Thinking of buying an RV this summer? There is a wide variety available to choose from, but not every style fits everyone’s needs. For campers looking for the freedom and comfort of an RV but don’t want to haul around a large model, small RVs are the perfect fit. However, there are a few things you should know before investing in a small RV.
Whether you prefer long trips or you’re a weekend warrior, your RV is home base. It doesn’t matter if you spend your entire vacation within a few steps of your RV or prefer to get out there in the open on your toys or just hiking and exploring, but when you come back to camp you want to make your RV feel like home, even though you’re away from home.
One of the great things about RVs is that there is plenty of space for decorations. Even a small RV is like your own little house on wheels, so you can give your RV a few custom decorations that reflect you and your tastes. When you freshen up your RV with a few items like pictures or artwork, your RV gets a new look and you make your RV feel like home.
While you want your RV to look and feel like home, if you are partial to fine collectibles, your RV may not be the best place to display them. Keeping your decorations safe, especially during travel, is something to be mindful of when you are choosing your decorations. Those who take extended trips and stay in one location for long stretches of time – like snowbirds – may prefer to have more fragile items that can be packed safely away while traveling but displayed for the duration of their stay. If you generally take quick weekend trips, there are less extravagant ways to decorate that still make your RV feel like home. Little tricks like double-sided tape can keep small pictures and other décor safer and help them stay in place while you’re on the road. That way, you won’t have to spend time setting up your decorations once you arrive at your destination, they’ll have travelled safely right where they’re displayed!
When you think of your RV as a canvas, you can see how they are perfect for customizing to your liking. You can customize everything! Make the floor your own with custom flooring. A peel-and-stick backsplash or countertop can make the kitchen a reflection of the master chef of the house. There isn’t much that can’t be altered or upgraded to make the interior of your RV feel like home. When you step into your RV you want it to be inviting. After a long day of hiking, swimming, boating or fishing, you want to feel like you’re coming home. Even if you spend the day in a lounge chair under a tree at your campsite reading a book, when you step inside your RV for a snack, it should feel like home.
Depending on the size of your RV and what you choose to customize, there could be added weight, so keep this in mind as you customize. Be sure to know your RV and tow vehicle weight limits to ensure that you’ll be safe on the road.
What is it that really makes a house a home? It’s that personal touch! So, decorate your RV with the things that say “home” like family photos or your child’s artwork on the fridge. Whatever you surround yourself with at home should extend to your RV. Do you love houseplants? There may not be room in your RV for your prize ficus tree, but a small succulent on the kitchen counter won’t take up a lot of space and can still bring a little slice of your enthusiasm for plants to your RV. There are also myriads of artificial plants that could add a nice touch without the worry – even for those without a green thumb!
Looking for a simple way to bring a taste of home life with you when you’re on the road? Try matching décor! You can buy matching blankets, comforters, and pillows for beds. Bring an extension of your home with you when you match rugs, curtains, even kitchen towels! Whatever you love about your home can have its match in your RV. Replicating your home’s style in your RV can truly make it an extension of your home. It can also be a comfort to children who are new to RVing to have the same bedding in their RV bunk as they do at home.
Seasonal decorating is another way to bring the energy from your home to your RV. Do you enjoy decking the halls of your home for every season? Try bringing some of that flair to your RV and feel the warmth of home settle in as you extend your seasonal savvy to your home away from home. Keep it simple if you have a holiday weekend trip planned. If you will be on an extended stay over more than one season or holiday, think about where you’ll store the decorations. Shopping post-holiday sales or clearance sales can be a great way to stock up on some extra decorations, especially if you need to scale down to fit your space.
Now you know how to make your RV feel like home so you can start planning your next trip, with no chance of homesickness!
The professionals at RV Wholesale Superstore are ready to help you find the perfect RV for you and your family. Visit us in-person at 5080 W. Alexis Road, in Sylvania, OH or call us at (419) 786-1126
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Roasting hot dogs and marshmallows over the campfire, hiking nature trails, quality family time without the interruptions of work or other responsibilities, whatever your reasons, you want to experience the RV life. But what do you need to know? RVing 101 will give you tips on some of the basic, yet most important topics about RVing: types, towing, tanks and more.
We separate RVs into these categories to help you find the ones that work best for you:
Safely and properly towing your RV is a crucial part of RVing 101 and the camping experience. Your tow vehicle must be able to handle the gross weight of your RV as well as anything stored inside, including water tanks. Make sure to take the time to fully familiarize yourself with your RV’s specifications as well as your vehicle’s limits and understand your tow vehicle’s ratings before you buy your RV. Nothing spoils the excitement of buying a camper than the realization that you can’t tow it with the vehicle you have.
There is an amazing range of RV choices available, so there is sure to be an option (or several) that will work with the vehicle you are planning to use. RVs can come in a wide variety of sizes and weights, so you may be surprised what type of car can pull a small RV. This is especially nice for those who are brand new to RVing or may not have a lot of space to park a large RV when not in use.
Beyond the rating of your tow vehicle, you also need to know the correct type of hitch you’ll need. For those with 5th wheels, you may have noticed a difference in hitching set up. The 5th wheel hitch is installed in the pickup bed, not behind the tow vehicle.
If you’ve never towed anything behind your vehicle, it will take a little getting used to. One of the best things you can do is to take the time to study prior to your trip and get to know your route. Some routes can be challenging for towing, especially the larger and heavier your RV is. Navigating back roads with a big RV have a tendency to be tricky. Add in night driving or inclement weather and you’ll be quick to agree that highway driving is often easier in many instances. Two big tips for staying safe on the road:
A big benefit of owning an RV is the freedom a mobile power source provides, though electricity does have limits. While hookups to connect your RV to electricity are commonly available at many RV campsites, you may not always get a spot that has electrical access. One way to help ensure that you do is to call ahead. If that’s not possible, be prepared to ration your power usage. A helpful part of prepping to ration your power is making sure you understand the power draw of your appliances or additional electronics you add onto your vehicle, and which ones can be switched over to propane if necessary.
Learn about your batteries, their capacity, information about storage and other safety processes. If your RV comes equipped with solar panels, or hookups for them, you can take advantage of the sun on your trip and keep those panels – and your batteries – charged up.
RVs come equipped with several water tanks. It’s essential to know which tank is which, their purpose, and how to properly care for them.
Potable water is for anything from drinking to cooking. It’s important to keep this water tank clean and have filled up prior to your trip. However, if you know water will be available at your destination, there’s no reason to drive with a completely full tank. Depending on the capacity of your tank, you could be traveling with hundreds of extra pounds on board, thus reducing your gas milage.
Many campgrounds have full hookup available that you may wish to use. This means you can hook up to city water and sewer, for a home-away-from home convenience experience. If you’ll be showering frequently and doing a lot of dishes, this is your best option. When camping where no water hookup is available, conserve the water in your tank by reducing the amount and frequency of showers and dishwashing.
Your RV toilet empties into your black water tank. Properly draining and cleaning your black water tank is a process and should – for obvious reasons – be done between trips. There are aftermarket accessories that can make the draining process easier. Draining this tank prior to your departure from the campground will impact your budget in a positive way because every gallon of water weighs over eight pounds.
In camping there is a gray area – the gray water tank. This is the in-between tank because it is not potable, but it’s not the black water. This is the drainage for everything else. Your kitchen sink, bathroom sink, and shower all drain to your gray tank. This water isn’t as bad as the black water tank, but exercising caution when draining it, and doing so between each trip, is still advisable.
Upon arrival, maneuvering your RV into position can be tricky in smaller campsites. Having a backup camera can help with larger RVs.
It’s important to level your RV once you’ve maneuvered into the right spot. Leveling blocks add simplicity to the leveling process. Depending on the age and model of your RV, it may come with leveling systems in place. Once you’ve parked and leveled your RV, make sure to hook up anything that can and needs to be hooked up.
Following campsite etiquette is a must. Manners are never out of style and respecting your fellow campers is paramount to a pleasant vacation experience for everyone. A few of the biggies: draining your tanks in the designated area, minding your neighbors’ space, keeping noise levels down (especially if you bring a generator), and clean up after yourself – leave your campsite as clean as it was when you arrived, or better.
So, whether you plan on camping with family, friends, or your trusty four-legged companion, or all of the above, the tips in RVing 101 can help remove the questions and prepare you for an adventure!
The professionals at RV Wholesale Superstore are ready to help you find the perfect RV for you and your family. Visit us in-person at 5080 W. Alexis Road, in Sylvania, OH or call us at (419) 786-1126
Connect with us on Social Media!
