Interiors

Indoor life mostly cycles between the bedroom, the bathroom, and the kitchen. This triad of influence guided me in the selection of my motorhome, a Jayco Melbourne 24L.

I thoroughly looked at used rigs and found that the most appealing part of the search into a second hand vehicle was finding attractive prices. However, price became subordinate to satisfying three criteria: a dedicated bedroom, a bathroom as close as possible to feeling and functioning like a conventional household bathroom, and a kitchen that would afford me the confidence that I can prepare food equivalent to what that I can prepare in a conventional household kitchen.

Some rigs are efficiently equipped with seating areas that convert to beds. They require preparing the bed for slumber and then dismantling it the following day so that seating can be restored. If efficiency was paramount for me, then a setup wherein the seating converted to the bed would have been fine. But I set my sights on a bonafide bed that would be prepared to receive me when I was ready to hit the hay. When my day is done, I often fall asleep before my head hits the pillow. My rig’s equipment will include a queen sized murphy bed that flips up and converts to a wall when the rig is on the road, and flips down in preparation for the supine nighttime stretch.

The second criterion that I required was a well equipped kitchen with maneuvering space. The sink, the counters, the refrigerator, the range, and functionality of space were all considerations. My rig has a kitchen that gives me confidence that I can prepare dishes on the road that are equivalent to those that I can prepare in my kitchen at home. I was a natural foods retailer for 18 years. My intention then was to connect diet and wellness by providing ingredients that customers could buy to take home and prepare meals from scratch. The energy in a meal prepared from scratch at home stands apart from commercially prepared food. The same applies to food prepared from scratch in one’s kitchen in a rig.

The third criterion that I needed to satisfy was a real bathroom. Some rigs have bathrooms that are “wet rooms” wherein the sink, toilet, and shower are nested together inside the same four walls. Everything gets wet when someone takes a shower. It’s efficient because it lessens space consumption. I wanted an enclosed shower in its own dedicated space, a toilet that stays dry, and a sink that doesn’t share the same space as the shower. The bathroom bookends the day; it’s where it starts and ends, both critical junctures. Occasionally great ideas come to us in the sacred space of a bathroom. Bathrooms come with a privacy guarantees. Private space is a hotbed for freedom of thought. I intend for the bathroom in my rig to be a hospitable environment for my emotions and thoughts.

Once these conditions were satisfied, the rest was gravy. When I’m parked at a campsite, one side of my rig will slide out, expanding my space. The center aisle will become wide enough to practice yoga. The kitchen cabinets have LED lighting underneath so the counters are illuminated for food preparation. When parked, the driver and passenger seats in the cab swivel to face the body of the living space.

I’m queuing up. There are many better deals than the rig I’ve bought. For others, a better deal is a wise choice. There are many more luxurious rigs than the one I’ve bought. Nevertheless, the cycle of indoor life between the bathroom, the kitchen, and the bedroom will continue uninterrupted in my moving abode as I transition from a life in a conventional house to life on the road in the rig that satisfies my three key criteria.