Chickery's Travels

Chickery's Travels logo. A blue-green Earth globe with continents surrounded by dots with an arrow denoting movement or travel and "Chickery's Travels" as part of the dotted circle. Next to this is a photo of their blue and white Arctic Fox 5th Wheel with the awning out.
  • Home
  • Campground Reviews
    • The Best U.S. National Park Campgrounds
    • 28 Must-See State Park Campgrounds You Can’t Miss
    • Alternatives To National Park Campgrounds: Discover Hidden Gems Just Outside the Park Boundaries
    • Best Luxury RV Resorts For All RV Types
    • Best Waterfront Campgrounds For Every Budget
    • Alabama
      • Gunter Hill Campground (Montgomery, Alabama)
    • Arizona
      • Best Campgrounds in Arizona
      • Aspen Campground (Payson, Arizona)
      • LazyDays KOA (Tucson, Arizona)
      • Lost Dutchman State Park (Phoenix, AZ)
    • Arkansas
      • Catherine’s Landing (Hot Springs, Arkansas)
      • Downtown Riverside RV Park (Little Rock, Arkansas)
    • California
      • Best Campgrounds in California
      • Crescent City Redwoods KOA (Crescent City, California)
      • Sea Breeze RV Park (Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station)
    • Delaware
      • Cape Henlopen State Park (Lewes, Delaware)
    • Florida
      • Best Campgrounds in Florida
      • Blue Angel Naval Recreation Area (Pensacola, FL)
      • Jonathan Dickinson State Park (Southeast FL)
      • LazyDays RV Resort (Tampa, FL)
      • MacDill AFB FamCamp (Tampa, FL)
      • Military Camping in Key West
      • Patrick AFB FamCamp (Cocoa Beach, FL)
      • Rainbow Springs State Park & Campground (Ocala, FL)
      • Walt Disney World’s Fort Wilderness (Orlando, FL)
        • Halloween at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
        • Chickery’s Travels Podcast Episode 5: Fort Wilderness Campground Review
    • Maryland
      • Cherry Hill Park (College Park, Maryland)
    • Michigan
      • Port Huron KOA (Kimball, Michigan)
    • Nevada
      • Best Campgrounds in Nevada
      • Las Vegas RV Campgrounds: Nellis Air Force Base and Lake Mead RV Village
      • Boondocking Near Las Vegas
    • New Hampshire
      • Lincoln / Woodstock KOA (New Hampshire)
    • New York
      • Round Pond Recreation Area (West Point, NY)
    • North Carolina
      • Outer Banks West / Currituck Sound KOA (Coinjock, North Carolina)
    • Oklahoma
      • Oklahoma City East KOA (Choctaw, Oklahoma)
    • Texas
      • Best Campgrounds in Texas
      • Alsatian RV Resort (Castroville, Texas)
      • Maverick Ranch (Lajitas, Texas)
      • Texas Wine Country Jellystone (Fredericksburg, Texas)
    • Tennessee
      • Camp Margaritaville (Pigeon Forge, TN)
      • Crossville I-40 KOA (Crossville, TN)
      • Midway RV Park (Memphis, TN)
    • Virginia
      • Complete Guide to Camping at Shenandoah National Park
      • Cape Charles / Chesapeake Bay KOA (Cape Charles, Virginia)
      • Fort Belvoir Travel Camp (Alexandria, VA)
      • Harrisonburg / Shenandoah Valley KOA (Broadway, Virginia)
      • Shenandoah Views Campground (Luray, Virginia)
      • Lynchburg / Blue Ridge Parkway KOA (Monroe, Virginia)
      • Shenandoah River State Park (Bentonville, Virginia)
    • Washington
      • Crescent Bar RV Resort (Quincy, Washington)
    • West Virginia
      • Harper’s Ferry KOA (Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia)
  • USA
    • Alaska
      • 5 Things You Can’t Miss On Your First Trip To Alaska
    • Arizona
      • Apache Trail: A Crazy, Scary, Beautiful Drive
      • Best of Tucson – 10 Unforgettable Activities
      • Complete Guide to Saguaro National Park
      • Lost Dutchman State Park (Phoenix, Arizona)
      • Phoenix Faves: Best Activities to Enjoy on Your Arizona Vacation
    • California
      • Complete Guide to Joshua Tree National Park
      • Complete Guide to Redwood National and State Parks
    • District of Columbia
      • Budget Friendly Fun in Washington D.C.
      • Favorite Hikes near Washington DC
      • Indoor Skydiving and TopGolf: Just Another Day of Family Fun!
    • Florida
      • Florida National Parks Road Trip Guide
      • Best Beaches in Florida’s Panhandle
      • Best Walt Disney World Festivals For Adults
      • Blowing Rocks Preserve – Jupiter Island, Florida
      • Bok Tower Gardens
      • Daytona Beach – The World’s Most Famous Beach
      • Enjoy the Best of Sunny Sarasota
      • Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
      • Gasparilla – Tampa’s Pirate Invasion
      • 3 Days on the Nature Coast 
      • Get Back to Nature in Tampa Bay
      • Florida Freshwater Springs on the Nature Coast
      • Halloween at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
      • Kennedy Space Center – Cape Canaveral
      • Island Hopping at Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island State Parks
      • Must See Sights in St. Augustine, FL – America’s Oldest City
      • Rainbow Springs State Park & Campground (Dunnellon, Florida)
      • Take Me Out to the Ball Game – Spring Training in Tampa, FL
      • Tarpon Springs – The Gulf Coast Town with Greek Flavor
      • The 5 Best Beaches in the Tampa Bay Area
      • Top 5 Things to Do on Florida’s Space Coast
      • What Not to Do When Kayaking on the Weeki Wachee River
      • Why We Love Tampa
      • Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure
    • Georgia
      • Visiting Atlanta? Don’t Miss These Civil Rights Museums
    • Hawaii
      • Everything You Need to Know About Camping in a Jeep Wrangler in Hawaii
    • Illinois
      • One Day In The Windy City – Chicago Itinerary
    • Maine
      • Coastal Maine Road Trip
      • Discover the Beauty of Monhegan Island, Maine
      • Acadia National Park: Highlights You Can’t Miss
    • Nevada
      • Explore Las Vegas – It’s More Than Just Gambling
    • New Hampshire
      • Experience the Magic of New Hampshire’s White Mountains
    • North Carolina
      • Complete Guide to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
      • Uncover the Coastal Charm of North Carolina’s Outer Banks | A Guide for Visitors
    • Oregon
      • Navigating Oregon’s Natural Gems
    • Pennsylvania
      • The Best Things To Do In Lancaster Pennsylvania
    • Tennessee
      • Complete Guide to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
      • Burgess Falls: 3 For 1 Waterfall Special
      • National Civil Rights Museum – Memphis, TN
      • Window Cliffs, TN – I’m Not Afraid of Heights, But I am Afraid of Falling!
      • WWII History in Tennessee
    • Texas
      • Best Restaurants in Fredericksburg
      • Enjoy a Bird’s Eye View of Texas Hill Country
      • Explore Nature’s Untamed Beauty at Big Bend National Park
      • Top 10 Activities in the Dallas – Fort Worth
    • Utah
      • Discover the Best of Zion National Park
    • Virginia
      • Explore Great Falls Park, Virginia
  • RV Resources
    • 3 Simple Steps to Find the Best RV Campgrounds
    • 5 Years Full-Time RV: Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret
    • Boondocking – What We Learned From Our First Dry Camping Experience
    • Tips for Boondocking Success
    • Essential RV Gear
      • Essential RV Gear Guide
      • DIY RV Power & Solar Upgrade
      • RV Must Have: Tire Pressure Monitoring System
      • RV SnapPads Product Review
      • RVLOCK Keyless Entry Door Handle Installation and Review
      • Shop “RV Local” With TechnoRV
      • Top RV Gadgets & Accessories
      • WeBoost Cellular Booster Review
    • Maintenance
      • DIY RV Power & Solar Upgrade
      • DIY Power Upgrade – “Solar Ready” Arctic Fox Fifth Wheel
      • An Easy Way to Protect Your RV Water Heater
      • Easy DIY Project to Protect Your RV Water System
      • How to Reduce the Likelihood of Tire Blowouts on your RV
      • Odor Free RV Black Tank Tips
      • RV Condensation: What It Is, What It Does, and How To Stop It
      • RV Roofs – What You Need to Know
    • Living in an RV
      • 9 Lessons From 2 1/2 Years on the Road
      • Dealing with my Biggest Full-Time Travel Struggle, Missing Family While Traveling
      • Downsizing: 3 Areas That Make The Biggest Impact
      • Full-Time RV: 2019 Year in Review
      • Full-Time RV: 2018 Year in Review
      • Full-Time RV Travel – 2017 Year In Review
      • How Full-Time RVers Celebrate the Holidays
      • Get Ready for Full-Time RV Travel
      • Internet Solutions for RV Travelers
      • The Ultimate Guide to Embracing the Full-Time RV Lifestyle
      • Living in a Tiny, Traveling Home
      • Making Friends (and reconnecting with old friends) While Traveling Full-Time
      • Pros & Cons of Full-Time RV Travel
      • RV Organization & Storage Ideas
      • Short-Term RV Storage: Leaving The RV Behind
      • Top 3 Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret: 3 Years Full-Time RV Living
      • What We Wish We Knew Before Full-Time RVing – Stories from the Road
      • What You Need To Know Before Selling Everything And Moving To An RV
      • Why We Are Traveling Full-Time In Our RV
    • Must Read Books Before Becoming A Full-time RVer
    • RV Organization & Storage Ideas
    • RV Remodel
      • Planning an RV Remodel
      • RV Kitchen Cooking Videos
      • Painting Your RV Interior
      • Update the RV Kitchen – Backsplashes & More
      • Updating Your RV Window Treatments
      • RV Bedroom Makeover
      • RV Remodel Costs with Before & After Photos
      • Vintage Camper Renovation
    • RV Holiday Tour – Decorating Our Small Space
    • RV Hurricane Evacuation
    • RV Misery Can Be Overcome By The Generosity Of Others
    • How Book Readers Can Space and Weight in the RV
    • Slow Travel
    • Small Kitchen Cooking
      • Eating Healthy on Travel Days
    • Staying Healthy
      • Traveling with Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, and Other Chronic Pain Conditions
    • Trip Planning
    • Traveling with Pets
      • RVing with Your Cat
      • Traveling with Restricted Breed Dogs
    • Why I Prefer RV Travel Over Flying
    • Your Guide To Planning The Best Family Vacation This Summer
  • Travel Finance
    • 5 Tips to Save on RV Travel
    • 5 Ways to Fund Full-Time Travel
    • Creative Ways To Save Money On Your Next Vacation
    • Full-Time RV Expenses
      • Annual Full-Time RV Expenses – The Big Three
    • Five Credit Card Strategies To Improve Travel
    • How Much Do Campgrounds Cost?
    • How Much Does it Cost to RV Full-Time?
    • How to Camp for Free
    • How to Earn Passive Income from Your RV (Without Doing Any Work)
    • How to Save Money on RV Fuel Costs
    • How to Save on Food While Camping
    • How to Start a Profitable Blog
    • How We Earn A Living While Traveling Full-Time (And How You Can Too)
    • How We Paid $139,000 of Debt in 2 Years While Full-Time RVing
    • Learn How to Finance Your Dreams
    • The Top 7 Ways to Save Money While Traveling Full-Time
    • RV Purchasing
      • RV Purchasing: Understanding RV Types
      • Benefits of Renting an RV: Try Before You Buy
      • Should I Buy A New or Used RV?
      • The Costs of RV Ownership
      • The True Cost of Financing an RV
      • Attend An RV Show – Even If You Already Own An RV | Exciting Reasons Why
    • Save Money Using the Public Library (On More Than Just Books)
  • Military Travel
    • Guide To Using Military Campgrounds
    • Health Care for Retired Military Full-Time RVers
    • Why Military Retirees Should Fly Space-A
  • About Us
    • RV Shows We’re Attending
    • Contact Us
    • Follow Us

6:59 pm by Julie Chickery

What You Need To Know Before Selling Everything And Moving To An RV

It’s no secret feeling tied down by a checklist of life accomplishments can feel draining. Maybe you’re not interested in the standard; “Get married, buy a house, have a baby” phenomenon. If this is you, young or old, the decision to sell everything you own and move into an RV may be the right choice for you. Look no further for our top things you need to know before selling everything and moving to an RV full-time.

Full-time RV living is definitely a lifestyle change if you’re used to traditional home life. Your first big task will be selling your current humble abode. Here are some top house-buying companies you can consider if you want to sell your house quickly and with less hassle. 

Before we dive into the things you should know, let’s discuss what the benefits of RV living are:

  • The lifestyle can be cheaper than owning a traditional home
  • Your home is on wheels and can take you to endless places
  • You’ll inevitably buy less stuff you don’t need
  • You can still live in the same town you currently do, or not
  • The ability to travel full-time

1) Make a moving timeline

The best first step to take when you’re wanting to sell everything and move to an RV is to make a timeline for yourself. Although a big adventurous leap, this move certainly requires some planning. Know that your timeline won’t go exactly as planned but having a rough guideline of when you want to be hitting the road in your home on wheels will make the feat seem more manageable. 

Have a date of when you want to have all your belongings sold and when you ideally would like to close on the sale of your home. When moving is getting closer, remember to include timeline items like how you plan to school children and logistics regarding remote work.

2) Prepare to sell your home

Want to get top dollar for your current property? Check out these top best fixes to make to get your listing price at the closing table. Once your real estate professional gets photos taken of the home, start selling your furniture. Get creative by selling things online, hosting a garage sale, and donating items to local charities in need. Don’t forget to plan to sell your vehicles as well.

3) Purchase your RV

This one may seem obvious but do your research on the best RVs that will work for you and your family. There are loads of options, each with unique features that can benefit you and your new lifestyle. Take your time to decide which RV is the one for you. It’s a large purchase and will impact your life dramatically if you select one that isn’t the right fit. And don’t forget, there is more to just the purchase price in the overall costs of RV ownership.

4) Downsize and consider a storage unit

Downsize, downsize, downsize is the key to successfully living in an RV full-time. Even if you sell 90 percent of your belongings, you may still feel the need to rent a small storage unit in a home-based location. This could be necessary to keep sentimental items like boxes of photographs, excess tools, special holiday ornaments, etcetera. If you’re struggling, consider these tips for downsizing.

5) Purchase necessary items for RV living

Consider purchasing an RV GPS, electrical management system, tire pressure monitoring system, water filtration system, and other handy tools to have on the road with you. See our list of essential RV gear. When doing this purchasing of larger items, it’s also a good time to set a budget for your monthly living when you’re hitting the road in your new home-on-wheels. 

Filed Under: Living in an RV

8:30 am by Julie Chickery

Prepare to Travel Full-Time in an RV

So you’ve decided to take the leap into full-time RV living, and now you’re wondering what you need to do to get there. There are many reasons to live and travel full-time in a recreational vehicle from saving money to a desire to see more of our beautiful country. In this article, I’ll cover a few key steps you can follow to prepare yourself and your RV in a stress-free way!

The RV Purchase

Before you start looking at RVs, first consider your RV life. How you plan to live and travel in your RV should have a huge impact on what type of RV you choose. Consider these questions for a start: 

  • How quickly do you plan to travel? Breaking down and moving often can be more cumbersome with some RVs than others. 
  • Which room in your home is most important to you? If you enjoy cooking, you may want an RV with a large kitchen. If you work remotely, you will need to consider a comfortable workspace. 
  • What type of activities do you enjoy? Will you want room for indoor activities or space outside the RV to carry bikes and kayaks? 
  • Do you plan to stay mostly at privately owned campgrounds or would you like to frequent national parks? Most national park campgrounds have smaller sites and restrict larger RVs. 
  • Would you like to dry camp or boondock often? If so, you’ll need to consider your power sources, water tanks, and 

Here’s a video we created discussing some tips on choosing the right RV for you. 

Download our free RV shopping tips here. 

If you are in doubt about what type of RV to purchase, we recommend renting first. Peer-to-peer RV rental services have all makes and models of RVs. You can even rent a fifth wheel or travel trailer and have it delivered to a nearby campground if you don’t have a truck yet. 

One great way to save money and yourself from a very costly mistake is to purchase used ones. Read this article to answer the question should I buy new or used? 

RV Gear

Once you have your RV, there will still be work to get it ready for your full-time RV travels. This will include purchasing the essentials and completing any required modifications. This ranges from electrical and water systems to safety gear and comfort items.

Electrical Systems

There are a few key items you may need for your RV’s electrical systems. 

The first and most important is a Surge Guard electrical management system. This is much more than a surge protector. It provides total electrical protection for your RV. Any surge or even low voltage issue can wreak havoc with your RV’s sensitive electrical components, so don’t try to cut costs by skipping this item. 

If you are at a campsite with power, you’ll need a power cord. While your RV likely came with one, you’ll want to check and see how long it is and where it plugs into your RV. The last thing you want to do is arrive at a campsite after a long day of driving and realize the power post at the rear of the site is too far for your cord. If you have a 50 amp RV, you may also want to purchase a 50 to 30 amp adapter known as a dog bone. This will allow you to connect to the 30-amp power pedestals often found at state and national parks. 

Another essential piece of equipment you’ll need if you want to do any off-grid camping is a generator. For RV’s, the type you specifically need is called an inverted generator. Not only are they quiet and compact, but they provide a more stable stream of power. With a generator, you can power your entire RV, from wall outlets to convection ovens and lights no matter where you are camping.

Water & Waste Systems

You’re going to need a few items to manage your RV water and waste systems. First, you’ll want a long potable water hose to connect to a water source at your site or at a potable water fill station. In between the water spigot and the hose, you’ll also need to add a water pressure regulator and a water filtration system. 

You’ll also need a sewer hose to empty the black & gray water waste tanks either at your full hook-up site or a dump station. We’ve used the RhinoFlex hose for years. We are glad we got the 20′ because not every campsite and dump station is created equal. Some are placed quite far from where you’d expect. The clear elbow and 4-in-1 dump station fitting will make life much simpler too.

Tire Pressure Monitoring System

The most important piece of safety equipment you can buy is a tire pressure monitoring system or TPMS. It consists of a series of sensors systems that screw onto each tire’s valve stem to monitor tire air pressure and temperature. We have the sensors installed on the Fifth Wheel and truck tires. The TPMS alerts the driver if a tire gets too hot or has pressure outside the desired range (too high or too low). This gives you time to pull over safely before a blowout occurs. We personally recommend the TST 507. 

Those are the basics, but see our list of essential items that every RVer needs for more recommendations. 

RV Modifications & Renovations

No RV is perfect. You will likely want to make some changes to make it feel like home. Our two major projects were a solar and lithium power upgrade and interior decor renovations. 

Watch our four-part series on our RV solar and lithium power upgrade:

See the costs associated with our RV remodel:

Take some time to think about how you plan to use your RV, then prioritize what projects you’ll want to undertake to make it your own. 

RV Familiarization

Now you have your new RV home, you’ll want to get to know it well. If you are an experienced RV traveler, or you’ve had your RV for quite some time, this should be a fairly easy step. But if the RV is new to you, give yourself some time before you move into it full-time. 

One thing to be aware of: an RV comes with stacks of user manuals, not just one. The reason for this is that your RV manufacturer makes the body of the RV, but all the components like the air conditioner, furnace, oven, microwave, stairs, leveling jacks, etc. are made by other manufacturers. You’ll want to test all of these components and make sure they are working well before you move into your RV. It is much easier to leave your RV at the shop for warranty work if you have another place to stay.

You’ll also want to get some practice driving and parking before you set out for a cross-country adventure. A great place to start is with an RV Driving School. Simply go to their website and find an instructor near you for a personalized training for parking and driving all types of RVs. 

Downsizing

To state the obvious, an RV is considerably smaller than your average house. With a smaller space, it’s important to reduce the number of “things” lying around which can cause clutter. 

Secondly, you can start to reduce the size of your closet. You may love clothes, but do you really need them all? 

Lastly, the other extras such as books, cooking utensils, and extra bedding or towels. All of these extras can be sold in person, online, or even donated to charity shops. 

A good rule of thumb is if you haven’t worn it or used it in the last month, you probably don’t need it. 

The hardest items to part with for many are those with sentimental value. Check out my article on tips for overcoming common hurdles with downsizing.

The Take-Away

Now we have covered the major steps to prepare for full-time RV living: RV purchase, RV gear, RV modifications, and downsizing.

The steps can seem fairly basic, however, it’s easy to forget some of the most important things to check when you have so much to think about. 

While it can feel like a huge change you should now hopefully feel more confident to tackle, and even enjoy, preparing for your new lifestyle! 

Filed Under: Living in an RV, RV Resources

8:30 am by Julie Chickery

9 Lessons From 2 1/2 Years on the Road

Note from Chickery’s Travels: This is a guest post from our friend, Laura of Chapter 3 Travels (bio below). We’ve been a big fan of her blog for a couple of years now and finally had the chance to meet her & her husband in person last month. We whole heartedly agree with the advice she shares in this article. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as we did!

Since the summer of 2016, my husband and I have been traveling fulltime in our motorhome. During that time, we’ve gawked at mind boggling natural wonders, learned about everything from ancient civilizations to modern scientific breakthroughs, and, perhaps most importantly, met numerous kind, thoughtful, and interesting people. The overall experience has been nothing short of phenomenal. Unsurprisingly, however, it has not been without its challenges. We’ve weathered some serious storms — physically, mentally, and emotionally — and, along the way, we’ve learned a lot of lessons we think are worth sharing.

Here are a couple of the things we would advise a new RVer as he or she prepares to hit the road. 

1. Get the good insurance. 

While it is tempting to try to save money on insurance, we’ve had multiple experiences where we needed our health insurance company to come through for us in a big way. Thankfully, they did. We have friends who needed their entire diesel engine replaced — at a cost of more than $40,000 — and their insurer quickly sent the check. When it comes to health and RV insurance, we are convinced it is better to be over-insured rather than under-insured. If you’re facing enormous RV repairs or a serious medical situation, the last thing you want to do is sit on the phone with your insurer pleading with them to pay the bill.When you need these companies, you need them and that is not the time to find out you were penny wise and pound foolish. 

Full-Time RV Lesson: Accidents happen - be prepared. When I broke my leg a month after we moved into the RV, I was very happy to have nationwide coverage with Blue Cross/Blue Shield. What was already a physical and emotional disaster could have also been a financial one, had we gone with a different company or plan.
When I broke my leg a month after we moved into the RV, I was very happy to have nationwide coverage with Blue Cross/Blue Shield. What was already a physical and emotional disaster could have also been a financial one, had we gone with a different company or plan.

2. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. 

Put another way: Research, Research, Research! There are so many resources available to fulltime RVers these days. Everything from what kind of RV to buy, to which campgrounds are nicest, to what sights are worth seeing has been discussed to death on the internet. But all the information in the world doesn’t help anyone if it goes unread. One of the questions we are frequently asked is whether we have ever felt unsafe at a campground. Our answer is always “no.” But it’s not because there aren’t plenty of somewhat sketchy campgrounds out there.  It’s because I always research places beforehand and if I see reviews that call into question the safety of the area, we just go elsewhere.

By doing our research we’ve also avoided problematic roads and routes, we’ve purchased high quality products we’ve used and loved and never needed to replace, and we’ve avoided wasting time and money on overpriced tourist attractions and restaurants.

Additionally, our research has led us to lesser known places we might have totally missed had we just shown up without a plan.

While everyone’s heard of Yosemite, Joshua Tree, and Acadia, Watkins Glen State Park in upstate New York is on few people’s radar. We could have easily missed it too, had we not done our research beforehand.
While everyone’s heard of Yosemite, Joshua Tree, and Acadia, Watkins Glen State Park in upstate New York is on few people’s radar. We could have easily missed it too, had we not done our research beforehand.

There are people who will tell you that all of life’s joys are found in the unexpected; that you should just wing it and see what happens. For us, that’s just a recipe for stress, aggravation, and disappointment. Doing our research beforehand has consistently served us well.

3. Go slow. 

Just about everyone who starts RVing starts too fast. Of course! Who wants to spend a week in one place when they can hit 3 different national parks in that same week? The thing is, while life in an RV simplifies some things, it complicates others, and those things can create stress that is only magnified when you are constantly running around.

Many of the things you take for granted in your sticks and bricks house are much more difficult and time consuming when you live on the road. You don’t know where anything is in a grocery store… heck, you don’t even know where the store itself is!

You have to figure out where you can get your mail forwarded, where to get your hair cut, where to have your car repaired, and which veterinarian to go to. You need to make three meals a day and then do all your dishes, clean your tiny living space, and dump your tanks – none of which you can do while you’re sitting around at a laundromat waiting for your clothes to dry.

What’s the point of visiting Yellowstone if you’re just gonna be cranky and irritable the entire time you’re there?
What’s the point of visiting Yellowstone if you’re just gonna be cranky and irritable the entire time you’re there?

All of these things take time and if you’re constantly zipping around from one destination to the next, what should be a fun lifestyle can quickly turn into a stressful nightmare. And that’s the thing: this is a lifestyle, not a vacation. Build in time for your normal life stuff, for the additional things that RV life requires, and, most importantly, for yourself.  

4. Understand that everything in RV life is a tradeoff. 

The bigger your RV, the more comfortable it will be, but the fewer places you’ll be able to camp. Conversely, a smaller RV will mean you can go anywhere, but you’ll likely sacrifice comfort and convenience.

When it comes to the social aspects of life, nomadic RV travel often leads to people making more new friends than they’ve made in years. The tradeoff, however, is that after a week or two, all those new friends end up driving off in different directions.

One of the great things we've learned about RV life is the active community. A nomad’s social life is often extremely active, but also extremely fleeting.
A nomad’s social life is often extremely active, but also extremely fleeting.

On a related note, while fulltime travel means having numerous incredible experiences and adventures, it also means missing out on lots of events and milestones back home. It is an awesome life, but there are tradeoffs to be made and it is wise to give some consideration to how you want to handle those.

5. Appreciate the importance of weather.

Understanding the importance of weather in RV life is not just a matter of chasing 70 degrees.

A great thing about RV travel is the ability to chase beautiful weather. San Diego is one of the few places you can rest assured will feature beautiful weather.
San Diego is one of the few places you can rest assured will feature beautiful weather.

I recently completely changed our intended Spring travel route because I realized my original route would have us driving straight through Tornado Alley during tornado season. We spent last summer nervously watching wildfires burn out of control just miles from where we were camped.

Cold weather can wreak havoc on RV systems, extreme heat can cause a tiny home with lots of windows to become a greenhouse, and getting caught in bad weather can make you go absolutely stir crazy.

Never underestimate the importance of weather when planning your travels and when evaluating how you felt about a place. 

6. Be honest with yourself about what YOU want.

It’s easy to look at someone else’s Instagram feed or blog and think “that looks amazing!” but you have to be honest about whether that’s true.

Before we started, I was sure we’d be out boondocking in the desert for weeks at a time. But, honestly, we haven’t done that at all! Between complexities with our particular RV and the costs of solar, it just hasn’t made a lot of sense, and the reality is, it just doesn’t appeal to us the way we thought it would. No big deal, but I’m glad we didn’t go sink a ton of money into solar panels on day one. Same goes for many RV related purchases.

RV travel provides you with so many options. You can camp on the beach or boondock in the desert. Choose what works best for you.
One of the few times we boondocked on BLM land. It was ok, but it’s not something we see ourselves doing a lot.

Until you figure out your style of camping, hold off on spending hundreds of dollars for things you might not even need or want. 

7. On a related note, don’t drink the Koolaid on Instagram or other social media sites.

I can assure you, there are very few super hot babes standing on top of their hipster-perfect vans demonstrating perfect tree pose while gazing into the distance at sunrise. 

With RV travel comes the good and the bad. It isn't all that run to manage your own sewer system, but it sure is nice to be able to take your home with you wherever you go.
What RV life is REALLY like.

8. Life can be messy. Plan accordingly. 

In other words, have an emergency fund and prepare to be flexible.

Be prepared for emergencies. Your path will rarely be this straight.
Your path will rarely be this straight.

No matter how much you plan, things will sometimes go awry. We’ve faced enormous unexpected emergencies that we’ve had to handle on the road.

If you don’t have funds set aside to address these things, or you struggle with changing your plans, you’ll face even more stress and emotional upheaval when you are least prepared to deal with it.

9. There are as many different ways to RV as there are RVers. Do what you want to do and what makes you happy.

One downside of doing all that “research” I just told you to do is you’ll run into plenty of people who think their way is the only way to go. Our advice: ignore those people.

If you want to boondock for months on end, do it. If you’d rather be hooked up to 50 amp, water, and sewer every single night, that’s good too. Want to work camp? Awesome. Want to volunteer? Great! Want to be a slug? Fine.

Your Class A doesn’t have to be a diesel pusher, your travel trailer doesn’t have to be an Airstream, and your tow car doesn’t have to be a Jeep.

You should do whatever works for you, keeps your budget in check, and makes you happy. Don’t let anyone make you think your style of travel is wrong or ‘less than.’ If you’re happy, that’s all that matters.  

RV Travel Lesson: Do what makes you happy and don't worry about what other's think you should do.
As long as you’re getting out there and enjoying all this country has to offer, you’re doing just fine.

The last two and a half years have truly been life-changing and something we will cherish forever. We’d encourage anyone thinking about taking the plunge to go for it… just be realistic, be flexible, be prepared, and, when all else fails, be ready to rely on your sense of humor to get you through. 

Author bio: Laura and her husband, Kevin, have been traveling fulltime in their motorhome since August, 2016. Just recently, they expanded their pack by adopting a one year old German Shepherd puppy named Thor. She writes about their travels, observations, and misadventures on her blog: Chapter 3 Travels.

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Over the last few years of full-time RV travel, we’ve seen so much and met such interesting people. It is not all "living the dream," however. There are always challenges. These are the things we've learned along the way.

Filed Under: Living in an RV, RV Resources

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