Although we shared the construction process of transforming our two-horse-transporter truck into a motorhome, we haven’t posted the finished interior shots yet. They got lost in all the technical hiccups we’ve had along the way, and so — a bit late — this is what the inside of the truck looks like. It fits all six of us comfortably, and the three older girls travel in the back while we’re travelling.

We started off early with a theme of red and grey and managed to find many different accessories that fit into this colour scheme. David bought small amounts of dark red vinyl for the floor and grey carpet for the ceiling, and these finishing touches have added to the comfort and look of our little home.

Our horse truck (with awning), May 2011
The Downers gave us an awning to install on the truck, and one of our tasks before we left was to mount it onto the roof. We're pleased that it will extend our outdoor living space to the back deck of the truck — even when the weather is wet.

The furniture was secondhand, and we have fond memories of the places where we found each piece. Nothing was very expensive, and it all seemed to go together very well — confirmation that it belonged in our truck.

Interior of our horse truck, May 2011
Looking in from the door, you can see our shoe box in the corner, the wall-mounted furniture which holds our kitchen supplies and our collection of coats and jackets.

Interior of our horse truck, May 2011
The back of the truck contains our built-in beds plus extra storage. David and I sleep on the top shelf.

Interior of our horse truck, May 2011
The girls' clothes are contained in tubs hanging over the rear of their bed. Ours hang just over the laundry tub which sits next to the camping toilet. The blanket box at the front serves as extra storage while we're travelling and a bed for Delaney when we're parked. Under the window, a table folds down and is strapped against the wall to make extra space.

David cooking, April 2011
This table lifts up and provides a cooking surface when we're not travelling.

Interior of our horse truck, May 2011
At the front of the truck, a vanity cupboard holds our toiletries. Pots and pans are carefully mounted on the wall, and a trio of pictures provides a beautiful entry to our little home!

As I look around the horse truck every day, I’m thankful that there’s a place for everything and we can easily pack everything away. We’re not buying any more things — simply because they don’t fit — and are learning to store less and less food as we rely on local produce to feed our family.

This has been a huge lesson for us. In our prior house-based lives, we used to buy in bulk and store the excess until we needed it. (5-litre bottles of dishwashing liquid, anyone?) We simply can’t do that in the space we’ve got.

Instead, we economise by doing without and purchasing items that are multi-functional. (The shoe-box can double as a child’s bath, though it’s a bit small for me to sit in.)

We’ve also continued our practice of living without refrigeration. It’s a lot easier here in the moderate climate of New Zealand, because we can still keep butter and cheese for many days. In Queensland, cheese dissolves into a liquid if left unrefrigerated for just one day!

Our truck is wired up for lights and power, but we have yet to install an internal power system. In the meantime, we use head-torches and a book-light to read at night and manage to do most things within daylight hours. Local libraries have free wireless internet access and accessible powerpoints, so we can always charge up our devices when we need to.

Living in a small space is so different to how we’ve lived in the past. We need to be constantly evaluating our attitudes, pursuing righteousness and fostering a good attitude as we navigate the personalities that inhabit our tight quarters. David and I are learning a lot about loving each other properly, and we are passing on what we’re learning to our children. It’s been a joy to persevere in this journey, and we’re not ready to quit yet!