EER142: Big Family, Small RV Living - Living in an RV with 4 Kids

Update: 2018-04-24

Description

Big Family, Small RV Living - Living in an RV with 4 Kids

RV living holds a romantic appeal to some people. In fact, many people dream of dropping out of the 9 to 5 and living in an RV full-time. Many will dream about it, but few families actually pull it off. One of those families are the Royals, and today I talk to Bryanna Royal about RV living. In addition, we discuss what it's like moving from large RV living to progressively smaller vehicles.

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Big Family, Small RV Living - Living in an RV with 4 Kids

Living in an RV can be a challenge for many people. Living in an RV with four children can be an even bigger challenge. Now go from a massive Diesel Pusher Class A rig which (think 18-wheeler) to a micro-mini trailer and a 12-passenger van. That's a big drop in size and space!

Read on for more about small RV living and living in an RV with children.

IN THIS EPISODE

02:37 Intro to the Royals
04:56 Favorite RV Living Destinations
06:30 Letting Go: From the Big Decision to Actual RV Living
13:28 Transitioning to Small RV Living
18:10 RV Size Pros & Cons & Travel Styles
20:58 Differences Between RV Class Sizes
24:37 Limits of Minimalism: From Large RV to Small RV
32:45 Utilizing RV Space
36:26 Internet & Living in an RV
40:48 Work & RV Living

ABOUT

Names: Bryanna Royal, her husband, and 4 kids (10y/o, 8y/o twins & 6 y/o)
Hold passports from: USA
Type of travel: Living in an RV - RV Living in the US, Canada & Mexico
A few places they've been: All over the US, as well as Baja, Mexico and several places in Canada

RV TRAVEL LINKS & RESOURCES

RECOMMENDED GEAR FOR RV TRAVEL

FIND THEM ON

RV Living — From Large to Small

From 2,700 ft Home to Living in a Small RV

Bryanna tells me about their gradual transition from a large house to small RV living. Believe it or not, living in an RV was not their dream over the years. In fact, these high-school sweethearts bought a home with the intent of settling permanently. "We thought the house would be where grandbabies would come and visit us," she says with a laugh.

However, life as they knew it began to feel confining. They started thinking about RV living as a way to explore more with their kids. The transition wasn't quick or easy. For example, it took almost a year from when they decided to try RV living to actually selling the house and living in an RV. "At first I thought 'Why wouldn't everyone do this?'" says Bryanna upon reflection. "Then once we started I understood. It's hard."

We discuss the process of minimizing your belongings. Living in an RV means living with less space. A lot less space. That's why minimalism plays an important part of the process for RV living. Getting rid of furniture and appliances is one thing, but what about kids' toys? What about photo albums? Bryanna tells us more about their process in the podcast.

From Big RV Living to Small RV Living

The Royals started out living in an RV around 39 feet (11+ meters) long. When they first set out, they thought bigger would be better. Yet while they still see value in large RV living, they soon realized that they wanted to try something smaller. RV living at this size gives lots of comforts and amenities, she explains. On the other hand, it also comes with certain limitations. For example, big RV living can limit where you can go. Some roads and bridges can't handle the weight of RVs this large. Besides, RV vehicles this size don't do well off of paved roads.

Bryanna tells me that if you're planning to stay in one place for months, then large RV living might be a good option. Having said that, she and her husband realized that they wanted more freedom of movement. This required living in an RV much smaller than what they had. Bryanna details each