.

Good luck and enjoy your van.

It’s a quite different experience, and (whisper it quietly) oh so much easier, especially as you have gone for a nice size MH. We bought a MH a few years ago, and have seen so very much more of the UK as we tour properly, choosing a mix of sites to make up a touring area. 

Take what’s necessary for warmth and comfort, and literally ditch all the clutter. Life is just so much easier, if you want to make the most of touring.

We kept our old caravan, that’s still there for long stays on a single site!

Hope you have a lovely time.

exactly what would you class as "easier" I am intrigued.?

Thanks so much for your very helpful and friendly replies.  What else would we expect from fellow Club members.  Sorry for ‘The Dark Side’ comment it really was made tongue in cheek.  We loved caravanning and we are looking forward with eager anticipation to a whole new way of touring both at home and abroad and the increased flexibility we hope our MH will give us. More walking and electric bikes are on the list as is anything collapsible and foldable.  I have become increasingly envious of the ease with which Motorhomers arrive and set up wthin a  short space of time, especially when it’s chucking it down and we’re looking forward to that aspect of the change,  probably more so as we get a little older. Like everything else there will be ups and downs but we learned to live with that as caravanners for the last 14 years and that won’t change.  Thanks again for your helpful, supportive replies and best wishes. They’re appreciated

I think many people, me included, when they change from a caravan to a motorhome tend to go for something that replicates what they had in their caravan. Whilst there is nothing wrong in that I suspect most people come to the conclusion that something smaller is more flexible. We decided last year, after six years, to downsize. We did look at van conversions but decided to stay with a coachbuilt albeit of a more compact size. Wildax seem to have a good reputation and I hope you enjoy the change. Come back and tell us how you are getting on.

David

I will do David, thanks for that.

I’m sure you’ll love it once you’ve got things sussed out, 2m.

One thing I still find a great joy is being able to take the scenic route between sites rather than sticking to major roads, and stopping off for lunch in an attractive spot with all the comforts of home on board. You can even have a nap before moving on if the fancy takes. We do nearly all our site seeing and shopping whilst en route to the next site. 

Don’t worry, I was pulling your leg about the dark side comment, hence the😀. 

Ask away if you have any questions. 

I swapped from an Abbey Vogue 470 to a 6M coach built about 18 months ago. Still trying to get out of the habit of carting 'come in handy' stuff that doesn't get used. Flexibility is the name of the game. So much less hassle.

I’m sure you’ll enjoy the change-over.  Bear in mind Electric Bikes are heavy wherever you decide to carry them.  Just an idea once you have your outfit in touring mode it might be an idea to get it weighed to ensure you are legal.  Good Luck & happy travelling.

The lessons we learned were as follows:

Dont take too much extra equipment. Two flexible buckets is all we need.

Look for sites close to towns or shops so you don’t have to go off pitch to reprovision.

Be more adventurous. A motorhome is much easier to drive so mountain passes and narrow roads around Italian lakes are much easier.

Dont worry too much about being perfectly level. You can sleep on an incline!

It’s given our touring a new lease of life.