With the holidays rapidly approaching you may be thinking about hitting the road to enjoy some time with family and friends. You may also be thinking of a few ways to avoid the cold weather while also getting to see the world! With an RV in your life you can definitely find your way around the world without spending as much money, but it may limit you to how at home you feel! There’s a few ways you can transform your RV into a real home away from home though, without spending an arm and a leg to do so. So, before you head south for the winter or tackle the holiday traffic, try adding a few of these finishing touches to your RV so you and your family will enjoy the trip all the more.
1. Insulate
There’s no denying that the cooler temperatures have finally hit which might make spending time in an RV a little uncomfortable if you’re on a tight budget. Heating is always an option, but does burn more gasoline which is bad when you have days of travel to pay for. Rather than try to pump the entire RV full of heat you can easily and cheaply insulate your RV. One way to do this is put bubble wrap on your windows. You might feel a little crazy while you’re doing it, but once you notice the difference in temperature it will be well worth it. If you don’t like the look of the bubble wrap then add some curtains! This will give it a more homey feel anyway and will help keep out that extra cold that might seep in. You can velcro the curtains to the wall in order to keep them in place while driving. You might also consider adding anti fatigue mats to your bedding. This will allow the family to feel more comfortable while locking in heat. Another idea is to buy a special vent cushion. This can be found cheap online and will lock in the heat that escapes from the top of the RV.
2. Create Sleeping Spaces
RVs usually come with at least one bed, but if you’re traveling with the entire family this can make things pretty cramped and miserable. You shouldn’t have to cram into one bed though, so think out of the box when it comes to sleeping spaces. One way to make sleeping in the RV fun for kids is to make them their own special bunk that hangs above the dashboard. This can easily be done with pvp pipe and a thick fabric. Typically, these beds are only good for small children, so watch the weight limit carefully. You can also transform counters or table tops into a bed using egg crate cushions. Another idea is to hang up a hammock in the RV. These can be adjusted to suit many different weight types, but make sure it’s sturdy before putting the kids in it. If all else fails, you can create a pallet. When it’s time to get up and moving all of these items can be stored away in a closet or on the main bed.
3. Pest Control
There’s nothing that can irritate a trip in the RV quite like pests. They’re tough to avoid and every time you make a stop there’s a chance you could pick up something new, or a stinky reminder that something was once there. Rest assured, you don’t have to spend a small fortune to get rid of pest problems in your RV. For starters, take a bar of Irish Spring Soap and leave it out wherever you think a mice may decide to come in. You can also leave shavings around the RV when you park to keep other animals from marking your vehicle. Wasps tend to be attracted to the warmer areas of the RV, so you may want to add half of a flea collar near your power source. The smell of the chemicals will ward the wasps off so they won’t go anywhere near the kids. It’ll also keep fleas away too. Finally, clean everything inside of the vehicle with Pine Sol. This will give the RV a nice homey smell, but it’ll also keep flies away which are one of the more annoying pests while you’re on the road.
4. Storage
The amount of storage you have on your trip can make or break your comfort levels. When it comes to storage you need to think out of the box to keep clutter out of your way throughout the trip. This is important because even small amounts of clutter can make an already small space feel tiny. You can start by stocking your cabinets with square containers. These are easy to stack and will take up less space than circular containers, thus allowing you to fit more into a small space. You can place just about anything in these too, including food supplies. Another life saver for storage purposes is shoe organizers. You can buy organizers designed to fit on the back of the closet for fairly cheap. These can be cut up and placed under the mattress so they hang on the side of the bed. You may also want to find behind the seat storage containers and shower curtains with built in pockets. With items like these you’ll be able to keep most of your stuff tidy. You might consider investing in shower caddies. Most of these will already have suction cups so you can place them all over the RV for stray items like pens, small games or charging devices.
5. Lighting
You may not think about lighting as creating a serene environment, but once you travel without it you’ll be longing for this basic comfort. You can fairly inexpensively hook LED lights up in your RV so you’ll be able to see better in the kitchen. A lot of these lights will run on 12V, so do some shopping around to see if you can find a good deal. You may also want to consider solar lights. These are great if you leave the windows open and can help you save energy while you’re working or playing. Kids love battery operated touch lights, especially at night. These can be placed on the walls of the RV and won’t need a battery change too often. Reading lights and flashlights are a must too, especially if you have a household that is mixed with night owls and early birds. Finally, you should have some form of light strip or reflective light on your Rvs stairs so you won’t have to worry about anyone falling.
6. Food & Drink
Eating in the RV doesn’t have to be limited to basic sandwiches and fast food. You can actually do a lot with your small space if you plan accordingly. Keep your refrigerator a bit neater when you add scrambled eggs to a recycled creamer container. This allows for easy pouring and will keep the large crate out of your tiny space. You can also protect beverages while on the go by adding press and seal to the top of them. Kids will love drinking from the straw and you’ll love having less of a mess to clean up. When it comes to keeping fresh goods in the home you can consider a hanging shelf. This tends to be perfect for produce, but you can also use it for breads, chips and other must have items. You don’t have to sacrifice flavor while on the road either. Instead, use baby jars to store your spices. These items can be velcroed to the top of the cabinet or a wall for easy access without taking up cabinet or counter space. You can store other items in these too, such as toothpicks or corn holders. Keep cooking utensils out of the way by velcroing them to the wall. If you don’t have a lot of counter space then pull out your top drawer, place a cutting board in the space and prep away.
7. Lost & Found
It’s not hard to lose things in a moving vehicle, so you may want to make a list of crucial items that need a little extra protection while you’re on the road. A few of these items may be the TV remote, an emergency cellphone, first aid kit, flash light and a folder of your important paperwork. These items are crucial to keeping everyone on board safe and happy so don’t take any risks. Before you leave on the trip place a piece of velcro on each item then allocate a spot for the item that everyone is going to remember. When you’re finished with the item put it back on the velcro and you’ll be set for an easy trip. You may have to plan out these locations carefully though. For instance, if the kids are on the TV there’s a pretty good chance they’re not going to move to put the remote elsewhere. Instead, place the velcro on the table or one of the chairs where TV is commonly watched. You could also place random velcro pieces around to avoid this very problem.
8. Entertainment
Keeping everyone busy on the road is a challenge in itself, especially when space is limited. Try to find small puzzles and card games to keep kids busy. You can easily place these games inside of a cut out box to help keep pieces from going everywhere. A dry eraser board is also a lot of fun for kids to doodle on or for games of pictionary. This can be installed on the wall so it won’t take up extra space. If you’re bringing along electronics then skip out on all the fancy accessories. Instead, you can easily use egg crates to keep the items cool, which will save on space and allow you to keep your weight limit down. It’s hard to avoid TV today, so if you do have one of these then try to make it a combo piece. You can cheaply get a DVD/TV/Radio combo just about anywhere which will also offer emergency support in case of poor weather.
9. Fans
The small space of an RV can feel claustrophobic without fresh air. Since it’s not always possible to open the windows, especially in the winter time, you may want to invest in a few fans to keep the space comfortable. You can cheaply find mini fans that can be placed around the RV, or you can invest in personal fans that can be used whenever an individual needs some air. When shopping for these items you should stick to solar or battery power as much as possible in order to save money. Once you get the fans going you’ll feel a lot cozier on the road.
10. Freshen It Up
You RV might not have the look you want, but this is easily changed! A lot of dollar stores sell tiling and veneer that can make your RV look even more like home than you could have imagined. Take an afternoon and replace the flooring and see how you feel about your space then. You can also add a new coat of paint to add to the new look. Try to pick something light in order to make the space feel larger. If you’re still not satisfied then try spicing things up with a new toilet seat cover or shower curtain. You can also come up with a few simple collages to add a touch of the family to the walls.
Taking to the road is a lot of fun when you have an RV to get from point A to point B. However, you shouldn’t have to spend an arm and a leg to make it the home you want. With these simple tips you’ll love the way your RV looks, which will make your holiday travels even more fun.
