Is Campervan Life For You?

However, if you’ve been contemplating making the switch, whether temporarily or permanently, there are a few things you need to consider.

We’ll be honest here – the campervan life isn’t for everyone, and there are a lot of reasons why. This article is going to give you a full breakdown of what you can expect with the Campervan lifestyle. Don’t worry, there are lots of pros too!

It saves you money

This is the most obvious benefit of living out of an RV; you save a lot of money.

In truth, you only have to pay for possible car maintenance, food, and gas. It saves you expenses that would’ve gone to utility bills and rent, among other living expenses.

If you live on a budget, the campervan life is definitely for you. Motor homes are not very high maintenance; they’re sturdy and built for frequent moving around, so you can expect very little car trouble on any trips you take. Even if you’re not living on a budget, living in a recreational vehicle helps you save money that can go to some other significant expenses in the future, like a big trip to another country or a new phone.

Did someone say ‘Minimalism’?

Minimalism is a buzzword you hear going around a lot these days. With the campervan life, you can easily actualize a minimalist lifestyle. It goes without saying, your RV doesn’t have a lot of ample space for you to accumulate unnecessary items.

When you decide to make the switch to a recreational vehicle, you automatically have to become a minimalist. Knowing you only have limited storage gives you the chance to declutter your life and get rid of anything that isn’t essential to your life. As Marie Kondo says, get rid of anything that doesn’t bring you joy.

Plus, living a minimalist lifestyle helps you master self-discipline, and in the long run, it’ll help you save up quite a bit of cash that would’ve been spent on non-essentials otherwise.

Travel is easier
The term “motorhome” says it all.

Your home quite literally moves and goes everywhere with you. This eliminates the hassle of packing and unpacking wherever you go. You no longer have to worry about forgetting something before going on a big trip; everything you have is already in your RV.

Additionally, you don’t have to worry about commuting to all the places you want to go (within reason); you can simply drive there in your recreational vehicle. If one day you decide to go on a road trip to Mexico, there’s nothing logistically stopping you.

RVs also have access to a lot of spots that regular tourists can’t access. Many countries have freedom-camping programs that allow campervan travelers the opportunity to go to unusual, remote places.

You get to make new friends.

Since you’ll be traveling a lot in your home-on-wheels, you’ll meet a lot of new people.

Meeting new people means you get to run into like-minded folks that also lead the same lifestyle as you. And even if not, it’s an excellent way to explore the world and learn new things.

Expanding your horizons in terms of who you interact with can be refreshing. We personally have met tons of interesting people on our travels that have changed the way we see the world.

Easy access to your things

As we’ve mentioned before, since you live and move around the world from your home, all your things are always with you. This is great if you’re a forgetful person that often leaves essentials behind.

Also, have you ever heard “we’ve got food at home?” from your mom? That totally applies here! You don’t have to purchase food in a pinch if you’re hungry; you’ve got a fully stocked kitchen everywhere you go. Think of all the money you’ll save.

The Memories

This is the most important one if you’re sentimental like us; you make more good memories than you can count! The outdoor lifestyle teaches you a lot of things about yourself and opens your life up to many new experiences. The memories you’ll make on your travels will be unforgettable.

You’ll get to see things, go places, and meet so many people that you’re bound to create some fantastic memories!

Everyday is Sunday

Many people who lead the campervan life describe it like this; everyday is Sunday.

On Sunday, you typically don’t have anything on the schedule, and you’re free to do whatever you like. With the campervan life, it’s Sunday every single day.

You can go fishing, laze around, go hiking, have lunch by a lake, sleep under the stars, whatever you want.

Now that we’ve broken down some of the many pros of campervan life let’s get into the cons. These will help you decide whether the campervan life is for you or not.

Infrequent showers

Living the outdoor lifestyle means showers are hard to come by. Most vans, RVs and motorhomes don’t have showers, and most public bathrooms don’t either. There are some ways you can find a shower.

Firstly, you can part at an RV park and use the showers there. Alternatively, you can go to a swimming pool facility and use their showers. If you have friends living in the area, you’ll have to call in a favor.

Other than that, we’re afraid you’ll have to get by without showering. Baby wipes and jugs of water will be your best friends, so we recommend mentally preparing for that if you’re thinking about living out of a campervan.

The bathroom issue

Just like showers, there’s also the issue of using the toilet. Some RVs do have portable toilets, but most folks only reserve them for emergencies as they can be hassles to clean and maintain. (Never go #2 is the general rule).

Consequently, this means you’ll have to locate public toilets wherever you go to use the bathroom. This can be a challenging adjustment and is definitely a deal-breaker for many people.

Frustration with close quarters

Living in close quarters with someone can be frustrating if you’re sharing the RV with a significant other, friend, or family member. Fights and arguments are bound to occur, and when you can’t take a physical timeout from the other person, it can lead to frustration.

Also, if you’re claustrophobic, it can be mentally challenging to live in a small space, so we recommend having that conversation with yourself and whoever you’re making the switch with.

Minimalism might not be your calling

The minimalist lifestyle is appealing to some, but it’s some people’s worst nightmare. If you like to splurge on and collect things, you probably won’t enjoy the minimalist lifestyle. It’s possible that you might develop an appreciation for it, but that’s up to you.

Lack of structure

The good news is that every day is Sunday, and you have nothing on the schedule; the bad news is that every day is Sunday, and you have nothing on the schedule. This can become overwhelming for some people that rely on routines and structure to lead comfortable lives.

When you have nothing to do, it can get frustrating after the initial fun to keep coming up with exciting things to do. We recommend creating a schedule and plans for the day beforehand to keep yourself occupied, so you don’t begin feeling aimless.

Parting with electricity

In addition to showers and bathrooms, electricity is also hard to come by with the outdoor lifestyle. Your RV can power low-powered electronics, however, you can’t do your laundry or have a large TV in your vehicle.

Plus, you’ll have to part with constant cell phone service. If you’re traveling, you’ll lose service in some remote areas. We recommend thinking of this time to detach from technology and focus on developing other hobbies and taking in your surroundings. It can feel very refreshing if you let it.

Final Takeaway

We hope this breakdown of the pros and cons of campervan life gives you some perspective and helps you along in your decision. The truth is, even if you prepare for the outdoor, RV lifestyle, you’ll still see many unexpected situations that you’re not prepared for. It can be scary but also exciting.

Campervan life has the potential to revolutionize your personality and growth, so we definitely recommend giving it a shot!

So, what’s your verdict? Is campervan life for you?