Living in an RV Park With Our Tiny House
I love it when people ask the famous question: Where do you keep your tiny home? This is a fantastic question. We worked for months to find the right place to put Tiffany. Tiny homeowners know that finding a place to park your home may just be the hardest part of tiny living. Look at Tim's blog post about how we found the right place and what came into consideration, as well as tiny friendly communities.
Because zoning is so particular in our state, our dream of owning land and parking Tiffany on it wasn't feasible at that particular time. Our next option was a tiny home community or village, but the nearest one was in Orlando and we were not looking to relocate. The option we went with was living in an RV park with our tiny house on wheels. Some RV parks we spoke with weren't sure if they allowed tiny homes because they had never heard of them! Once we explained, most were willing to allow it.
The RV park we chose is really more of a camping resort. It's privately owned, surrounded by nature, and conveniently located for both Tim and I. The kayak drop-in is 200 feet from our front door and we are also next to the pool. There are lots of weekenders, tent campers, and pop-ups that come and go. There are about 20-30 people who live in this community full time, and they're welcoming and friendly. It's quiet and very charming, and we feel very lucky.
I grew up around the special breed that makes up RV people. My grandparents were part of a traveling square dancing group (look it up, it's totally a thing). During the summer, they would travel somewhere in the Midwest every weekend. Some of my most cherished memories are from places I only spent a weekend in an RV. Also, I can't forget to mention that my grandparents traveled with their mobile home to Texas every year to escape the Iowa winters. They're RV people. And apparently I'm a tiny house person.
One of the biggest benefits for us living in this RV resort is the sense of community and the relationships we can build here. The full-timers are truly a family and have welcomed us into that family with open arms. I've made friends I know will be around for the long haul, and never would have if not for this park. Not only that but being part of a community makes such a positive difference in our day to day. Having a role and feel needed in some sense is such a rewarding feeling. If someone in the park needs lights, they talk to Tim. He's the lighting guy. If they need help with exercise or nutrition, I'm the girl to talk to. Vice versa, we know who to talk to about our AC or our landscaping needs. Being part of something that thrives on everyone depending upon each other truly enriches our lives.
Another huge plus for us is the ease of access to nature. Tim is Mr. Outdoors, through and through. He is truly happy somewhere in the wilderness, surrounded by trees and animals, and if there are mountains involved all the better. By no means am I Mrs. Outdoors, but I enjoy and respect nature. I spend a lot of time outside, just because we have access to such gorgeous nature in this park. I'll take a nap in the hammock or go for a quick kayak in the creek. If I spend time with friends in the park, it's done outside on someone's patio while the hummingbirds stop by for an evening snack.
There's research somewhere out there in the World Wide Web that says spending time around trees can do wonders for your mindset. I'll be the first to attest to this. I won't say I'm free of my anxiety or depression, but I know that it could be and has been worse. If getting outside helps even 10%, that's enough reason for me to do it.
Overall, we feel incredibly lucky to have chosen this community. There truly is no place like home.
Thinking about living in an RV park? Do you have questions this article didn't cover? Comment below!
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-Sam