Guest Post: How To Start A RV Life And Work Remotely?

Transitioning to an RV life is a very responsible step that anyone can take in their life as long as they are sure that’s what they are truly interested in. And if you have decided to buy an RV and transition to this new lifestyle, there are some things you should first do before you will be able to enjoy your new life fully. Here’s everything you should know about transitioning to an RV life and remote work.

#1 Research RV Life

First and foremost, you need to do as much research about RV life as possible. This will help you understand what you can expect from this new lifestyle as well as how to achieve it. Moreover, if you are not sure about whether you actually want to make this huge change in your life, doing the research will help you make this decision and choose whether you really want to transition to an RV life and remote work.

One way to do research is by looking online. Indeed, the World Wide Web is by far the best source of information about leading an RV life with numerous blogs, forums, social media groups, and free resources you can check. Even a simple Google search can help you find thousands of valuable articles about the lives of those living in an RV.

Another great way of doing your research is by contacting other RVers directly which you can do either online (in those very groups, forums, and on social media) or offline. Find local camping sites that you can go to where you can talk with the RVers staying there. In addition to that, you can visit special conventions and events for this.

#2 Sell Your Belongings

Even simply by reading RV reviews, you will see that most RVs aren’t as big as flats or houses. Moreover, most RVs are tiny in terms of space which means you will need to get rid of most of your belongings if not all of them (but in the latter case, you will need to buy new things anyway). The good news is that you don’t necessarily need to sell absolutely everything – you can give some things away, gift them, or even just store them somewhere.

Selling your belongings online on dedicated boards is probably your best bet for selling your things quickly, but you can also organize a garage sale which could be just as effective. Your old clothes can be donated to charities or sold to local thrift stores while some of your things can be also donated to charities or gifted to your friends and relatives.

If you don’t really want to get rid of anything, you can simply store your things in your house or flat, but you will then need to keep the accommodation in question instead of selling it too. Alternatively, you can store your belongings at your friends’ or family’s places.

#3 Plan Your Budget

Finances might not be a topic you want to focus on a lot, but they are an integral part of your transition to an RV life and remote work. Moreover, if you don’t plan your budget properly, you might end up losing a lot of money and being miserable while living your new lifestyle. To avoid this, here are some things to remember about:

  • Calculate Your Expenses: Calculating your expenses is one of the most important aspects of planning your budget. You need to know how much you will spend on your RV, the supplies for your RV, and anything else related to the transition.
  • Consider Whether You Earn Anything Beforehand: By selling your belongings beforehand, you will be earning a part of your expenses back which means your budget might even be a bit bigger than you initially expected.
  • Assess Your Remote Work Expectations: Once you transition to remote work, your salary might change from what it used to be, so you need to be ready for a smaller or a bigger salary by assessing your remote work expectations.
  • Remember About Your Current Budget: The budget you set aside for the transition should also be taken into account at this stage as it might need to be enlarged for various reasons.

#4 Declutter Your RV

Once you buy your RV and decide to start moving in, you will first have to declutter your RV and maybe even give it a makeover. Decluttering is necessary to help you get rid of any possible unnecessary things that came along with the RV in case you bought a used one. The same goes for a makeover – a used RV could benefit from it quite a lot as you will be able to fix anything that needs repair and make your new home look more comfortable to live in.

One way to go about decluttering is by combining it with the process of selling your belongings. This way, you will be able to declutter both your home and your new home aka your RV. Start with something small like your wardrobe or kitchen utensils and then move on to something more complicated like furniture.

For your RV makeover, you will probably need to start by fixing anything that’s broken and replacing worn-out parts. Make sure you have the emergency kit in place too. You can then paint your RV or buy new decorations for it if you want to give it a complete makeover. Keep in mind that part of your budget will need to be dedicated to this very makeover.

#5 Buy Supplies

As mentioned earlier, a part of your budget will need to be spent on buying the necessary supplies for your RV. Along with any new things you decide to purchase after selling your old ones, you will also need to buy some day-to-day supplies for long-term use, as suggested by the Transition To RV Life article. Here are some things you need to purchase during your transition to an RV life:

  • Clothes: Clothes are obviously a must just like shoes, accessories, and any jewelry you might also want to have. Keep in mind the weather you will have to experience which will depend on the regions you travel in your RV (e.g. colder climate will require you to have appropriate clothes).
  • Hygiene Products: Makeup and hygiene products are just as important, especially because you will need to take care of yourself on the road with no shops around that you can visit at any time.
  • Kitchen Utensils: You won’t have enough space in your RV to store just as many utensils as you usually would in your regular kitchen, but you still need to have all the necessary kitchen utensils to be able to cook.
  • Food Supplies: Likewise, you also need to have some food supplies for your tiny RV kitchen. Focus on the ones that can be stored for long periods of time to avoid having spoiled food.
  • Emergency Kit: As mentioned earlier, an emergency kit is a must. Include medicine and health-related supplies in it, a fire extinguisher, extra tires and other RV-related supplies, and anything else you deem necessary.
  • Other Supplies: Though the supplies listed above are mandatory, you might decide that you need to have some other ones you’d like to include.

#6 Create Your Workspace

One very important thing to remember is that you still need a separate workspace in your RV to be able to perform your remote work. Freelancers and remote workers usually dedicate a separate room for doing their job from home, but even a small table or desk can work just fine for you, considering that you will have limited space to choose from.

Remember that when you start working, you will need to be able to switch into a different mode where you focus on your job. This can only be done when you actually have a separate workspace that will help you get motivated and organized instantly.

#7 Find Remote Work

Once your overall transition is complete and your workspace is ready, you will need to actually find remote work. That being said, there are some possible ways you can do this:

  • Find A Completely New Job: Since you are transitioning to a new lifestyle, it would be quite fitting for you to find a completely new job based on your skills, talents, education, and experience.
  • Arrange Your Current Job: If your current job allows it, you could arrange to do it remotely instead of in-office. Contact the HR department and see what can be done. Alternatively, you can find the same exact job that you can do remotely.
  • Set Up Your Own Business: Another way to make a complete 180-degree turn in your life is by setting up your own business instead of looking for a new job. Just keep in mind that you will need to have a separate budget for this one.
  • Profit from Your RV Lifestyle: By using social media, you can even start profiting from your new RV lifestyle as you document your adventures and grow your own social media following that you can start monetizing at some point.

#8 Connect with Other RVers

It may be tempting to become a lone wolf as you transition to an RV life, but the RV community is actually quite accepting and will be very helpful at every stage of your transition and after it. You could choose a writer from the best writing services who will find the relevant RV resources for you to get started, but you still need to connect with the community on a social level.

In other words, the different groups and forums you find online as well as the events and camping locations you visit need to be used both for learning about the RV life and for connecting with other RVers.

#9 Cancel Utilities and Find A Mail Service

As you set out to conquer the world or just find a camping location for your RV, you shouldn’t forget about what you are leaving behind, especially if you aren’t going to sell your flat or house after you buy your RV.

Indeed, if you are keeping your home and storing your belongings there, you should remember to cancel utilities, so you don’t have to pay them anymore. Moreover, you should also find a mail service that will be able to deliver your mail to you even as you travel from one place to another.

#10 Stay Connected with Family and Friends

Staying connected with family and friends as you set out to find adventures may sound a bit difficult, but if you take all the necessary precautions, you will be able to keep up with them just as much as you keep up with your own life.

The Internet makes it easy to get in touch with anyone at pretty much any time, but you need to make sure that you either have a portable wi-fi spot or you frequently stop at places that have wi-fi that you can use. If you are a forgetful person, you might also want to set up a schedule and dedicate time to calling your family and friends on a regular basis.

#11 Continue Improving

Last but not least, even as your transition is complete, you need to continue improving as this is the only way you can advance your RV lifestyle. You will still need to fix your RV regularly and buy new things like clothes and hygiene products, but you can also purchase new tech to install in your RV.

In addition to that, you can also move up the career ladder as long as you find a good company to work for that will be willing to provide you with new opportunities. If you decide to be a freelancer or own your own business, such career growth will depend entirely on your own efforts.

Final Thoughts

To sum up, transitioning to an RV life will take a lot of your time, energy, and money, but once you have done it, there will be a completely new world ahead of you. Use this guide to help you get started and transition to an RV life and remote work easier.

About the Author:

Nancy P. Howard has been working as a journalist at an online magazine in London for a year. She is also a professional writer in such topics as blogging, IT and marketing.