Have you ever thought of selling everything, hitting the road, and driving into the sunset on a new adventure? You’re not alone.
People across the country are deciding to sell everything and move into an RV for a wide range of reasons, including: To save money, get out of debt, live as minimalists, be more mobile, and- of course- have more adventures!
Here, we’ll explore the multifaceted reasons people are flocking to a nomadic life…
Top Reasons Why People Are Moving into RVs
#1. Save Money / Pay Off Debt
Perhaps the number one reason many people begin entertaining the idea of selling everything and moving into an RV is to save money and pay down debt.
Rent and mortgages take large chunks out of our paychecks every month, and once that expense is removed from our balance books, we have more financial flexibility.
Personally, this was the initial reason why my husband and I decided to ditch our southern California rent and move into a used RV. Instead of pouring +$1,000 per month rent toward rent, we took that money and started paying off my $52,000 student loans. You can read about Our Debt Story here.
Even if you’re not in debt, being able to save thousands of dollars- fast- by removing rent from your financial equation, is a compelling reason for many to jump into an RV.
#2. Minimalism / Environmentalism
Another pull for people to join the RVing caravan is for environmental reasons. On the face of it, RVing might seem incongruous to “going green”, as larger vehicles are known for being gas guzzlers.
But, not all RVers are full time nomads; Indeed, some prefer to live small, and remain stationary for the most part.
As for fuel, one often overlooked option for powering RVs is the use of Bio-Diesel, in lieu of regular gas/diesel.
Bio-diesel is fuel, similar to the functionality of regular diesel, made from fatty acids. These fatty acids can come in the form of plants or animal fats, often using vegetable oil blends to provide fuel to a van.
Travelling to fast food restaurants and filling up on their “throw-away” french fry and fried chicken oil, can fuel a bio-diesel van!
Vehicles do need to be converted in order to use bio-diesel, but it remains a possible solution to using regular gas.
You can check out one van lifer’s VW Westfalia bio-diesel van in the video below! (And to find which RV is best for you, check out our post “What Kind of RV Should I Buy?“)
In regard to living minimally and “green”, many RVers focus on consuming less in general, and take heed of the old adage: Reduce, reuse, recycle.
Among your fellow RVers, you’ll find many who try to remain conscious of their consumptive habits: Minimizing belongings in order to move into an RV, then once in, making daily attempts to lessen single-use plastic, to use non-toxic home cleaners, et cetera.
One psychological shift that comes with moving into an RV, is the development of resource-conscientiousness. To get water, you need to track how much is used, then travel in order to refill.
In order to power your rig, whether it be via a generator or solar power, one needs to maintain the machines that provide this power, or keep track of the sun and weather patterns in order to ensure that the RV has continuous electricity.
Even taking care of one’s own “waste” can be viewed in an environmentally conscious way. While many RVers use their in-built black tank toilet system, there are thousands of others who choose to use more “eco-friendly” alternatives composting toilets, like the immensely popular Nature’s Head Composting Toilet (Amazon).
Instead of dumping waste into cities’ septic systems underground, using a composting toilet turns waste into composted soil: Non-toxic, organic compost that can be used on non-ingestible plants, helping them grow.
#3. Adventure
Another reason some people decide to get behind the wheel of an RV is the need for adventure.
Having the ability to just hop into the driver’s seat and set off to the mountains, the beach, desert, or the unknown, is a freeing feeling.
And when your RV is your home, you’re bringing all your belongings with you! Anywhere you go, your “house” is in tow- with all its creature comforts- making any trip a comfortable one.
This search for adventure and the feeling of freedom tempts many to dive into the RV lifestyle.
#4. Mobility
Having the ability to move on a whim- without the breaking of apartment leases, or searching for a house-sitter while you’re away from home- is another pull for people to move into an RV.
The average American spends nearly one hour a day commuting to and from their workplace… if they’re lucky.
Some spend two hours or more on their daily commute.
In order to lessen wasted time on the road, some decide to live in a van or RV closer to their place of business, reducing stress, sleeping in longer, and spending more time with family.
Mobility is also important for those with ill or aging family or friends. Living in an RV allows you to remain close to the significant people in your life, perhaps staying on their driveway or parked on their land, giving you the ability to provide relief.
For example, staying close to aging parents while keeping your own space right outside, can be a big benefit for some families.
Functional, Beautiful, or Time to Go?
If you’re still feeling the pull of the open road, or find yourself longing for a life free of rent and full of mobile adventure, it’s time to get serious about paring down some belongings.
In order to start clearing out our minds- and space- in preparation for moving into an RV, we first need to differentiate between “wants” and “needs”.
Whatever’s left on the periphery is just more clutter.
Jay Shafer, credited with popularizing the tiny house movement in the early 2000s, believes paring down what we own comes down to this: Have in your home only that which is functional or beautiful.
Another minimalist-popularizer, Marie Kondo, has a similar adage: Discard anything that does not spark joy.
These perspectives provide a psychological framework from which we can start to de-clutter our mental and physical environment.
Most of us have hundreds (if not thousands!) of objects in our homes that are neither functional, beautiful, nor do they continue to spark joy.
Minimizing becomes easier once we can place items in these categories, and if an object does not serve as functional nor beautiful, it’s time to discard.
This is not to say that there’s no room for sentimentality. However, most items in our homes are not imbued with true sentimental value.
In order to lighten your load both mentally and in your physical space, be honest with yourself: Does this item truly spark joy, or are you addicted to the feeling of just having it?
Go through everything you own and place each item in a category: Functional, Beautiful/sparks joy.
Make sure you’re honest with yourself during this process. Just because that blender is technically functional, in that it can make smoothies, if you haven’t used it for a year, it’s not really functional for your life!
If there’s a beautiful dress hanging in your closet, never worn, what purpose does it serve? Moving into a small space with limited closet room does not allow for stuffing useless items.
Once you have that which is functional / beautiful (and will go into your RV), it’s time to get rid of the clutter…
Selling Everything
Now that you’ve determined what items are superfluous, and you’re ready to get rid of them, first decide if each item is “junk” or a “valuable”.
“Junk” items can be sold quickly, whether it’s through sales on Ebay, Craigslist, Let Go, garage sales, donations to Goodwill or selling to a pawn shop.
Know that although you can set your own price for each item via these online methods, if you go to a pawn shop, they will negotiate a price… often low-balling you in exchange for the convenience of getting rid of your item asap.
For “junk” item sales, a pawn shop could be an advantage due to ease and quick transactions, however, they may not be the best place to sell more valuable belongings.
Understand that when it comes to pawn shops, even if you have something highly valuable, the shop has the bargaining power. The only power you have is the power to walk away from a bad deal…
If it is a bad deal, do walk away.
There’s nothing wrong with waiting for a more equitable deal.
“Junk” items are typically easy come, easy go, so if you’ve been able to off-load those items but are still holding on to those of higher value, you may want to store them somewhere safe like a storage space or at family/friends’ houses until you can sell them.
You’re On Your Way
Now that you’ve heard the siren’s call to the open road, determined the difference between “needs” and “wants”, chosen your RV, and sold your unnecessary clutter, you’re on your way!
Packing up and hopping in to an RV might not be the best choice for everyone, but if you find yourself yearning for financial freedom, need to satiate wanderlust, or are just looking for a more simple life on wheels, selling everything and moving into an RV might just be the right path for you.
