We’ve been living full-time in our RV since July 2022, and let me tell you – it’s been an adventure! While we love sharing the gorgeous sunset views, incredible destinations, and freedom of the open road, there’s a whole other side to RV life that rarely makes it onto social media.
Today, we’re finally coming clean about those embarrassing RV moments that NOBODY talks about… but we ALL experience. If you’re a fellow RVer, prepare to nod along in solidarity (and maybe cringe a little). If you’re considering the RV lifestyle, consider this your unfiltered warning about what really happens when you live in less than 400 square feet on wheels!
Confession #1: Wearing The Same Clothes
Let’s just get right to it – when you have limited storage space and even more limited laundry options, your wardrobe becomes… well, repetitive. We find ourselves rotating the same handful of outfits over and over again.
The real confession? We’ve become masters at disguising our limited wardrobe. We’ll change accessories, layer differently, or simply accept that our subscribers will definitely notice we’re wearing the same shirts in multiple videos. We’ve strategically chosen versatile pieces that mix and match, hide dirt well, and don’t wrinkle easily. Our clothing choices have become all about practicality rather than fashion!
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Confession #2: Losing Stuff (like all the time)
How is it possible to lose things in less than 400 square feet? We have NO idea, but somehow we do it constantly! The smaller the space, the more creative the hiding spots become.
We’ve found missing keys under the bed, the TV remote wedged between couch cushions so deep it took us three days to find it, and Barry’s phone in a shoe. We’ve actually purchased duplicates of items because we were convinced they were gone forever, only to find both the original AND the replacement a week later.
Our advice after much frustration? Have a designated place for each item and make sure all parties agree on that location. That way things get put back in their place and you don’t end up on a wild goose chase looking for them. This simple system has saved us countless hours of searching and prevented many “where did you put my…?” arguments!
Confession #3: Showering Less
Water conservation is the polite excuse, but let’s be honest – showering in an RV can be a hassle. Between limited tank capacity, temperamental water heaters, and tiny shower stalls where you constantly bump your elbows, daily showers quickly become a luxury rather than a necessity.
Barry’s personal confession: “I’ve gone days without a proper shower when we’re boondocking, substituting with baby wipes instead.” We’ve both mastered the art of the “Navy shower” – get wet, turn off water, soap up, quick rinse – and have been known to use dry shampoo for far longer than recommended.
Confession #4: Smells & Sounds 🤢
Our RV bathroom is NOT soundproof. At all. When we have guests over (or we’re parked closely with neighbors), there’s an unspoken rule about running the fan, turning on music, or conveniently deciding it’s time to take a walk outside.
And the smells? Between cooking fish in a tiny space, the occasional sewer hose “incident,” and the unique aroma that develops when you haven’t been able to open windows during rainy weather – let’s just say we’ve become desensitized to odors that would horrify our former selves.
Confession #5: Nosey Neighbors & Modesty
Privacy takes on a whole new meaning in RV parks. We’ve learned the hard way to always check our window blinds before showering or changing clothes – especially at night when it’s so easy to see inside!
We’ve had our fair share of “rubber neckers” walking by our rig. While they might just be interested in our setup or side patio, let’s be honest… many are just plain nosey. We’ve caught people peering in windows and slowing down to get a good look inside.
Our most embarrassing moment? Realizing halfway through changing clothes that the blinds were up and we were providing quite the show for anyone walking by. Now we do a full “blinds check” before any clothing comes off!
Confession #6: You Got Bugs!
No matter how clean you keep your RV, bugs find a way in. We’ve battled ants in Florida, gigantic insects in Georgia, and even found scorpions in Arizona!
We’ve had our share of startling encounters with creepy crawlies appearing at the most inopportune moments – especially when we have guests over or are trying to film content.
And then there’s the mice situation – an RV invader that can cause serious damage. We’ve learned some critical prevention techniques:
- Keep all pet food sealed in airtight containers
- Plug any outside holes leading inside (check around water connections and cables)
- Use a peppermint essential oil, dish soap, and water spray on anything touching the ground
- Regularly inspect storage compartments for signs of unwanted guests
These simple steps have saved us from many unwanted roommates along our travels!
Confession #7: Making Rookie Mistakes
Even after nearly three years on the road, we STILL make embarrassing rookie mistakes! And as Barry says in our video, “all you trolls make them too!”
The truth is, rushing is usually the culprit. We’ve had our fair share of mishaps:
- Forgetting to secure the tension rods on refrigerator shelves (resulting in broken jars and pasta sauce everywhere)
- Door issues – from the small entry door flapping open to the serious mistake of having our entire toy hauler ramp door swing open while driving down the highway!
- Not locking our front storage bay, which led to our bike cover working its way out and dragging underneath the RV (with other drivers trying to get our attention)
Our advice? Use checklists! (You can get our free RV teardown checklist … And don’t rush – we’ve learned the hard way that shorter driving days with plenty of time for proper setup and teardown at each location eliminates most potential problems. We’ve scratched trees and had other mishaps simply because we were hurrying too much.
Confession #8: Poopsies 💩
No RV story would be complete without talking about what we call “poopsies” – when you inevitably get some sort of human waste material on your person. It’s as gross as it sounds, but it happens to EVERYONE in RV life at some point!
When dealing with waste tanks (especially if you boondock like us and use waste totes), mishaps occur. Our most memorable poopsy incident? Barry was trying to help with the black tank flush – a job Darlene usually handled. Without fully understanding the process, he only opened one valve when both needed to be open. The result? Water backing up through the toilet, flooding the bathroom and spilling out onto the carpet in our toy hauler!
The moral of this particularly messy story? Don’t get distracted when dealing with black tanks, set timers to remind yourself to pull valves, and if you’re not 110% sure what you’re doing – ask someone who knows! And remember – if poopsy stuff happens, it washes off. Wear gloves, use bleach, clean it up, and learn to laugh about it. It’s just part of RV life!
The Beautiful Reality of RV Life
For all these embarrassing confessions, we wouldn’t trade this lifestyle for anything. There’s something wonderfully humbling about RV life that strips away pretension and forces you to embrace imperfection.
We’ve learned to laugh at ourselves, to roll with the unexpected challenges, and to find joy in the small victories – like finding a campsite with both a great view AND good cell service (the holy grail of RV life!).
So whether you’re a seasoned RVer nodding along in solidarity or someone contemplating this lifestyle, remember that behind every perfect Instagram picture is probably someone who just finished doing the black tank dance or retrieving items that flew out of cabinets during transit.
Have your own embarrassing RV confession? Drop it in the comments below – we promise you’re not alone!
