RVer Asks Facebook When to Give Up on RV Life

Last Updated on April 20, 2023 by Jess

Many RVers look to Facebook for advice. Whether it’s advice on visiting a particular city or what to bring on a long hike with kids, asking other RVers can help you avoid mishaps and enjoy the lifestyle.

A Facebook user shared her dissatisfaction with living in an RV. She asked for suggestions and encouragement from anyone who has experienced the same.

Let’s take a closer look!

Why do some people choose to live with their RV on a full-time basis?

There are many different ways to live the RV life. Some people live stationary on their own land or at a local campground.

They still work in a stationary business but live in a mobile home instead of having a house. This can potentially be cheaper and provide a simpler way of life.

Others choose to travel frequently and explore the country in their RV. They may stay a week or two and then move on to explore another place.

They may be attracted to RV living because they want to see new places, try new foods, and meet new people. They want to create memories that will last a lifetime.

Others stay in a particular state, but travel from one place to another within that state because of work or less time on the road.

They may travel from one campground to another as long as they are no more than an hour or two away from a particular city to which they must travel once or twice a month for work.

As with people who stay stationary, this can potentially be cheaper but still allow for some travel.

What are the advantages of living full time in a mobile home?

Depending on how you live, a full-time mobile home can cost less than a wood and brick home.

However, this depends a lot on the traveler. People who typically pay thousands of dollars a month in rent or mortgage may find RV living less expensive if they live stationary.

However, most people choose to live in an RV full time because they like that lifestyle.

The whole country becomes your playground. Canada and Mexico are also highly visited areas. Experiencing different cultures and landscapes is a great benefit of the travel lifestyle.

And it’s also important to share those moments and memories with loved ones. For some families, living in an RV has brought them closer together. They live more simply and spend more time exploring nature.

For couples, this lifestyle has meant they can do things together they may never have experienced before, like hiking to the top of a mountain or paddling down an entire river.

What are the difficulties of full-time RV living?

But even with these advantages, living in a full-time RV is not easy. RVs don’t have a lot of space.

Even the largest Class A or five-door motorhomes are much smaller than a house. Living together in a small space is a challenge. The lack of privacy can also cause problems.

In addition, having to constantly plan ahead can be tiring. Travelers who are not stationary must always be thinking about the next place. That can put a lot of stress on you.

And once you’ve settled into a new campsite, you only have a few days before you have to pack everything up again. This lifestyle can be exhausting.

Finally, the wear and tear of an RV causes things to break. If you move or stop less frequently, you can avoid some problems.

However, if you’re constantly moving, brackets come loose, trim pieces fall off, and connections to lines break. Pullouts stop working, hydraulic lines break, and roofs leak. Maintaining and repairing an RV is expensive and time-consuming.

RVers ask Facebook if living in an RV is right for them

A female RVer asked in a Facebook group if it was time to give up full-time RV life. She asks, “How do you know when RV life is no longer right for you? I’m really torn between wondering if we’re intentionally uncomfortable or if we’re just still having a hard time adjusting and need to be more patient.

She explains, “Everything is so stressful, and I feel like if we moved back into a permanent home, it would be a big thing to take off my plate. Let me know if you can do anything with that.”

She has a hard time adjusting to this lifestyle, finds it almost impossible to maintain the RV, and doesn’t like to cook in the RV.

The responses to her post were supportive, but also challenging. Many people encouraged her to hold a family meeting to share her feelings and ask her husband and children to help with daily tasks such as cleaning, cooking, and maintaining the space.

Others shared similar experiences and how they learned over time to live in a small space and deal with the challenges of living in a mobile home. Still others explained that they could no longer be miserable and moved back into a house.

Signs that it’s time to move back into a house

How can you tell that life as a full-time camper is no longer right for you? Let’s take a look at some signs that it’s time to move back into a house.

There’s no shame in returning to your old life. You need to take care of your emotional and mental health and the health of your loved ones.

Increased relationship problems

This Facebook user was having relationship problems. She felt that her husband was not helping her much in the RV and that everything was falling on her.

If you’re having increased problems with a spouse or child, it could be a sign that it’s time to move back into a home.

Of course, a sticks-and-bricks house doesn’t always eliminate all challenges and stressors. There can still be friction, but if it won’t end, it’s not a healthy way to live.

An exasperated couple in their mobile home, cooking, contemplating giving up the mobile home life

No one is happy

If you’re not the only one unhappy, it’s a clear sign that this lifestyle no longer fits your family. Maybe your partner complains about the small workspace every day.

Maybe your teenage daughter has started to distance herself and refuse to go on hikes.

Perhaps your child has begun to long for her friends back home. If everyone seems unhappy, it’s time to talk about moving back into a house.

Remember: We loved our time on the road, but it was the right decision for us to settle in a house. Here are 5 reasons we’re glad we gave up full-time RV living.

Mealtime is too stressful

The Facebook user mentioned that she doesn’t like to cook in the RV.

She couldn’t make it the way she wanted. RV kitchens are small spaces. You have limited work space, appliances don’t work as well as in RVs, and meal preparation can be stressful.

If you like to cook, dinner may be the worst time of the day. If meals consist more of complaining and arguing than sharing the day’s special moments, you may feel ready to throw in the RV towel.

Trip planning is a chore

As mentioned earlier, constant trip planning can become exhausting. It’s certainly a downside to full-time RV living. With more and more people traveling and staying at campgrounds, it’s even more important to make reservations early.

If you’ve reached a point where planning a trip is no longer fun, it may be time to settle down.

If you find yourself staying longer in one place just so you don’t have to plan the next stop, talk about whether it’s time to move back into a house.

More living space has become a goal

The tiny living space of a mobile home can get on your nerves. If everyone in the family is talking about how they can’t wait to move back into a house, or how they can’t wait to have their own room, it might be time to have a conversation.

Perhaps the experiences and memories of travel have become less important, and more living space has become the goal.

What should this Facebook user do?

As mentioned earlier, comments from other Facebook users encouraged this RVer to hold a family reunion.

She needs to share her feelings and struggles with her husband and children. It sounds like the family needs to take on some responsibilities around the RV.

If that doesn’t help and she’s still unhappy about living in a mobile home, then maybe it’s time to move back into a house.

Some RVers explained that they tried everything and couldn’t get used to this way of life. It was too stressful, too crowded, and just not as much fun as they thought it would be. There is no shame in moving away from this lifestyle.

If this woman continues to feel the weight of the world on her shoulders, her family will likely return to a home.

Remember: Are RV Facebook groups doing you more harm than good? Let’s see if it’s time for you to get rid of RV Facebook groups.

Have you ever experienced an RV breakout in your life?

If you’ve traveled a lot, you’ve probably experienced RV burnout. Even a multi-month road trip across the country can lead to marital problems or challenges in the kitchen.

Sometimes these feelings disappear and circumstances change, allowing the lifestyle to continue. In other cases, burnout increases until a change must be made.

Have you ever felt it was time to move out of your mobile home and back into a house?

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top