There have been many stories since the beginning of the global pandemic (and before) about people taking to the road in an RV/Camper/5th wheel/etc for a sense of freedom. We too ended up in a camper for four months during 2020 and wanted to share our experience with you!
First, let us say it was far from roughing it as far as campers go. We rented a 2017 Forest River Hemisphere Lite which is a 42-foot long luxury camper. It had two bedrooms, a bathroom with a bathtub, a kitchen open to the living room including an island, stainless steel appliances, recliners in the living room and a fireplace with flat panel tv over it! What’s the problem you may ask?
Living in a camper was wonderful! It allowed us to live right next to my brother and his family. This was the first time some members of the family had ever met our daughter Neve and was truly a special and wonderful time. There were however a few hiccups that we’d like to share with you in case you too decide to take this type of adventure!
Heating & cooling are relative. Think about it, you’re basically living in a tin can. Which means very little insulation. When it’s hot it’s HOT. This is even with both ceiling air conditioners running at full tilt. And when it’s cold… bundle up! We had the propane heater go out in the middle of the night which resulted in frozen water pipes. You can set yourself up for success by having back up systems in place, electric heaters and blankets for the cold. Park in a shaded area if possible to avoid some of the effects of the direct sun which heat up the camper.
It’s a home on wheels right? Yes! But if you think about it, all of our houses are built out of brick, stone, wood, etc.. And they don’t get rattled down the highway every few weeks! That means the mechanical components of your real “house” don’t get rattled. Our camper was constantly needing “repairs”. Fortunately, “Unc Jake” is very handy and has lots of tools. If you’re on your own we would highly recommend packing a tool kit!
Consider upgrading a few things. If you’re planning a longer then a weekend stay in your camper, you might want to consider upgrading the mattress. We bought a Zinus mattress on Amazon and it made a world of difference! I’m fairly certain world peace can be solved if you have a good nights rest!
There will bugs: This is a less-than glamorous subject, but one you should think about. You will encounter plenty of bugs inside and outside of your camper. We spent most of the four months fighting a stink bug infestation. We killed or caught and released at least 300 stink bugs. I kid you not. We also had wasps sneak in through tiny crevices into the camper and start nests in three different places on the outside of the camper. We also had a short-lived trail of tiny ants. The good news. The stink bugs won’t hurt you, the wasps will fly away and the ants will disappear with a few days of thorough cleaning.
Here are some stories from others about their experiences:
Or a blog all about life in an RV: https://www.gonewiththewynns.com/rvin