A Few Things We Learned in Our Small RV

We haven't been on the road too long yet, but we have learned a few valuable lessons while living in our small RV, Maude. Granted, these lessons may pale in comparison to what we will learn over time, but we wanted to share our experiences in order to reassure, re-inspire, and well, just keep things real. Check it out.

1) Always lock your cabinet doors. Always.

Before taking off, do one final sweep to make sure everything is locked. Why, you ask? Well, because you may just take an unexpected sharp turn into a Piggly Wiggly to buy some water, which results in all of your dishes pouring out of the cabinet like Niagara, and shattering to pieces on the floor. You just may.

2) A mattress topper is key.

Most RV beds aren't too comfortable. Especially the bunks. Sleeping takes up a lot of time on the road so you damn well want to do it right. Pony up the $50-100 for a decent topper and you will thank us. Your back will thank us. Your bones will thank us.

3) Close all windows before hitting the road.

This one we need to keep working on. We love fresh air and open all the windows whenever we're stopped. The problem, is that often times we take off without checking all the windows, which either results in an annoying rattling sound on the road, or potentially can cause the replacement of very expensive specialty glass.

4) Propane = Life - A Story of Boondocking

Vanessa and I boondock as much as we can. (Boondocking = dry docking = not hooked up to a water, electric or sewer supply). It saves us money and also is nice to park and explore wherever we end up. To boondock in your RV, propane is essential if you're looking to cook hot food, keep your fridge cold, charge a laptop or cell phone, or run your water heater. Without propane, we can't run our generator, which means we're out of luck for most necessary things.

5) Caulk, Caulk, & Caulk some more.

Your RV has a lot of windows, vents, and rooftop accessories. Caulking prevents leaks from entering the interior and molding up your home. Once or twice a year, re-caulk everything that already has caulk and don't skimp! You can afford to glob the stuff on, especially on the roof. 

6) Slow & Steady wins the race

We don't speed on the road. Really, we can't. Maude is heavy and wobbles to and fro, so we like to keep it under the speed limit. We've found this not only helps our avoidance of police interference, but staying slow also keeps our gas mileage on point. $$$

7) Coffee and laptops and being level, oh my.

Being level is something you take for granted when say, you're in a home. We learned the hard way about what happens when you aren't exactly level, your laptop is open, and coffee is running rampant. Hint: I need an entirely new keyboard. Level up, folks. Even if you stick a few wooden boards under one tire.

8) Bikes, please.

We should have brought a few bikes with us. Getting around each city in Maude is fairly difficult, and we need an easier way to get about. We've missed out on a few opportunities to explore and review because of this. Like when it was too hot in our small RV and the pups needed to be hooked up to AC at an RV park. We couldn't take her around and walking 6-7 miles roundtrip was a bit rough in the heat. So, we need bikes. We're checking out all thrift stores and pawn shops for something used and reliable. Have an old bike you no longer use? Drop us a line and let us know.