The modern world offers plenty of comforts: unlimited information, near-instant satisfaction, cheap shopping, and fast shipping. However, for all the conveniences the fast-paced lifestyle offers, it’s just not for everyone. Instead, many people dream of a simpler life where they have more control over their daily routine and less interference from the world around them.
For many such people, it would be a dream to live in their own RV on their own land. Living this way not only allows them to separate themselves from the hectic modern world but gives them the freedom to travel at will and the financial security of owning property. While there are many hurdles to achieving this type of lifestyle, virtually anyone can make it happen.
In the following article, we’re going to discuss how to live in your RV on your own land. We’ll also cover some basics on choosing an RV, preparing for the elements, and other considerations you’ll need to make before making such a major lifestyle change.
What Sort of RV is Right For You?
While it’s doubtful that you’d be reading this article if you didn’t know this, the term RV stands for “recreational vehicle.” The term is broad and includes a wide variety of trucks and buses that people can = live in on a semi-permanent or permanent basis. These vehicles come in all manner of sizes and styles. To choose the one that’s right for you, you need to ask some questions.
What Size of RV Do You Require?
RVs, motorhomes, and trailers are all organized by class and type. Depending on your wants, needs, budget, and other factors, you’ll need to do some careful research to figure out what kind of RV is right for you. It’s also worth noting that RVs can provide almost any sort of experience you’re looking for, from simulating camping to offering all the comforts of a full-sized luxury home.
Towable vs. Motorized RVs – Towable RVs are much less expensive, and – depending on their size – require a reasonably large truck to go from place to place. Motorized RVs, however, are self-powered, featuring a cabin section for driving and a living section with a bedroom, bathroom, etc. Depending on the size, motorized RVs may require a special driver’s license.
Class A, B, and C Motorized RVs – Class C Motorized RVs resemble U-Haul Trucks. They are much easier to drive but support a limited amount of living space. Class B RVs resemble large campervans and offer the space of a small apartment. Class A RVs are between 21 and 45 feet long and offer all the accouterments of a luxury home (with a price tag to match).
What Sort of Weather Will You Be Contending With?
Making a move to living in an RV full time won’t require much effort if you live in Texas, Arizona, or another state that has a relatively temperate climate. If you live in an area of the country that has cold winters or heavy rains, however, you’ll want to factor insulation and traction into the decision-making process.
Smaller RVs offer easy maneuverability in a wide range of conditions, but they are also lightly made, and won’t boast as much insulation to keep the occupants warm. Larger RVs will have such insulation and protection, just like home. These larger vehicles can weigh more than 20,000 pounds, however, which can be problematic in different weather conditions.
How Much Traveling Will You Be Doing?
As the article title implies, we’re focusing mostly on people who will be living in their RVs on a designated plot of land. However, when you own an RV, you’re never more than a short drive away from a completely different world. That said, it’s unlikely that anyone would decide to live in an RV full-time if they weren’t planning on moving it at some point.
So one of the things you need to consider before buying an RV is how much driving you’ll be doing in an average year. The answer to that question will come into play when you’re selecting the size of your vehicle, as well as when you’re figuring out your overall budget. Those large, luxury RVs we discussed? They can cost up to $600 to fill up with gas.
How Many People and Pets Do I Have?
When deciding on an RV, you need to consider your entire family unit before making a purchase. Many people tend to purchase RVs when their children are fully-grown and out of the house, but that’s by no means a rule-of-thumb. If you still have kids at home, you’ll need to consider where they’ll be sleeping and the overall privacy of your RV situation.
The same goes for animals. Cats and dogs will need a designated place to stay as well as room to move around. In the end, you need to think about what type of life you want to have inside your RV and plan your purchase accordingly. You don’t want to have sold your home and be living in a camper just to find out it’s simply not big enough.
What Sort of Budget Do I Have?
There’s no escaping the work-a-day world without paying the price of freedom. RVs are some of the most expensive vehicles in the world, and even buying used won’t help you in a lot of cases. Luckily, if you’re planning on living in your RV on land you own, you might be in a position to sell some existing property (like a home) to fund your purchase.
Buying a tow-behind RV is mostly about finding a trailer in good condition and making sure you have a truck that’s capable of towing it. Purchasing a motorized RV, however, combines all the hassle of buying a car with that of buying a house. You need to consider the condition, living space, and what facilities are available as well as gas mileage, the condition of the engine and transmission, and other mobile factors.
What Type of Lifestyle Do I Want?
If you’re reading this article, it’s fair to assume` that you’re at least considering making a massive change in your lifestyle. However, living in an RV does not provide one singular type of experience. The type of life you want will dramatically influence your choice of RV, as well as the location where you buy your land. Questions to consider include proximity to towns, natural surroundings, etc.
Considerations to Make Before Making the Move
As you might imagine, there are significant changes to be made before you can move into an RV full time. This fact is especially true depending on your answers to the above questions, as those answers will determine how much space you have, where you’ll be parking RV, and what type of RV you have. In the following section, we’ll outline some additional considerations you need to make.
Get Rid of Excess
Even the largest RVs won’t come close to having the storage space of a house or large apartment. This is where some tough decisions will need to be made. We all have stuff that we feel is important, be the mementos from our past or items we need to get through our day-to-day lives. Your job is to get rid of the majority of those items.
It may seem impossible at first, but after a few trial-runs in your new RV (preferably close to where you currently live), you should get an idea of what you need and what you don’t. If you absolutely must have more storage space for certain items, you can either rent a storage container somewhere or put a shed on your land near your RV site for easy access.
Consider if You’ll Need Income
As we mentioned before, most people decide to move into an RV full time later in life, after their children are grown and have moved out of the house. This situation doesn’t always apply, however, and even if it did, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you won’t need money coming in. As RVs are not usually the “drive into work” sort of vehicle, some people may find their income options limited.
Luckily, working from home/remote work is seeing something of a Renaissance right now. Every day, more and more income options are popping up that require little more than a laptop and an internet connection. No matter what your skill set might be, there is almost definitely an option for you to bring money into your new mobile household.
Get Your Hands on Some Essential Items
Again, you won’t have as much storage space in your new RV as you would in a house or apartment, even if you buy the top-of-the-line, 45-foot-long model. Because of this, you’ll need to invest in essential items that help you consolidate appliances, as well as some items specifically designed to make life in an RV easier. These include:
Instant Pot – These do-it-all appliances can function as a slow cooker, rice maker, and pressure cooker, minimizing how much space you take up in the kitchen. There are also hundreds of recipes online designed specifically for these little miracles that will save you a lot of time when planning meals.
Water Filter – Fresh, clean water is essential when you’re not getting your supply from the city. Make sure you keep you and your family safe by filtering all your water properly.
Collapsible Accessories – There are dozens of unique products out there designed specifically to save storage space. These include collapsible cooking trays, colanders, mixing bowls, and storage containers.
Fridge Magnet Items – Many smart companies have introduced space-saving technology into the kitchen by magnetizing things like spice containers and kitchen accessories so you can store them on the fridge.
Wheel Chocks and Leveling Blocks – You don’t want your RV moving without you at the wheel, so a good set of wheel chocks is essential. You’ll also want to invest in some RV leveling blocks, however, as they can make all the difference when parked on uneven ground.
Bed Rails – There may be times when someone will need to sleep while the RV is mobile. To ensure everyone’s safety, you’ll want to invest in bed rails for each of the beds in the vehicle.
Join a Club for Extra Advice
There are lots of RV clubs out there, almost all of which are open for just about anyone to join. If you choose to do so, you’ll likely meet many other people who are living in their RVs full-time. These men and women can be a great source of tips and advice on what to do (and what not to do). Consider meeting up with some of these folks and even asking them for a tour of their RVs.
Stock Up on Emergency Essentials
Again, living in an RV is not the same as living in a home. Especially if you’re living out on land you own, you can’t just run to the neighbors when something goes wrong. This fact, combined with the lack of storage space, means that you need to plan for what essentials you’ll need and ensure you have them on hand at all times. Such essentials include:
Emergency Food – Disaster can strike when you live in an RV just as easily as it can when you live in a home. Being properly prepared means having simple, long-lasting food items that you can store away in case you become trapped for any length of time. High-calorie food bars, for instance, are a great choice, as they take up little space and can keep you alive for weeks.
Aqua Tabs – After food, the next thing you’ll need in an emergency is water. Rather than storing actual water (which actually can go bad), consider investing in Aqua Tabs, which purify water and make it safe for drinking.
First Aid Kit – Injuries are far more likely in a moving vehicle then they are in a brick-and-mortar home. Prepare for those eventualities with a well-stocked, accessible first aid kit. Most importantly, be sure to replace whatever you use from it.
Flashlight and Batteries – Your RVs car battery won’t last forever, so be sure you have flashlights, lanterns, and other battery-powered necessities on hand (and plenty of batteries to run them).
Vehicle Emergency Supplies – Again, a mobile home has different needs from a standing home. To ensure you and your family’s safety, consider investing in tow ropes, window breakers, emergency road flares, and other items to keep you safe on the go.
How to Live in an RV
Now that we have a better idea of how to properly prepare for life in an RV let’s talk about what it takes to make this situation work. The intention here is not to be redundant or obvious, but to make sure you’re aware of the good, bad, and ugly truths associated with RV living. While not all of these points will apply, the majority will have huge implications on your success.
You’ll Need to Make Every Space “Multi-Use”
One of the most important things you need to prepare for when planning on living full-time in an RV is for quite literally every space you have to be multi-purpose or multi-use. If you spend some time online or chatting with other RV owners, you might be shocked at just how inventive some people have become when attempting to solve the inevitable space issues.
From turning RV roofs into gardens and sun-bathing spots to turning every nook and cranny into a storage space, you’ll need to be consistently creative to accomplish things that would be simple in a normal house. Depending on where your land is and how much space you have, you can always consider buying or building a shed as well.
Your Land is Yours, but Rules Apply Elsewhere
If you’re living in an RV, chances are you’re going to take it out on the road at some point. These situations are where you need to do a little more research. If you modified your RV in any way or have any unique additions to make it more livable in place, they might be illegal in some of the places you travel or some of the places you plan to park.
Unfortunately, traveling in an RV usually means spending a lot of hours boning up on local laws and regulations, or asking members of online RV communities advice on how to protect yourself. In the end, owning and driving a mobile home is expensive enough without adding fees, fines, and other penalties to your daily routine.
Check the Zoning Laws
When it comes to local, state, and federal government, even our last point about your land, “being your own” is not entirely true. Whenever anyone is planning on living anywhere, even if it’s a property they own, there will be zoning laws and regulations to consider. This fact is especially true if your land is within city limits, where most towns will keep you from living full-time.
If you plan on living in a more rural area, your mobile home will almost certainly be considered a “temporary shelter” and limited to only 30 consecutive days of occupancy. You can get around this by petitioning for your land to be zoned for recreational living. As you might expect, this will take time, money, and most likely a call to a lawyer or two.
Consider Hooking Up Utilities
Many people consider living in an RV to be the first step toward unparalleled freedom. This fact can be true if you plan on spending the majority of your time on the road. If you want to set up shop on property you own, however, you might be in for a surprise. Things like water, electricity, and septic will be hard to live without full-time. Whereas RV parks will provide such services for you, your land will only have what you put there.
For this reason, it’s worth it to consider having your permanent RV location supported by utilities. Even if it seems like it goes against the spirit of your whole endeavor to “live free,” a septic system, water well, and dedicated electric line will be a huge time-saver in the future. Of course, as you would expect, this will dramatically increase the cost of your move.
You Might Need to Prepare the Land
The land you plan to live on is probably the biggest factor in determining your success. Unfortunately, many people who are planning to become full-time RV inhabitants are not financially prepared to purchase a perfect plot of land. Instead, these families need to make do with what they have. Doing this means preparing the land to facilitate the best possible outcome.
The weather conditions in your area will determine what area is best suited to your RV, as will any potential slopes or the availability of nearby resources. In many cases, you will need to do a significant amount of land clearing. Accomplishing this can mean taking down trees, flattening slopes, and generally preparing the space to house a heavy vehicle permanently.
If you don’t have access to the sort of heavy equipment that will make this possible, you might want to consider hiring professionals. You could also bring in a land surveyor to determine what area of your property would be best for storing your camper.
You Could Be at Higher Risk
If you jump through all the hoops and manage to get yourself and your family situated on a nice plot of land you own, you still might have some concerns about which you need to be aware. The first, and most obvious, is wildlife. Living in an RV away from other people is not unlike camping. You need to be aware of any wildlife that can pose a hazard, and act accordingly (don’t store trash outside, keep food out of reach, etc.)
Another problem comes from humanity’s oldest enemy: other humans. People that live away from towns and cities can seem like tempting targets for predators. In their mind, without any neighbors to report suspicious activity, your RV would be the perfect place to stage a robbery – or worse. Secure your belongings, protect yourself however you can, and have a plan in place in case of an incident.
Insurance is Your Best Friend
Vehicle insurance, property insurance, and other forms of protection are a great way to mitigate the sometimes-colossal costs of living in an RV. After all, even the most sturdy, durable, and heavy-duty mobile home will never be as strong as a brick-and-mortar home. From water damage to falling limbs to a myriad of other incidents, you need to be protected to keep costs under control.
Much like homeowners’ insurance, some policies will cover the replacement cost of your RV in the event it is irreparably damaged or stolen. There are also policies that you can put into place on your land, which will help you deal with issues that might arise in that arena. You need to consider the costs of these policies before deciding to “go mobile.”
Have a Backup Plan in Place
We hope we’ve made it clear that leaving your traditional home to live full-time in an RV is a decision that requires a lot of consideration. From space and comfort issues to laws and insurance, there will be a lot of adjustments that need to take place. You can accomplish this by doing several “dry runs” before you sell your home. However, there remains a chance that this dream isn’t for you.
If one or more of your family members decides that RV living is not their cup of tea, you’ll want to have some sort of backup plan in place. After all, after selling your home and pouring your money into a new RV and plot of land, it’s not like you can simply sell it all and buy a brick and mortar home again (at least, not in a timely fashion).
Talk to friends, neighbors, family, and other RV owners about staying with or near them in an emergency. If you’ve parked for a bit, consider a road trip somewhere else. After all, you own an RV! In the end, if it doesn’t work out for you and you decide to go back to a traditional home, understand that both your RV and your land will hold their value quite well.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are lots of things to consider before moving into an RV full-time, even if you plan on living on your own land. From maintaining modern conveniences to navigating the local and state laws to funding the entire project, it will take time, money, and energy will be required to make it all happen.
That said, living in an RV has the potential to be the most exciting, relaxing, and adventurous experience of you and your family’s lives! If you have a fierce independent streak, a love of the wild and untamed, and are always up for a challenge – the rewards are incomparable from this lifestyle.