8 Products for under $100.00 to Make a Used RV New to You: RVing in Retirement

Saw it, wanted it, bought it, then personalized it

We made it to retirement with enough energy to hit the road; it was time to live the dream, travel. We researched RVs to identified our wants. We examined our budget, explored the market, and inspected homes on wheels until we found the perfect one. We whined about the cost, negotiated, bought it. As we stood on the outside of our new RV, our excitement was uncontrollable. I am pretty sure we drooled a little at the prospects. When we walked inside, our excitement did not diminish, but it became obvious to make it feel comfortable, we had work to do.

However, purchasing an RV is a huge investment that initially strains the budget leaving little of the extra money, if there is such a thing, available until the next retirement check. Luckily, few needs glared at us, but we needed to clear out the ghosts of past owners and replace them with our fun-loving personalities. With less than $100.00 we glammed our motorhome into an inviting, clean, aromatic abode.

Air freshener $.89

Forget those concerns that we bought a rig that permeated a repelling odor. It is just whenever a room remains closed for a period, it begins to smell musty. A simple remedy was a gel air freshener. Yes, the kind that sat on the coffee table at your grandmother’s.

I chose this because it was easy to tuck in a corner and secured with a small piece of Velcro, offered a subtle aroma, remained active for a month, and was cheap. As we planned to reside in our new home on wheels for an extended time, our purchase was temporary and easily disposed once the environment absorbed our pleasant, personal odor.

Old English Oil $3.47

Someone else touched the counters, the cupboard doors, the closets, the doors, everything so I needed to wipe all the surfaces for my own peace of mind. This product provided the added benefit of bringing new life back to the wood. The liquid worked best for my purpose because it cleaned as it shined and with a little elbow grease took away all left behind smudges. It is also available in a spray can if that suits your needs.

Shelf liner $12.93 a roll

An RV bumps and jolts as it moves, no way around it. By placing some rubber shelf liner, in the cupboards, the movements of the contents minimized. Instead of becoming buried in kitchen supplies at our destination, opening doors revealed a tidy system of organization. It wasn’t necessary to line all spaces, just those areas that held items that needed to be secured.

Chair covers $11.99 for two from Amazon

Our new purchase has beautiful hard wood, leather seats, and sleek window shades. It looks stylish except for two dinning room chairs. They screamed 1980’s and dated the entire room. After shopping for chairs and finding nothing that would enhance the space, I searched the internet.

When I showed the ad for chair covers to my husband, he scrunched his nose while making some negative comments. So, I ordered two. They look great, even my husband agrees. Super excited because they are washable, and since they are only 10- 15 dollars each, I can change the color and style easily.

Plastic canisters 24.88

Walmart specials work for me, but I am sure you can spend more and get a similar product someplace else. The value of these is they lock so if there is an accidental spill while in motion, there will be not mess. The sealed tops also keep items fresh. Our RV has a pantry area that has wide, deep shelves. I found by putting packets and dry goods in canisters, it provided easier access when living in a small space.

Throw blanket 24.99

Somedays a person just needs to cuddle. Do not leave the driveway without a thick, plush throw blanket. It is invaluable when my husband needs the air conditioning on and I am freezing, when reading in the evening, and to fill the gap between the wall and the couch when our dog needs a nap.

Bath rug $10.00 approximately

Depending on the size and floor coverings in your RV, the style may differ. But a bath rug outside the shower to absorb the water and cuddle the toes is an essential. It serves a purpose while adding a touch of personality to the coach with my favorite splash of color.

Magic Eraser sheets 4.94

For immediate and future uses, Magic Erasers are truly magical. They clean small messes quickly: fly specs on the ceiling, food stains in the fridge, sink spots, and difficult to clean soiled surfaces. I like the sheets because they are thin making them easy to store, use, and dispose of when soiled.

These simple additions enhanced our motorhome, making it an inviting space. Throw in the food, fill the tank and let the trip begin.