RV living is not uncommon, neither is traveling in an RV, but you may be costing the environment when doing so. Staying in an RV can be fun and bring the sense of adventure and it can be obvious why some might choose to do so. Those people may have what others can't: Freedom. Lets upgrade that freedom to something a little more cleaner though!
Power Sources:
While traveling it can be hard to determine a power source, especially if you need to stop on the side of a road overnight but still want some power. Most RVs should come with a generator, so make sure it's fueled up, maintained well, and in the proper location. Having a generator that spews out harmful exhaust can be harmful to the environment but also to you and your family. It's important that you're using the right fuel and the generator has no damage done to it that would cause it to malfunction.
If you happen to make it to a park or someone's house, make sure to plug your RV into the panel provided in parks or check if the house has an RV outlet to hook up to. It's best to hook up to safe panels whenever possible to avoid emitting harmful toxins from your generator. Know someone who needs an RV outlet added to their panel? Send 'em to SHEWORKS and we'll make sure their panel is RV compatible in no time!
Sewage:
RVs can be difficult to take care of if not done properly, but one of the hardest tasks is taking care of the sewage. No one wants to be close to the sewage pipe on an RV, let alone trying to hook something up to it, but that is the proper way to dispose of your waste. Not only is disposing of your waste better for the environment, but it also keeps campsites and roads cleaner, rather than dumping in the middle of a campsite or on a highway, which is also a hassle for other drivers. So please, always make sure that when you dump your sewage tank, it's into the proper sewage line and hookup, because no one wants to deal with that. This will also save you from fines!
Household Utensils:
Driving an RV can be a rough task, as things will tend to naturally fall over if the route has lots of turns. It's important to always make sure your cabinets are locked or nothing inside is breakable in the event of something tipping. A great upgrade for your RV is wheat-grass dishware! Not only are they better for the environment, but they're also unbreakable and are very cute. Plastic dishware is also a great option, as you can find many sets of dishware made out of recyclables, which helps take plastic off the streets, out of forests and oceans, and out of landfills. This is a great upgrade for those who travel a lot in their RV!
Another great investment is velcro strips. This may sound silly but they are actually quite handy. Lets say you have a short trip ahead of you and don't feel like packing everything up, just so you can unpack it again in the next four hours. Just take some velcro, stick on the bottom of your jars, paper towel holders, and decorations. And just like that, nothing is falling off those counters! It's also important that you keep metal and glass dishware in the bottom cabinets to avoid them falling out of higher cabinets, as they could break or damage your flooring.
Cleaning Products:
Everyone loves the look of a freshly cleaned RV! But some of the soaps that are used to clean and polish RVs are very harmful to the environment. That's why it's important to look for more natural substitutes that work the same and make you more eco-friendly! A great thing to do while road tripping or even just living in an RV, is DIY. Making your own safe and effective cleaners are not as difficult as one might think. This may even save space without all the bulky cleaning bottles, but instead be your own plastic bottles that hold only what you need. Not sure where to start with DIY cleaning? We got you!
Scuff Mark Cleaner: Baking soda applied to a damp sponge (and some scent if you want the inside area to smell nice)
Window Cleaner: One cup rubbing alcohol, one cup water, two tablespoons white vinegar
Toilet Bowl Cleaner: just add some lemon juice and baking soda to the bowl and let sit for 15 minutes, then scrub with a toilet brush (it will leave your tiny bathroom smelling great!)
All Purpose Cleaner: 1/4 cup white vinegar, 1/8 cup baking soda, 1/4 gallon water. Just add to a spray bottle and your surfaces will be clean!
If you're not into DIY, then here are some natural products you can buy that will leave your RV looking brand new, inside and out!
Seventh Generation Dish Soap (perfect for dishes and cleaning the outside!)
BIO GREEN CLEAN (used as an all purpose product, even as laundry detergent!)
A window cloth that only takes water and still eaves your windows clean and streak-less
Blueland all purpose cleaners (has many different products and uses!)
ECOS
The list goes on, but no need to clutter your tiny home with all these great products!
Storage Solutions:
Storage is super important, but especially with a tiny home. You need to make the most of your space but don't want clutter or to be moving a bunch of stuff around while trying to plan for a big trip. In every room, there's something that can help make your trips a little less stressful and tidy!
Kitchen:
The kitchen is always the main area in an RV, so you never want it cluttered because it not only looks horrible, but it makes you stressed out! Some of these simple products or hacks will ensure that you live stress free in a clean home.
Spice Rack with pullout drawers
Fruit stand (secure with velcro if you want!)
Pantry Tupperware for flour, sugar, coffee, brown sugar, and powdered sugar (will save so much space in your pantry and won't spill like a bag would)
Mail basket (cause mail takes up so much space!)
Free standing drawer unit for your cabinets
Stackable mixing bowls and measuring cups
Lazy Susans (so many uses)
Another great tip for organization is to make sure you have only what you need! Maybe you have too many plates and cups, and it's time to downsize and free up some cabinet space. Also, always look for old food in your fridge and pantry because that's precious space being wasted. There's so many organization products but those are the most versatile and easy to to install!
Bathroom:
Bathrooms are by far the most important room to keep clean, as you don't want a bad odor in your bathroom and also don't want a cluttered space in a room that offers solitude. Here are some products to help you stay on top of your cleaning game!
Hand soap sheets (instead of having bottles clutter under your cabinet, have a small box of hand soap sheets!)
Soap dispensers for showers
Wall holders for razors
Shoe organizer for towels
Storage pods for medicine cabinets
Laundry bag/collapsible laundry basket
Command hooks for towels, wash clothes, hair ties
As with the kitchen tip, make sure you're not carrying around a bunch of junk with you! It can be disheartening to throw away a good product, but give it away if you think it will benefit someone else. There's so many great products that have smaller alternatives! Don't want more soap than you can handle? There's natural soap companies that will send you monthly packages of soaps! Even bar soaps will help clear up some space. Need some help picking products out? We got you!
Bar Soaps:
Yes to Coconut Ultra Hydrating Milk Bar Soap
Grove Co. Hydrating Bar Soap
Oars + Alps Exfoliating Bar Soap
Beekman 1802 Vanilla Absolute Bar Soap
Juara Skincare Candlenut Bar Soap
Renewing Soap Products:
Merkaela (seasonal frequency)
Mountain Time Soap (monthly or quarterly)
Outlaw (you choose frequency)
Lather Bath Bar (every three, six, or 12 months)
There are of course so many products that you can find on your own if none of these appeal to you. Soap is, after all, a very personal item to have!
Bedroom:
The bedroom space in an RV is small enough, so no need to clutter it. Of course there are more tips and tricks on how to save space, so lets jump into them!
Storage headboard
A caddy nightstand (will fit all of your necessary bedtime items!)
Turn an unused bunk-bed into a nice office space (or whatever space you want!)
Hanging shelves for closet
Plastic bins for socks, underwear, bras, or any small clothing or bedroom item
Although there may not be a lot of cool inventions that help with saving space, these items should help clear up some of those little items that may have been causing you trouble.
These DIY hacks and products are quite the space saver! We hope that your RV is squeaky clean and de-cluttered from here on out. Need an outlet to plug your RV into? Call us at SHEWORKS and we'll be right there to help you!