3 Things We Wish We Knew Before Starting RV Life

As first-timers to the RV world, we spent months researching everything we could. We quickly realized that no amount of planning could prepare us for life on the road. These are some things we wish we knew before heading out.

#1: You Won’t Know What You Need, Until You Need It

We knew our needs quite well. However, that was until we had to pick and choose a finite amount of those needs. Researching floorplans for our home-on-wheels was simply a matter of what was towable. We wanted small, lightweight, and something with a good amount of storage. When we saw Topaz, a 1995 Skyline Nomad, on Facebook Marketplace she was 19 feet of perfection. Our things JUST fit!

Shortly after departure, we realized the constant playing of Tetris with our belongings was not a long-term solution. If given a do-over, we would have spent more time testing different floor plans and renting one for a few days to gauge our real-life needs.

#2: Travel Burn Out Is REAL

Being young and excited about traveling full time, we had planned to move quickly through some of our favorite destinations. Spencer’s full-time remote job meant we wanted to avoid packing up and moving during the weekdays. Eager to go as fast as we could, we explored every Saturday and moved every Sunday!

What did not occur to us was how stressful this fast-paced lifestyle would be. We had limited time to explore the area, or no time at all if there was bad weather. On top of that, the weekly loop of set-up and tear-down became tedious. Extending our stay in one place has allowed us to save money, explore lesser-known places, and have more time to relax.

#3: This Isn’t A Never Ending Vacation

It’s easy to get into the mindset of being on vacation when moving from place to place. Immediately wanting to immerse yourself in a new environment is instinctual and typically becomes expensive. We eventually found a balance that allowed us to experience new areas without falling into too many tourist traps.

The most helpful adjustment to our budget was to limit our outings. We decided that one restaurant and one excursion a week was appropriate. Although challenging to choose just one of each, it made us more mindful of what would encompass that specific area. We filled the rest of our week up with home-cooked meals and hiking!