Camper Life 101: How to Manage Fashion in Tiny Spaces

This past September, after backpacking the Pacific Crest Trail with my life partner Seth and our dogs, Chloe Rue (who runs this blog on her own paws) and Freyja (who mostly runs in circles), we moved to Vermont in our truck camper. Yes, 4 mammals in a 120-square-foot space- what could go wrong? These past three months we’ve learned a LOT. I was full timing before I started hiking too so it has been a year that I’ve lived in a little red camper or a tent. Call me crazy- but I LOVE it.

Check out my post here about the pros and cons of camper life.

Today though, is all about the importance of lint rollers. Tiny vacuum cleaners? Duct tape? It’s about dog hair! Nope, it’s about living in tiny spaces and what on earth to do about managing your clothes.

What Does Your Closet Look Like?

I guarantee I have the smallest closet of anyone reading this. No? Maybe you’ve got me beat! I’d love to hear if you have less clothes than I do, because I thought I was doing pretty well.

All of my clothes fit in a 4 inch tall, 27 inch long, 18 inch wide drawer. We have a full sized bed, and my clothes fit in the small drawer underneath it. This includes:

4 scrubs (Figs are my favorite, but most are hand me downs from after the 2020 fire)
Athletic wear (2 leggings and 2 t-shirts)
Pajamas (I have 1 flannel pant and 1 t-shirt)
Casual clothes (just a cotton jumper from Pact, 1 flannel shirt, a cardigan and a vest)
Hiking Clothes (3 long sleeve thermals I also wear for work, 2 Merino Wool t-shirts. I have 1 Coala Tree hiking pant)
Underwear (also from Pact) and darn tough socks. I reuse my merino wool bra frequently but have a few other bras (Pact again!) I can wear as well.

I cheat a little bit, by having one swim suit, a fancy jumper, one pretty dress, and 3 shoes stored in the back of my truck. I used to take up 2 of these drawers but when Seth moved in I had to downsize. How do I do it?

Every Piece of Clothing has Multiple Functions

Everything has to serve multiple purposes. First, scrubs are GREAT for hiking, weekend chores, even wood working projects that might pop into my life. They’re important for work, but I also use them regularly outside of work. All my tops for work double as exercise clothes or thermal base layers for hiking. I wear my hiking pants to work, and I wear my exercise clothes for pajamas. If my 4 pair of scrubs couldn’t double themselves up for other uses, I’d run out by the end of the week!

Laundry, Laundry, Laundry

We have to do laundry every week, or we do not have clothes. Does that seem over the top? Probably. However it usually falls in with other chores we have to do, including showering, grocery shopping and disposing of trash. I’ve worked contracts in the past that have allowed me to use their washer and dryer, which has been a lifesaver! Currently we have found 2 awesome laundromats, and we have a campground we pay for (when we need electricity) that has laundry as well. Weekly laundry, washing underwear by hand, and re-wearing items that really aren’t that dirty all help us get by every week!

Dog Hair Care

I was not kidding about that lint roller, tiny vacuum or duct tape. Scouts honor, I keep a roll of duct tape in my vehicle at ALL times because you never know. The time I bumped the bottom of my tow behind camper on a curb and broke the sewer? Fixed with duct tape. When I see patients with bed bugs? Post scrubs attack using duct tape. When I clean my truck of dog hair? You guessed it- duct tape! However, I found this awesome reusable lint roller that seriously works wonders on couches, sheets, and clothing. All fabric items are regularly attacked by myself to prevent an onslaught of dog hair and I personally find this lint roller to be essential for clothes in camper life (when you have dogs). When Freyja the Australian Shepard became my step-dogger, that feeling quadrupled. Consider how to care for your fabrics in an environmentally conscious manner when it comes to camper life attire.

This image was captured right after the truck camper was purchased. I now have small drawers under the bed. Check out the YouTube Channel for a full tour!

What if you need more clothes?

We all have life events that result in the need for more clothes, or just different clothes. Between winter and summer, weddings or date nights- clothes are an essential part of life. While my partner and I wear scrubs on dates, it might not be something you’re wanting to do. Don’t worry, there are options.

Seasonal Packages

I talked to my mom about this, after we moved to Vermont and I realized I had accidentally taken items with that I will not need for a while. I realized my summer clothes would not work in the winter months, and vice versa. She agreed that she’d keep a box for me full of my summer clothes, and then send it when it was time to swap seasons. It’s an easy fix and I am very grateful for my mom sending care packages each season.

A Storage Unit

Prior to moving to Vermont, I kept a storage unit in Oregon. I had purchased a washer/dryer when I was renting a house in Albany (yes it’s one machine that does both jobs) for when I eventually have a tiny house on lots of acreage, and that was my primary motive behind keeping a storage unit. However we decided to move to Vermont and leave the storage unit behind- BUT when I was full timing in Oregon it was extremely helpful to be able to swap out clothes, sheets and keep bulk items (like paper towels, toilet paper, cleaning products etc). I visited frequently and while it is harder to be without a storage unit over here in Vermont, there are STILL options for you, if you want some extra clothes as needed.

You can RENT Clothes

Okay, so this is something TOTALLY new for me, that I am trying for the first time. I have an interview coming up that’s pretty major. It’s with the University of Vermont, and would be hugely beneficial for my dreams that are lying in wait (specifically that tiny house on acreage and my dream business I hope to run from it). This interview is the next best step for me, and I was digging into ideas for how I can make an awesome first impression. Insert: clothing rentals!

Most rentals for women are subscription-based. I would recommend making sure you choose an option that does not charge you if you damage the clothing (that’s big for me because I am pretty rambunctious when playing with my good dogs), something you can pause or start when you need to, and of course, an option that has clothes you feel match your style. I found Nuuly, which also has an online thrift store! I only purchase used clothing, so this seemed to be a great fit for me. I was also considering how fun it’d be to have a cute dress for an upcoming NYC trip, and to have a few cute outfits on our abroad trip this year. Overall it’s probably the most expensive option (except maybe that storage unit) but it’s also a cool idea for managing clothes when living a big life, in small space.

I would not recommend renting my hiking clothes, and they are actually totally destroyed after months of backpacking- but the epitome of tiny fashion is backpacking the PCT.

Other ideas include clothing swaps, using online thrift stores and selling/buying as you see fit, or just doing it the minimalistic way and enjoying what you are able to fit into your small space ❤️

Whatever you choose to do to maximize your attire, Chloe hopes you enjoy the heck out of using a lint roller. Just kidding, we hope you all stay full of joy this new year! Enjoy time outside, on adventures and most of all, enjoy every moment of that big life with your adventure dog. As always, many happy tails and happy trails to you.

Barking Embarkers

Camper Life 101: How to Manage Fashion in Tiny Spaces

What Does Your Closet Look Like?