living in 5th wheel

WHY WE LOVE OUR TOY HAULER

WE WERE RECENTLY ASKED BY KEYSTONE (THE MAKER OF OUR CAMPER) WHY WE LOVE OUR TOY HAULER AND HOW WE USE IT.  

toy hauler renovation

Our home and garage is so multi-purpose

When we’re in transit it holds our three motorcycles, 2 kayaks, 2 bicycles and camping gear.

When we have guest fly out to meet us (which we absolutely love) we transform it into a guest suite.

Kermit turned the rear door ramp into a porch for us to chill and entertain.

Sometimes we use it as a music studio and jam space.

Since we are parked for a couple of months in Pennsylvania we just pulled the motorcycles out and turned the garage into a temporary living room until we get the wheels rolling again.

Trinity also operates her photography business out of the custom built office/desk area 

Think you could live in 280 square feet? It’s fun to challenge ourselves to make it work based on our work and hobbies.

photo credit:  Mandy @188sqft 

photo credit:  Mandy @188sqft 

photo credit: Mandy @188sqft 

photo credit: Mandy @188sqft 

living in toy hauler
keystone fuzion toy hauler
fifth wheel renovation
living in toy hauler rv
fifth wheel renovation
We recently pulled the bikes out and moved the living room out to the garage temporarily. 

We recently pulled the bikes out and moved the living room out to the garage temporarily. 

rv renovation

If you'd like to take a tour of our home and see more, click here to explore the rest of our tiny home on wheels. 

  Did you know you can comment below and say hello?  We'd love to hear from you.  If you have any questions, always ask!  Thanks for following along with us on our journey.  

THE CUPID IN A CAMPER

Happy February!  We were asked by McGoverns RV to participate in a blog series this month about how we met and how living in a small space has changed us as a couple.  We have a crazy tangled love story that all involves an RV....


We met in 2012 and only TWO WEEKS LATER jumped in this RV together and drove 7,000+ miles on a cross country trip! 

Only knowing each other 2 weeks here... 

HOW WE MET, A CRAZY STORY OF CONNECTIONS.... 

Written by Trinity: HAH!! Crazy story! … and long story short:  Kermit had always questioned himself “why don’t I drive across country in an RV while I’m young?” ..So, back in 2012 while sitting at a bar he started shopping for RV’s.  Two weeks later he was the owner of a Class C motorhome and was about to embark on a SOLO adventure of a lifetime.  Kermit wasn’t going to take any women on the trip, he wanted to go alone or with a childhood friend.. that all changed when he met me. I was friends with Kermit’s brother’s wife, Valen whom I met through a kidney donation and was living in California at the time with her husband Noah (Kermit’s brother).  Valen casually mentioned to me:  “You should drive across country with Noah’s brother Kermit “…  my immediate response was “I’m NOT driving across the country with a boy named KERMIT! That I don’t even know!! “ … well, that changed! I met Kermit a few days later and TWO WEEKS later packed my bags and was driving across the country with a boy named KERMIT! Haha.  We lived in that RV for one month, fell in love and fast forward got married a year and half later. Little did we know several years later we’d end up living in an RV FULL TIME across the country!!  So, RVing is how we met and has become a huge part of our lives. 


ONE YEAR AFTER MEETING EACH OTHER, KERMIT PROPOSED IN THE RV!

Photos: Lauren Fair Photography

Photos: Lauren Fair Photography


4 MONTHS LATER WE WERE SURROUNDED BY FAMILY AND FRIENDS FOR A LOVE CELEBRATION, THIS IS THE DAY WE GOT MARRIED... 

Photo credit:  Lauren Fair Photography

Photo credit:  Lauren Fair Photography

Photo credit:  Lauren Fair Photography

Photo credit:  Lauren Fair Photography


FAST FORWARD >>  About 3 years after living in our farm house with 6 acres in York, Pennsylvania and working almost 7 days a week towards a dream, we decided at the last minute to change our plans of moving to the California coast and buy a different RV ( our toy hauler) and hit the road for a while as Full Time RV folks! 

photo credit:  Mandy @188sqft

photo credit:  Mandy @188sqft

photo credit: Mandy @188sqft

photo credit: Mandy @188sqft

HOW HAS LIVING IN A SMALL SPACE CHANGED US?

Living in a tiny space has changed us in such a great way!  Leading up to this lifestyle change we were working about 7 days a week and barely saw each other.  Now that we live the simple life, we’re able to spend quality time together  and always be involved in each other’s projects. It all comes down to us respecting each other… our space, interests and independence.  We live together as best friends, a team, and that makes a huge difference in being able to live in 280 square feet.  ( That includes the garage… our actual living space is 212 square feet).  Before, we were busy working every chance we could get, cutting lots of grass, and barely passing each other in the hallway. Now that our expenses are low we have time to sit and have a cocktail and play cards with each other.. actually enjoy a meal and truly see how each other's day is going.  I'm sure we won't always live THIS tiny, but simplifying our lives was the best decision we could have ever made and has forever changed our outlook on life and each other.  Life is too short to not LIVE IT!

photo credit: Mandy @188sqft 

photo credit: Mandy @188sqft 

Photo credit: Mandy @188sqft

Photo credit: Mandy @188sqft


If you’d like to learn more about living in small spaces with family and pets or just want to follow new rad folks living their dreams, check out the other RV bloggers that are involved in this special Cupid Series  HERE   ... or simply search hashtag #cupidinacamper2018


Thank you so much for stopping by and being part of our lives.  We'd LOVE to hear from you and know you stopped by, simply comment below and say Hi! :)  If you'd like to learn more about us and our life on the road and living in a tiny space.. click here

CHRISTMAS IN THE TOYHAULER

Modern, traditional, fun, wacky and cheap! yep! that about sums Us and our decor up! 

I was so excited when fellow professional RV'ers MOUNTAIN MODERN LIFE contacted us about being part of a fun series called "Christmas in the Camper" .  Alongside 15 other RV bloggers, each day 3 new posts go live.  We showcase our RV's and how we've decorated and brought extra cheer to our home on wheels.  Just because we all live tiny doesn't mean we've shorted ourselves on holiday fun!  Be sure to check out #Christmasinthecamper2017 each day on Instagram this week for new people to follow and see DIY inspiration for your own home.   Honestly, we're not huge social media fans but the way it has brought people together has been amazing.  We've met people all over the country by simply finding the right hashtags, haha!  I love how this series alone has already led us to new people and we're only a few days in, yay!  

living in toy hauler

WELCOME 

Total budget for this year's decorating was:  

CHEAP AS POSSIBLE! I used as much existing stuff as possible to keep the expense low. We already had tons of lights (we use those all year long), lanterns, green pillow covers,  and candles.  My purchases came from Dollar Tree (whoop! whoop! Everything's a DOLLAR! I spent about $15 there) and Target dollar bin (you KNOW that bin area is irresistible! I spent about $20 there).  

TOTAL COST TO PIMP OUT OUR HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: ABOUT $35.00

MADE:  

  • 3D hanging snowflakes. Y'all... this is just 3 pieces of computer paper, tape, staple gun and some finger magic and concentration!  I made these as a kid, I love carrying on the tradition and hanging in our home now (I also added glitter this year that was $1.00 at Target) 
  • The green garland. I posted a video on IG a few days ago about how I do this every year. I get two 8 foot pieces of garland from The Dollar Tree ($2.00) and do figure 8's to make it have a bigger impact and look wider to save money. 
  • Added the red lantern base to the bottom of our little $3.00 tree, see details towards bottom of post. 
christmas in the camper
decorating rv christmas
diy holiday decor
decorating rv
making paper snowflakes
decorating rv
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living in toy hauler
holidays in camper
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full time rv

Let's move to the other wing of the house: the bedroom

rv decor
We use tapestries for so many things around the camper, mostly to cover our comforter to keep dog hair off... we love this tapestry from Kevin & Mandy from @188 from Costa Rica.  It was perfect for our holiday setup and one of our cherished…

We use tapestries for so many things around the camper, mostly to cover our comforter to keep dog hair off... we love this tapestry from Kevin & Mandy from @188 from Costa Rica.  It was perfect for our holiday setup and one of our cherished items - thanks yinz! 

Oh, and that Kawasaki green ceiling... that's not a Christmas feature, we're just crazy enough to paint our ceiling that color! 

Oh, and that Kawasaki green ceiling... that's not a Christmas feature, we're just crazy enough to paint our ceiling that color! 

fifth wheel renovation diy
rv diy renovation

I love how our little house starts to come alive even more as it gets darker... we have lights up everywhere, always, all year!  I spent zero dollars on light budget for the holidays because these are always on in our home (with the exception of Christmas trees.. only my mama keeps a tree up all year long, haha)

- bathroom -  

Kermit installed blue LED's permanently in our bathroom/bedroom and kitchen. 

Kermit installed blue LED's permanently in our bathroom/bedroom and kitchen. 

renovating fifth wheel rv

LET'S MOVE BACK DOWN STAIRS TO THE MAIN LIVING AREA, the LIGHTS ARE STARTING TO TWINKLE... 

camping for christmas
christmas in the camper
camping for christmas
decorating rv for christmas
christmas in rv decor
rv renovation
decorating for christmas in rv
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small christmas tree diy
THE TREE WAS $3.00 FROM TARGET AND WE ALREADY HAD THE GLOWING LANTERN IN OUR EVERYDAY COLLECTION.  I SIMPLY SECURED IT TO THE TOP WITH FISHING LINE AND BAM! IT ADDED A BIGGER IMPACT GLOWING FROM THE BOTTOM AND ABOUT 8 MORE INCHES TO OUR TINY LI…

THE TREE WAS $3.00 FROM TARGET AND WE ALREADY HAD THE GLOWING LANTERN IN OUR EVERYDAY COLLECTION.  I SIMPLY SECURED IT TO THE TOP WITH FISHING LINE AND BAM! IT ADDED A BIGGER IMPACT GLOWING FROM THE BOTTOM AND ABOUT 8 MORE INCHES TO OUR TINY LIL TREE.

kermit and trinity rv
THIS IS WHAT A TYPICAL SET UP LOOKS LIKE, EVEN IN THE SUMMER FOR US! HAHA. WE LOVE LIGHTS IN CASE YOU DON'T KNOW THAT BY NOW.   * disclaimer.. this is not our current outdoor situation, we're in transition and moving further into the Rocky Moun…

THIS IS WHAT A TYPICAL SET UP LOOKS LIKE, EVEN IN THE SUMMER FOR US! HAHA. WE LOVE LIGHTS IN CASE YOU DON'T KNOW THAT BY NOW.   * disclaimer.. this is not our current outdoor situation, we're in transition and moving further into the Rocky Mountains in Colorado in a few days, soooo... that means all that pretty stuff you see up there in the blogpost.. IT'S ALL COMING DOWN AND HAS TO BE PUT BACK UP!!  (Insert poop emoji and tongue out) 


This photo was taken by our pal Mandy @188sqft 

This photo was taken by our pal Mandy @188sqft 

To learn more about our toy-hauler renovations, you can check out our how on wheels HERE.

 Or here was our HOLIDAY TOUR LAST YEAR.


Every day this week 3 bloggers will be sharing their holiday decor so be sure to check out these folks listed below and see what they did in their own tiny homes!  You can also follow along on social media by searching #christmasinthecamper2017 

Christmas in the camper

Click on the links below for more RV Holiday Decor inspiration!


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