Last updated on September 1st, 2024 at 03:36 am
Today I want to talk about all of the reasons I love living in an RV full time.
To read our story about our journey to full-time RV living check out this article Full-Time RV Living: Combining Passion and Profession.
At the time of writing this, we have been living full-time in our RV for over a year. And by “we,” I mean myself, my husband, our two boys, our dog, and our two cats. We are a full house!
And we love it! It is certainly a change-of-pace from living in a house, but we love the adventure. Here I share all of the benefits of living in an RV, and I hope you find this helpful if you’re on the fence about this lifestyle!
Table of Contents
Freedom and Flexibility: The Ultimate Adventure
One of the most incredible aspects of full-time RV living is the unparalleled freedom and flexibility it offers. Imagine waking up one morning and deciding on a whim to chase the autumn colors in Maine or spend the summer nearby your favorite National Park (we have done both).
With our home on wheels, these spontaneous adventures are not just possible, they’re our way of life. We are always seeing new things and falling in love with new areas. We are always exploring and learning.
We were not made to live and die in one place.
We’ve found ourselves marveling at the sunset over the Grand Canyon one week and laying on a Southern California beach the next. This ability to change our surroundings at will has brought a sense of excitement and novelty to our daily lives that we never experienced in our stationary home.
The flexibility extends beyond just choosing our location. We can tailor our lifestyle to suit our mood or the season. Feeling like a beach vacation? We can park our RV at a beachfront campground for weeks. Craving the solitude of the mountains? We simply hop on the highway to the nearest range. This freedom has allowed us to live life on our own terms, creating a lifestyle that truly reflects our desires and values.
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Simplified Lifestyle: Less Stuff, More Life
Transitioning to full-time RV living necessitated a significant downsizing of our possessions, and this process has been liberating.
We now know that living with less doesn’t mean sacrificing quality of life. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
By stripping down our belongings to the essentials and items that truly bring us joy, we’ve freed ourselves from the burden of excess. Many of our belongings are now sitting in a storage locker and I don’t even know what’s in there or what we’ll do with it when we’re done living as nomads.
Goes to show how unnecessary most of it is.
No more cluttered closets, overflowing garages, or rooms full of rarely-used items. Every item in our RV serves a purpose or holds special meaning, creating a space that feels both functional and deeply personal.
This simplified lifestyle has brought a clarity to our daily lives that we never expected. Without the distraction of excess possessions, we find ourselves more focused on experiences and relationships. We spend less time managing and maintaining stuff and more time enjoying life and each other’s company.
The process of simplifying has also made us more mindful consumers. When space is at a premium, every purchase is carefully considered. We’ve become experts at distinguishing between wants and needs, leading to more intentional and satisfying choices in how we spend our money and time.
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Closer Family Connections: Bonding on the Road
This is maybe the most important benefit of living in an RV.
Living in a smaller space has brought us closer together, both literally and figuratively.
We’ve found that the quality of our time together has improved dramatically. We spend a lot more time together outside, which makes us feel closer to each other and more rooted and calm.
In our previous life, it was easy to retreat to separate rooms, each family member absorbed in their own activities. Now, we share a common living space, which has led to more conversations and shared activities.
Our travels have become a shared adventure, with each family member contributing to the journey. Yes, even the little guys. From navigating new roads to setting up camp, we work together as a team. These shared experiences, both the challenges and the triumphs, have created memories that we’ll cherish forever.
Connection with Nature: Our Backyard is Always Changing
Full-time RV living has allowed us to forge a deeper connection with nature. Instead of being confined to a single backyard, we now have the opportunity to make the great outdoors our home.
We’ve camped under star-filled skies in the desert, woken up to the sound of waves crashing on the beach, and watched wildlife from our RV window. This proximity to nature has had a profound impact on our well-being. We find ourselves more relaxed, more in tune with natural rhythms, and more appreciative of the world around us.
Our lifestyle encourages outdoor activities. Hiking, biking, kayaking, and wildlife watching have become regular parts of our routine. We’re more active than we’ve ever been, and we’ve discovered a love for outdoor pursuits that we might never have explored in our previous life.
This connection with nature has also fostered a greater environmental awareness in our family. Living in various ecosystems and witnessing their beauty and fragility firsthand has made us more conscious of our impact on the environment. We’ve become passionate about practicing Leave No Trace principles and doing our part to preserve the natural wonders we encounter.
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Opportunities for Learning and Growth: The World as Our Classroom
Full-time RV living has transformed the way we approach education and personal growth. Every day brings new opportunities for learning, both for our children and for us as adults.
History comes alive when you can visit the actual sites where significant events took place. We’ve walked the grounds of Civil War battlefields and explored ancient Native American dwellings. We’ve come across landmarks and historically relevant areas we never knew existed. These experiences provide a depth of understanding that no textbook can match.
Geography lessons happen naturally as we traverse diverse landscapes. Our 5 year old can now identify various mountain ranges and oceans, understand different climate zones, and appreciate the vast diversity of ecosystems within our country.
But the learning extends beyond academic subjects. We’ve all developed new skills through the necessities of RV living. From basic RV maintenance to outdoor survival skills, we’re constantly adding to our repertoire of practical knowledge.
Trust me, RVs need constant work and once you see the price tag for these fixes you learn how to fix it on your own.
Problem-solving has become a family strength. When you’re on the road, unexpected challenges are part of the journey. Whether it’s a mechanical issue with the RV or navigating a new city, we’ve learned to approach problems with creativity and resilience.
Perhaps most importantly, we’ve grown as individuals and as a family. Adapting to new situations, meeting people from all walks of life, and stepping out of our comfort zones have fostered personal growth in ways we never anticipated.
Healthier Lifestyle Choices: Active Living on the Road
One unexpected benefit of full-time RV living has been the positive impact on our health and lifestyle choices. The nature of RV life encourages a more active, health-conscious way of living.
With constantly changing surroundings, we find ourselves eager to explore each new location. This often means more walking, hiking, or biking than we ever did in our stationary life. Whether it’s a trail in a National Park or a stroll through a new town, we’re moving more and sitting less.
Our eating habits have also improved. We feel one of the best ways to connect with a new location is to visit a local farmers market. We have enjoyed visiting farmers markets across the country, trying regional specialties, and adapting our meals to what’s seasonally available. This has not only improved our diet but has also connected us more deeply to the places we visit.
The RV lifestyle has also reduced many of the stressors associated with traditional living. No more long commutes, less exposure to the constant barrage of consumerism, and more time in nature have all contributed to a sense of calm and well-being that we never expected.
Final Thoughts
Reflecting on all of the benefits of living full-time in an RV fills me with gratitude for the incredible experiences and growth it has brought to our lives. The freedom and flexibility, the simplified lifestyle, the closer family connections, the deep bond with nature, the continuous learning opportunities, the healthier lifestyle, and the daily adventures have combined to create a life more fulfilling than we ever imagined.
While full-time RV living isn’t without its challenges, we can confidently say that for us, it has been the best decision we’ve ever made. It has transformed not just where we live, but how we live, bringing us closer as a family and opening our eyes to the beauty and diversity of the world around us.
There’s so much more out there to experience than sitting on our couch and scrolling social media.
The adventure isn’t always about grand destinations. Sometimes it’s the simple pleasures: trying a new local dish, meeting fellow travelers with fascinating stories, or finding the perfect boondocking spot with a million-dollar view. These daily adventures keep life exciting and fresh.
If you’ve been considering full-time RV living, I encourage you to take the leap. The road ahead is filled with incredible experiences, personal growth, and the opportunity to craft a lifestyle that truly reflects your values and desires.
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