Rehabbing the RV

Just last week, Meagan and I took the kids camping for one last time this year. Now, cold, yucky weather is upon us, and it's time to winterize the RV and park it until next spring.

Due to the Covid pandemic that has been ruling our lives this year, we weren't able to go camping at the beginning of the summer. We didn't even bring the RV home from storage until June. Then, some of the local campgrounds remained closed for several weeks, and when they finally opened, it was just too hot to be comfortable, and there were too many reports of rattlesnakes. So, we waited.

Bill suggested that we camp in the driveway, but that's just not real camping! Unless we can get outside, someplace where we can enjoy God's beautiful creation, sleeping in the RV would be disappointing, to say the least. 

Stop and consider God’s wonders. Do you know how God controls the clouds and makes his lightning flash? Do you know how the clouds hang poised, those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge? Job 37:14b-16

Even though we couldn't camp, I was anxious to clean up the camper, and start a little rehab.

We bought the RV last summer, in the middle of July. Except for some cursory cleaning, we just dived right into camping. The 20-year-old RV was a huge improvement from our previous pop-up camper, in terms of convenience and space, but it was well-used, and desperately in need of some deep cleaning and updating. You'll just have to take my word for it, though, because I was too embarrassed to take any "before" pictures of the inside.

So, I spent a fair number of June mornings, and a good part of July, working in the RV. First, I cleaned all the surfaces, washed the curtains, and shampooed the upholstery. Then, Victoria helped me paint the filthy, textured wallpaper a neutral, light gray, and apply new wallpaper to some damaged walls that wouldn't have looked any better with fresh paint. After much research, I decided to apply a stick-on, vinyl backsplash in the kitchen area, to cover up an awful, and awfully dirty, wallpaper border. I scrubbed and waxed the tile floor, which had been replaced at some point by a previous owner, and used a faux finish technique to temporarily camouflage the beat-up moldings.

Paint and a new backsplash worked wonders in the kitchen.

This is a one-cook kitchen, for sure, but it is more than adequate for making breakfast pancakes and washing dishes.

The bathroom benefitted greatly from new, colorful, peel-and-stick wallpaper, and an inspirational picture on the wall:
"I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord..."

It's amazing how a little cleaning and some new wallpaper can spruce up a cramped bathroom. 

I decided to do away with the curtains that separated the cab from the rest of the camper, since the RV came with an outside windshield cover that provides all the privacy we need. I used the fabric from those unneeded curtains to sew new curtains for the small, loft windows, and a replacement partition curtain.

The loft is my personal space, but all of the kids love to play there, and take turns sharing my sleeping space. (I applied the orange tape in a successful attempt to stop hitting my head when I move in and out of the cab.)

Bill helped me install a new sliding panel for the door. He also refinished the rusted switchplates, and drilled some holes for the bathroom towel rack, which needed to be moved. In the process, we learned that some RV walls are made of a material that will only accept nails or screws with much effort.

The beat-up wall adjacent to the door was greatly improved with some grasscloth wallpaper.

When everything was done, the RV looked and smelled much better, just in time to go camping at Lake Minatare, and in the Wildcats.

The couch folds down into a two-person bed. Its upholstery is in surprisingly good shape, and neutral in color, even though the pattern is definitely dated. It works great for us, though, withstanding the inevitable wear and tear of four or five kids. Here, Tobin is finishing some math. Homeschooled kids are free to camp during the week, but their schoolwork still needs to be done. It's amazing how fast they finish their work when they know they can hike or swim as soon as they are done!

I added a bulletin board to cover up a marred spot on the wall, next to the couch, and provide a place for the kids to hang their artwork. The personalized baskets are attached, semi-permanently, to the shelf, as a landing place for the kids' found treasures. At the end of each trip, they put their stuff in a bag to take home, and I use a battery-powered vacuum to clean out the baskets.

Meagan is a multi-tasking mama, helping Lydia with her schoolwork while putting Ari's socks on for him. The RV's table works well for homeschooling, eating breakfast, and drawing beautiful pictures to hang on the wall.

The table folds down to make a comfy, two-kid bed.

When we camp, s'mores are an everyday necessity, along with singing around the campfire. The RV is a wonderful sleeping and cooking spot, and it's convenient to have a bathroom close by, but most of our camping time is spent in the great outdoors. 

But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. Job 12:7-10

It's sad to think that our camping adventures are done until next summer, but I'm already thinking ahead to Phase 2 of our RV rehab. Those ugly window treatments, above the table and couch, need to be replaced ASAP, and the whole RV needs new moldings...

For Meagan and the kids and I, our aging, refurbished, RV is the pot of gold at the end of the summer's rainbow.