Living in an RV fulltime is often romanticized as a life of freedom and adventure, but the reality can be far from that. While it is true that living on the road can offer incredible experiences and opportunities, it's also important to be aware of the challenges and hardships that come along with this lifestyle, particularly when stationary in cold climates. In this article, we're going to take a realistic look at the struggles of full-time RV living and provide you with some insights and tips on how to cope with them. Whether you're a seasoned RVer or just considering this lifestyle, this article will give you a deeper understanding of what it truly means to live on the road.
Full-time RV living has become increasingly popular in recent years, as more people are looking to live a simpler, more adventurous lifestyle. However, while this lifestyle can offer many benefits, it is not without its challenges. And more and more people are staying stationary with their RVs and not “on the road” all the time.
While the allure of RV living may seem appealing, it is important to understand that this lifestyle is not for everyone. It requires a certain level of adaptability and resourcefulness, as well as the willingness to live with limited space and amenities. We will provide a realistic view of the challenges of RV living in the hopes of helping those who are considering this lifestyle make an informed decision.
It's worth noting that this article is not meant to discourage anyone from pursuing full-time RV living. Rather, we hope to provide a balanced and honest perspective on the realities of this lifestyle, so that those who do decide to live in an RV are prepared for the challenges that come with it. With that said, let's dive into the potential drawbacks and hardships of full-time RV living.
Small Spaces and Minimal Living
RVs are small. Even a 40’+ RV is not as big as a house or apartment. They don’t have as much storage space as most homes. The storage they have is not always easy to access. It helps if you are a very minimalistic person before you move into your RV. When we were moving in, over about a three month period, I would try things in the RV and then realize how cluttered it was getting, and so take them back out and either donate them or store them.
Even when I thought I had pared down to a minimum, it takes more “stuff” than you might think to comfortably live your life. This isn’t a fun camping trip, it’s daily living. We have a very small closet. It’s got 2 small drawers and about 2 feet of hanging space per person. So, my wardrobe is extremely small. Thankfully, I don’t have to have a professional wardrobe in addition to my casual wardrobe for work. If I did, this RV would not function well. Some RVs have more closet space than other models, but most are still pretty lean compared to most US homes.
We are very vigilant in maintaining our wardrobe. As soon as the season changes, we swap out clothes for what we have in storage. If we purchase new clothes, we have to know which older item is going to the thrift store. One-in-one-out helps a lot!
Privacy & Noise
Most RV floorplans don't provide much private space. Even if they do have doors to separate spaces, you can still hear everything through the thin doors or curtains. So you need to be a very close & comfortable couple or family to thrive in an RV. If your kiddos are great about sharing rooms and spaces at home, they might do well with RV life.
RV walls are thin and you’ll hear your neighbors if you live in a park, more so than when you lived in a house. On a lot of RV forums, people will say if you don’t like your neighbors, you can just move. Well, that is not true for everyone. If you have a 6 month lease, you are not going to just up and leave when you get an annoying neighbor. Or if you are stationary in a spot long-term, you won’t just up and leave. So, if noises bother you, consider another lifestyle or learn to love to white noise machines, ear plugs, or noise canceling headphones.
Frequent Maintenance
RVs need more frequent preventative maintenance than one would think. They need their roofs inspected and sealed at least once a year, but more often would be better. Slideouts can be prone to leaks and sometimes you won’t know you have leaks until your floor is rotted and giving way or until you decide to renovate and pull out the built in furniture. The black and gray tanks need attention and it’s an education to handle your own waste if you are used to just flushing a toilet in a house. It can be difficult to find anyone to work on an RV and the certified techs, if you can locate one, can be very costly.
RVs are not plumbed and wired the same way that a house is plumbed and wired. It can be an adventure to learn the wiring & plumbing in your own rig! Again, not impossible to learn, but it's a different experience.
Internet & Cell Phones
If you are on the road, and need to stay connected, you may have some challenges with internet and cell service. Some areas will have great coverage and others, not so much. Some RV parks provide wi-fi, but public wi-fi can be a security risk and it may not provide enough bandwidth to meet your needs.
We use Starlink for our internet. We are happy with the speeds we usually get, but it’s not cheap and you have to invest in the set up kit to get started with them. Also, Starlink needs a clear view of the sky, so if you frequently camp in the woods or around tall trees, you may not get an unobstructed signal.
What About Cold Climates?
Weather and temperature are a big concern in RVs as they are never insulated as well as most homes. Even if it has a “polar package,” you may have frozen lines and cold feet in your RV. Summer sun beating down on your RV may heat your RV up more than your air conditioning can cope with. If you choose to use space heaters or portable air conditioners to supplement, you have to be concerned with overloading circuits.
Not all RVers can move to warm climates in the winter. You might need to stay somewhere cold for a job or for family reasons. Or maybe you love snow sports! If you do stay where there is a real winter, it's important to learn about how to care for your RV in that cold climate. You’ll want to consider skirting the RV to keep the area under the RV warmer, heat taping & insulating the water source and water lines, and heat taping & insulating your gray/black tank lines. If you don’t have heated black & gray tanks, you can buy aftermarket heater pads that stick on to the bottoms of the tanks to keep them from freezing in cold temperatures. Even with all the prevention tools, you still might have frozen lines. You have to get comfortable with adapting!
Isn't It Cheaper?
It’s not always cheaper to live in an RV, either. Expenses can vary so much from family to family, but it’s definitely costly in some ways. You might have a large RV payment to make each month. Full-time insurance can be expensive and some policies don't cover you if you live full-time in your RV. It pays to check and shop around!
If you need to park in RV parks, they are more expensive than in the past and have even more rules than before. You may need reservations well in advance of your arrival. Propane for your furnace, stove, and water heater is a variable cost and will cost more in the winter as you'll use your furnace more (if in a cold climate). Fuel is a big variable that you can have some control over. You can't control the price at the pump, but you can strategize how often and how far you move to balance out your budget.
Some RV parks have free electric but others require you to pay for the electricity that you use. If you don't have your own washer & dryer, you might be using laundry mats and paying to do your laundry. Most RV fridges are very small with limited pantry space, so you may be purchasing groceries more frequently and it's difficult to purchase in bulk or to stock up on sales. Be sure to do your research on costs in the area(s) where you’ll be living to prepare a realistic budget.
Coping Strategies and Solutions
Develop or improve your emotional resilience: you will encounter a lot of ups and downs and you need to be resilient in the face of challenges. Try to find the good things in your RV life and focus on those positives. Remember that you are doing your very best!
Learn how to do your own basic maintenance & repairs: as much as you can, learn how to maintain and repair your RV. YouTube has great resources. There are a few online forums and Facebook groups that have good advice (not all!). And also it helps to realize when you have reached your limit of your skills and call in a professional!
Find an online or in person community for support: find your tribe online or in person that will help buoy you up when things get challenging. Where you can bounce ideas off of people with some experience.
Don’t be afraid to change your RV layout or renovate: making your RV work for you & your family is important. You won’t always know what you need in a layout until you live in your RV for some time. If it’s not functional, don’t be afraid of change. The great thing about RVing being popular now is that there are so many wonderful ideas to be found online for RV renovation and it's not that hard to resell your rig if it's just too far off from what you need.
As you can see, full-time RV living comes with its fair share of challenges, especially when the weather turns cold. However, this doesn't mean that it's impossible or not worth it. By being aware of the potential drawbacks and taking steps to mitigate them, you can still enjoy the freedom and adventure that comes with this lifestyle.
If you're considering this lifestyle, I encourage you to join my email list for more tips and advice on making the most of RV living. Together, we can make the most of this unique and rewarding way of life!
