Internet on the Road

This isn't a new topic, and plenty of folks out there cover this in much greater detail (Technomadia being the best we've found, bar none), but it's something we're asked a lot. After all, we do have to have internet for our business! Though a good bulk of our days are devoted to the renovation work itself, there are many facets of our business that are done on the laptop, and most of it is done online: marketing, social media, client contact, booking, scheduling, blogging...the list goes on. 

We may be the worst people to be talking about anything technology related. In fact, talk to our eight-year-old, she just taught me how to use a function on my iPhone the other day. I didn't even know it was there. Yet we do manage, and we have a philosophy that we find translates well for our lives, on the road and off: "live with what you need and nothing more". It's the reason we don't drive a bigger truck than what we need to safely haul, why our builds are simple and straightforward and packed with function but not excess (and no TV's!), and why we have one laptop, one iPad, and two phones in our household (minus our daughter's "Daddy-phone", which she uses to communicate with my ex-husband, Brian). We practice this simple philosophy and find it serves us well. It helps us live with less and if we need to upgrade or add on, we'll know it. We start with little and then fill in the gaps. 

For internet, we got a family phone plan through AT&T. Ellen and I were not on the same phone plan but both used AT&T as our carrier, and wanted to keep the phone numbers we've had since high school (which is longer than you'd think, we're no spring chickens) until we got back on the road last year. We combined our phones into one plan and then added two more lines: one for our daughter, and one for our hotspot. It took a long-ass time at the AT&T store, though they got us all squared away and we've not had a single issue since. 

Though our phones also act as hotspots, we don't prefer to use them. The connection between the laptop/iPad and the phone drops if not in use, and it can be really aggravating to be writing an email or building a webpage to look away for thirty seconds and have lost the connection. A lost connection often means an unsaved bulk of work, which as we all know, is stressful and annoying, especially when you're busy as hell, which is my daily burden. 

Our MiFi device was one cent when we bought it, so that was a no brainer, and we keep it plugged in always so we don't lose internet. It really does act the same as a wireless router in a house that way, and we can hop on and hop off the web as we need. We do pay for unlimited data, and though there is the caution of a slow-down when you've reached 22 GB before the end of the monthly billing cycle, we've not really noticed much of a difference, and that's with me being online at least eight hours a day working and then falling asleep to Netflix every night (The Office, usually...I've lost count of how many times I've rewatched the best show in the world). 

As far as coverage goes, we don't really have anything to compare it to, though we've heard Verizon has more coverage, we've never had an issue with AT&T, even when traveling consistently (i.e., not parked in one location for a five month renovation job). If we don't have internet, we see it as a nice reminder to not work 'round the clock, read a book, play a little music, get outside. Oh, darn. 

Scheduling and Planning A Renovation

I created this Google doc two weeks ago when feeling a bit stressed. I was constantly thinking about a task that needed to be completed, and this was happening all over: I'd be in the Airstream working and would see something that needed to be done and scrawl it quickly on whatever was available (a napkin, the back of an appliance manual). I'd be at the grocery store and quickly make a note in my phone, or I'd wake in the middle of the night with a task and remind myself to write it down in the morning...and then wouldn't. While we have a book (one we recommend highly), it's generally for design and build notes, as well as daily task notes, written at the start of each work day. We needed a better system - something we could both access: anytime, anywhere. 

This may not look like we have much left to do, even though many of these tasks are quite time-consuming. We have really busted ass these last two weeks and I most certainly love using that little checkmark tool to signify a completed task. We check in at the end of the work day and check tasks off together, and getting organized like this, space by space, has been really beneficial to our productivity. Seeing everything in one space, broken down into bite-size chunks, does wonders. Instead of overwhelming ourselves, we can see very clearly everything that needs to be accomplished...and everything that has been accomplished. 

When planning your renovation, there are many components to be addressed. It's not always easy to know where to start with Airstream renovations and it's not like any other renovation you've ever done. It's certainly not a house: hell, what house has essentially two electrical systems and two plumbing systems, each that converge into one? You're figuring out how to build to save weight and to handle the brunt of the 9.0 magnitude earthquake your trailer becomes when hauling it down the road. It's not all pretty, and it's not all fun (even when you get to the stage we're in, it's still hard work). There are million things you're considering, and how you approach and structure your renovation schedule is incredibly important. 

When you first bring your Airstream project home, your first step is assessment. You'll want to walk around the trailer, both inside and out, and note every single issue you see (even if it's something as simple as wash the grime off the exterior). We find it's very helpful to draw diagrams of the trailer and label accordingly. For example: Exterior Street Side, Interior Curb Side. Once you've noted everything and begin demo, continue to draw diagrams at each stage of the progress. You'll likely find many more issues to address as you unearth the bones of your trailer. Note and mark everything. 

Once your Airstream is demo'd, it's time to start planning. Establishing your floor plan, as well as your systems (electrical, plumbing, HVAC) starts here. We sketch up a floor plan to scale on graph paper and also draw the design in three-point perspective to get a good visual sense of what the elements will look like once built. We then draw diagrams of each of our systems. Seeing how all of these pieces and parts come together is essential before you begin to build. We utilize boards on Pinterest to keep track of things we want to buy and categorize these boards by system, component, or decor. We love Pinterest because we don't have to wonder what a link we saved to our bookmarks was - the visual that Pinterest gives us works an immediate trigger reminder and it's very simple to organize by category using this platform, and we can access them (just as we can Google docs) anytime, anywhere.

Inevitably, these plans, lists, and ideas will change, shift, and develop more as your build begins, but having those plans, lists, and ideas in place will make for swift(er) work. After all of our plans are set, we begin to make lists of tasks and shopping lists for each task list. It all starts with a Master List, which is overarching. We list every single task we can possibly think of/dream up for the entire renovation. Once that list is complete, we break it down into smaller lists. These are divided and sorted by the stage of renovation, type of work, and tools and supplies required. For example: frame/chassis work is labeled under 'Repairs', involves tools such as an angle grinder and welder, and generally requires that we purchase some steel. This is under the same umbrella as axle, brake, hub, shock replacement and bearing repacks. These things have to be done before the new subfloor is installed, but come after demo, and are thus not part of either of those categories.

As your renovation goes on, you'll find your lists will grow and diminish, and then grow and diminish. Having the Master List keeps you in check, it reminds you of things you may forget as the weight of your work is wearing on you and time goes on. Keep your notes, lists, receipts, and sketches in one place, if possible (they say that often the most creative are messy folk, this definitely rings true for us both, you should see our house if you dropped by unannounced), and even if you tend to be a paper and pen sort of person (like we both are) having your task list in a reachable place for all parties involved (at all times) is incredibly beneficial and serves to keep your renovation organized and moving along at a clip you're excited about: yay technology!

As you complete tasks from your smaller lists (the ones feeding into, or perhaps out of, your Master List, depending on how you look at it), be sure to check them off. Don't delete them. Create new lists as needed if the old ones overwhelm you - but those lists serve as reminders for not only your organization, but your sanity - you are making progress, even if it may not feel like it. Just check the lists, the proof is right there. Good luck and happy planning!