David, congratulations on your decision to live a simpler lifestyle, my wife and I made the same choice 3 years ago and are now less than a year away. I cant believe how fast these past 3 years have gone, and we are getting more and more excited as we get closer.

We were weekend and extended trip campers, but the last 2 years we have had our RV parked at a seasonal campground here in Northern Wisconsin.

We would have started much sooner, but my youngest son is graduating from High School this Spring and he is going to college next fall ... after that we will be full-timing. From our experience in preparing for full-time living, I will share some advice.

It is never too early to begin your research and reach out to current full-timers and ask them questions. We have spent thousands of hours watching YouTube videos on full-time living lifestyle and products. We found Ray's Love Your RV website and videos early on, and love his honesty and un-biased product reviews.

If you have never camped before, you may want to start now before you go full-timing. I have been camping my entire life, so my reasons for going full-time may be for different reasons, but I would at least start experiencing camping before I would make a lifestyle change.

Be prepared for friends and family not understanding your choice to live this lifestyle. You will have many people question how you can live a lifestyle not in the pursuit of "things", and being what they would call 'homeless" ;) Some are very excited for us, while other's don't want us to leave and not be around for them.

Consider downsizing sooner than later ... We have been downsizing for 3 years, and have kicked it in high-gear within the last couple of months. We sold our home, and are now renting a townhome until next fall, but that made us make a lot of decisions of what we really need. Most of what I would call extra items have been donated or given away to friends and family, and have sold some of our larger items on Facebook Marketplace. When you do go full-time, only have the absolute necessary items to take with you, and then get items as you go. There are many RV Full-time videos on YouTube that will tell you the "must-have" items that you will need. You NEVER want to over-load your RV while towing.

In choosing your RV, consider selecting the right RV for whatever RV lifestyle you will be living. For example, if you are truly traveling to see the country, consider size of your RV if you want to stay in National Parks and State Parks as they don't necessarily have the large sites for the bigger rigs. If you are continuing to work as I am, think about whether you will need a dedicated work space.

These are some of the major topics that may help you in getting prepared. Feel free to reach out and ask other questions. You will find that the RV community is very friendly and always willing to help each other out.

Take care

Dave & Shelly Kaiser

David, one topic I did not mention is having the proper vehicle to tow your RV. My experience is that you also need to do your own research in this area and understand the true towing capacity of your vehicle for your RV. What RV dealers and Car dealers say you can tow is entirely different from what you safely can tow. I have found some excellent videos on this topic. Vehicle and RV tire pressure is related to this topic, and understanding proper maintenance is a must for your towing safety.

Dave

David, My wife and I start our journey at the end of the year. In 18 days. We will be part of an rv ministry traveling the U.S. working and helping others. We have been getting ready for 6 years. From buying our first 5th wheel, and all the research and planning that has gone into this. We are excited to start this new chapter in our lives with the full support of family and friends. I would suggest plenty of thought and research into what you want to do. Ask a lot of questions before and spend plenty of time in th rv to make sure you can handle the concept. Remember, this is your decision and for your reasons. Make sure that is at the forefront with all the research and advice you will receive. It's an exciting decision so enjoy the journey.

Welcome to the group. There is a wealth of information here so don't be afraid to ask.