Getting started

Wes and I had just sold our house outside of St. Louis and moved to a town in Colorado where we knew no one. Though we enjoyed our new state—especially all the outdoor activities it had to offer—we were traveling back home for visits pretty often. So initially, the RV was intended for traveling in comfort: We could save money on hotels, travel at a more relaxed pace, avoid packing and unpacking, not overstay our welcome at the homes of family and friends, and be able to take our dogs with us (a big win there). Plus, my husband had always wanted one.

Covering bathroom basics

An RV bathroom can be as big or as small as you want it to be. In fact, the bathroom in our old RV was bigger than the one we'd had in our house; it had dual sinks and a big shower. In our van, the bathroom is much smaller, of course. We have a wet bath, which means that you shower over the toilet. We brush our teeth at the kitchen sink. My husband is the one who dumps the tanks—when we decided to get an RV, I agreed only if I would never have to dump the tanks!

Eating on the road

In many ways, living in an RV year-round isn't all that different from living in a house, even though you may have less space. Our Winnebago has a full kitchen—including fridge, freezer, microwave and other appliances—so we cook our meals the same way we always did. When we need supplies, we just search for the best grocery store in the area. Sometimes we drive, other times we may grab our backpacks and ride our bikes.