A Stress-Free Guide to Planning Your RV Makeover

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Travel Freedom

Breath it in; ahhhh that's the sweet smell of travel freedom. I don't know about you but our "travel freedom" smelled a little of old grease, mildew + a bit of someone else's sweat. That's usually the time when buyer's remorse sets in. Your brand new traveling home just took over your entire to-do list. Whether it's new or used, you'll likely want your home on wheels to reflect your style. We knew we had a lot of work ahead of us when we bought our Mini-White-Semi (purposefully unpersonal given name of our RV) but the excitement of traveling with comfort helped motivate the renovation process.

If you're getting overwhelmed with what needs done, how much it'll cost + how to do it, this plan can help.

The Checklist

Any good project starts with a checklist. Does your dingy floral upholstery smell like a cast iron skillet? Does the textured wallpaper give you anxiety? Do the brown window treatments suffocate your senses? Did you underestimate how much room you'll actually need to sleep?

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It's ok, it happens to the best of us. Now before the anxiety creeps in, make a list. Write down every single thing that you want to do. Dream big. Imagine you're a carpenter with unlimited funds + WRITE IT DOWN! If you're not exactly sure what you want, a vision board can help. Check out our Pinterest vision board for a headstart + when you've exhausted all ounces of creativity, start prioritizing your list.

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Rearrange

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Visualize your first roadtrip + take note of the things you'll need to do to keep the family calm + comfy. Whether this first list includes organizing tools for your cabinets or sealing your entire roof, if it's a priority, move it to the top.

If rearranging your list is still causing sleepless nights, create another one. Seems counter-intuitive but knowing your short-term goals vs long-term goals can help ease your mind + your bank account!

Maybe a new sofa bed is climbing it's way to the top of your list but you're not ready to dish out $600 just yet, be creative in finding inexpensive options to hold you over until the time is right. If a sofa cover will get you by (fitted sheets work well, too!) then put it on your short-term list + move buying a new sofa to your long-term list.

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Break it Down

Now that you have your lists, make lists out of your lists. You knew we were the serious types of planner people, right?!

Start at the top + write down everything you'll need to complete each task. If creating a comfortable space for the kiddos is a top priority, begin brainstorming how you'll make that happen. Start narrowing down your vision board to create the perfect atmosphere + pick out each item you'll need to make it possible. When you've written it all down, head over to your favorite retailer's website (support local whenever possible), find the items + note the cost. Isn't this tribal wool blanket the CUTEST?!

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The list for our kid's space list looked a little like this:

BUNK-OVER-CAB

1. White, queen-sized fleece blankets (x2 - $14/each - Amazon)

2. Black + white tribal blanket ($99 - Off The Grid)

3. Pillow covers ($14 - Amazon)

4. Fairy lights ($0 - our storage)

5. Rechargable motion-sensored night light ($8 - local hardware store)

You'll want to continue down your list until the end (or until the end of your budget). Don't stress if you can't fit everything you want within your budget- the other things can wait.. we prioritized, remember? Usually having the cost of these items help to re-prioritize a bit. If spending $28 on 2 fleece blankets seems less important than getting those $14 cabinet organizers, buy one blanket to start + move the other one to your long-term list. Or you can always search for less expensive options!

The Handyman List

If your list includes switching out a light fixture be sure to break down items needed + costs of hired help if you need it as well.

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Your list may look something like this:

Kitchen Light Fixture

1. Black cage fixture ($25 - Amazon)

2. Switch kit ($4 - local hardwear store)

3. Electrician ($130 - on the side)

Let's be real, it's pretty likely the wallpaper is one of your top priorities, unless off-white, slightly yellow textured wallpaper is your style (if it is your style, congratulations because you just knocked off a good chunk of reno time).

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For the rest of you, be sure to budget in the cost of primer, a deep cleaning agent, an electric sander, painting supplies + enough paint to cover 2 coats as well as a little extra for touch ups along the way.

Do It To It

Once you've covered the prep work before the prep work, the real fun begins. Go down your handyman list + organize which projects to take on first.

Our handyman list looked like this:

1. Floors

2. Sofa bench (TBSS helped with ours!)

3. Light fixtures

4. Paint

Then, do it to it! While this step is our least favorite (can we PLEASSEEE skip to the decorating part?!), you'll be happy you took the time to create a plan. We've been through plenty of projects where we rushed through + skipped steps just to start adding in the pretty little details sooner but it always led to backtracking + disappointment. Follow these steps + you're sure to be hitting the road in your dream home in no time.

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Want to see our RV reno? Our Mini-White-Semi transformation is coming soon!