Today is our son’s first day of Kindergarten and I am sitting here crying like a baby.

I’m doing it for all the typical reasons;

• He’s growing so fast
• His first experience of school
• He was nervous (and so am I)

But one of the biggest reasons I’m sitting here is because my husband isn’t.  He should be here.  He is missing out on these big occasions.

No, he is not dead. No, he is not in the military.

He has something else that keeps him away…the pipeline.

Have you heard of it? Probably just the protests, right? A topic for another time.

In case you have not heard of it…our country is full of pipelines that run under and above the ground. They crisscross our nation like the veins in our body, providing a supply of liquid and gas that our country depends on.

They help transport liquid petroleum and natural gas to help create products we use EVERY DAY like our cell phones, TVs, fuel for our cars, heat to our homes, etc.   You can read about pipelines here.

Another story, another time.

Let’s get back to our story…

The kids and I decided to come back about a week before so I had time to get the school supplies from the list, figure out timing (for driving), plan out lunches (I’m failing here) and overall scheduling.

We also wanted to give our son a bit of time to adjust back home before entering a new situation.  To have time to run around and enjoy summer at the big house.  To get used to sleeping in a new bed and place.

It is such an exciting time and yet so hard on our family.

For an undetermined amount of time we will be apart from my husband, their daddy.  He is staying back to work, to provide for our family. Unless he gets laid off soon, we most likely won’t see him until around Thanksgiving break.  He is about 8 hours away and that is just too hard on two littles for a weekend trip.

This is a job that we chose before we had children.  My husband has worked so hard to get where he is and has become damn good at what he does. As a family we support him!  We know it will be hard and the visits will not come often enough but it is a short-term game at this point.

Although, this was a choice we made, it doesn’t make it any easier.

The kids and I get to be back in our home.  Making new friends and enjoying our new town.  We get to check out our festivals, sports and whatever else we can find.  We have all these things to keep us busy along with navigating school and all the things that come along with daily life.

While it can be fun doing these things, it is also bittersweet.

It’s hard for me to not think about the fact that he will miss out on different activities or the excitement of making a new friend.  He will miss out on the bedtime routine, the homework and even simple things like pickup and drop-off.

He doesn’t get to hold our sons hand at the dentist when he is scared.

He doesn’t get to wipe our daughters tears away when she gets hurt.

But he wants to.

He doesn’t get to teach them how to ride bikes.

He doesn’t get to snuggle with them every night.

But he wants to.

I often don’t send him as many pictures when we are apart.  Not because I don’t think that he should see them.  I worry about how it will affect him.  I don’t want him to miss them more than he already does but I don’t want him to miss out either.

We know there are options.

Trust me when I say that we have talked about a lot of them.  Our minds have changed several times already.  We know there are options for schooling.  Homeschooling or to just change schools whenever we moved is an option.

I know many families that are doing these things successfully and it works for them.  But each of us is different.  We feel this is what are family needs right now.

We also know there is always a way to make something work.  So, for now we are finding ways to make being apart work for our family. Technology certainly helps.  FaceTime is often used as signal allows.

Our family talks daily, even if it is only for a few minutes.  We keep the kids informed on what is happening and encourage them to be engaged in the conversation.

Please don’t mistake this post as looking for sympathy.

We know this is the path that we have chosen.  We have a plan and right now, this separation, this difficult situation is a part of that plan.

This post is more for those that are also experiencing this same situation.  I just want you to know that you are not alone.  There are others going through separation just like you.

It may not be for the same reasons but they know the heartache you feel.  The questions you have unanswered.  They have family and friends that just don’t understand.

There are others that loved this lifestyle but now want it to change so desperately.  Some are trapped financially and trying to figure a way out.  Others just love this work and are not ready to walk away from it.

Whatever the situation, there are others out there that are negotiating similar situations.  Trying to do the best for their family.

This post is for you. I hope you know that there are others out there, experiencing similar situations with our travel lifestyle. You are not alone.

Ways to help ease the separation…

• FaceTime, Skype, Zoom are great tools to have so that you can have a sense of connection.  They help by providing you with video calls.  You get to see each other while you chat.  We do this daily as long as he has a decent signal.
• Talk.  I’m mean really talk.  Separation makes things seem worse than they are sometimes.  You need to be able to share what you are feeling so things don’t get mixed up or lost in translation.
• Put yourself in their “shoes”.  Try to see things from the other person’s point of view.  Both parties are struggling with different things when separated.  My husband is so good at this, I need to do better.  It’s easy to get wrapped up in whatever we are dealing with that we don’t always stop to see what they are going through also.
• Make time for visits as often as possible.  Obviously this varies on distance and schedules but if you can make something work, DO IT!
• Find support.  Talk to people that can relate or are at least willing to listen.  If you need help finding places for support, check out my post about some resources here.
• If you don’t like the situation, make a plan to change it!

If you can relate and want to share, I would love to hear from you!  Drop a comment below!

As always, thanks for reading!

–Kate

I don’t know about you but I do not enjoy cooking in the camper kitchen to begin with but when you add high temps…I’m out!  Between chasing the kids out of the kitchen area, searching for my ingredients and getting the pans warmed up I was already in full on workout sweat mode!

I finally started using my brain and coming up with a few ideas on how I could keep it a bit cooler in the kitchen.

Are you ready to learn about my top ways to keep your camper kitchen cool in the summer?

Read on sister!

Meal Prep

One of the easiest ways is to prep your food in the morning when the temps are cooler outside.

Meal prep is nothing new but doing it to help keep your camper kitchen cool in the summer may be a new idea to some.

If you focus on doing the cooking in the morning you get two great advantages;

1. You can relax in the afternoon because most of your dinner is done
2. You don’t have to worry about that boob sweat as you prep your sweetie’s dinner

I don’t know about you but both of those reasons alone have my vote for early morning cooking!

Now if only I could get my act together and actually put that plan in to action!

Don’t fear though if you are not a morning kind of person, there is still help!

Meet your new best friends – The Crockpot and Instapot

These two are great at helping keep your camper kitchen cool in the summer because they keep the steam/heat inside a lid and once again all your prep is done and your food is just in there cooking itself!

The crockpot is great because you generally just throw all the ingredients in and let it cook for a set period of time.  If you have one of those fancier ones it will even put it on “keep warm” after the cooking period is over.  One of the issues that occasionally may happen is that you overcook the meat and it turns into a mushy mess, depending on the recipe and meat.  The other issue relates to comparing it with the Instapot, you may dirty more dishes with the crockpot.

The instapot is super helpful in that it can do a variety of cooking tasks!  You can saute it, then pressure cook it…think a roast where you want to sear the meat first.  One less dish right there!

It’s great for boiling eggs, making chili, and more!  Some models have options for baking, soups, and homemade yogurt.  You can find the model I currently have here and other RV needs here!  I even have a few accessories to go along with it.

Use your convection oven(newer models) instead of regular oven

I have found that the convection oven puts off a bit less heat than the regular oven in the camper. Both get a bad rap for cooking in a camper though.  The regular oven is so small, a pain to light and it often seems to take forever or burn your item to a crisp!

The convection oven is still on the small side but bigger than the regular oven.  You don’t have to bend down or get on the floor to light it (or light it period)!  It can still be tricky though as it seems that you can’t always go with the same temperature or cooking time as what is called for in a typical home oven.

If that is still too much heat in your kitchen try these options…

Use your fire pit

Fire pits are great because they take the cooking outside.  Sure, you may have a side item or two that you want to do inside but those can be a simple choice or at least something that requires less heat.

There are a lot of great meals out there that can all be done over the fire.  You can seriously cook just about anything over a camp fire!  If you are like me and need help getting creative over a camp fire check out Pinterest for some suggestions.

This one is great for that nostalgia feeling of camping too!  Bonus points because your kids might think you are cool for starting a fire AND cooking over it too.

Checkout my Pinterest Board for more great ideas!

Use your grill

Another great option for cooking outside is a portable grill.  Depending on what type of grill you carry with you will determine how much you can actually cook on it.  We just tote around a little one that could hold a couple steaks or plenty of burgers/dogs for a small gathering.  We like to keep it simple!

A charcoal grill may give you more grilling space than a portable gas one but they are also a bit messier to clean up.  You need a bit more planning as well so you get it lit and heated up before cooking.

I have to admit that grilling is not my go to cooking method.  I love the taste of grilled food but lack the skill and experience in preparing anything on there.  I usually pawn it off on my husband if he will be home at a decent hour.  Which translates in to, we don’t eat off the grill much!

Make salads

If you are not in to grilling or just want to change things up a great dinner option to help keep your camper kitchen cool in the summer is to make a salad!

Salads are one of those things that I loathe to make because in my mind there are so many different steps before you get to eat it.  Plus, I feel like they never compare to some fancy salads I have ordered at restaurants in the past.

In reality though, it’s simple and versatile!  You can keep it simple with just your standard vegetables or add in some different proteins to change it up.  I love adding some bean varieties or some quinoa!

What’s great about salads too, is that you can prep most of the ingredients days before making the salad OR make several different salads ready to eat in just a few hours.

I love the majority of recipes found here!

Well, there you have it…my top ways to keep your camper kitchen cool in the summer!

Do you use these methods now?  Do you have other suggestions not listed?  Comment below and let me know what works best for you!

As always, thanks for reading

-Katie

Can anyone relate to falling out of your routine after traveling?

These last few weeks have been CRAZY for our family!  And it has wreaked havoc on any type of schedule we have managed to assemble prior!  This has left me feeling all kinds of out of sorts and not accomplishing anything!

I am in desperate need of strategies to reset a routine and stick to it!  Who’s with me?!!

Story time

My parents celebrated 50 years (Woohoo!!!) and we (my 2 brothers, myself and our families) decided to throw them a party back in our home state.

Most of the to do list involved internet searches and lining up some vendors.  Not too much to undertake while living out of state but our home is still pretty new to us and the basement looked like a storage facility for plastic totes and cardboard boxes.

So, the kids and I headed home about 2 weeks before the party.  We were having some renovations done to the home and needed to check in on that process.  We’ve had some bad experiences in the past in other states so we just needed to make sure everyone was on the same page.

Prior to leaving I was all in on a workout program, 6 days a week.  The kids were getting settled in to a routine back in the trailer and we were starting to find some fun activities in the area.

The problem

It only took me about 2 days to get off track on my workouts.  (Need ideas for working out while on the road?  Check this post out!). Just seemed like there was SOOO much to get done each day.  Plus, once I started on our project that gave me a bit of a workout!

The first week home involved making sure things were going smoothly with renovations, getting readjusted to our home and getting some supplies.

Second week my Dad and I took on a project in the basement to get that storage facility under control! It involved building a room around our mechanicals and shelves to hold ALL those totes.  I have to say it felt so good to be working on that, especially since it was a surprise for my husband.

The secret was out (almost)!

The kids almost spilled the secret on FaceTime though!  Luckily, Grandma was nearby to intercept.

During those two weeks the focus was on getting the house prepped for the party and completing so much so that I didn’t really get much else accomplished.  The kids’ routine was off, I stopped writing and as usual, I fall in to some bad eating/snacking habits.

These habits, or lack of, lasted for the entire time we were gone and for a bit back at the trailer too.  It finally hit me what I needed to do to change things and get back to a routine again.

Of course, true to this traveling life, it will all change in another few weeks.  Story of our lives, right?!

How to reset a routine and stick to it…

“If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.” -Tony Robbins

Assess your current routine

Sometimes it is just nice to take a break/change routine

Sometimes, we just need that interruption to help us refocus and get back on track.  The break can be as short as a few hours or as long as several days.  Whatever the duration, sometimes it is just nice to get that break from a long standing routine.

Acknowledge what isn’t working

Often times we don’t stick to our routines because there is something in there that is just not working for us anymore.  Maybe it is your wake up/bedtime.  Are you trying to do something that just doesn’t interest you anymore?

Whatever it may be, take a minute to think about the differences in your routines and what felt good to you in each of them.

Make a list of what needs to get done

Think about your perfect day.  What is involved in that day?  Do you sleep in?  When do you exercise, first thing or save it for later?  Do you make time for a hobby?  What tasks do you have to do on a daily basis?

Make a list of all the things that would make up your perfect day.  Then find a way to make it happen!

Focus on what is important to you

Knowing this information can help you set up a great routine.  Setting your day up with plenty of rest, movement, to do list items and fun things is a great way to help you stick to your routine.

What is important to us can change often.  Take time to look at what things are important and how to incorporate or keep them in your life.

You may have to reset a routine often

Obviously with our traveling routine there has to be some built in flexibility.  This can certainly cause some anxiety and chaos.  I could either not do any type of routine because it is changing SO often OR I can embrace the change and take that time to restructure/refine my routine with each new move or disruption.

Staying on track when you reset a routine

Put sticky notes out/phone reminders

Put your routine where you can see it.  Whether it is on a bunch of sticky notes or just on a sheet of paper, have it somewhere visible so you see it several times a day.

Use a journal if that is more your style.  Take time to write out your schedule in your journal and then make sure you reference it often.  The Happy Planner is one of my favorites because you can customize it to your liking!!

Set alarms on your phone when it is time to change activities.  If you are constantly checking your phone throughout the day, this may be a great option for you!  Getting those little chimes can help direct your attention to whatever task you have assigned for yourself.

Note:  If you are someone that can tune out your notifications on your phone this may not be best option.

Keep a set bedtime/wake up

Set your wake and bedtimes so that you get enough rest.  We often underestimate our bodies need for sleep, pushing ourselves until we are exhausted.

Establishing a regular wake up and bedtime helps your body regulate.  I know I am guilty of this!  Thinking I don’t have enough time to get everything done so I stay up later.  In all honesty though, it is not that I don’t have enough time, it’s that my time management sucks!

Don’t beat yourself up if you slip up, just pick up where you left off

We are humans, not robots. If you have a slip, acknowledge it and then get back on track.  If it keeps occurring, take a look at that schedule.

Is there something that needs to change?  Are you forcing yourself to do something that is not enjoyable?

Is there a way to reframe your thoughts about that task?  There will be times that we have to do something that we just don’t want or enjoy so, looking at how you think about that task may help you get through it.  If it is still a struggle, maybe it is just not the right time.  See if you can have someone else take it on for now or if you can tackle it at another point in time.

Accountability – share it with someone you know

Don’t underestimate the power of accountability.  It is nice to know someone else has your back and give you that friendly reminder of goals you have set.  Make sure you pick someone that will help you stay on track and not help derail you!

However you decide to reset a routine for yourself just remember that it is meant to be adjusted.  I know I could not maintain the exact same routine my entire life.  There are too many changes as we grow!  We need to adjust as we grow physically, mentally and professionally.

Make some space to make a plan for you and/or your family.  If you need some ideas feel free to reach out to friends, family, myself or our best pal, Pinterest!

As always, thanks for reading!

–Katie

That is quickly followed up by…

Asking my husband 100 questions he doesn’t have answers to

Anyone else do this? No?  Just me then.  LOL

I know I annoy him to no end but he still insists on telling me before he has all the details.  So, who is to blame really?

Part of it is the excitement of a new place but the other part is fear that we won’t find somewhere decent to stay.

My next steps all involve one word…internet!  I don’t know how we survived sometimes without it!  The internet has been such a big help though when it comes to finding out about new locations and places to stay.  So, my next steps are as follows:

Look up the location

If he doesn’t already know this answer he will generally go back and ask to satisfy my need.  LOL

I consider myself a planner. Not one of those super organized and well thought out planners though.  More like I need to have all the info to make a plan but I will only make half the plan and procrastinate the rest.

If I know the general area then I can scout out about a 50-mile radius of all the amenities we may need. Puts my mind at ease until I get more details.

See how long the drive will be and best route

I am always the navigator as my husband generally does the driving.  If I know how long the drive will be then I can find stops along the way to break up the drive so that our kids are not going nuts locked up in their car seats.

If it is a long drive, we like to look for a half way point to stay for the night.  None of us like to be in the vehicle for an all-day excursion so we make it about 6-7 hours max.

Locate closest campgrounds, hotels & short-term rentals

I check out ALL the housing options because I never know what we are going to find.  We try to stay in our camper as much as possible but there have been times because of lack of campgrounds nearby or them being full that we have had to find other options.  This is always dependent on when we are coming in to a job or how many other jobs are around the same area.

Check out city/town webpage

Another great resource is the closest town websites.  They often list any events happening and I have come across others that also help with rentals.  At the minimum, they list the local businesses which can help you decide if you want to stay near that area or a different one.  This is great for finding hair/nail salons, restaurants, healthcare or any services you may need.

My next focus is usually on what the city has to offer while we are there.  Any events, gyms, parks, kids’ activities, etc.

See if there is a local FB page

If there is you can connect with local businesses and any events that may be happening while you are in the area.  I tend to search for indoor play options for rainy/cold days, any unique shops or farms for trips and children’s museums or at least some museums the kids might be interested in checking out.

Don’t forget to look at a map to see what other towns may be close by and what they have to offer too!

Check out FB events

FB events is helpful for finding any festivals, art classes, food/drink tastings or other special activities that may be taking place near you.  It will default to the last place you used or biggest city nearby if you have location services on.  With smaller towns, you may have to type it in or look at towns close by.

To access FB events, go to your Facebook.  If on your computer, click on events on the left side.  Then Discover and type in your city.  You can also search a date range to help narrow things down.

If you are on your phone, click on the 3 lines at bottom left.  Find events then select your location either as nearby (preset) or change to town needed.  You can also select a radius to help find things close by.  Once you select your town you can choose from today, tomorrow or this weekend.

Groupon

Groupon is helpful for finding coupons to local activities, events or service in a location you choose. It will not be a complete list of things around but it can save you some money on a few of them!

Local hotel or chamber of commerce for pamphlets and info

We often go to a hotel to let the kids swim in the pool if we don’t have one at the campground.  Hotels usually have a shelving unit full of pamphlets for local attractions.

Chamber of commerce also has a ton of information and usually a knowledgeable person to speak with about the local area.  Both are great resources when you get to a new town.

See what activity options are near

My kids are just getting to school age so I usually try to find activities to keep us busy a couple days/week.  We have found sports camps, indoor play areas, farms, zoos and plenty of hiking trails to keep us busy.

For more information on finding things to do check out my post here

By this time the location has changed or time has been pushed back…LOL. Sound familiar?

Once we know for sure that we are going I either start from scratch for the new location (see above list) or start focusing on a place to stay.

Take a drive

If we are within 2 hours of the new location, myself and the kids or all of us will take a trip to the new area.  Look around. Find out where we are warehousing and map out what places we are considering staying (if there are options).

Most reputable places are honest with their pictures of their property and what sites may look like but there are other businesses that are not.  It’s just nice to be able to see them in person and also scout out other places to help anyone else that might be looking for a place to stay.

Visiting also gives us a chance to time and find the best routes to the yard from potential campgrounds, hotels, etc.  As well as routes from the current location to the new location.

Our most recent move we actually did about 3 trips.  Two to scout the area, to see what was around and potential yard locations.  The third was more of a drive by once we found a place we wanted to stay.  The kids and I were heading home to MI anyways so, we just drove an alternate route to see if that would work for taking the trailer and also to check out the campsite.

The two scouting trips were to check out some places I had already called on and to review a potential yard site.  Glad we made the trips because all the locations were not so great.  Definitely doable in a pinch but not ideal for us.

Peace of mind

All of the above tasks are essential to me getting comfortable with a new area.  I like to research and learn about the new place and see what options we have.  It helps me feel like I am participating a bit more with his work and gives me a sense of connection.  Some tasks are necessary for getting us set up but others are more for my satisfaction and mental health.

I hope these tips were helpful.

Let me know if you have a similar process for your moves, send me a message or comment below!

As always, thanks for reading!

–Katie

This campground review was our second campground experience with the pipeline.  This job would take us to Seven Mountains Campground in Spring Mills, PA.  The area is known as Happy Valley, home of the Allegheny mountains and close to Penn State University.

Highlights

Seven Mountains Campground– Spring Mills, PA

• RV rentals, cabins and RV parking spots
• Full hookups
• Cable/wifi
• On top of a mountain
• Friendly owners
• Small store/snacks
• Wooded and rainy

Layout

We stayed at this campground the first time from about May 2009 to August 2009.  The campground was on top of a mountain about 15 minutes outside of State College. Right off on US-322, it was easy to get in, out and on your way. It was heavily wooded with dirt roads around the campground.  A majority of it was filled with seasonal campers who were set up permanently.

This was my first experience with seasonal camping.  I love the idea of it!  Being able to get away to your camper on the weekends and holidays.  Knowing your neighbors.  Building a deck or patio alongside the camper for additional space. Maybe someday when we stop traveling full time!

Most sites were back in only.  There was sufficient space between neighbors.  The sites were gravel with grassy patches for picnic tables.  Plenty of shade with all the trees.  Plenty of parking for at least two vehicles at most sites as well.

Towards the back of the campground were several cabins for rent.  They had several varieties of cabins; park models, parked rvs, and traditional cabin style.  Same setup back there, wooded, dirt roads and decent parking.  If I remember correctly they had a few other cabins mixed in with the other RV spots.

Story time

As you will find with most of my posts, I have a story to include with this campground review as well.

I didn’t spend a ton of time at this campground initially.  We had just gotten married a few months prior and were in the middle of our first home purchase.  I ended up making several trips back to Michigan to sign papers for the house as well as move in to it on my own (with the help of family & friends).

One of those trips also involved the adoption of the cutest pug EVER!  We found him on Petfinder.com.  He was part of a Michigan rescue and his profile pic melted my heart! I should have saved that one!!

We thought our current pup, Piglet, could use a friend.  He bonded so well with the raccoon we took in when we were in Missouri that we thought it was time.

I had to do some sweet talking in order to convince the rescue that we should adopt him.  Their policy was that you needed to live in the state.  I explained our situation and that we were Michigan residents, just traveling for work.

They agreed to let me meet Mater, the pug along with our dog, Piglet.  Piglet had a multitude of issues that included him needing to be held like a baby after eating to allow his food down.  If you didn’t, you usually had a mess to clean up.

The visit

On the day of the visit, Piglet had eaten before we left our home to drive the 40 minutes to the rescue. We were running late so, I didn’t have a chance to hold him properly.  He was also a high anxiety kind of dog so he would get nervous at new places.

We got to the rescue, made our people introductions.  It was now time for Mater to come out and meet Piglet.  Piglet was so excited to see another dog, he started racing around the room.

After a few minutes of this he stopped abruptly.  Took a wide stance and began moving his head back and forth.  I knew what this meant.  If I didn’t act quickly, we were going to be scrubbing the carpet!

I dove hands first towards Piglet with my hands cupped!!  I made it just in time for the vomit to cascade from his mouth in to my hands.  YUCK!!!

NOT a drop hit the floor!!

The rescue owners were so impressed they brought out the papers for Mater immediately after I washed my hands!

We were now a family of four!!

Our new addition was a hit at the campground.  During our many walks around, it would often takes us about an hour to complete from all the people stopping to see the pups.

Any who, back to the park info…

The park owners were pleasant and we had no issues while we stayed there.  One of our friends had an issue with their camper and the owners were very helpful in getting the assistance our friend needed.

There were no additional amenities besides cable/WIFI and a small store with a few parts and snacks. My favorite part were the views(once on the road out of the park) and the local trails nearby for hiking.

The town

Spring Mills is just a tiny blip on the map.  There was a little bar down the mountain about a mile that had a bit of food and you could get your 6 pack from.  Other than that, not much there besides the campground.

Nearby

State College was closer to about a 15 minute drive down the mountain.  Home to Penn State University, it has just about everything a college town should…bars, food, laundry and a mall.  It’s only a two lane road up and down most of the mountain so traffic could be a pain sometimes.

This is the closest big town without having to drive an hour or more.  Harrisburg, the capital of PA, is a little over an hour away.  We didn’t end up going over there on this trip.

On the other side of the mountain is a small town, Milroy.  There you will find a camper service & dealership, Lerch RV.  We ended up buying our second camper from them, the second time we were in the area.  I was on the hunt for those front living rooms when they first came out and they happened to have one that we loved!

Overall, we enjoyed our experience in Happy Valley and would recommend Seven Mountains Campground to anyone passing through!

I hope you have found this review and information helpful!

If you are looking for other campground reviews please check them out here.

Please remember that anything written above was my opinion and experience of the area/s.  I have also linked to the RV park page and State College, Pa website for more information.

Let me know if you have visited this place or surrounding area!  What did you think?

As always, thanks for reading!

–Katie

https://www.visitpennstate.org/about-us/state-college/

http://www.sevenmountainscampground.com

Maybe you have done this before and maybe you haven’t, either way, it can be easy to overlook items that can make your life easier while on the road.  We often have more than we really need in a traditional type of home so, when it comes time to downsize for our home on wheels we don’t know where to start.

That’s where I can come in! Keep on reading for my top 10 must-haves for living in an RV full time.  (This is not a complete list, just some of the necessities.)

*Disclaimer – I am not affiliated with any of the products listed below.  These are just items that have worked for my family.

1. Anything that is multi-purpose and organizes

   

Most trailers are short on space, both inside and out.  You have to make the best of what you have for storage.  That’s where items like crock pots and instant pots for the kitchen are great to have on hand.  For both the crockpot and instant pot you can often just have the one dirty dish for many meals.  Most instant pots allow you to prepare multiple things for dinners, desserts, and even yogurt (depending on the model).  Check out my favorite instant pot here.

For organizing, over the door hangers are great for getting more out of your space.  Most come with multiple pockets for storing things like kid’s clothes, diapers, wipes, or toiletries for the bathroom.  Collapsible or nesting dishes are great for taking up less space too!

Command hooks are great for hanging your kitchen utensils instead of taking up counter space.  They also work well for extra lighting, hanging pictures and smaller shelves.  I have yet to have them rip off any of the wallpaper either!  Just make sure you do it with a little patience!!

2. A good toolset

A good toolset is a necessity.  You can buy a new RV and you will still need to do some work on it.  After everything moves and shifts on your drive out to your location things can get loose or in some cases, come completely off.  Having tools handy can save you from a big headache during setup.

For a comprehensive list of tools to carry, check out ReserveAmerica

3. Comfortable mattress

   

    

We have yet to find a mattress that is comfortable for full time sleeping.  Most RV mattresses are designed for occasional use.  Our trailer has been upgraded three times, increasing in quality of the trailer and the mattress still sucks!  We have a sleep number at home, which we love, but we were hoping to not have to spend as much to replace our RV mattress.  We are currently contemplating one of those mattresses that come in the mail.

Not sure which one yet, let me know if you have any recommendations below!!

4. Totes for packing

Did I mention you are limited on space?

Totes are great for storing things in your “basement” storage or under your bed.  They keep things dry, in case of a leak, and they keep little creepy crawlies out!!  We like to pack our clothes in seasons.  We keep 1-2 seasons for wearing (depending on space) and the other 2 are in totes in the basement.  Same with extra winter gear that you don’t need every day.

If you have kids, it works great for toy storage or outdoor play toys too!

We put just about everything we don’t use all the time in to a tote and in the basement.  What is great too is that they stack together when they are not in use, to take up less space.

Speaking of space, I need to mention item #4.5…Space bags!  Have you seen these yet?  They are AMAZING at shrinking down bulky items and storing them.  All you need is the bag and a vacuum to suck the excess air out.

5. Dehumidifier

Moisture in your RV is the worst!  It often builds up during the winter when you are cooking and heating the inside but it is oh so cold outside!  If not handled it can lead to mold and lots of damage.  Moisture is most noticeable on your skylights (think, raindrops keep falling on my head) and on your windows. Having a good dehumidifier can help greatly in keeping excess moisture managed.

6. Portable heater/fans

RVs are notorious for being drafty.  Make sure you take into consideration the R-value for your RV if you will be using it during the winter.  Generally, the higher the R number, the better.  The number of slides affects the ability to retain heat as well.  Most areas around the slides are not as well insulated and that little rubber flap doesn’t do much to keep it all in. Portable heaters are great for keeping you warmer in addition to a fireplace.

Same thing for hotter climates, where a fan can be your best friend.  Try to find shaded spots to park so your A/C doesn’t have to work as hard as well as some fans to help move cooler air around inside.  We have found that the simple desktop fans or an air purifier with a fan option work the best for us.

7. Water filters/softeners

Water filters and water softeners are a necessity because you just never know what kind of water you will be getting.  Filters help make your water safer to drink.  We often have one for the outside connection as well as a Brita filtered pitcher inside. A softener will help keep that hard, staining water at bay.

8. Grill

There are a few reasons to take a grill with you if you are not already equipped with one on your RV.

-It gets hot cooking inside in the summer

It doesn’t take long for your RV to heat up in the summer.  From the heat outside to the heat conducted from your burners and/or oven, it can make you feel like you are in an oven!  Not to mention all those things create more moisture inside (see #5 dehumidifier).

-Minimal cooking space in the kitchen

Most of the stovetops only come with about 3 tiny burners that do not accommodate our pots and pans as well as they do at home.  If you’re trying to sauté some meat, while boiling potatoes you may not have room to throw on those veggies to boil or steam.

-Grilled food tastes good!

In my opinion, you just can’t go wrong with grilled food!  It adds a lot of extra flavor to whatever you are cooking.  I find that it can add some depth to a unique dish that is traditionally prepared inside.  The grill isn’t just for meat!!

9. WIFI/cell phone booster

As you travel, you are bound to be set up somewhere that your cell carrier doesn’t have enough towers to give you the strong signal you are used to receiving.  Having a cell phone booster can help get you back up to speed.

The same goes for WIFI. Some campgrounds offer free WIFI but many do not.  Leaving you to rely on your cell phone for the internet.  Have a MiFi or WIFI booster allows you to give your cell a break or even just get signal wherever you may be.  We have Verizon and their MiFi has helped us out a lot more

10. TV stick or own satellite

Living in an RV full time is different from just taking it out camping.  So, if you are a TV person than you may want to buy a TV stick like Amazon, Roku, or Apple TV to get your favorite programming.  Although many campgrounds provide TV connection, they do not always offer a big selection of programs.

Many that travel choose to invest in a satellite through Dish or DirecTV to get whatever programs they choose.  They may have this provider at home already and it is just an extension of their home programming or it is separate.  Either way, it is a bit more of a cost compared to the TV sticks and the options they offer.

Well, there you have it! My top 10 must-haves for living in an RV full time.  I hope you found it helpful!  Remember, these are just a handful of gadgets and items that can make living in an RV full time a bit easier.

Let me know below what your top 10 items are when you are traveling full time in an RV!!

As always, thanks for reading!

–Katie