It is strange to be writing this less than a year after getting our RV, but sometimes life changes and we change right along with it. Often, that may mean the path you so carefully laid out is no longer the one you find yourself on. But, that's okay. It doesn't mean you failed. It is just life. We take risks, we learn, we recalculate, and we keep moving forward.
Deciding to stop full-time RVing took months of long talks, lots of praying, and some harsh realizations. But in the end, we had to choose what was right for our next chapter. And that meant giving up the rolling home we lived in for one crazy, amazing, difficult year.
So, What Happened to Make us Stop Full-Time RVing?
Why did we decide to give up a lifestyle we raved about mere months ago and made huge sacrifices to pursue? We have many different reasons for making the decision to sell our RV (for a loss, nonetheless). Saying we want to focus on international travel is our much shorter and easier answer (especially when talking to fellow RVers).
We got this … right?
For us, RVing was a way to quickly and drastically break free from a life we had grown very unhappy with – of consumerism, desk jobs, and limited time to do what we love. It is a unique way to travel and live.
Yet, the immense learning curve we created for ourselves when we became full-time RVers felt like a huge weight – not the freedom we were seeking. Trying to learn how to RV, find work, plan travel and deal with life all at the same time, was just really overwhelming. As much as we tried, and as much as we loved parts of the lifestyle, we never really got in a good rhythm.
RV Life Realities
However, for the first eight months of our life on the road, we honestly felt like it was our best option. And it was. We chose to RV as a way to save money, pursue time freedom, and get to travel to new places without having to leave our beloved cat behind.
RVing really is an amazing way to travel. And it was leaps and bounds better than working 9-5 for the man. We got to boondock in gorgeous desert areas as we explored New Mexico, camp in stunning scenery in Newfoundland, and chase fall through Vermont.
But, the day-to-day planning and allllll that driving and the don't-break-the-RV checklist always in your mind as a full-timer, is very challenging – especially in your first couple of months. Yet, when you weigh your other options, it often still comes out as the winner. Because you just can't fathom going back to your “old life.”
The Big Change
My mom asked me often over the last year, “what do you think you will do after RVing?” I always answered, “if it weren't for the cat, we'd probably live out of backpacks.” Like many people, we got the RV because of our furbaby. We could have saved money and traveled many other ways. But RVing was the only realistic option that allowed us to bring Sugar with us.
We were looking for a way for all three of us to escape, and an RV made sense. So, when she passed away unexpectedly, it changed everything.
One of my favorite photos of our Sugar in the RV. She loved to sniff the fresh air and look for birds. Beyond thankful for that quality time with our girl.
Initially, we said we would give ourselves another year to really figure out this RVing thing, but neither of us really wanted that. The cat was the only reason we desired a semblance of stability, the only reason we didn't take more risks. We used her as an excuse to put off the big adventures, the really scary and exciting ideas we dreamed about in some far-off future.
All of a sudden, despite our grief, it became apparent that anything was possible. This question hung over us daily, “are you really going to go for it now, or was that all talk?”
So, we sold the RV to pursue travel that suits our personalities and dreams better – with no plans of going back to that dreaded “old life” we left behind. And we have some awesome things in the works to make that happen. (But, that's for another post … read more about our new life as full-time housesitters here). Let's get to what everyone really wants to know …
Why Didn't Full-Time RVing Work for Us?
I think it is important to start by saying, we LOVE many things about RVing and think it is a great way to travel. And the RVing community is THE BEST. However, taking a trip in an RV and living full-time in one are very different experiences. While most people would be up for a weekend or even summer-long getaway in an RV, not everyone wants to live their entire life in one.
Our first week of RVing in our beautiful Winnebago View, Vik. Look at those cautiously optimistic smiles!
It is a unique and challenging lifestyle that is very hard to prepare for, and you won't know if you like it until you try. And yes, that is a completely justified reason to go for it! No regrets here. We know now that, if we needed to, we could live in an RV. But, we just want to pursue other adventures now that we can.
Yes, RVing was much more expensive than we expected. RV parks annoy us, moving too often was exhausting, and there is always a chance that something major will go wrong with your home at any time. But, the big problem was us. We had unrealistic expectations, didn't plan ahead as much as we should have, and had less-than-positive attitudes most of the time.
RVing was a lifestyle, not a quick fix
Thinking living in an RV, quitting jobs we didn't like, and having complete time freedom would make us happy, motivated people was an idiotic idea. It was a band-aid for much bigger issues. This year was spent overcoming fears, frustrations, bad habits, relationship problems, and a lot of painful, unexpected events.
If we could have been the people we are today, who know our faults and the personal issues that prevent our own happiness (as well as each other's), we would have been much more successful RVers. Maybe it would have been a lifestyle we never wanted to give up. We'll never know, and that's okay.
We needed this year – the hardest of our entire marriage. We needed to realize that we are the determining factor of whether we have a happy life, not our situation. Yes, there were a lot of things about RVing full-time that we didn't like or disappointed us. But we could have had a better attitude about it – we should have. In the end though, even with the best attitude, it isn't for us right now.
“Never Stand Still” seems to be our motto. Photo by our talented friend, Joe Hendricks.
Lessons learned from RVing
But, full-time RVing has taught us so much. For the first time in my entire life, I believe that there are far more good, well-meaning people than bad – especially fellow travelers. We have met more interesting, inspiring people in the last year than in our entire lives combined. And we've gained an amazing group of friends from the RVing community who we hope we will always remain close to. We are even planning future travel around spending time with locals, as well as new and old friends.
Buddy and I have both overcome many fears and realized that we can indeed make enough money to pay our bills while working hours we set. We have confidence in our skills, our intelligence, and more determination than we know what to do with. (I'm even the Editor of WinnebagoLife.com now, after starting as a contributor last year – crazy! And 100% not possible had we never RVed.)
Who We Are After Deciding to Stop Full-Time RVing
Most importantly, we have realized that God has far better plans for us than we could ever imagine and that we have to hold onto our faith that He's got us – especially when it feels like everything is crumbling. We have been blessed beyond measure and have so many amazing things in store for us. And we are committed to each other in the rawest, open way we ever have been.
There were moments over the last year that I thought we wouldn't recover from. But looking back now, shoving ourselves so closely together into this overwhelming, crazy, unpredictable situation was the only way to finally admit to our insecurities, faults, and pain that we got so good at covering up. And realize what it will take to overcome that, together.
We will always be thankful for RV life for enabling us to get here – for breaking us at times, so we could be built back up stronger. And we know eventually, the struggles of full-timing and this crazy year will fade in our memory, and it will be a time we reminisce on for long into the future. “That one year we lived in an RV…”
So, What's Next?
Short answer: Everything! Long answer here. But it looks a little like this, when we're in the U.S., at least!
#Subarulife … ?
Want more about RVing and nomadic travel? Read more:
That’s one of my biggest peeves about this lifestyle is that not many people talk about how hard it is and how exhausting it is and how much RV parks are miserable loud places! We have been on the road for over a year and like y’all, it was mainly based on our dog…..who died. We have since made some changes, instead of giving up RV life all together we bought acreage in an area we love so we can have an adventure base with our RV. What we have learned is that RVing, traveling, life can be whatever you want it to be. Your life, your rules. If someone tries to tell you that full time RVing is like OMG so perfect and amazing, they are liars. Absolutely liars. They’re trying to sell you something that doesn’t exist. For us, we’re not quite done yet but it’s not the end all be all. You don’t fail by not staying in the full time RV cult, it’s just a chapter in a book. Good luck on your next adventure!
I totally understand and so sorry to hear you suffered a loss this year as well. We were always happy to be part of the “RV cult” (lol it is kind of a tight-knit community, huh?) and will always consider our RVing friends as part of our tribe, but I think a lot of people get a really unrealistic view of what this lifestyle is like because everyone tries to only show the positive side on social media, etc. I think that is getting better, but most people don’t pull out the camera as they are crying on their tiny kitchen floor – so most photos will often show the epic, pretty moments, which are usually not the majority. There is good and bad to everything. Anyone who thinks RVing will be a free pass to never having to deal with real life issues again, is sorely mistaken. But, like you’ve seen, it does help you learn to go with the flow a little better and gives you the opportunity to figure out what your best life looks like – whether that is in an RV or not. 🙂 Glad you are making the best of it!
I really enjoyed reading this. We are about to stop RVing most likely, and switch to sailing. I completely understand what you mean about your cat. We have two dogs and chose a big RV so that we could all travel together. Now, we’ve decided not to let them “hold us back” anymore and start sailing. It’s what we wanted to do before, but we chose RV life instead because we thought it would be easier for them. They’re going to come along, of course, and we are still going to make it a lot about them, but we are going to follow our dreams! We still absolutely LOVE RV life though – it’s just been several years so we’re ready for the next thing now.
So glad you enjoyed the article and excited to follow along with your journey! Sailing sounds like an amazing adventure. Hopefully, your pups will think so, too. 🙂 Here’s to following dreams!
You both are incredible. Thank you for opening up and sharing your heart! God really does have bigger and better plans than we ever could imagine, and we can’t wait to follow along and see how he continues to work in you both!!
Thank you so much, Jordan! You two are such an inspiration to us! We love how open you are with what God is doing in your life and strive to share more of our personal journey to help inspire others, too. Hope our paths cross again! 🙂
And so, another adventure begins! Go find it!
Always! 😉 Thanks for the support and for following along!
So glad you are following the “ever changing” dream! There’s always course corrections, but your path down the RV road is what has brought you to this new detour. I’ll look forward to seeing what the future brings to you!
Loved you both before, and even more now. Seriously, this is so heartfelt and transparent. There isn’t enough vulnerability in today’s blogging. Everyone always appears to have that perfect snapshot worthy life. Thank you for being unmasked and truthful. It is beautiful. It sounds like this was a season that God took you through for a Reason. I wonder what He will do with you in the future. Be encouraged, know that you have true friends and more importantly a brother and sister in Brittany and I. Carpe life you guys and hopefully we’ll get to carpe some of that life with you in the not too distant future..
With love and prayers…
~ Eric, Brittany and #babynomad of RVWanderlust
Thanks so much for these sweet words and encouragement. Knowing that we have so much support in this journey really does make it feel like we can do anything. And we certainly try to be transparent, but definitely wait it out until we have some lessons to share. haha Love you guys and hope to see you again soon! 🙂
Hi Brooke – I really wish we could have crossed paths at the summit. I interview couples about their intimate relationship while RVing and it sounds like you understand the crucible that it represents for honing our bond with our partner. I’m glad you both came out stronger and I’m sure you’ve learned life lessons that you might not have ever learned. You can see these interviews on my vlog on youtube at the art of RV harmony. It’s my belief that RVing can be the best thing that ever happened to your relationship if you do the work the opportunity presents. If you go to my blog of the same name I offer a free pdf of all the challenges we faced in our relationship because we RVed. I was completely transparent about the difficulties and their solutions. Look forward to following your new adventure and I hope you keep sharing about the impact it has on your relationship as well.
I’ll have to go check out your interviews and tips, Britt! Love that you are sharing all of that, as it can really make or break your experience and either help you grow or pull you apart. Luckily, we are better for it, but couples that aren’t as open with each other could have a very different experience. Thanks for all of the encouragement and support!
Brooke, thanks so much for the honesty and clarity in this post. I think you’re absolutely right that we are predisposed to thinking everything is awesome when we look at social media. Full-timer or not, you’re a great editor and an important part of the RVing community.
Thanks so much, Alan. I’m excited to still get to be part of the awesome RVing community while we pursue different kinds of travel. 🙂
Brooke, I really enjoyed your article. Finally someone being totally honest about there experiences and the ups and downs encountered while Rving. Up until reading your article everyone else made it sound… well…. to good to be true. Like life itself it’s about what your expectations are and the amount of effort your willing to put forth. God Bless you both and I’m sure the sky’s the limit!
Thanks, Sal
Thanks a bunch for your sweet note, Sal. We really try to be genuine – especially when we know our experiences may influence the decision making of others. Since stopping RVing and beginning traveling through house sitting, we’ve realized some valuable things about what works best for us. We absolutely LOVE being nomads and have no interest in owning a home again any time soon. But, we are much more productive when we can spread out a bit more than the RV allowed, and have our own spaces. We’ve also realized that traveling far away from what we are used to really appeals to us the most. And managing our travel to where we are settled down for a few weeks, then do some crazy whirl-wind exploring for about a week has been great for us. Rather than the day-to-day moving of RVing that we ended up doing because we’d get antsy. For us, house sitting has been the best solution for what we want our nomadic lifestyle to look like. It has its own ups and downs also, of course. Yet, it just feels so much more manageable and we are much more at peace – although, that also comes from working out the kinks of freelance work, being together 24/7, and constant travel during our year in the RV. Anyway, we strongly believe this kind of lifestyle should look different for everyone and takes time to sort out. It really is all about your outlook. I hope if this is something you want to do that you find an option that suits you well, too! Happy travels! -Brooke
Your story is very timely for me. Can’t thank you enough for writing a very honest look at full timing. I really needed to read this, feeling disenchanted with our RV life. Yeah, I’m not alone. 7 months ago we sold our house and took the leap to full time in pursuit of adventure and a new exciting lifestyle. Living the dream. We did see amazing places and met some really nice people. No regrets. Photos show a very exciting life, beautiful places, no photos of the challenging moments. But moving from one place to another frequently, dealing with bad weather that confined us for days, missing old friends to hang around with and then there is sharing a very close space has finally made me crumble. No place to go for some quiet reading and journaling. My husband who loved tinkering in the garage now without his diy projects. Full timing has brought us closer, forced us to talk about what we want, don’t want. It has brought things into perspective so we can move forward. Don’t know what that looks like now, but we know what we don’t want. Thank you Brooke for your story – it hit home.
So glad this helped, Terri. It can be hard to admit, especially when so many people are telling you “You’re living MY dream!” It can make you feel like there is something wrong with you for just not liking it. But, the truth is, I think it takes a little while to find your place when you set out for big dreams that shake up your whole life. We’ve been housesitting full-time since April and truly love it. So, I can tell you from my experience, when you find the right fit, it shouldn’t feel bad. Still challenging, yes. But, not in a way that overwhelms you and keeps you from enjoying life. No shame in finding your own slice of joy, even if it means rejecting what someone else finds joy in. 🙂 Prayers that you can enjoy the journey while you find what works best for you both! – Brooke
Thank you for your beautifully written response Brooke. God has a plan as always – taking quiet moments on the road to listen
I can concur with you assessment, many RVers that have never spent a day one in an RV are selling everything they own and then buy the RV and go off into the sunset (sound of a scratching record) it’s not all rainbows and unicorns! We gave it a few months on the road and it was not the same as going camping for a week, we are going to give it a longer try this summer and live in the RV for 5 months, but I think that the conclusion will be the same. We love our home, but we also love traveling so we will have to balance it.
It definitely takes some getting used to. Good for you for giving it another try. Hope you can find a good balance!
We are just about to enter RV life! However, we only plan to do it one year as a way of exploring Australia. This article was interesting and made me wonder how it will go for us.
So sorry to hear about Sugar, very sorry for your loss.
Just have realistic expectations and don’t overdo it and I’m sure it will be great! I do think limiting it to a year makes it a fun adventure as opposed to our no-end-date option that made it a stressful push to make an entirely new lifestyle work! Thanks for your note and best of luck! -Brooke
Really interesting story. I can relate. I started Rving to heal from a personal tragedy in my life. Never stop learning or growing. You learn a lot about yourself and your relationship when you live in an RV together. I think it has been a blessing instead of a curse for me. But, there are pros and cons to both side. I agree traveling on a trip in an RV vs living in an RV is much different.
Thanks for your note! The more we look back at it, the more we realize how much it prepared us to be flexible travelers and resilient people. We know how little we need and how much we can handle together. Even though we didn’t enjoy the experience as much as we hoped, it is a blessing in that way.
Hi Brooke and Buddy! Great article Brooke by the way. I enjoyed reading a bit about your journey and your decisions. My wife and I have not thought about doing RV full time and is hard enough to do it very part time. We’ve had our RV for going on 3 years now. Due to 2020 and into this year, the fears of all that and going somewhere to camp, we haven’t moved our RV in almost a year now.
It’s difficult to go somewhere when we have a child that doesn’t want to go all the time (17), and doesn’t want to stay alone either. Then we have 3 unsociable small dogs that came to us by way of helping a friend out. They ended up staying as their forever home. But as they will not stop barking, even after training, we just can’t take them with us. So we feel stuck and not sure what our next move is. Do we keep it, do we sell it, do we try to sneak in a weekend here and there. With not going very much now, it is more of a chore to RV than what it set out to be.
I guess to say, full time or part time RVing is not for everyone. And yes, the expectations of what we can feel RVing can be is different for each person. As we are getting older, we just can’t get up and go someplace, there has to be planning involved. Doesn’t seem so much fun anymore. Any ways, God bless you in your journey’s.