Transforming My RV into “My Own Tiny House”
For the first time in a long time, we have a place to call “Home, Sweet Home”
In 2021, my husband and I pulled chocks, sold 90% of our belongings, and waved our middle-fingers to the sticks and bricks house in the rear-view mirror.
It was a long transition, but I wish I had done this sooner.
In 2019, we relocated to Pensacola for my job. Like many moves prior, we found a home to rent and were subjected to a property manager’s contract demands. I could feel in my bones that what I was doing was wrong, but I did not know how to correct my course. I knew that buying a home was not the right choice for us, nor did I want to keep renting.
Behold, I stumbled upon the RV movement.
After plenty of research, the hubs and I settled on an RV. She met our needs to live full-time, and we found a truck that could easily tow her.
We chose a 2015 Forest River Vengeance Toy Hauler, that I affectionately named “Big Perm.” It’s a little bit of a reference to one of my favorite movies Friday, but also because I think my RV is a big girl with a lot of style.
It took one year to transition from sticks and bricks to nomadic life. In 365 days, I needed to sell 90%+ of our belongings and remodel our RV. My goal was to make it feel like a tiny home. To do so, I adopted three decorating rules:
- Brighter is Better.
- Adapt.
- Fit my taste.
Brighter is Better.
I have no idea why RV manufacturers do this, but it drives me insane: Dark colors.
Decorating 101: If you are in a small space, go as bright as possible. I don’t want to feel like I live in a cave on wheels. So, I painted everything.
I really do not think there is an inch of Big Perm that I did not touch during the remodel. If I didn’t paint, I wallpapered.
Adapt.
Sometimes to get what you want, you’ll need to be creative. An example I did with this was with my RV dishwasher.
It’s a countertop dishwasher, but this small appliance has made my quality of life so much better and has made my transition to RV life much easier.
I can say the same thing for our RV shower. We can count ourselves as pretty fortunate because our RV shower is a bit bigger than many. However, we ripped out the heavy glass doors to expand the space even more. Now, we have a bowed shower rod and my favorite waffle-shower curtain.
It was a win-win. This transformation not only makes my shower easier to clean, but it also saves on transport weight and feels more like a residential shower.
I applied the same philosophy with my Living Room furniture as well. Someone, please tell me why my husband and I need four recliners?
Unable to fathom an answer, I adapted and thought outside the box. As a result, I ripped out two of the four recliners and made a coffee/wine bar.
Fit my taste.
I love a farmhouse-style kind of house. Ship-lap, rustic, all of it, and just because my home is on wheels does not mean that I cannot have it.
If dark mahogany wood is your style, by all means, go for it. Goth, sure. Me, I like the farmhouse style, and I’d be damned if I was not going to have it.
This included a linen headboard and hardwood floors, so I did it. My house, my rules, and I don’t need permission from a Property Manager anymore.
Transforming our RV was a lot of hard work, but it was worth it. We are about to hit our 1st Anniversary of Full-Time RVing, and every day I have looked forward to returning to our tiny home.
Are you a full-time RVer or thinking about this lifestyle? Tell me what has worked for you or what questions you have in the comments!