The Novack Family Tell Their RV Story On How They Sold The Home They Made To Venture Off Into New Traveling Adventures
When Melanie and Zac Novack and their 3 children rented their very first RV for a weekend camping trip in 2013, Melanie began to get the bug to have a life on the road, but most likely not until retirement. Or so she thought. Then, they purchased an RV of their own, affectionately named “Harvey”. And with each subsequent weekend or vacation that the family took, the more the idea of becoming full timers began to take hold.
Finally, after a trip to Nashville less than a year ago, the idea could no longer be kept on the back burner of their minds. Melanie and Zac decided to take the plunge.......sell everything and go on a year long road trip, with kids and dog in tow! “You're doing what?” is the typical response we get from people when we tell them the plan”, states Melanie. “Some say it with enthusiasm and follow it up with a, “That's awesome!” or a “Good for you guys!”. “However”, adds Melanie, “There are those whose faces quickly contort (into shock).”
So, after much thought and planning, Melanie and Zac said “Good Bye” to what was supposed to be their “forever home”, as Melanie put it that they had built just 4 years earlier. The original plan of watching the kids grow up there out the window. But the RV lifestyle was pulling hard at their thoughts and overriding those plans. And, as luck would have it, not only did the family quickly find a buyer for their home, but the same buyer also wanted to purchase most of the furniture as well. They also sold, donated and gave away many possessions (“We put a sign out that said “Free Stuff”, explains Melanie). As Melanie puts it, they has 2 ½ months of “purging”.
Before long, it was “good bye” to the house and “hello” to 24/7 in their RV home, as well as to homeschooling and a new, adventurous life. However, the actual road trip didn't begin right away. Although Zac could work from anywhere, he still had a few commitments to keep. Until then, they stayed in an area campground, while adjusting to a family of 6 (5 humans and 1 dog) living in a much smaller, but much freer space. But, “after all that purging and selling and donating and discarding, we STILL had too much stuff. We didn't know where to put it all!” “If there is anything I'm learning so far,” continues Melanie. “It's that I'll really think more carefully before bringing anything into my home.”
“We are blessed with having a washer/dryer in our RV, but I have to do a lot more laundry than ever before. With one small hamper and one small washer/dryer which takes up to 3 hours per cycle, you MUST stay up on the laundry......and they have to be folded and put away immediately because there is no place to leave them until later!” Melanie also says the same goes with the dishes. “The funny thing is about having no dishwasher and a tiny sink, is that you MUST hand wash the dishes right away!” There is just no way around it.
When it comes to cleaning, the family has found that, because it is such a small space, cleaning has to be done more often. “We have a golden retriever. A wonderful dog....friendly, loyal, energetic...and sheds like the dickens. The fur in the house would spread out and not be too noticeable, but in here, within two days we'll have tumbleweeds of Midas fur rolling through the RV. I have cleaned house more in the last few weeks than I typically would in three! Thank goodness it only takes about 25 minutes.” Yet, it their minds it is all worth it!
The Novack Family is finally on the road. Their first true destination is Niagara Falls then they tour through New England for the fall colors. As Melanie states “Daydreaming about all of the new memories that we will make on our journeys to new and exciting places, jumping forward into this crazy dream-turned-reality we have made for ourselves.”
Kim Pezza
A graduate of State University Of New York At Fredonia with a BA in Creative Writing, Kim is an author for Hatherleigh Press [Random House] and Seaside Publishing. She enjoys camping, cheese making and historic crafts.
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