Friday, June 9, 2017

The Possibility Of An Off-Grid Lifestyle In A Motorhome

The idea of living off-grid in a motorhome sounds more adventurous and exciting. Off-grid living implies lifestyle choices that you can make to stay away from the urban environment. Motorhome living, however, provides an extra sense of freedom.

What is the off-grid lifestyle?

The off-grid lifestyle is generally defined as a way of life independent of major public utilities, including electricity and water.

A more aggressive approach towards off-grid living is to avoid all public infrastructures. Motorhome living doesn’t fit the hard-core definition of an off-grid lifestyle, because you still have to use public infrastructures, such as roads. Even the softest definition of off-grid living involves staying away from fundamental utilities, meaning that this lifestyle is not without its challenges.

Off-grid motorhome living

Off-grid motorhome living makes you dependent on the road network. There are certain advantages and disadvantages to this lifestyle. The advantage is that you can travel anywhere you want. The disadvantage, however, comes in form of government laws, rules, and taxes.

If you want to live permanently in a motorhome, you need to keep in mind that this lifestyle can be as tiresome as exciting. You may want to get a break from time to time. Sometimes, you may need to grow your food and get water. It will be not something like parking the vehicle in the middle of nowhere and start growing your food. Authorities will come eventually and ask for the permit.

If you want to settle down for a brief duration, you may need to do the following things.

  • You can look for a residential site that accommodates motorhomes. In most cases, you can live in these areas for as long as you want. In some cases, authorities may ask you to leave the place after a few months. That, however, will not be a significant problem.
  • Another way is to ask a friend or family member to let you park your vehicle on their land for a few months. This land can be a large field or a simple driveway.
  • You can root your address at a family member or friend’s house. This option will allow you to travel independently. You may come back to your semi-permanent address when you have sort out taxes and perform other administrative duties.

The most classic option in this regard is to live without a permanent address. You will be traveling from cities to cities and state to state. This option, nonetheless, can be quite complicated.

Sourcing power in the motorhome

You can source power in your motorhome, thanks to modern technological developments. Here are a few ways to make it happen.

  • If you are living a motorhome life, you will have to have solar panels installed on the roof of the vehicle. Although purchasing these panels can be an upfront expenditure that might seem to dent your budget, it helps you get clean energy for several years.
  • You will need to have gas cylinders to cook things on the stove and cool your items in the refrigerator. It is best to have at least two cylinders in your vehicle.
  • You can keep generators as a power backup in case solar panels prove to be insufficient. The best approach is to get a small 500-watt system to fulfill your particular power requirements.

Living a motorhome life can be exciting, but you will have to brace yourself for the challenges if you prefer living this way. The best way is to have a semi-permanent address to take a break from road life from time to time.

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Preparation for the Aftermaths of Storm

After a hurricane, you face so many hurdles in life. There will be no electricity, no sewage system, and water in the streets, a breakout of diseases, and many other problems around. Therefore, if you are living in such an area, you need to get prepared for the aftermath. So, you and your family can spend life peacefully. Also, this will prepare you for the future. First, if you survive a hurricane, thank God. Now, get ready for the next step. You need food and some other essentials to spend your days. You are the one who is going to protect the family members. Thus, you should have all the necessary things like food, medicines, accessories, and other items. Some people know how to pass this situation. As they live in such regions where they face natural disasters the most. But now the climate is changing; therefore, many other places are facing nature’s rage. Thus, everyone should get to prepare themselves for the worst. This article will help you in preparing your emergency kit and the consequences you will face after a disaster.


Apart from infrastructure, a disaster changes your mind, emotions, and psychology. Thus, it is an upside-down situation in life. Therefore, be strong and prepare your mind for anything bad or worst coming towards you. Also, be there for your family and train them on how to react in an emergency. Make a special place for an emergency kit and it should be approachable to every member of the family. Even your kids should know how to use a torch, medicines, charger, and other small things. 

Well, these are some vital things, you should have after a storm.

Food



When there is a natural disaster, everything gets closed. You will not find food or other essentials in stores and markets. Thus, you should have some eatables in your emergency bags. Well, no one can store fresh fruits and vegetables. Therefore, you need to preserve frozen meals and tin packs. Do not try to save perishables in your bags or fridge. Well, after a hurricane, there will be no power; therefore, you cannot turn on the fridge. So, buy canned foods, dried foods, and non-perishable goods. Do not think that you will have to make food. So, store readymade or ready to make food items. Also, store some eggs. It is easy to boil an egg and eat it. Also, it is a healthy diet.

Water

After food, there will be another necessary thing you will need is water. When you go through a storm or flood, there will be dirty water all around and in homes also. There will be dirt in water pipes. Thus, you will not receive water to drink. Therefore, you should have bottles of minerals to drink. So, until you get clean and drinkable water, you cannot run out of water. Also, fill your bathtubs and buckets for washrooms. Do not use tap water, as it will not safe for your health.



Electricity

Of course, you will not have power after a storm or flood. Also, after the overflow of water, it is not safe to turn on the lights. There could be current in wires and walls. Thus, it is better to switch off the main power. Well, in this situation, you can use woods to burn and cook food on them. Also, you should have a solar system for emergency purposes. Moreover, you should have a torch and a battery setup. Also, make sure you have a radio, so you can listen to the news and other necessary information related to the current situation. Turn on the radio almost every hour to get updated. Also, you need to charge your mobile; therefore, solar chargers and cellular batteries are necessary.


Tuesday, January 19, 2016

How to Prepare your Home for Living after a Hurricane?

Sometimes, you can evacuate and you will have to live in the same home. So, you have to face the storm and you need all the necessary items at home. Some people manage to evacuate and go to the government or private shelters. But, some circumstances and pockets are not the same for everyone. Many people get stuck in their homes, they cannot step out and buy food. Also, there is no situation like to leave your home and buy emergency products even. Thus, we all have all the necessary items at home. In case, we cannot evacuate and live in the same house, we should have medicines, a first aid kit, an electricity connection, and food. Electricity does not that you will have to use the main power. You need your own solar system to charge mobile phones. Also, you will need light in your home, the solar system will help you out. 


The preparation starts when there is calm and no sign of a natural disaster. However, if you are living in a mountain area or a region where mishaps happen the most, make an emergency room in your house. Moreover, make everything accessible to every member of the family. When there is no sign of storm or flood, then go to the market and buy everything that you could use in an emergency. First, you should have electricity in your home. After the disaster, you will be out of power, gas, and water. Therefore, if you can afford it, then purchase a solar system. This will hold all the power of your home and you can operate more than one appliance at it. However, if it is out of your budget, then buy chargeable batteries and torches that can function with cells. There are many other emergency lights in the market which can work for 48 hours. So, make sure all these items are on charging all the time; thus, you can use them in an emergency. You can reserve these products in your storeroom or emergency room. Also, in your spare room, there should be a small drawer, table, or stool so that kids can easily reach it. 


Prepare an emergency first aid kit. Before the hurricane, buy all the medicines your kids and elder members need. Also, if anyone is a patient of a certain disease, then you should have an extra dosage of that. Make sure your kit is having bandages and Sunny Plast. Apart from the medicines box, you should have all the necessary things your kids use. You can store some fun activities for your children. Pack some games and books, so they can pass their time and enjoy these days. If you will introduce an activity during the duration of tension, they can spend these days easily. Also, this will become a happy memory. 

Now, you need to store something to drink and eat. Therefore, do not save fresh eatables and perishable goods. Buy canned food items and frozen meals. You can store noodles, cereals, corn flakes, canned fruits, fish, tuna, and ready to make products. Also, you can use a wood fire to prepare food. This will warm your home and you will manage everything when there will be no gas. You can heat up and boil water on it. Apart from food, store some bottles of freshwater. Keep them on the upper shelves or away from kids. Otherwise, they will them before the disaster. However, you will have all the items you need to spend your life before the hurricane.


When the dangerous situation is over, do not trust the electricity wires. They are still threatening. Do not touch switches until everything gets dry and over. Then, clean and wash your entire home, then get back to the previous routine.