10 Signs You Should Full Time RV

Dreaming of the Full Time RV Life? 

One of the top questions we get as full time RVers is, “What made you decide to go full time?”  That is a complicated question, and the answer will be very different for each person. We have met several individuals who we thought were full-time RVers because of the stories they shared. All the signs were there, but they had not made the leap to full-timing yet. 

Signs You are Ready to Hit the Road

Here are some signs you can look for to see if you are ready to join the full time RV community.

1. Your hobbies need fresh opportunities

My husband and I ride motorcycles (me – a sidecar). We have driven every route around us in a 3–400-mile radius.  We love our hobby of riding, and there were no new options around us to keep our rides fresh and new. 

Riding was one of the primary reasons we sought out a full time RV lifestyle.  Your hobby may take you to a new level, and you may generate income on the road with your hobby.  Mine did!

We found a fresh new place for our hobby riding motorcycles

2. Your neck of the woods is over-explored

We lived in a large metroplex for over ten years. We had our favorite hole-in-the-wall spots, but even they got a little stale after so many years.  If you have seen all there is to see in your home area and you want more, you may need to escape to roads unknown in your new RV.

3. Your hunger for learning is not satisfied

My husband and I constantly read. We research all the time.  One of our favorite pastimes is to explore the ‘largest, weirdest, oddest, tiniest’ pieces of Americana.  We even saw the largest ball of twine.  Whatever you seek to learn, full-time RVing is there to deliver.

Cawker City has the largest ball of twine

4. You want to explore retirement options

We still work full time and are many years from retirement, but the first thing we started doing while full-timing is making a mental checklist of all the areas we travel to and which ones we think are retirement options for us. I think we may have settled on two states, and still plan to RV back and forth between them.  But who knows!

5. Family is more important than ever

This year, I saw my college roommate whom I had not seen in 10 years. We have seen our son and daughter and families in North Carolina and Arkansas three times this year! I’m currently sitting in Florida visiting with my mom and two brothers.  Before we decided to full time RV, it was not affordable to take off that much work and fly or drive that often, but now we can.

Cooking out with family, our circle of RVs

6. Your job is on-the-move (Or could be)

Can you work from home? Or is your job something that can transition to remote? It is time to start making plans on how you can take that job on the road.  What equipment do you need, what connectivity?  Or maybe you are seeking a new job.  Find something remote to go full-time RVing.

7. Tired of everyday tasks

You hate mowing the lawn, driving to work, cleaning the pool, and trimming the hedges. Or you don’t enjoy washing the dishes, sweeping the floors, or carrying out the trash. Well, those you still have to do, but not with the same view. 

Wash that plate in a different location and it is like a clean plate you never washed before. It was probably dirtied with local food you have never experienced either.

8. You have more miles than a truck driver

Are you the kind of person that always plans a Sunday drive, or a weekend getaway, or a day full of new activities just so you can ‘go, go, go’? Instead of having the same starting point every time, try full-time RVing and start from a new home base when you need it.

More miles as full-timers, leaving Texas

9. You are not ready to settle down

Everybody around you says you should buy a home, or you should upgrade to a new home, or you need to take a permanent position or start home renovations. All this only makes you feel trapped, secluded, or bored.  So do not settle down.  You can become a responsible RV owner, business owner, or worker, and still make your way around the country.

10. You are already researching your options

If you have spreadsheets on RV brands, have been attending shows, absorbing RV YouTube videos, and started making checklists, this is probably the strongest sign that it has moved from fantasy to reality. It is time to put action to your plans and make full-time RVing your new lifestyle.

To truly be a full-time RVer, you must want it enough to break your way out of the obligations in a feasible way, and pave your way to the full time RV lifestyle.  It takes work and sacrifice, but if you see the signs, the full-time benefits will be worth it.

Talk with others in the full time RV community

One of the best parts about RVing is engaging with the community of traveling enthusiasts. iRV2 forums allow folks to chat with other RVers online, and get other perspectives on everything RVing, including products, destinations, RV mods, and much more.

Lucinda Belden

Since 2019 Lucinda Belden has been a full-time RVer and travel writer specializing in topics such as living on the road, working while traveling, RVing with outdoor recreation toys, and discovering unique location experiences. She is also the Program Director for MyRVRadio, a non-stationary radio station for RVers broadcasting news, events, culture, expert advice, humor, and entertainment. As a skilled entrepreneur, promoter and travel industry consultant, she and her husband Will Belden organize national events for the outdoor industry, such as the Direction Wide Open RV & Motorcycle Rally. She draws daily inspiration from the full-time RV lifestyle, motorcycling and world travel expeditions.