Tag: rv living

Your Guide to Selling Everything and Moving Into an RV

Posted on July 11, 2022 by - Blog, Lifestyle

View from the inside of an RV window of a couple outside: Your Guide to Selling Everything and Moving Into an RV

If you’re searching for a dramatic way to change your life, you may have considered selling everything and moving into an RV! Rather than traveling, embrace the freedom that comes with having a home on wheels. Read on to learn more about how you can plan this next new exciting chapter of your life.

Keep in mind that when living in an RV, you might want to have a covered place to park it while you aren’t out on the road. For that, American Steel Carports, Inc. is happy to help! Explore our free Build & Price tool to create a custom RV carport that will make for a comfortable, protected parking spot and homebase.

Get Started By Downsizing

If you are moving into an RV, take a close look at everything you own and decide what you will keep and what you can do without. The average American owns a lot of stuff, and there isn’t nearly enough room in an RV for all of the things that a traditional house could store. Here, you have a few options: You can sell most or all of your things, or you can find somewhere to store them, such as a storage unit.

Assuming you decide to sell off most of what you own, start by making a list of things that you will keep. This list should include basic living necessities like a collection of clothes, a computer, cell phone, and personal items that are important to you. Once you have a list of what to keep and what to set aside, you can get to work on junk removal.

You can also sell your unwanted items. There are many online apps and services you can use to sell what you don’t want, like Facebook Buy and Sell groups. You can also donate things that you won’t be able to sell. Traditional means of selling things such as hosting a garage sale or creating an online listing are other great options.

Acquiring an RV

Those who already own an RV that they plan to move into can skip this step, but for many, part of this process is going to be purchasing the RV that they will now call their home. Buying an RV is a topic in and of itself, but here are a few key points:

  • Remember that there are plenty of quality used models on the market that will provide everything you need at a fraction of the price.
  • Consider where you hope to travel in your RV as you decide what size rig to purchase.
  • Some areas have limitations on how big your RV can be, so you don’t want to go too big and exclude yourself from some excellent destinations.

Finding a Homebase

Being free to travel and explore the world is a big part of the appeal of living in an RV, but you’ll still want to pick a homebase for practical reasons. First, you need an address to use for things like filling out tax returns, and you need to determine what state you are going to call your own.

This is easy enough if you have a family member that allows you to use their address–just establish that as your residence and use it as a place to get mail, etc. If not, there are services available that allow you to use an address for a small monthly fee.

Careful Considerations

This is not the kind of change you want to make lightly. Be sure to think through all of the various implications of selling your things and moving into an RV before you put the plan into action. You might even want to find a way to experiment with this lifestyle on a short-term basis – for a month or even a few months to make sure it is everything you hoped it would be.

Find Your Homebase with American Steel Carports

We hope you found this guide on selling everything and moving into an RV helpful! We wish you the best of luck and hope the RV life is a perfect fit for your needs. Remember to travel safe!

Once you find your home state, remember to explore our free Build & Price tool to create a custom RV carport that will make for a comfortable, protected parking spot and homebase.

The Best States for RV Living

Posted on June 15, 2022 by - Lifestyle

Beautiful canyon in Arizona: best states for RV living

Living in an RV has rapidly gained popularity in recent years. Those who go full-time in their RVs have many different reasons for making this switch including saving money, having the freedom to live in many different places, and love for the outdoor lifestyle that it promotes. If you’re dreaming about becoming a full-time RVer, read on to discover the best states for RV living!

And if you need to purchase an RV carport to protect your RV over the long run, remember to turn to American Steel Carports, Inc. With our Build & Price tool, it’s easy to create something ideal for your needs!

Step One

First, you want to strategically determine where you are going to establish a home base. Sure, you can travel around in your RV, but you still want to pick a state that is going to work nicely as the one you call home more often than not.

#1 – California

This is an easy place to start our list. With excellent weather throughout the year and an endless number of beautiful places to visit, California is an RV owner’s dream. You could spend the rest of your life exploring this state and still have plenty left to explore. One of the best things about living in an RV in California is its diversity – there is a desert in the south, high mountain terrain to the north, a stunning coastline, and so much more. If you love nature and love to track it down in your RV, California is the place to be.

#2 – Nevada

The interesting thing about traveling in an RV in Nevada is the dramatic difference between the southern tip of the state and the rest of the area. In the south, you have the bright lights of Las Vegas, one of the most visited cities in the world. Throughout the rest of Nevada, however, you’ll find plenty of open space, natural beauty, and great places to park your RV.

#3 – Washington

Tucked away in the northwest corner of the country, Washington is easily one of the most beautiful states on the map. Multiple national parks beckon to be explored, including the iconic Mount Rainier National Park. There is also the stunning Puget Sound, the Olympic Mountains, and many more sights. If you pick Washington as a home base for the RV lifestyle, it’s practically guaranteed that you’ll never be bored.

#4 – Texas

Getting back to the idea of finding open space, Texas is the second-largest state in the Union, meaning there is plenty of area for an RV owner to explore. You can head to the south if you want to visit the Gulf Coast, you can stay in Hill Country for a while, or you can park near one of the big cities like Dallas or Houston.

#5 – Colorado

If part of what you love about traveling in an RV is experiencing outdoor activities, Colorado is where you want to be. There is so much to do outside in this big state, and most of those activities come along with a great view. Skiing, mountain biking, hiking, and running are only the beginning.

#6 – Oregon

Yet another beautiful West Coast state with tons of outdoor activities to enjoy. In Oregon, RVers can spend weeks or months going up and down the rugged coast, or can head inland to the Cascade Mountains and the popular Central Oregon region. Oregon’s Wine Country is another beautiful place to explore.

#7 – Michigan

While much of the East Coast is too crowded to be considered great for the RV lifestyle, Michigan is an excellent pick for anyone wanting to stay further east while still enjoying the outdoors and open spaces. Specifically, heading into the northern regions of Michigan opens up countless RV camping opportunities near the Great Lakes.

#8 – Arizona

For those who can’t get enough of the hot weather, Arizona is the easy choice. And while there certainly is plenty of flat desert land to be found in Arizona, the northern part of the state offers dramatic scenery and elevation changes, highlighted by the famous Grand Canyon National Park.

#9 – Utah

For some reason, Utah is often overlooked by travelers who are hoping to find scenery and adventure. That’s a shame because this is an incredibly pretty state with national parks to the south and the popular Wasatch Mountains near the population center in Salt Lake City. Utah is a great place to live in an RV and it also gives you easy access to many of the other beautiful states in the western half of the country.

Find Your Homebase with American Steel

We hope this list of the best states for RV living has helped! Once you find your home state, remember to protect your new home with the help of an RV carport. American Steel has you covered! Explore our free Build & Price tool. If you have any questions along the way, our team is always here to help!