Five years ago, if you had told me I would be spending the next half-decade living in a 300 square foot toy hauler, I would’ve laughed and shook my head. I never intended to pack up my life and move into a trailer in less than a week, but life has a funny way of throwing you curveballs. And here I am, still flying by the seat of my pants and trying to make this little home on wheels uniquely ours. So if you’re looking to make your own RV feel more like home, I’ve picked up some tips and tricks along the way to help.
1. Keep Some of Your Past
While my family and I did get rid of a lot of stuff when we initially moved into our toy hauler, it was very important to me that we didn’t say goodbye to our past in order to fit into our new space. If there are things inside your physical house that bring back good memories or feel like an important fixture, bring them! This can include a family quilt, a few special plates or dishes, even an old clock or painting. For me, I made a point to bring our portable record player and some of our favorite vinyls—and I’m so glad I did! My kids love dancing around to oldies, and I love the air of nostalgia the music seems to evoke.
2. Bring the Outdoors Inside
A simple and easy way to instantly make your RV feel more “homey” is to add some greenery. Every week, I bring home fresh flowers from a local store or farmer’s market. Not only does it make our RV feel more like a traditional home, but it also gives new energy and can even add a pop of color to our small space. And the same goes for plants—I’ve found it very difficult to not fill the whole trailer with palms, cactus, and ferns. Adding plants and flowers in various corners can help purify the air and soften the inside of your unit (just make sure they’re secured when you start moving!).
3. Start With the Small Spaces
Regardless of the make or model, it’s not uncommon to see the same beige and brown color tones inside RVs. To help differentiate and make my RV match my personal style, I decided to incorporate various textiles and textures into some of the small spaces. This includes copper sheeting along the kitchen backsplash, butcher block countertops in the main area, and a DIY macrame wall hanging in the bedroom. Putting up fun, patterned wallpaper in the bathroom or painting the kitchen cabinets a different color (other than brown) are two other quick fixes that can instantly transform a space and make it feel much more personalized.
4. Think Soft and Cozy
My favorite design advice for people who want to freshen up their trailer space—without doing a complete remodel—is to add a vintage rug. I found my three rugs online and spent less than $100 for all of them. Vintage rugs are great, not only because you can find them online and for affordable prices, but because they come in a variety of sizes—perfect for small hallways and oddly-shaped rooms.
Another great option for sprucing up the space is to incorporate different throws, pillows, even towels. I dyed our bathroom towels a beautiful shade of blue, and regularly swap out blankets on our couch. In such a small space, looking at the same things can start to feel stale but simple linen changes go a long way.
You don’t have to be a designer or a contractor to make your RV feel like a home on wheels. Hanging pictures, adding some greenery, and packing soft pillows are all super easy, super quick ways to make a big difference. After all, home is where to park it.
