How a planner survives full-time RV life

It’s no secret that people come in all shapes and sizes. That goes for personalities too. Some people like to be organized and calculated. Others like to be spontaneous and fly by the seats of their pants. 

Of the four ABCD personality types, I’m a C: analytical and detail-oriented. Growing up, I had a system for everything I did. Bob is a B: relaxed and easygoing — the polar opposite of me. He wishes I was more spontaneous, and I wish he was more organized. Yet we balance each other out and, over the years, he’s rounded my rigid corners. Similarly, I’ve rubbed off on him. 

It may seem that a B personality type would adapt best to full-time RV living. However, planning and organization are also needed. Let me tell you from personal experience how this planner survives full-time RV life. 

Thriving in the organization

The RV lifestyle involves a lot of logistics when you live in a big rig. Stretching 42 feet long and standing 13 feet 3 inches tall, our fifth wheel fits in that category. It’s not easy to just pull off the road into some city and hope we can find somewhere to park. We have to plan ahead and check satellite views to see if we can even get into a place. This is an ideal task for a detail-oriented person.
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Bob and I carefully plot our fuel stops and destinations. Because we’re part of Open Roads, we can fuel up at truck stops where semis do, so we don’t have to be super strategic when it comes to that. We can also easily pull into rest areas for pit-stop breaks en route between locations, especially since upgrading our truck fuel tank to allow us to travel farther without gassing up.

Identifying routes and overnight and weekly stays easily falls into the wheelhouse of a planner. I enjoy examining potential paths on a map to determine stopping points near sights we want to see, as well as between target destinations. Finding campsites (not always at campgrounds) requires a lot of research as well. These activities are rewarding for my personality type.

Another thing I find satisfaction in is keeping and following checklists. We have a list for packing the inside of the trailer and closing our four slide-outs, another for connecting the truck to the RV, one for disconnecting the trailer from the truck, and still another for dumping our wastewater tanks. I’ve always been a list person, and I relish being able to check items off each list.

Working full-time while on the road gives me a semblance of a routine to help me feel fulfilled. I can count on a mostly set schedule Monday through Friday to help me balance the not-so-certain aspects of RV life.

Adapting to the spontaneity

Throughout six years of full-time RVing, I’ve learned to be more flexible. It’s a prerequisite of RV life, where road conditions, weather, and vehicle operation are all wild cards. Any can change in a moment. When one does, we have to be ready to adjust. 

Being a planner, that’s been a tough transition for me. My plans were set, and I expected to follow them. But I’ve learned to adapt more quickly, even if it means moving during a workday (a rarity, thankfully) to avoid traffic or canceling a lazy morning and packing up earlier than planned to evade a coming storm. 

After cooking for our family for more than 25 years, I also had to adjust to being the bread winner (something Bob and I agreed to) and letting Bob take over meal preparation. I’m happy to report that it's been a good adjustment. He’s an excellent cook. 

I’m grateful I get to enjoy both the orderliness and the spontaneity RV life has to offer. Who knew that spontaneity could be fun for a planner? Bob and I often say we live an amazing life. 

You might also like Confessions of a full-time RVer.