Downsizing from 2,000 sq. ft. to less than 300 sq. ft. means space efficiency. Here are some RV essentials we purchased to prepare for the great adventure in such a tiny space.
I like to cook, and I cannot wait to see what kind of fun new meals we can whip up while we’re traveling. But let’s face it, many kitchen appliances are not intended for small spaces. I mean, who needs a six qt. crock-pot when you’re cooking for two? That only means leftovers – which will take up precious refrigerator space. I snagged these kitchen goodies from Amazon before we even bought the RV.
bella Kitchen Gear
First, let me explain that I’ve had a bit of a love affair with bella kitchen products for several years. The toaster that we are throwing away when we leave this place, is a bella – and I bought it for $10 in 2013 when we moved to Minnesota. It’s nearly 12 years old. When I learned that bella has a line of products called the “Fit Anywhere Kitchen,” my heart my have fluttered a bit.
9 Piece StoreMore Cookware Set by bella
We know that RV kitchens often run short on storage space. I need a pots and pans set with a smaller footprint. So the first purchase in my RV essentials list was this stackable, nesting set from Bella. It’s a bonus that they also come in this beautiful plum purple and are incredibly affordable.
Absolutely nothing sticks to the surface of these glorious pans, which take up the cupboard floor space of one large skillet.
bella 2-Slice Slim Toaster
Naturally, with a former bella toaster that lasted more than 12 years, I wanted to replace it with another bella toaster. This little gem boasts the same gorgeous plum color, and a slim design to take up the least amount of space possible. Counter space is precious real estate in an RV, so this was a must-have purchase.
Coffee Gator Moka Pot
If you’re like me, coffee is an essential part of your morning. Sadly, a countertop coffee pot with a glass carafe isn’t the best design for traveling. Besides the fact that the glass breaks, camping may not always involve electricity. I want coffee, whether I’m off-grid with cloudy skies and no solar power, or not.
Coffee isn’t just for RV essentials – it’s essential for a happy life. 🙂
RV Essentials: Utensils and Dinnerware
When stocking up your RV for full-time living, it’s important to remember your house is going to be bouncing around on wheels. Glass is probably not the best choice. So, 90% of our dinnerware – must be replaced.
Unbreakable, Wheat Straw Plates
The last thing I want to do is find a cupboard full of broken stoneware after a long day of traveling. So wheat straw plates were the first purchase I made for new mobile lifestyle.
While these plates aren’t recommended for the microwave (we can use paper plates for that anyway), these plates will never break.
Silicone Kitchen Utensils
You know, sometimes the best part about purging is replacing the things that are old and worn out. While there’s nothing sexy about buying new kitchen utensils, these are things that you simply need to have and must replace from time to time.
While not having a dishwasher is somewhat of a setback, at least I can own utensils with wooden handles.
RV Essentials Must Include Storage Containers
A keystone of any well-organized kitchen is storage. Keeping your pantry items organized, sealed and fresh is critical while traveling. Bags of snacks come open, cereals go stale, and baking ingredients can end up all over the place if you’re not careful. To avoid spilled flour mess that looks like a pound of Columbian bam-bam exploded in your kitchen, you must have well-sealed containers.
Camping Must-Haves
Overmont 6QT Camp Dutch Oven
During our stint in Colorado, I practically became famous for my cinnamon rolls. I don’t want to give up my favorite morning delicacy, but instead, I’m looking forward to putting a little twist on the recipe by making them over an open campfire in this beautiful, 6 Qt. Dutch Oven by Overmont.
Not to mention, there are numerous other items we can make over the fire, from soups and stews to campfire lasagna. A dutch oven is an essential cooking tool for off-grid camp living.
Clothes Line
You know what else we’re not always going to have access to? A laundromat. But clean clothes don’t have to be a luxury. Believe it or not, you can hand-wash items in your sink and hang them to dry with a portable clothes line.
RV Essentials For the Dogger-Doo
Our dog absolutely lives to travel. Seriously, he loves it. The first time I knew we had a travel dog was when we drove 12-hours straight through to Iowa and he laid in the backseat of the car without so much as a whimper. He’s fabulous on the road and we cannot wait to take Bocephus for the road trip of lifetime.
But traveling with an animal also takes special consideration. Here are a few essentials we bought for Bo.
The Backseat Apartment
Our new truck is a crew cab, which means it has a spacious backseat, but we want it to be as comfortable as possible for Bo, and we want to protect the truck from Bo, too. So with this lovely little purchase, we basically turn the truck’s backseat into an efficiency apartment made just for the dog.
I’ll replace this picture with one of our dog, once we have it all set up.
The Doggie Ramp
Like us, Bo isn’t getting any younger. He’s going to be 11 years old this year, and he’s starting to slow down a little. While he can still make the jump into the back of the car, jumping up into our truck may be another battle. So, just to be prepared, we will start training him on a ramp.
Travel Water Bowl
Everyone who owns a dog knows that if you plan to take them anywhere, you have to plan for water. But carrying around a bowl isn’t always convenient or easy. Fortunately, they make snazzy little travel bottles like this one that come with a built-in water dish.
A Growing RV Essentials List
I’m certain that this is only going to grow. After we pick up the RV and start to get situated, there are several other items that I’m sure we’ll add to this list, such as security and anti-theft devices… maybe even a little covert surveillance to keep the riff-raff out.
I haven’t met too many people who don’t romanticize a life on the road. Since Gary and I made this decision, I cannot tell you the number of times people have oohed and ahhed over our plans.
But I’m a realist and a reader—it’s been a year and a half since we decided to sell our home for a camper. I’ve read thousands of first-person perspective articles since then. Many people (like us) have chosen to make their journey public, and fortunately, there are dozens of blogs and YouTube channels following full-time RV travelers.
I’ve read many of them, and I know this journey will not be all sunshine and rainbows… shit happens. Things break. Tires blow. Challenges are inevitable.
“To expect the unexpected shows a thoroughly modern intellect.”
oscar wilde
Life on the Road Seeking Peace of Mind
I don’t want to worry—for two years. I want life to be easy, carefree, and on my terms for the duration of this trip. Thus, we’ve taken steps to ensure that we covered everything.
We deliberately purchased a new 2025 Chevy Truck and a new 2025 Rockwood travel trailer. Why brand new? One word. Warranty. I want the assurance that if anything goes wrong while we’re traveling for the next two years, it’s covered under warranty.
But, think about this for a minute – if something breaks in our RV, and needs to go into the shop for repair… that’s our home. Where do you go? What do you do? You have to plan for the unexpected when living life on the road.
We also plan to have ALL the insurance, so anything that isn’t covered under warranty is covered by our insurance plan. This includes full coverage on the truck, full coverage on the RV, and all the extra RV protection packages offered by our dealer. Plus, our RV insurance also covers the expense of a hotel when necessary for repairs.
We also plan to get a GoodSam membership (like AAA for RV travelers) to help when things go awry while we’re on the road. If we’re stranded and need a tow, I want to know it’s covered.
I expect something to go wrong, and I want to know that help is a phone call away.
Life on the Road & Keeping Expenses to a Minimum
If you think living in an RV is cheap, you’ve not done your research. In addition to all those insurance packages and protections I mentioned above, there are also things like gas for travel, overnight stays, and food.
Gasoline isn’t cheap.
Much like you need electricity to power your home, we need gasoline to power ours. Lord knows, gas isn’t exactly “cheap.” However, in an effort to keep those costs at a minimum, we’re enrolling in multiple gas club memberships for the discounts. We’ll also be using Gas Buddy to locate the cheapest gas in the area. Naturally, we’re going to do our best to conserve gas expense, but fuel is a necessity for full-time travelers.
RV Parks aren’t free.
Our RV does allow us to boondock (camp without electricity), but it’s a hard, cold truth that solar power can only power so many things when you’re off-grid. To take advantage of all the creature features that make our RV feel like home, it’s best to park where you have full hookups. RV parks can vary from $30/night to $100/night or more, depending on the location and amenities. However, we’ve found a few ways to reduce our expenses:
Thousand Trails membership – with this membership, you pay for your membership fee upfront based on the region you plan to be in, and then, you stay for free at participating Thousand Trails campgrounds.
Harvest Hosts– this membership allows you to boondock for 1-3 days for free on private property – so maybe it’s a farm, or a winery, or someone with land to spare. The only catch is that they ask you to spend a little money on whatever the host is peddling.
State Parks & BLM land – although state parks aren’t typically free, they do tend to cost less than other private RV parks. BLM is dispersed camping that you can use for up to 14 days at a time for free. However, getting to some of these spots with a 35′ camper can be difficult.
Friends & Family – of course, as we travel, we plan to visit friends and family along the way. We do have plans to boondock at some of these locations, too. (Got room for us? Let us know!)
Lowe’s & Walmart – while these definitely aren’t long-term stays, we can stop for a night at these locations to rest up before we continue our travels the next morning. Maybe not ideal, but they’ll serve a purpose when necessary.
Food is expensive everywhere.
Since we’ve been living in the middle of nowhere for nine years, I anticipate a strong temptation to overindulge in a newly rediscovered access to fast food and gas station snacks once we begin life on the road. Therefore, I want to put special emphasis on what we eat. Plan ahead for easy, healthy meals. Create our scrumptious meals over a campfire or on the griddle outside our camper. Indulge in local markets and explore budget-friendly options.
Freelance Discipline
“Plan your work for today and every day, then work your plan.”
Margaret Thatcher
Since I’m going back to freelancing, once again, I will have to dig deep and muster up the discipline to spend a few hours every day doing something productive. When we first moved to the ranch, it took time to develop the willpower to ignore the beauty outside my door, and I can imagine it will be just as challenging with our life on the road.
On the flip side, I’m going into this with eyes wide open. I know that freelancing can become overwhelming if you don’t set boundaries, and this time, I’m putting my self-care first by limiting my desk time and focusing on the journey.
Just as an athlete envisions a win, by envisioning a schedule, I can see that I am dedicating 5-7 hours a day toward productivity, but I’m also blocking time specifically for physical activity, exploration, and relaxation.
My Envisioned Schedule
The key to discipline while freelancing is to commit to a schedule.
Wake up between 5 and 6 a.m. Yes, I’m one of those crazy people who like to wake up early. I enjoy the tranquility of a sunrise when the world hasn’t started to stir. This early morning hour allows me to drink my coffee, maybe do some self-care with stretching or meditation, and have time to think and greet the day with a plan.
Spend a little desk time. I’d like to get 4 to 5 hours of desk time out of the way first thing in the morning so that by 11 am or so, I’m winding down, so we can do something like hiking, exploring, or visiting a destination during the mid-afternoon. However, climate plays a role in timing.
Mid-Day Exploration. I want us to incorporate exploration into our day, such as finding a hiking trail, going to a disc golf course, or finding a fascinating destination near our stay. Each day we’re parked somewhere, I want us to schedule time to get out and see what’s out there.
Evening Windown and Debrief. At night, I look forward to cooking meals, relaxing around a campfire, and discussing the day’s events. I want to use this time to review our photos and videos, do some content work, and maybe work in a little social media time.
Bedtime Self-Care. This journey is about taking care of ourselves, inside and out. Besides basic hygiene and skincare, as a married couple, we also need to care for each other. We want to protect time for intimacy in our marriage.
A Life on the Road Deliberately Lived
This trip isn’t about escape—it’s about intention. It’s about choosing to live deliberately, with eyes wide open and a clear understanding that while the road may be bumpy, the journey is worth it. Gary and I aren’t chasing some idealized Instagram version of van life; we’re embracing every flat tire, unexpected detour, and jaw-dropping vista as part of the package.
We know it won’t always be easy, but we’ve stacked the deck in our favor. We’ve planned, prepped, insured, budgeted, and scheduled. But we’ve also left room for spontaneity, magic, and peace that only comes when you’re not running on someone else’s clock.
So here we go—two people and their dog, one truck, one camper, and an open road ahead. With a bit of grit, a lot of grace, and a good sense of humor, we’re ready to roll. Here’s to the next chapter, written in miles and a chance to live life on the road.
Choosing an RV and preparing for a life on the move is not as easy as it might sound.
When we put our house on the market 18 months ago, we never imagined it would take this long to sell. However, after months of window shopping, we finally have the green light to take things more seriously.
Downsizing from a 2000 sq. ft. house into a camper takes deliberation. It’s probably a good thing we had extra time to think it over. Our decision changed about ten times since then. Choosing an RV was one of the hardest parts of this whole process.
When Choosing an RV: At First, We Romanticized Luxury
Thor Motorcoach
Living in a lovely house on 20 acres of land, we feared the loss of the “creature comforts” of a sticks-and-bricks house. As our first option, we considered a gigantic Class A rig. These are the big tour buses that celebrities and rock stars travel in—and they are huge.
The original one we picked was 45 feet long and over a quarter of a million dollars. It had a kitchen with an island and an entirely enclosed office space. It was beautiful. But we learned a few things as we continued to search…
Many RV parks cannot accommodate these large tour bus rigs.
We would need to buy a secondary vehicle to tow behind the rig.
These bigger RVs are difficult to drive, and if they break down, where do you go while your house is in the shop?
One Vehicle, One Engine to Maintain
After ruling out the tour bus, we started looking at RVs that could pull behind a truck. But we still wanted something luxurious and spacious, something comparable to a traditional home. We wanted to be able to disconnect the truck and drive around when we wanted to go explore, so we started looking at fifth-wheel campers.
Alpine by Keystone – a fifth-wheel RV
Again, we were looking at trailers that were 40+ feet long, plus the length of the truck, so still, we are talking one significant footprint on the highway. With beautiful master bedroom suites and full-size kitchens, these campers ranged from $75,000 to $150,000.
But fifth-wheel campers also tend to be incredibly heavy. The added weight only means additional fuel expense, and we want to keep our travels as economical as possible. Not only that, but they require additional installation in your truck bed, which reduces your truck’s hauling capacity.
Pulling It All Behind You
If there’s anything I can tell you about my husband, it’s that he can drive anything. Although we understand the burden of hauling a trailer with you everywhere we go, I have all the faith in the world that Gary can handle the task. However, before spending thousands of dollars, I needed to know what he was comfortable with.
Looking at campers online and comparing floor plans is one thing. But until you actually SEE them in real life, you just don’t know. I spent months looking at different RVs, but fortunately, we decided to go to a dealership to make the final decision.
When we arrived at the dealership, we were completely sold on the 29-foot model—smaller, easier to tow, more options for campsites, etc. But once we walked through the different models, we realized what a difference an extra six feet can make in terms of living space. We’re going to be living in this thing for a minimum of two years, and although we’ve downsized tremendously, we’re still going to need a little storage along the way.
Choosing an RV – The Necessities
Now, besides just the basics – such as living space, length and towing weight, you also have to keep the necessities in mind. Things like water capacity, solar power, battery capacity and safety features. We wanted to make this trip as worry-free as possible; our goal is less stress, more travel.
Again, when choosing an RV, we wanted simplicity and off-grid capability because we don’t always want to stay in RV parks, and we want to be entirely self-contained so we can get lost in the wilderness. We got upgraded solar and an additional generator for those cloudy, rainy days.
We are scheduled to pick up our new rig on March 14th, and we’ll be sharing our excitement through our social media channels and going live during the trip up there.
After months of waiting for our house to sell, the day has finally come – and we are Too Happy Campers!
Eighteen months ago, we decided to sell our dream home and trade everything for the RV life. This is our story behind the decision, what led to it, and what we hope to gain from embracing mobility.
I believe life happens in phases.
We live, we learn, and we outgrow the skin we’re in.
As I look back on my life, my interests have changed, my standards have risen, and my priorities have shifted. Each experience, each job, each success, each failure shifts our perspective.
It changes everything… it changes me.
Dr. Ellie arroway – from the movie Contact (1997)
When we bought our property nine years ago, we called it our “forever home.” We were certain this was all we could ever want—twenty beautiful acres in the mountains of Colorado, because it truly was our dream property.
But that was nine years ago, and we’ve lived, learned… and changed since then.
Isolation Served Its Purpose
We absolutely adored our property—an hour and a half from civilization; visiting us took intention. We opened our home through Airbnb and invited strangers into our lives. We hosted guests from all walks of life, and we’ll forever cherish the opportunity to get to know our guests.
From birdwatchers around the world to city kids looking for a place to get away, we have had some incredible experiences hosting people. We took pride in our ability to be welcoming, friendly, and hospitable with all who entered our home, which led to us being ranked in the top 1% of Airbnb Stays worldwide.
We are proud of that accomplishment and will always cherish the experiences and memories we have from hosting our guests. Our guests taught us about ourselves and what we value.
However, owning a highly ranked disc golf course and an Airbnb on our property severely limited our ability to leave. We spent most of our summers hosting people, checking in disc golfers, and monitoring our property, which left little room for us to have the time to do the things we love—exploring, hiking, and traveling.
So, after seven years of opening our home and property to the public, we decided to turn the tables. We wanted to be able to leave the property and travel, too.
Downsizing for Simplicity
A couple of years ago, my husband had to clean out his father’s house, which was full of old junk that his dad thought was valuable. But essentially, it was a hoarding situation. Gary and I both agreed—we never wanted to do the same thing to our kids.
Humans tend to collect things. We save things, and then we attach sentiment to those objects.
Here’s the truth: in most cases, that sentimental value doesn’t translate to others. While that plastic souvenir cup from your 2015 Vegas trip might spark memories of wild adventures for you, to everyone else, it’s just a cup with no story attached.
Like losing weight, I began to look at each object I touched and ask myself, “Is this weight that I want to carry around for another 30 years?” Most of the time, the answer was no. In fact, each item I tossed into the dumpster felt a little more freeing than the last.
A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss
Something else we’ve learned through observation is that as people age, we tend to get stuck in a routine, slow down, and spend more time at home. For instance, Gary’s dad and step-mom only left the house to get groceries and go to scheduled doctors’ appointments. They forgot how to live life, and they became stagnant.
We don’t want to become stagnant.
Settling into a recliner with a blanket and a glass of wine might sound comfortable and inviting, but on the other hand, it’s likely not doing your health or longevity any favors. Staying active, spontaneous, fit, and flexible is key as we age.
Many health issues stem from a lack of adequate exercise and nutritional deficiencies, but sadly, taking care of ourselves often doesn’t fit into the daily grind. Then by the time we hit 50 – WHAMMO! – We’re smacked with bad knees, high cholesterol, and progressive lenses.
We want to enjoy every bit of life we can, while we can, and keep ourselves as active as possible.
Too Happy Campers Ready to Travel Hike Camp!
Too Happy Campers, About to Hit the Road
Despite loving living out here for nine years, we’ve realized we’ve limited ourselves. Our location made it difficult for people to visit us, and impossible for us to leave while hosting strangers in our home.
In summary, we are too happy to feel this tied down. We want to chase the sun.
That’s exactly what living in an RV can do for us. We could not be more thrilled about this new phase of our lives! Soon, we’ll be choosing our destinations and plotting our course. Stay tuned!
Please, follow along, as we become too happy campers! We are sharing our travels, adventures, and stories of adjusting to life on the road, and it will be a wild ride!
What Makes This Blog Different? Let’s be real—most blogs these days are a pop-up minefield. You won’t find that here.
No ads. No pop-ups. No auto-play videos trying to sell you socks. Just clean content and good vibes.
Yes, I have a few affiliate links. But only for products I personally use and love. If it’s linked here, it’s been road-tested in real life. If I wouldn’t spend my own money on it, I’m not sending you to it either. Any purchases made through these links send a little support our way—and we’re genuinely grateful.
This whole operation? 100% homegrown. Self-funded, self-built, and self-maintained. No team, no tech squad—just one woman (and her very patient husband) building something real on the road.
