8 Months of Full-Time RV Living

Written by Nancy Carter, Making My Own Lane

This has for sure been a year of changes and adventure.

From paring everything I own down to the bare basics (almost), to adding things back in as I feel I still want them or they would make a big difference in my quality of life.

As I’ve said before, I am not looking to live a life completely off grid, although it is nice sometimes, and I like having the ability to do that. I love camping in the woods and I like living in my camper in more urban areas. I enjoy having options, and variety.

My RV Travel Style in 2023

The past year I spent about 50% of my time traveling, and 50% of my time more stationary, doing the Thousand Trails Orlando Shuffle. You can read more about that here. Both lifestyles have a place, and help to keep my life a little more interesting, because I can enjoy all the things that both types of living offer.

After 8 months of living in my “tiny home”, I am feeling more comfortable in my own space. I have found places for almost everything I decided to keep. I’ve even purged my closet again of those “must have” clothes that I now believe I will probably never wear again.

I do need to clean out my “attic” over the cab at some point, and relook at everything up there.

Struggles of Living in an RV Full-Time

I’ve had to learn to live not like I am on vacation every day, which means cooking and eating in more than going out to eat (but life does usually feel more like a vacation!).

I’ve struggled with my internet, and sometimes lack thereof. Learning to download movies, make phone calls using FaceBook messenger or sitting in a parking lot with bars to try and work, and finding other activities that don’t require internet, like hiking, reading, meeting new people, and crafting a bit. Things I haven’t had a lot of time to do for the past several years.

And then there's doing dishes and taking a shower in an RV ...

in very small space.

Step 1 Every time I want hot water I have to turn on the hot water heater. Wait 10 or 15 minutes.

Step 2 For washing dishes, I pop up my very small dish drainer. If I have larger pots and pans, I have a drying pad I put on the dinette. The good thing is, you wash, you dry, you put away. Everything has a place and needs to be in it.

Step 2 To take a shower - I have to move the kitty litter, because it stays in the shower with kitty door access when I am not using the shower. I also have to move anything else I might be keeping in the shower.

Luckily, I can take long, hot shower in my RV. I have heard that some people are not as lucky and the hot water doesn't last very long, so they need to turn the water on and off as they wash to conserve it.

Step 3 Let the shower dry, with the fan on. After it is dry, I wipe down the shower pan with a towel to make sure it is really dry. Water and dampness in an RV is not your friend.

Step 4 Put everything back. Katie, my cat, has adjusted to the routine very well. If I'm in the shower, she can still find her kitty litter.

But, it is a bit of a hassle and I find that I don't shower as often as I did in a house, maybe every 3 days, with spot cleaning in between.

Internet can be challenging in an RV

I’ve come a long way from the first time I realized I was in a place for 9 days with no internet and becoming almost depressed because I felt so alone and disconnected. Now, it bothers me, but not as much. Even though it does make it challenging to try to work consistently. I’m still not ready to make the move to internet that may or may not work better, and it will definitely cost a LOT more, both for the initial setup and monthly costs. So for now, I work with what I have.

Regrets about living in an RV

I don’t feel I have really regretted getting rid of anything that I have either sold or donated. Except for maybe the paid off car. I ended up doing more of a trade in, selling my old car for a nice amount and buying a small Jeep 7 months later with fewer miles that fits my new lifestyle better and that I will be able to tow, if I decide to do that.

I think adding a car back into my life was the biggest decision I have made so far. When I was traveling the East Coast, I learned to live without it. Using my Class C RV, Daisy, as my only mode of transportation. I did buy an electric scooter before I started my travels. I found that an easy and fun way to get around the campground and some trails, but I use it more like a bicycle than an actual mode of transportation.

Once I started my more stationary winter life, I made the decision to buy a car. Because I am in my home state of Florida, I have family and friends that I want to spend time with, and I don’t want to have to rely on them, or Uber, for rides when I want to see them.

There’s also something to be said for not having to break my setup every time I want to go somewhere. It’s a very relaxing lifestyle, except for one or two travel days a month. Having a car also allows me to keep some of the things I’m not using as much in the trunk of the car, so I have a little more space in my 200 square foot home.

While I did eventually end up buying another car, for the time I’m spending in Florida this winter, I don’t think I will be towing it behind me on my longer trips. I like the simplicity of being able to move as quickly as possible, while worrying about as little as possible.

It’s another one of those things, like expensive internet, that you have to reevaluate later on. How much extra am I spending vs. the quality of life or extra income will I get from spending the extra amount?

One of my favorite quotes from the late Dr. Wayne Dyer is, “when the pain of staying where you are is greater than the pain of moving on, you will move on”. In other words, how much pain or extra stress am I putting on myself by not making a change? For every decision you make, there are pros and cons, and usually for me the decision with the most pros wins.

But I digress. Allow me to share some of the positive side of full-time RV living in my 27-foot Class C motorhome.

Positive Things about Living and Traveling in an RV

I have a lot of windows on all 4 sides of the camper, so I feel less claustrophobic than I originally thought I would feel. Yes, on rainy days we can be a little tight, but luckily I have not had days of rain at a time.

I also like having separate living areas, like a dedicated bedroom that stays set up as a bedroom with a nice queen size bed at all times.

I have an “open concept” living room, dining room, kitchen area. All 80 square feet of it, and a separate bathroom/shower area (which also doubles as a laundry room) about 45 square feet and a large closet for all the clothes I decided to keep. Everything has a specific space.

And then there’s my backyard, that I don’t have to do any maintenance on! The lawn gets cut, the pool gets cleaned, all at no additional cost to me. I have lots of room to walk, hike, and scooter and lovely neighbors (for up to 3 weeks at a time - then one of us usually moves). If we like each other, we can keep in touch and maybe see each other again, if our paths cross.

Right now, I am living about 20 minutes away from Disney World. Yes, I love Disney, and Universal, and SeaWorld. It’s one of the reasons I moved to Florida 20 years ago. So I bought a Florida resident weekday pass, and I can pretty much come and go as I please. I like to go for a few hours, walk around, maybe see a show or do an attraction, and leave. It’s a much more relaxing way to do a theme park when you know you literally can go whenever you want, pretty much.

I am just a few minutes away from several grocery stores, gas stations, and a Wawa. Which means I don’t have to shop and keep stocked up for 2 to 3 weeks at a time and I find that things don’t fall out on my head every time I open a cabinet. And, I am more familiar with the local stores, which means I can get in and out of the store faster, without having to worry about the safety of my house and pets sitting in the parking lot.

With a car, I am also saving quite a bit of money on gas. I get 26 mpg instead of 8. I don’t have to pay for Ubers, and it’s a lot easier to park. So when I am staying in one area for an extended period of time, having a car with me makes sense.

When I decided to live in my camper full-time, I wasn’t trying to escape my old life. I was trying to create a life I love with all the things I value and enjoy most in life, like spending as much time as possible with family and friends and my fur babies, being available if they need me, traveling and exploring the United States, and going to theme parks occasionally.

Things I have not necessarily been able to do in the past, living in a traditional home and working to support said house.

I compare the cost of living in a traditional house and living in a tiny home on wheels here, One Year Living in an RV Full Time as a Solo Female RVer - including my budget!

I did set a budget, or budget goal, before I started this life, and I let you know how well I guestimated the cost of this lifestyle.

When I started, I’m not sure if I planned to spend 6 months in Florida over the winter; however, because I can, I am able to be here to help my family out at a time they need me this year. I get to live 30 minutes away from them, and I am available. A year ago I didn’t foresee any of this. Not the full-time RV lifestyle, not living this close to family, not being needed (or available) to help out.

I am in the right place at the right time, and exactly where I am supposed to be. I stopped trying to fight all the thoughts and feelings, and expectations, of other people, and everything has worked out amazingly well because I have just let life flow.

Thanks for reading!

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Learn the truth about RV Life.

Hi there! I'm Nancy.

In 2023, I ditched my heels for hiking boots, sold my house, and decided to travel the US full time in my 2005 Lazy Daze Class C RV.

I love to share the places I travel to and what it's like to live in an RV full-time.

If you have ever thought about hitting the road and traveling in an RV, either in your free time or full time, you are in the right place!

Follow along for weekly blog posts about my adventures as I travel the US with my two dogs, Rufus and Willie, and my cat, Katie.