4 crazy kids in an RV!!!

So I am sitting in my RV with kids who won't go to sleep and a toilet that is clogged and smelling the whole RV, a sick husband and a shoulder that I can hardly move (injured) and I am feeling utterly overwhelmed. I find myself thinking of how many things are wrong and how I have it so hard and if we could only find a place to live it would be so much better. How often do we say these things to ourselves? We are hoping for the next thing that will make our life easier but when we get it are we truly happy. In times of stress I have to remember to trust that God has me right where I am for a reason and I need to be grateful for the blessings he has provided me.

That said I find there are a few things to keep in mind for retaining you sanity while living in an RV with 4 children. Please add items that you think I have missed...and please add them because I will probably use them.

• Find a layout that works for sleeping: a lot of parents assume that the back bedroom should be theirs. this may or may not work for you. We have turned the back into the kids bedroom, that way when they sleep we can shut the door(curtain) and we get the whole front of the RV to ourselves. Since we have 4 kids under 6 we have little ones still in cribs. In the picture you can see we have been creative. I put the two boys on the bed and have a small travel pack n play for my 9 month old and I use the bottom of a regular pack n play on the platform for my 2 year old. 

• Put things away ASAP: When you live in a house you have the luxury to do laundry and then wait a few days to put it away, well not in an RV. Putting the laundry and anything else not in use away right away will save lots of stress when you trip over things in your tight space. 
• Put things where you can get them: Another way to say this is to use your storage space efficiently. Put the diapers where you can easily get to them when you need to change a diaper. Put your shoes in a place you can put them on or off easily. It is surprising how much storage they cram into these RVs, use it. You don't need to put your extra toilet paper and paper towels in a cabinet in the kitchen, put it under a bed. We use our shower to hang dresses and jackets (this would not always work if you use your shower). Be creative!
• Have outside activities: We brought along a scooter, a balance bike and a ride on toy for the kids and they have a blast running around scraping up their knees in the parking lot. It gets their energy out and on the rainy days it does not feel so cramped in the RV. 

• Use RV safe toilet paper: laugh all you want but even when they say they are, they LIE!! Those toilets get clogged like no other. YUCK
• Don't have a strict schedule: I find that sometimes it is too hot to sleep in the middle of the day and sometimes it is kind of cold at night. Kids just don't sleep as well in an RV. Have grace and realize that there might be some adjusting to this new way of life. 
• Try to enjoy it: Like I said earlier there are days it seems like this will never end and it is way to hard but its not. The Lord has you here for a season and it might be by choice for a vacation or a necessity like trying to find a house. Just be flexible and get out for a day if needed.

GO TINY HOUSE LIVING!!! :)