Our full-time RV hopes
Moving into an RV full-time is a big decision, but we’re hopeful that these things will make it worth it!
We recently previewed the uncertainty we feel as we gear up to move into a camper full-time. While those hesitations are legitimate and guiding some of our preparation ahead of the big lifestyle shift, they aren’t what’s dominating our thoughts.
Instead, it’s our excitement that is setting the tone as the pickup day for our camper approaches. As nervous as we are about certain aspects of living in a tiny space on wheels, the feelings of anticipation and hope are much stronger.
That’s why we’re focusing on the hopes we have for the coming year(s). We have a feeling that this change is going to be good for us, and we’re sure we’ll have our share of memorable adventures along the way!
Things to know:
We’re going to be full-time RVers soon, and we couldn’t be more excited for that chapter of our lives to start. As we look forward to hitting the road full-time, these are the biggest hopes we have.
Full-time travel - What we’re looking forward to
Seeing friends and family
We have family scattered from Florida to Alaska, and plenty of friends and other family members everywhere in between. Traveling full-time will allow us to spend time with people we care about, make memories together, and have adventures we otherwise would never have the opportunity to share.
Gregg is one of our good friends. He often joins us for a week or two on trips. He also has a rad Jeep!
One of the best parts of this decision to be nomadic is that we can allocate as much time as we want to different areas of the country, giving us opportunities to see people for as long (or short) as they’ll have us. Now, that’s a blessing!
Visiting places new and old
Like most of you, we have an ever-expanding list of destinations we want to visit. From majestic views to quirky towns, our travel bucket list is filled to the brim with exciting places to see and exhilarating adventures to embrace. Becoming full-time RVers gives us the unique chance to start checking off a whole bunch of those must-see destinations and must-do activities.
Of course, it’s not all about the latest, greatest, and not-yet-seen. The more we travel and immerse ourselves in different parts of the world, the more we want to return to certain places. We have fallen in love with several small towns, mountain vistas, quaint campsites, and so on. Embracing the nomadic lifestyle lets us revisit those places and explore them to our heart’s content.
New destinations are always exciting, but we have plenty of past places we can’t wait to revisit—including the Oregon Coast!
Challenging ourselves
We have traveled enough–including in much more minimalist setups–to understand that life on the road is not always sunshine and rainbows. In fact, it can be downright miserable sometimes.
While we certainly hope that the majority of our days are positive, we want to face the bad ones head-on and view them as opportunities to grow, not as disappointments, deterrents, or failures.
That’s why we hope to challenge ourselves to become more resilient, self-reliant, optimistic, and adaptable. It may not be as rugged as settlers in wagons, but any great adventure is an opportunity to become a better, more rugged version of yourself, and we look forward to tackling ours together.
Breaking free from our norm
In late 2023, we made a commitment to our business. For years, we had been enjoying the fruits of our labors without pushing to expand or grow too much, but we knew we could only put off the inevitable for so long. So, we designated 2024 as the year to buckle down, put our noses to the grindstone, and really focus on giving our business a long overdue makeover.
A little more of this and a little less time spent in the office will do us some good.
Without going into too much detail, our efforts were rewarded, and the business excelled more than we could have hoped. That said, it consumed our lives. While intentional (and we’re certainly not complaining), our work-life balance skewed heavily toward work over the last 14 months.
We accomplished what we wanted to accomplish, and we’ll no doubt continue to push the momentum forward, but we’re ready to reestablish a bit of balance. Traveling full-time should help us do just that.
Embracing our creativity
Speaking of balancing the scales of work and fun, we are extremely excited to have more opportunities to embrace our creativity and the passions that stem from it. We’re both pretty bad at just chilling, so even our “fun” tends to have a touch of productivity to it. Our creative passions are no different.
Working outside ain’t half-bad when it’s something you want to do.
From documenting our adventures through photography to staying consistent on this blog, our YouTube channel, Patreon, Instagram, and all the other outlets where we can share our creative endeavors, we are ready to pour our hearts, talents, and time into things that we love.
Sharing it all with you
Our connected world has its downsides. Heck, we can’t tell you how many hours we’ve wasted consuming silly content or getting sucked into meaningless internet wormholes. That being said, there are some real advantages to social media and the like.
Apart from sharing our creative work and on-the-road experiences with all of you, platforms like YouTube and Instagram (and even this blog) allow us to meet, learn from, and share with all of you. It’s like having an expansive community of amazing people right at our fingertips, and that is pretty awesome.
Spoiler alert: we’ll even be at some industry events in the coming months where we might meet some of y’all for real–you know, like in person!
So, please feel free to engage with us, offer pointers, share your stories, and interact with ours. We’re new to the whole full-time travel thing, and we’ll take all the guidance you offer. If we’re lucky, we’ll make some good friends along the way!
- Riley + Hanna
Our full-time RV fears
We’re stoked to hit the road full-time, but we also have some hesitations.
Any dramatic shift in life comes with its share of hesitation and uncertainty. Heck, even minor changes can induce a certain level of anxiety.
When we decided to move into a camper full-time, we did so with a healthy dose of excitement and more than a spoonful of nerves. Call it measured optimism or a mix of yeehaw and whoa, Nelly.
As the time approaches for us to pack up our things and call our camper home, we’ve been trying to pinpoint exactly what our full-time RV fears are so that we can face them head-on.
What better way to explore those trepidations than by jotting them down and calling it a blog?
Things to know:
Moving into an RV is a daunting life change, and it comes with some pretty prominent fears. Here, we’re discussing the biggest concerns we have as we transition into full-time RV living.
Full-time travel challenges
We haven’t lived in a camper full-time (yet), but we have done multiple months in a row in a rooftop tent and nearly four straight months in a minimalist truck camper (Scout Kenai), so our list of perceived full-time travel challenges isn’t totally without context.
We’ve had many nights like this.
Still, we know this lifestyle will be an entirely different ballgame, so we’re looking forward to discovering new challenges along the way!
Working full-time on the road
We have to work full-time as we travel, which comes with a host of potential setbacks and frustrations. That makes this particular challenge a lot like opening a can of worms.
There’s no doubt we’ll dedicate future blogs to this topic because it deserves a dedicated space to be fully explored. For now, we’ll break our work-from-the-road dilemmas into some basic categories.
Connecting to the Internet on the road
Anyone who has spent time on the road–whether they have to work or not–has experienced the frustration that comes with limited or spotty connectivity. Whether you’re relying on mobile data or using satellite internet, there’s no such thing as a perfect solution.
We used Starlink on the road in 2023, and it served us well—but it isn’t perfect.
Because we rely on an internet connection nearly every day for our livelihoods, inconsistent access can be more than irritating–it can disrupt our ability to work and bring in an income.
We have enough travel experience to know that this is a big challenge, and while we’re taking steps to mitigate those issues, they are inevitable (to some degree).
Staying focused (and disciplined)
Look, travel is exciting. New places to see, activities to do, and food to eat can get you buzzing with anticipation. It’s part of what makes the nomadic life so appealing.
We have developed a healthy amount of discipline through our years of being self-employed, but we’d be lying if we said it was easy to remain focused in the face of such tempting distractions.
As we adapt to full-time travel and establish routines, this area of concern will surely fade (we hope).
Limited (office) space
For the last year and change, we have had ample space to stretch our legs, separate our work from our relaxation, and do our best to avoid feeling cooped up and cramped.
While the great outdoors will soon be our living room, there’s no question that our living space will be reduced dramatically. No dedicated offices, no individual desks, no dedicated computer monitors… you get the idea.
Cooking and counter space in a camper
We don’t want to project our experience with our previous truck bed camper to the camper we’ll be living in. They are totally different products intended for entirely different usages. They’re also not in the same price bracket.
The Scout Camper Kenai was stylish, rugged, and minimalistic, but counter space was severely limited.
That said, one of our biggest struggles in the Scout Kenai was the limited counter space for food prep and cooking. We had to change our approach to cooking and split up cooking duties so only one of us was in the “kitchen” at a time.
Not only was this frustrating and prone to messiness, but it also discouraged us from cooking as often as we normally do. If our camper is going to feel like home, we need to overcome this challenge and learn to be comfortable and efficient when cooking most of our meals.
Safety and security as nomads
We have a good amount of travel experience and know many people who RV full-time, so we know (logically) that it can be done safely and securely. Still, there is that voice in the back of our heads that questions how safe we actually are and causes a touch of paranoia. The lack of surety of what’s outside our door is enough to set us on edge.
There are inherent security risks in living on the road, but this particular challenge feels more like a mental hurdle than anything. We are confident that we will adapt to our new lifestyle without losing that valuable gut feeling that alerts us to danger.
Full-time travel and the bathroom
Call us divas; we can take it.
We’ve tried a variety of bathroom solutions while on the road. From digging holes to those fancy bags you get at REI, every option has pros and cons.
If you look carefully, you might spot a bathroom tent.
Unfortunately, there is no perfect solution, and that can be a frustrating barrier that prevents full-time RV life from feeling like a true home. While we think we’ve picked the most convenient option for this camper, even it has a downside–cost.
Full-time RV budgeting
It’s possible to save money with this non-traditional way of life, but it’s not easy. In fact, it can be downright hard, leading to the complete opposite–expenses can pile up real quick.
We’ve gotten a lot better at budgeting in recent years, and Riley has been keeping detailed records for quite some time now, so we know we can stay locked into a reasonable budget.
The question is, will the expenses of frequent travel, eating out, exploring new places, and otherwise leaning into our adventurous side overwhelm our desire to be disciplined? Only time will tell, but it’s bound to be an adjustment either way!
Water usage, hygiene, and relaxation
We’re clean people who enjoy a nice long shower to stay fresh and unwind after a long day. Given the limited water storage of our camper, standing under a steady stream of hot water for more than a few minutes simply isn’t practical.
Campgrounds and vacation rentals can occasionally supplement this lack of endless water, and we have no doubts that we’ll quickly adapt to this relatively minor inconvenience, but we’re also confident that it’ll be a challenge!
Despite our uncertainties, we have no doubt that embracing life on the road will be an exhilarating and rewarding experience for us. So, don’t let us fool you–we’re champing at the bit to pick up our camper and get this adventure underway.
Have you experienced any of these full-time RV fears? Do you have anything else we should worry about? If so, drop your knowledge in the comments below. We’d love to hear from you and welcome you to our little community.
If you’re interested in following our journey, you’re in the right place. We’ll be posting weekly blogs, as well as regular updates on YouTube and Instagram. For a more in-depth look into our life on the road, we even set up a Patreon.
Thanks for reading. We hope to see you on the road!
- Riley + Hanna