We were dripping with sweat while touring all the RVs in Texas during 2016, and I was two weeks out from delivering our fourth baby, but we finally had our dream RV. We were about to embark on the biggest change of our lives; going from a 4k sq ft house down to just over 400 sq ft. was going to be interesting.
After looking at RV’s for nearly a year, we knew that a toyhauler would work best for our family of six plus a dog and cat. The flexibility of the garage area, the large tank capacity and generator for boondocking, and the giant windows in the main room were all top selling points. We knew we would be renovating a RV for the first time and we were very excited.
We purchased a gently used 2015 Heartland Torque 380. For our first four years of RVing, we kept the set up the same, with minor changes here and there. We did what everyone usually does and used the back garage area as the kids bedroom. Last year, when our oldest decided to head off to college a year early, we decided it was a great time for another camper remodel.
This time, we got creative. After living in our RV for four years, we knew exactly what we wanted out of the space. We were ready for big changes that would require a lot of work, but we also weren’t willing to move out of the RV or stop traveling to get the job done. In hindsight, that may have been a lot easier!
We started by repainting the entire RV and adding new flooring throughout. Painting an RV is a lot of work. When we had a house, I always volunteered to do the large roller and hated all the trim work because I loved to see the quick reward. In the RV, it’s all sanding, priming and trim work that seems to take forever. We also put all new wood trim up to replace the cardboard original trim.
The only way to do it without going crazy is to tackle one room at a time.
RV Kids Bedroom
The original master bedroom was small and simple. It had a queen bed, a shallow closet, a decent built in dresser, and a washer and dryer cabinet. We kept everything the same besides the bed. Luke designed this change himself to fit our space perfectly. Our original bed goes out with a slide and the mechanism is under the bed. The only way to build bunks in here was to make use of the original queen slide bed. He built up from there and made a top bunk with the bottom split in half for two narrow twin length mattresses on the bottom. For the bottom bunks, we cut twin memory foam mattresses down to fit the space. The top is a full twin with book storage on the side. I will admit, the kids don’t have a ton of head room, but our kids spend zero time in their bedroom until it’s time for bed. This switch has served its purpose nicely, as the kids actually have a closet and the dresser works great for storing all of their games. I also love that the beds are all twin length so they have room to grow into them.
The Master Suite In The Toyhauler Garage
This has been a game changer for us. As I mentioned before, my kids love to be in the main room and never spent much time in their rooms so finding space to be alone is tough. When we renovated the back bedroom for our master, we also added daily living space to our home. Our queen sized bed goes up on tracks during the day to reveal a second living area underneath. This back garage area has a sliding door, which provides a much quieter space for when Luke or I need to get some work done or make phone calls without worrying about the kids playing loudly in the background. We have a desk, dressers, a couch and toy storage in this second living area. We also converted the back half bathroom to fit our master suite perfectly and added some built in cabinetry to serve as a master closet.
Now that it is our bedroom, we can leave the deck down through the night when weather permits. We have had the opportunity to wake up to the most beautiful sunrises and mountain views. This alone has made the switch worthwhile.
RV Living Room
Our RV came with six reclining chairs! The first thing we did was remove those, but the slide has served many purposes over the years from desk area to couch to kitchen table. Luke designed and built a twin daybed to fit our slide. The bed is built taller than normal so that we can sit and stare out the windows while on the bed, so that our kitty litter can fit under the end, and so that we have ample storage underneath. Luke built this with hinges on the top and an easy lift so that we can store all of our winter clothing and Christmas stuff under the daybed. The twin mattress cushion and large pillows make this one of the most comfortable spots to sit in the house.
RV Living Room
This was actually part of our original renovation from a few years ago, but I think it’s worth mentioning. We wanted the focal point of our main living space to be books rather than the TV, so we removed the television and added a bookcase with an electric fireplace underneath. The change has been really great. Everyone asks if our books fall off, but this bookcase is so stuffed with books they never fly off. Also, Luke built a small lip on the front of each shelf to prevent this from happening.
RV Kitchen
We had to tear out the original cabinets to make room for this giant residential fridge. Having enough food storage was on my must have list when we were looking at RVs. We also replaced the backsplash and pendant lights above the peninsula.
RV Entryway
We removed the carpet from the stairs and rebuilt them to store our shoes in! Both steps have hinges on them and lift to reveal storage compartments. We can’t fit all of our families shoes here, but this works great for the pairs we wear most often.
The project may have been completed over a year ago, but Luke and I are always discussing creative ways to utilize space while maintaining a beautiful aesthetic. So far, this renovation has been the perfect solution for our family as we have traveled into Baja last winter and up throughout the Western US this summer. Even without the renovations, we are so grateful for this life on wheels and the ability to explore so many awe inspiring places because of it. This home has given us way more back than all of our other homes have. I imagine we will drive her until the wheels fall off.
For a quick tour go to our Instagram reel here:
