Tips for Living in Your RV Full-Time

Coming home from an RV trip can be one of the hardest parts of the vacation. Time to go back to work, back to your stationary home. But have you ever considered staying in your camper? Lots of campers decide to make this switch for a number of reasons. Maybe they don’t need all the space of a stationary home or maybe they appreciate the savings of full-time RVing.

Either way, making the switch can be exciting, but also stressful. It’s a major life change and you’ll want to make sure you’re making the right choice, and doing it the right way. The Outpost RV wants to step in and help you out by providing some tips for preparing to live in your trailer, but if you need additional help, then stop by our location in Middlebury, Indiana, near Kalamazoo, Michigan, for a chat with one of our friendly staff. 

Choosing an RV

The first step is to make sure you have the right RV for full-time living. Even if you already have an RV of your own, think about all the things you need to live comfortably--whatever that may mean for you--and decide if your camper is up to the challenge. Many people decide to upgrade, at the very least to a bigger model. This way, you won’t feel like all your essential living spaces are right on top of each other. 

There are some other minor considerations that might have a big impact on your final choice. Odds are, you’ll still need a smaller, commuter vehicle to run errands, so you’ll want to decide if that’s separate from your rig or if you want a towable RV to keep everything contained. You’ll also want to consider how long you’ll stay in any given location so you can decide how mobile your model is. If you’re constantly moving around, then you’ll want something that’s easy to transport, but if you’re staying for a long time in one spot, maybe you can look at other options.

Practice Runs

While the idea of living full-time in your trailer might be nice, you won’t know if it’s the right fit until you try it. This doesn’t mean diving into the deep end right away. You’ll want to set up some practice runs, or extended vacations to give you an insight on what life might be like. And we don’t just mean a week. You’ll want to be out on the road for several weeks and even months. This way, you really know what it’s going to be like to live away from your stationary home.

Supplies

Packing for full-time RVing is much different from packing for a weekend trip. The biggest concern is going to be minimizing everything you own so it all fits in your camper. Some people choose to get a storage unit to keep some things out of the way, but if you’re not using it, then you might as well get rid of it. We recommend starting by making a list of all the basics and then finding ways to scale back. This may mean bringing less of something, like clothes, or bringing smaller versions of something, like cleaning products. This might require some trial and error, but over time, you’ll get all your things narrowed down to just want you need (which, if we’re being honest, will probably make your life a lot easier as well). 

This should help you prepare, but sometimes it can also be nice to talk to someone in person about some of your concerns and what to expect. For all your RV-related needs, stop by The Outpost RV in Middlebury, IN for a friendly chat with one of our experienced staff members. We proudly serve Kalamazoo, MI, as well.