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Living Nomadically in the Time of COVID-19

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Photo by Zane Līsmane on Unsplash

Unless you’ve been boondocking deep in the woods for the last month, you’ve probably heard about the coronavirus, Covid-19, social distancing, and the stockpiling of toilet paper. If you’re feeling a little confused about what this all means for you as a nomad, today I will try to help you sort out fact from fiction and truth from fake news.

What is the novel coronavirus everyone is talking about? What is COVID-19?

In the HuffPost article “Here’s the Difference Between Coronavirus And COVID-19,” author Lindsay Holmes explains that the term “coronavirus”

refers to a group of viruses that are known to cause respiratory issues. So even though many are referring to the illness circling around right now as “coronavirus,” that’s not actually the name of the disease…

COVID-19 is what experts are calling this particular disease.

Photo by CDC on Unsplash

According to a Standford Health Care FAQ,

A novel coronavirus is a new coronavirus that has not been previously identified. The virus causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is not the same as the coronaviruses that commonly circulate among humans and cause mild illness, like the common cold.

The same FAQ says,

the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses…named the novel coronavirus, first identified in Wuhan, China, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, shortened to SARS-CoV-2.

As the name indicates, the virus is related to the SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) that caused an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2002-2003, however it is not the same virus.

Am I at risk for catching COVID-19?

According to the University of Chicago Medicine article “COVID-19: What We Know So Far about the 2019 Novel Coronavirus” by Emily Landon, MD, an infectious disease specialist and hospital epidemiologist, the short answer is yes.

Photo by twinsfisch on Unsplash

It doesn’t appear anyone is naturally immune to this particular virus, and there’s no reason to believe anybody has antibodies that would normally protect them.

Can my pet catch COVID-19 and transmit it to me?

According to the Healthline article “Don’t Fall for These 3 Myths About the New Coronavirus” written by Joni Sweet and fact-checked by Dana K. Cassell,

“You’re not going to get a dangerous human coronavirus from Fido,” said [Dr. Gregory] Poland [a virus expert and head of the Vaccine Research Group at the Mayo Clinic]. “It’s true that dogs, cats, and most species carry their own kinds of coronavirus, but those are not human pathogens.”

Can I get vaccinated against COVID-19? Is there a treatment for the disease?

The aforementioned Stanford Health Care FAQ says no.

Photo by CDC on Unsplash

Currently there is no vaccine or specific antiviral medicine to prevent or treat COVID-19. However, there are vaccines and drugs currently under investigation. The National Institutes of Health has estimated that a large clinical trial for a vaccine may be available in 12-15 months.

How do I protect myself from COVID-19?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website offers the following measures to protect yourself from COVID-19:

The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus.

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

Photo by Curology on Unsplash

If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Having trouble avoiding touching your face? Check out the Healthline article “You Probably Touch Your Face 16 Times an Hour: Here’s How to Stop” by George Citroner and fact-checked by Michael Crescione.

What is social distancing?

In the humorous yet informative Forbes article “What Is Social Distancing? Here Are 10 Ways To Keep The Coronavirus Away” author Bruce Y. Lee explains

Social distancing is a public health strategy attempting to prevent or slow the spread of an infectious pathogen like a virus. It includes any method to keep people as physically separate from each other because physical proximity is how many pathogens go from one body to another. This includes isolating people who are infected, quarantining people who may have been infected, and keeping people separate from each other in general.

Who is at greatest risk for contracting COVID-19?

In The Guardian article “Coronavirus: Who’s Most at Risk, What We Can Do and Will We See a Vaccine Soon?” Dr. Tom Wingfield of Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine says

heart disease, followed by diabetes, hypertension – high blood pressure – chronic lung disease and finally some cancers were the main risk factors [for contracting COVID-19).

The more of these conditions you have, the greater the likelihood of severe disease that you face.

In addition, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services states

Older adults and people who have severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease and those with weakened immune systems seem to be at higher risk for more serious COVID-19 illness.

Early data suggest older people [over 65 years of age] are twice as likely to have serious COVID-19 illness.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website lists the following symptoms of COVID-19:

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath

The website says the symptoms can appear 2 to 14 days after exposure to the virus.

The Healthline article “Everything You Should Know About the 2019 Coronavirus and COVID-19” (written by Tim Jewell and medically reviewed by Meredith Goodwin, MD, FAAFP) elaborates that the cough gets more severe over time and the fever begins as low-grade and =gradually increases in temperature.

What should I do if I contract COVID-19?

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

The University of Chicago Medicine webpage “What Are the Symptoms of the Coronavirus (COVID-19)?” by Allison H. Bartlett, MD, MS gives the following suggestions for folks who are experiencing mild-to-medium symptoms of COVID-19, including fever, muscle and body aches, cough, and a sore throat:

…stay at home, self-isolate and rest.

Monitor your temperature and drink plenty of fluids. Continue to wash your hands frequently, disinfect frequently touched surfaces in your home and stay away from other people as much as possible.

The hospital and emergency room should be used only by people who are concerned about life-threatening symptoms… If you’re just a little bit sick, the best thing you can do is self-isolate and try to keep the virus from spreading to others.

What should I do if my COVID-19 symptoms get worse?

On the “What Are the Symptoms of the Coronavirus (COVID-19)?” webpage mentioned above, the author says,

If your condition worsens after 5 days, reach out to your doctor — ideally through a remote way, such as calling or messaging— for advice.

Contact a doctor if you’re experiencing the following symptoms:

Shorness of breath

Trouble breathing

Chest pain

Wheezing

Constant or sever abdominal pain

Confusion

Unable to keep food or liquids down

If any of these symptoms are severe, you should go to an emergency room. If you are over 60 and have other chronic medical problems, consider contacting an emergency room for less-severe symptoms.

Thanks for all the great information, but what particular challenges do nomads face in regards to the COVID-19 outbreak?

Right now, healthy people are being told to self-isolate and stay home as much as possible to help flatten the curve and help slow down the rate of the epidemic. People experiencing mild-to-medium symptoms of COVID-19 are being told to stay at home and rest. What’s a nomad without a permanent home base to do?

I suggest you find a place to hunker down and sit still for a while.

Perhaps you can find a free camping spot in a national forest to spend 14 days away from the rest of civilization. Of course, you will have to weigh the pros of being away from people with the cons of being away from medical attention should you get sick with COVID-19 or some other illness. If you’re generally in good health, you may feel more comfortable taking the risk of going deep into the woods. Maybe you can find a free camping spot not terribly far from a hospital or urgent care clinic. Perhaps hunkering down with a partner, traveling buddy, or members of a small caravan would be a good idea so folks can take care of each other and someone healthy could drive a sick person into civilization if necessary.

This may be a good time to splurge on a campground near a town if you can afford such a luxury. Just remember, you’re at the campground to isolate, so stay out of common areas and away from group activities as much as possible. Campendium has posted a list called “COVID-19 State by State Campground Closures & Responses” to help you decide where to go and what places to avoid.

If you can’t afford to stay at a campground and can’t or don’t want to trek out to the woods, continue blacktop boondocking, but stay away from other people as much as possible. Many hangout spots like libraries, museums, and senior centers have been closed across the country, but you can still hang out in your rig in parks and parking lots. I’ve heard of a Panera that was open but had removed half of its seating so people weren’t forced to sit so close together Maybe you can find a coffee shop with a similar setup where you are. (For maximum stealth, spend your days in a parking lot different from the one you will sleep in at night.)

Another problem a nomad might face is hand washing. Hand washing is all over the news. UNICEF, in the article “Everything You Need to Know about Washing Your Hands to Protect against Coronavirus (COVID-19)” says,

In the context of COVID-19 prevention, you should make sure to wash your hands at the following times:

After blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing

After visiting a public space, including public transportation, markets and places of worship

After touching surfaces outside of the home including money

Before, during and after caring for a sick person

Before and after eating

That’s a lot of scrubbing up! What are you supposed to do if live in a rig without running water and a sink?

When I was a vandweller, I kept hand wash water in a Nalgeene bottle or a empty Dr. Bronners soap bottle. I found both of these bottles easier to use and less wasteful than pouring from a gallon jug. I often washed my hands outside, either in my camping spot or in parking lots, and just let the excess water hit the ground.

Worried because you don’t have hot water to use for washing? The aforementioned UNICEF article says,

you can use any temperature of water to wash your hands. Cold water and warm water are equally effective at killing germs and viruses – as long as you use soap!

Photo by Anne Nygård on Unsplash

If you don’t have soap, UNICEF says you can use hand sanitizer.

…alcohol-based hand sanitizer kills the coronavirus, but it does not kill all kinds of bacteria and viruses. For example, it is relatively ineffective against the norovirus and rotavirus.

Using…hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 per cent alcohol [is] the best second option if you do not have soap and running water

If you are going to be stationary for a while and don’t have hand washing facilities inside your rig, you can set up a hand wash station outside. Put your soap and water in a location where it’s easily accessible and wash up throughout the day. Clip a clean cloth or paper towels nearby. UNICEF says drying your hands is important too.

Germs spread more easily from wet skin than from dry skin, so drying your hands completely is an important step. Paper towels or clean cloths are the most effective way to remove germs without spreading them to other surfaces.

My final advice for you is about what to do with yourself while you are practicing social isolation. For nomads who are introverts, this won’t be such a problem, because we prefer to be away from crowds. However, the extroverts among us thrive off interacting with others and will have to figure out how to amuse themselves until the pandemic passes.

Several of the suggestions in my post “What Do I Do Now That I Have All This Time on My Hands?” are suitable for doing alone. If you have internet access, you can watch movies or television shows, often for free. Check out the following articles to help you get free entertainment: “The 9 Best Free Movie Apps to Watch Movies Online,” “How to Watch Movies Online for Free–Legally,”and “19 Best Free Movie Websites.” If you’re able to stream you can attend the Metropolitan Opera for free without leaving your rig. You can also take virtual tours of museums around the world via the internet. Finally, if you like to color and an access a printer, you can download free coloring books from 113 museums.

These are trying times, friends. I hope this information and my suggestions can help you stay healthy, keep others healthy, and maintain your sanity for the duration.

If you found this post helpful, I’d love your support! Hit the donate button in the right toolbar or go to Patreon to become my patron.

Blaize Sun is not a medical professional. She did her best to insure the information in this article was accurate at the time of publication. Things are changing fast right now, and it’s possible this information will be outdated by the time you read it. As always, please look at this blog post as a starting point for your own research. Also, please seek medical attention if you need it. Blaize Sun is not responsible for you. Only you are responsible for you.

Eliminating Material Possessions/Letting Go Part 2: What to Keep & What to Toss

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Photo by Tobias Tullius on Unsplash

A few months ago when I asked for suggestions for blog posts of particular interest to nomads, rubber tramps, full-time RVers, vandwellers, vagabonds, and travelers of all kinds, a couple of people asked me to write about paring down belongings in order to get ready for life on the road, or, more broadly, how to let go. Last week I gave ideas about how to organize your purge and how to decide if an item was no longer necessary for your life on the road. Today I’ll cover specific categories of items and give you my ideas about what you might and might not need.

Clothing

I can commiserate with folks whose closets and drawers are full of clothes. For someone who’s not a fashion plate, I do tend to have a lot of clothing. Although most of what I wear comes from thrift stores and free boxes, even when I lived in a van I usually had more than I needed.

Some time back, I read an informative post on the Interstellar Orchard blog about how the author (a full-time nomad) coordinates her clothing to make the most of her wardrobe. You may want to read the post “RVing Wardrobe” to learn how she puts her clothing together so a few pieces make several outfits.

A friend of mine who travels extensively for half of each year replaced his wardrobe with quick drying clothes that fold small for easy storing. If you don’t have extra money for a complete new wardrobe, by all means, use what you have. However, if you have funds set aside for this life transition, an easy-to-store wardrobe might be a good investment.

Whether you can afford new clothes or not, you are probably going to have to get eliminate some of your current wardrobe.

As you purge clothing, consider the one-year rule I mentioned in part 1 of this series. Anything you haven’t worn in a year probably should go.

Photo by Sarah Brown on Unsplash

Be ready to try on items as you sort. Toss anything that doesn’t fit your body into your “sell” or “donate” container. Sure, you might lose weight on the road, but you might not. Do you really have room in your rig for a second “maybe” wardrobe? In my experience (even as a plus size woman who wears XXL), it’s fairly easy to pick up clothing in thrift stores when your old ones don’t fit.

Keeping your wardrobe to a minimum may mean you have to do laundry more often, but using less space for clothing may be be worth spending two hours in a laundromat every week or so. I like to keep a two-week supply of socks and underwear. These small items are easier to store than outerwear. I can wear the same skirt and shirt for a week, but I do like to change my socks and underwear every day. I could get by with three shirts, three skirts or pairs of pants, and 14 pairs of socks and 14 pairs of underpants. At the end of two weeks, I’d put on my last clean clothes and wash everything else. This bare minimum may not work of you and that’s ok! You just need to decide what your minimum is.

Before you settle on your on-the-road wardrobe, ask yourself some questions. Can I wear the same outer garments for more than one day? How many days can I wear clothes without washing them? Would I feel better about rotating the clothes I’m going to wear again rather than wearing them several days in a row? Would I feel better about wearing garments multiple times if I could air them out between wearing or squirt them with Febreze? Do I really need to wear a nightgown or pajamas to bed, or could I sleep naked or in underpants and the t-shirt I’ll wear tomorrow? Everyone will answer these questions differently. That ok! We each must decide what works best for our individual situation.

If you will spend winter somewhere cold, you’re going to need more clothing. I like the thin but warm long underwear by Cuddl Duds. If you are carrying a puffy coat for winter wear, you may be able to store it in a compression sack when not in use. You could also store bulky winter clothes in those plastic bags that you roll to push the air out of. I’ve used several different brands of such bags and they always seem to rip or come apart at the seams, but they’re really great while they last.

Shoes

Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash

I own way too many pairs of shoes, although in my defense, all but my red cowgirl boots were free or cost under $5. You will probably need more than one pair of shoes in your life, but again, think about how little you can get away with.

You need at least one pair of sturdy shoes for daily walking around. You’ll save space if your everyday shoes can also be worn when you go on a hike or brisk walk. For example, I’ve worn Keen sandals as my everyday shoes; they were also great on casual hikes and walks through the park. Currently I have a pair of L.L. Bean hiking shoes (courtesy of the magic of a free table) that I wear when I’m running errands but which also carried me through a natural landmark, three national parks, and a national monument.

You’ll also need a pair of shower shoes. I recommend you don’t skip shower shoes. The space you save by doing without a pair of shoes you can wear in the shower of campgrounds, gyms, or community swimming pools will not be worth it if you pick up some foot nasties. If you’re really tight for space, your shower shoes can double as slip-on shoes to put on quickly if you have to go outside your rig in a hurry. I have a pair of Crocs I can wear in the shower and wear outside my rig when I don’t feel like putting on and tying my regular shoes.

Photo by Kristin Brown on Unsplash

It’s nice to have a pair of rain boots or other waterproof shoes to wear when the ground is wet. Again, it’s great if one pair of shoes can do double duty. I had a pair of Keen boots that were waterproof. I wore them as my daily shoes and my hiking shoes, and I didn’t need something different in the rain or snow.

You may need a pair of dressy shoes if you dress up and go out or if you plan to interview for a job or work in a place that requires footware other than hiking boots and flip flops. Every pair of shoes you own should be comfortable. There’s no sense hauling around shoes that hurt your feet. If any of your shoes are uncomfortable, set a goal to replace them as your budget allows.

Jewelry

If you’re one of those people who likes to have different jewelry to go with each outfit, eliminate jewelry as you eliminate clothing. If you do keep jewelry, find a way to store it that takes minimal space. Instead of using a jewelry box, use a jewelry roll or a jewelry burrito made by a traveling gal.

Bedding

I recommend you have two sets of sheets, each set comprised of a flat and a fitted or two flat sheets. Matching is optional. You should also have two pillow cases for each pillow. With two sets of sheets and pillowcases, you can strip the bed on laundry day and immediately put on fresh sheets. After the dirty sheets are washed, you only have to store one set.

You’ll also need enough blankets to stay warm in the climate you’re sleeping in. A rectangular sleeping bag can be unzipped and used as a comforter; on a really cold night, you can zip the bag and sleep inside for added warmth. (If you need more tips on staying warm, see my post “15 Tips for Staying Comfortable in the Cold.”)

Bathroom

Can you get by with one towel? Microfiber towels are great! They fold up smaller than a regular bath towel and dry quickly. I have a “hot yoga” towel my sibling bought for me at a thrift store. I like it because I can wrap it around my whole self but fold it smaller than a conventional bath towel. It dries faster than a conventional towel too. (For help picking a microfiber towel, see the Traveling Lifestyle article “7 Best Microfiber Towels for Backpackers & Light Travelers” by Viktor Vincej.)

Kitchen

If you need new kitchen equipment, look for collapsible items like dishpans, measuring cups, funnels, and strainers. Get an adjustable measuring spoon instead of a set with different sizes. Instead of a kettle, heat water in a metal cup or in a saucepan which can also be used in regular meal prep. A bowl does double duty holding wet and dry food. Have only one cup, bowl, and set of utensils for each person who lives in your rig.

Tools

Be honest with yourself about what tools you will actually use while you are on the road. Once your rig is built out the way you want it, you probably won’t need power tools unless you plan to use them to make money. If you do need a building tool at some point, check into renting before you buy.

If you’re going to do repairs and basic maintenance or your rig, pack the right tools to complete the job. Some auto parts stores will loan you tools when you buy parts from them. Autozone, Advance Auto Parts, Pep Boys, and O’Reilly Auto Parts all have loaner tool programs. Deposits are required, but you get your money back when you return the tools.

Books

I collect books from free piles, BookMooch, and Little Free Libraries, always with the intention of reading them and passing them on someday. I also have several books that I want to keep forever. All this to say, I may not be the best person to tell you how to live without books! However, even I know some ways to minimize the physical bulk of your reading material.

Photo by Frank Holleman on Unsplash

If you have an e-book reader, you can read lots of books and periodicals without using up a lot of your precious space. You can also read on your phone or tablet. Free-Ebooks.net, Project Gutenberg, BookBub, and many other websites offer free e-books.

If you own a stack of reference books, maybe you can get rid of them and find the same information online.

Some people (me!) would rather read a book made from paper instead of relying on electronics. A real book doesn’t run out of battery power, isn’t likely to be substantially damaged if dropped, and can be found free or cheap at library book sales, garage sales, Little Free Libraries, thrift shops, or from BookMooch. If you do want to read physical books, keep only a few on hand, donate each one after you’ve read it, and only pick up one book to read when you rotate out the one you’ve finished.

Music

Do you still have a CD collection? While easier to store than LPs or cassette tapes, CDs can still take up quite a bit of room. I advise you to transfer your CD collection to a computer, then put those files on your phone or MP3 player. Once your music is stored, you can ditch the CDs. Another option is to keep the CDs and store them on a spindle or in a binder and ditch only the cases.

There are also many sites that let you stream music for free. The How-To Geek website offers a list of “The Best Sites for Streaming Free Music.”

Movies

If you have a DVD collection, most everything I said about CDs applies to you too. Jettison the DVDs or at least the cases.

Photo by John Salvino on Unsplash

There are so many ways to watch movies for free online! Check out the following articles to help you get free entertainment: “The 9 Best Free Movie Apps to Watch Movies Online,” “How to Watch Movies Online for Free–Legally,”and “19 Best Free Movie Websites.”

You can also pay for streaming services like Hulu, Netflix, or HBO Go. Maybe a friend or family member will share their password with you if they already pay for one of these services

If all else fails, rent a movie from Red Box. Did you know you can return a Red Box movie to a Red Box in a town other than where you rented it?

Photographs and Letters

Scan or take digital photos of all the photographs and letters you want to save. Save the digital copies on a thumb drive, tablet, or external hard drive. Send your printed copies of the photos to the people in them or to people who love the people in them. If no one in your family wants to be the steward of ancestral letters, maybe you can donate the originals to an archive or museum.

Financial Documents

We’ve probably all wondered how long we should keep bank statements, check stubs, and copies of our tax returns. Do you really need to pack all of that stuff with you when you leave your sticks-n-bricks? The Finra article “Save or Shred: How Long You Should Keep Financial Documents” will help you decide what is safe to ditch before you hit the road.

Collections

It’s going to be difficult to have a collection while living in a small rig. If you must collect, try small things like pressed pennies, national park tokens, matchbooks, or postcards. If you live in a larger rig, perhaps you can choose the best specimens from your collection and find creative ways to display them.

Craft Items

If I knew how to downsize craft items, I would do it myself. Limit yourself to one tub of craft items? Only do tiny crafts? Really, you’re on your own here.

I hope my suggestions help you make decisions about what possessions are worth incorporating into your life as a nomad and which should find a new role with someone else.

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