How to Turn Your RV into a Tiny House

So, you’ve made that leap and have decided to live tiny. Really, you probably just want to live in a private, sustainable, mobile and financially-stable way. The easiest way to do that in today’s world is to turn your own RV into your personal, tiny dream home. We’re here to help! Follow these steps so you can have the ultimate freedom you desire in a tiny house by simply changing your RV floorplan!

1. Choose and Buy an RV

If you don’t already own the RV you plan to turn into your permanent residence, it’s time to go out and find one! There are many types of RVs, but the two most important factors to think about when choosing one are cost and size. You need to find an RV that’s not only the style you want, but one that’s also within your budget. You also need one that will allow you to have left over funds for renovating an RV. Many used RVs are still in great shape, and since you’ll be remodeling the interior anyway, buying used is a great way to save money. You’ll also want to consider how much space you need to live comfortably. Think small, but not too small. Remember that the size of the RV is closely related to the weight of the RV. This is another factor to think about before you make a purchase because it affects how much gas you’ll be consuming (and money you’re spending traveling).

2. Design Your RV Floorplan

Once you’ve purchased the perfect size RV, start thinking about how you want it to look and function. First, decide what your absolute necessities are. Big must-have items are a functional kitchen, eating area, bed space, and bathroom. It’s important to incorporate a small living area for relaxing and hanging out, too. Before you finish designing your floorplan, remember to think about storage. This is very important! You won’t have a lot of room in your tiny house, so you need to maximize and utilize every inch of space that you have. Think of creative ways to optimize your bed, kitchen, and seating to include storage.

3. Pick Your Style

Now that you’ve got the RV floorplan laid out, think about how you want your RV to look. Do you want to go with a relaxed beach theme, or maybe a modern minimalistic look? There are tons of options out there, but choosing a theme and color scheme now will make decorating an RV a lot easier along the way. You’ll also end up buying furniture based on the style you’ve chosen for your new home-on-wheels. Hammocks instead of chairs, anyone?

4. Tear It Down

You’ve finally gotten all your ideas written down, organized and finalized. It’s time for the demolition phase! Based on your floorplan, you might be tearing down old kitchen shelves or ripping out a grimy toilet. Whatever you need to do, make sure you’re careful to avoid damaging anything that is vital to the RV or parts of it that you do not plan to change. Maybe your renovations are as simple as replacing all of the furniture and switching out some shelves on the wall. It’s up to you. Just strip down everything you don’t want so you can make your tiny home exactly how you want it.

5. Build It

The best part about renovating is that you can truly customize your tiny house to fit your needs. It will be transformed into a unique living space just for you. Start with the big things first, like replacing kitchen cabinets, installing an updated toilet, and putting together your new furniture. Add any new appliances, your bed, your chairs, etc. Place everything the way you want it—then step back and make sure everything is in the right spot!

6. Decorate It

This is the fun part! Remember that theme and color scheme you chose? Well, if necessary, it’s time to get painting. You may need to sand and clean the walls before you start, but the end result will be totally worth it. Once everything is coated and dried, start decorating your new and improved tiny house! Add anything you want, like decorative pillows, colorful lights, and pictures. Remember, this is your house, so make it yours! Don’t forget that you should now have enough storage space to hide anything you don’t want people to see, like Halloween decorations or your kids’ toys. It’ll be awesome to start seeing your space come together!

7. Move In

That brings us to the moving in part. Your tiny home is now built, decorated and ready for you to start living in it! You will probably find out that you have way too much stuff at first. This is the perfect opportunity to go through all (yes, all) of your things—clothes, kitchen supplies, DVDs, shoes, etc. Look for anything you won’t be using within the next six months or that has the same function as something else you’ve brought along. Giving your old clothes and kitchenware to your local charity will be just as freeing as beginning your new life in your perfect little home.

8. Organize Your Space

Now that you’ve finally fit everything into your new tiny house, you need to store your things in a sensible way. Living in a small space requires a lot of organization and efficiency, which may take some getting used to at first. Don’t worry if you have to move things around after moving into your home. It may take a little time to find the best place for everything. Just make sure that any items you use on a daily basis are easily accessible. Things you only use every month or two can be stored in those not so easy-to-reach places.

9. Enjoy Your New Tiny House!

You’re finally ready to enjoy your new home! Everything is exactly how you envisioned it, because you did it all. You found the perfect RV, designed the ideal floorplan, chose an amazing style and color scheme, and made it all your own! Sure, there might’ve been some bumps along the way (like letting go of your favorite holey sweater), but nothing can compare to your new freedom from noisy neighbors, endless clutter, and overwhelming bills.

10. Call an RV Insurance Specialist

If you want to enjoy your new home carefree—get it covered! We offer a wide variety of RV Insurance coverage options and we want to find the best plan for you. Give us a call at (866) 501-7335 to speak with one of our RV Insurance Specialists so you can live your life in your tiny home with peace of mind.

The information in this article is obtained from various sources. This content is offered for educational purposes only. It does not represent contractual agreements and should not replace manuals or instructions provided by the manufacturer or the advice of a qualified professional. The definitions, terms, and coverage in a given policy may be different than those suggested here. Such policy will be governed by the language contained therein, and no warranty or appropriateness for a specific purpose is expressed or implied.