Why We Chose to RV Full-time
Hi, I’m Alex. I’m a mother, a wife, an outdoorswoman, a rock climber, a part-time homeschool teacher, and a full-time Ops Director at a Dallas-based digital marketing agency. Over the past few months, our family of 4 sold our house in East Dallas and are living, working, and homeschooling full-time in our RV.
Living in an RV full-time once felt like an option only awarded to retirees, but in the last decade, the remote & RVing lifestyle has been on the rise with all kinds. In the disaster known as 2020, we saw RVs skyrocket in popularity as those of us formally tethered to a desk realized that the office was now anywhere connectivity existed. Working and traveling went from a pipedream to an actual possibility almost overnight.
Now I’ll admit, our family has a bit more a-typical story. We not only decided one random afternoon to plan a month-long journey for the family but to also throw the house on the market just to see what happened. Three weeks later, we left for the trip and the house sold its first day on the market. Full-time life, here we come!
You may be wondering why we decided to get rid of our home and live in a 19ft travel trailer. The truth is that we really didn’t like what we became when we were always at home. Staring at screens was the reality as it transitioned from checking your phone in the morning to working on your laptop all day and rounding out the evening watching TV. Our best selves were the ones out in our Mantis, experiencing new landscapes and spending our time out in the fresh air. Our lives at home were distracted and less meaningful, so we decided to make a change. With our jobs fully remote and having made the decision to homeschool our boys, the biggest hurdles were removed. So we just did it.
Wondering if full-time life may be for you? Here are a few things to consider and some tips as you explore full-time RV life.
START SMALL
Even if you were to choose a substantial motorcoach or trailer, you’ll need to trim possessions significantly. This is the easiest place to start because if this step is a challenge, then calling an RV home may not be your best path. For a single person, this can be relatively simple, but for a family, you’ve got other folks to consider.
PLAN A LONG JOURNEY
Although we put the horse before the cart in our case, planning a multi-week/month journey is a great way to really try out RV living before having to take the plunge. There’s only so much planning you can do, so getting out there and learning by doing will give you the best insight into if this lifestyle is a good fit.
GET EDUCATED
One of the worst things we’ve seen in the surge of new RV owners is the lack of education in towing and general rig operation. Lack of towing experience is not only a danger to you but everyone else on the road. Confidence comes with time, but a base level of knowledge and a mind for safety will take you a long way. When it comes to understanding your RV, remember, you’re considering LIVING in this thing. You should know how all its features operate, as well as be familiar with routine maintenance and small repairs. Don’t be the ignorant RV owner.
Full-time RV life may not be for everyone, but for those that naturally find it alluring, it’s worth investigating. You may find that after your long trip that road life is stressful, or maybe you’re not ready to pare down all your items. The reality is however that in this day and age, working remotely has never been more prevalent, so this is a great time to try. You can always go back to stationary living if it’s not your vibe, so give it a try!
Written by Campspot Ambassador, @_alexhardgrave. Photos were taken at Dark Sky RV Campground in Kanab, UT, and Hidden Grove RV Resort in Honey Grove, TX.