Have you ever wondered what it is really like living in an RV full-time? With this new lifestyle gaining traction on the internet, a lot of people have thought about trying this for themselves, or have even taken the leap and gone for it!
Downsizing, having the freedom to travel anywhere you can drive, fewer bills and responsibilities, and seeing the country, are just a few reasons people decided to try this lifestyle. Living in an RV full-time may seem like the answer to it all.
Like everything else, it has its downsides. It may seem like a fool-proof plan to convert your life into a TikTok dream, but it’s important to be realistic about the day-to-day and the struggles that come along with this kind of lifestyle.
We decided to renovate a fifth-wheel camper, sell our stuff, and travel to the mountains for the wintertime. It was a non-permanent move, but we did live in the RV full-time for a little over 6 months.
There were a lot of lessons learned during this time, but it will always be one of my favorite experiences. Downsizing to such a smaller space and selling and donating most of our physical belongings put a lot into perspective.
We genuinely lived in the moment more. We connected with nature and met new people on various paths of life. Life didn’t revolve around bills, work, schedules, and possessions.
It allowed us to take a step back and focus on the more important parts of life and allowed me to bring that knowledge back as we went back to ‘normal life.’
This post may contain affiliate links. This means I will receive a portion of what is purchased through the links on this blog at no additional cost to you and this does no affect the products I choose to share or my opinions on them. Read more at my full disclosure.
Living in an RV Full Time gives you freedom.
The biggest difference most people notice, or a reason they want to try this lifestyle, is the freedom it gives you.
You are no longer tied down but taking care of a large house, or even keeping your house in one spot. The daily maintenance of a typical home is much easier when you take on a much more minimalist lifestyle, and the openness to move your home with you across the country is a fun experience.
The cost of living in an RV full-time is generally much cheaper than that of living in a house. You will still have bills to pay, but they will be drastically smaller.
Keep in mind that you will have to pay to keep your RV somewhere and have hookups for electricity and water. There are many different options to look into, other than a typical RV park.
You can choose one location to live at for a period of time, and get up and go! You have the opportunity to travel the country in the comfort of your own home.
Turning a camper into a home
Investing in a new camper, or renovating an older camper to not only look but act more like a home makes a big difference. I am a big homebody and I love to cook. Having a small RV and kitchen was taking a lot away.
However, with the right decor, set up and use of space, it was a comfortable transition where I could still enjoy the things that I used to with small adjustments.
Take into account all the activities you enjoy every day, and what you love most about your house. Incorporate that into your RV to make living in your RV full-time more comfortable and more realistic for you.
The biggest challenge I faced with living in our RV full-time was the lack of space and planning that went into this move. Although we spent the time renovating our camper, it was just the lack of knowledge and experience of what was truly important when it came to changing this space.
We did alter the layout, changing the dining room area into a bedroom for our daughter and I am so glad we made this change. However, there is more we could have done, or waited until finding the perfect RV for our family situation to make the challenge of moving from a large home to a small RV much easier on us.
Challenges of Living in an RV Full-Time
As with everything, living in an RV full-time absolutely came with its challenges. A lack of storage space as a family of three was something to get used to. Although we got rid of many items, it did make getting ready more difficult.
The bathroom of the RV was probably the biggest downside for me. I loved taking my time getting ready, but the limited space and dated layout of our RV, it made it hard to enjoy getting ready. You had to walk through the bathroom to get to the bedroom of the fifth wheel, making it less than ideal for privacy, as the main door of the bathroom then opened up to the rest of the space.
This could easily not be an issue with a different layout of your own RV. But it is something we overlooked when buying this one.
Cooking was something that was much more challenging in this space as well, but many new RVs do some with full-size kitchens.
The main challenges we faced came down to the specifics of our RV. I loved the freedom, daily living, and convenience of living in an RV.
Although it came with space challenges, it forced us to not care so much about our possessions and focus more on being out in nature, and present in our lives outside.
Would I move back into an RV Full-time?
The simple answer, it depends.
I loved our time living in a camper and I am glad I got to experience this part of my life. However, there are many reasons I love to live a more stationary life tied down to my home. I love to travel, and I would love to buy another camper. I don’t think I would make it a home.
I prefer to be more self-sufficient and living on the road can make this lifestyle harder.
However, I would absolutely keep my prior experiences in mind, buy an RV, and live in it again for a short period of time to travel somewhere else in the country. But, I don’t think this would ever be a long-term option for me.
