When you think about RVs, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Most likely travelling. But many people have RVs that they don’t move, but that are parked somewhere for the whole season, or even the whole year if it’s warm enough. Today I’m going to share some helpful full-time stationary living tips.
If you are in an RV in one spot it actually gives you a little bit of flexibility in the things you can do.
As I’ve said in some of my previous posts this month, we are currently living in an RV in one place. We are between houses and while we look for a house we decided we would stay in our RV at a campground. So basically, we are living in an RV full-time in a park.
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We haven’t been here for long, but so far I’m really loving it. It helps that we are at a good campground with great owners. But living small is a break from managing our house and homestead for the past 4 years. We truly enjoyed it, but we missed the flexibility we had to go out and explore before we had such a big place to manage.
So, today I’m going to share with you some tips for living in an RV stationary full-time.
Living in an RV full-time in a park
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1. Park where there’s hookups
I’m all for boondocking short-term. And the truth is, some people love to boon dock long term. However, it can be very challenging to work with no hook-ups for an extended period of time. Save the boondocking for a trip and find an RV park where you will have water, sewer, and electricity to make your long-term stay more enjoyable and easier.
2. Check into how you will access Internet
Some people can go without Internet, but in this day and age most can’t. When we moved into our RV we knew we would need internet for my work and for schooling for my kids. We looked at various options and we decided the best one for us at this time was to drive up the road 4 minutes to the local library and use the Internet there.
That isn’t ideal for everyone, though and I understand that. There are mobile options if you need Internet access at any time. Even though you aren’t technically mobile, these choices are a great choice for RV living. Also, there are some parks that will offer free Wifi, but you want to find out if the signal is strong enough for you to get done what you need to and most parks don’t have that. Either way, you’ll want to look into what option best fits your needs while living in an RV.
3. Set up a screen tent for added room.
For some RV living can feel cramped after awhile. Especially if you have a whole family in the RV with you. Setting up a screen tent gives you more space to use on warmer days. If you can set up a picnic table in it or some camping chairs it can be a great spot to do some work, play some games, or just relax.
4. Find some things to do locally
If you spend too much time in your trailer you’ll most likely get stir crazy after awhile. You’ll want to find some local attractions and activities to do or places to explore. Check the Internet, ask the locals, and go on an adventure. We are in an area with a lot of bodies of water so we are taking advantage of the fishing opportunities, and will get out swimming, canoeing, and paddle boarding once it warms up.
If those types of activities aren’t your thing just look for what does interest you. Most places, even small towns have libraries, museums, and parks.
5. Get outside everyday
This goes along with the last point. Get outside everyday to avoid cabin fever. Even a 15 minutes walk everyday can help with this.
6. Do your research on RV campgrounds before deciding which one to stay at
If you are going to be stationary for awhile, you will want to park at a campground you know you will be happy at. If you are like us you may pay for a whole season and so you don’t want to end up somewhere that doesn’t work out well. Check out reviews of the campground you are looking at, take a tour around the park, and check out the amenities nearby so you know what you are getting into.
7. Pick your campsite carefully as well
Since you are going to be at your site long-term, you want to pick your site carefully. When we got to our RV park we looked around and found a site that had no neighbors on one side, and a really big grassy area for our kids to run around in and the dog to be walked in.
Maybe that’s not your priority. Maybe you want to make sure you have a shady spot. Or maybe you prefer the sun. Whatever it is, just make sure you pick it carefully since you will be parked for a long time.
8. Make sure you have a plan for ant control
We discovered pretty quickly that ants can get into your RV in no time. And if it’s not ants, I’m sure you’ll have some bug problem at some point if you aren’t prepared for it, and even if you are. There are a few solutions you can try. Here are a few solutions for getting rid of ants in an RV:
- Diffusing peppermint essential oil
- Spraying any entrance points with a mix of equal parts vinegar and water
- Mixing borax and sugar with water in a spray bottle and spraying it around your RV legs
- Sprinkle diatomaceous earth around your rig (will need to be replaced when it rains.)
- Keep your garbage in a sealed bucket
- Make sure all food is in airtight packages
9. Bring your kitchen gadgets that make cooking easier
It’s pretty impressive how much you can cook in an RV kitchen but there’s no denying space is at a minimum. Not to mention, cooking anything inside will heat the RV up a lot quicker than if you were in a house. There are some kitchen gadgets you’ll want to bring to make cooking a little easier. For outdoor cooking pack bring your BBQ and you can even bring a smoker. For indoors consider bringing a slow cooker or an instant pot.
10. Get some potted plants for outside
Since you aren’t going anywhere you can easily add some potted plants right outside your front door for a sweet, decorative look. It’ll feel more like home if you take some time and add some life to the outside of your RV. Small succulents for indoors are a great idea as well. Smaller plants won’t take up too much room, yet will spruce things up.
11. Set up a “deck” for your RV
Whether you are living in an RV full-time in a park year after year, or are stationary only for a season, you can set up a deck area. If your RV won’t move for the time you own it you may look at building a permanent deck (as long as it is allowed in the RV park you are in.)
If you are just stationary temporarily you can buy an outdoor RV mat, and add some camping or deck chairs. Consider some outdoor solar lights for some warmth. If you want some more outdoor RV decor ideas, check out this post.
12. Pick a rig that will meet your needs
There are so many different RVs. If you want to primarily use yours to park in an RV campground and you don’t plan on removing it, you may have different RV needs than someone who wants to travel with theirs. You also need to decide how much room you want.
Do you want slide-outs? If you are like me and have kids you will probably want a rig that has bunks so everyone has their own space.
If you are parking somewhere it is really hot you will probably want to make sure your RV is equipped with air conditioning.
These days you can get rigs with TVs, fake fireplaces, and even washing machines! Your budget will also dictate what you invest in. Ours is an older model with no slide-outs which works just fine for us.
Use these full-time stationary living tips
If you need some tips for living in an RV, try the things listed above. The tiny house movement is pretty big these days, and an RV is a tiny house on wheels! Personally, for us we are realizing that less is more and while there are some conveniences we are learning to live without (like a washing machine and a dryer – the laundromat is my new best friend) we have discovered a lot of perks with living this small.
The nice thing about living in an RV is that it helps you re-evaluate what you want in a house if you plan to buy one in the future. We get caught up in trying to keep up with the Joneses with bigger and better houses, but when you live in an RV you find out just how little you actually need and you can focus on what is truly important to you and your family.
If you are wondering whether stationary RV living is right for you, consider the ideas in this post as you make your decision. It could be a fun adventure for you.
My cousin and his wife inherited an RV from her parents, and they want to save money by living in it full-time. I appreciate your suggestion to find a good RV campground by checking the reviews. I’ll pass this along to my cousins so they can start looking for a well-reputed RV park this weekend.
Great ideas! My hubby and I are retired and have lived full time basically stationary in our 2008 26’ RV for a little over 2 1/2 years in NE Oklahoma. We had planned on living at another RV park which was a little closer to our youngest daughter, son-in-law, and 2 young grandkids, but that changed at the last minute. At this RV Park we have access to full hookups, a shower house, a laundromat, WIFI, cable TV, small storage units, and propane. We are close to fishing and state parks so we occasionally drive our RV out to stay elsewhere for a few days. There are other attractions and shopping in the area. It took a little getting used to living in tight quarters, but we adapted and wonder why we didn’t do this sooner.