RV Life
The honest road between the house that wasn't forever and the deeper roots we're working toward.
The RV is not the dream
We did not set out to become forever RV people.
When we sold the house that was supposed to be our forever home, we thought we'd travel for a while — see the country, let the kids experience real places, give ourselves time to find the right land while the market corrected. That was the plan.
The market did not correct the way we hoped. Life kept happening. RV life stretched longer than expected. And somewhere along the way, we stopped waiting for it to end and started paying attention to what it was actually teaching us.
The RV is the road we're walking. It is not the destination.
What RV life has given us
We've seen regions most people only read about. We've realized how different — and how similar — people are across this country. Many people rarely leave their county. We've been in dozens of them.
Mountains, coastlines, forests, ruins, rivers, swamps, prairies. The created world is extraordinary. We've been reminded of that over and over.
When a situation isn't working, we can move. That's not nothing. Everyone moves eventually — you just usually don't control when.
Our truck and RV are paid off. That matters. We're not paying rent or a mortgage while on the road — and that margin has helped us stay focused on the longer vision.
Move north when the south gets brutal. Move south when the north gets cold. This sounds minor until you've lived it.
Small space strips out a lot of noise. You learn quickly what your family actually needs and what was just clutter — physical and otherwise.
What RV life has cost us
We try to be honest about this. The costs are real.
- —Repairs and expense. RVs break. Trucks break. Fuel costs are significant. Wear and tear on both is constant.
- —Emotional toll. Being always in motion has a cost you don't fully anticipate until you've lived it for a year.
- —Moving rhythm. With Thousand Trails, we move every 2–3 weeks. That disrupts everything: schooling, routines, friendships, rest.
- —Consistent community is hard. Plugging into a church, making real friends, being known over time — these are genuinely difficult in this lifestyle.
- —Kids are growing. Four kids take up more space every year. What felt manageable at the start feels tighter now.
- —Kids don't always share the glamour. The youngest doesn't know anything different. The older ones sometimes just want consistency, a room of their own, and to stay somewhere long enough to feel at home.
- —Weight management is constant. Every pound matters when you're towing. Gear, food, books, supplies — it all adds up and has to be managed carefully.
Moving days
Moving days are their own category.
We have clear roles: my wife cleans and stores everything inside. I handle the outside — disconnecting utilities, packing gear, hitching up. When it works well, it's satisfying. When it doesn't, it's a long day.
Some moving days become survival days. Homeschool stops. Tempers get short. Nothing goes as planned. We've learned to expect this and plan accordingly — moving days don't go on the school calendar as productive days.
Systems that help
Knowing who does what removes a lot of friction. Clear inside/outside split on moving days. Clear academic lead versus project lead in the homeschool. Roles matter.
Avoid buying things labeled "for RV" unless there's a genuine reason. Generic products often work just as well and cost less. One exception: the Hughes Power Watchdog. It's expensive, but if you're not electrically inclined, something handling campground electrical protection for you may be worth it.
We have a mental checklist that has become second nature. Written checklists help when you're tired or distracted. Don't skip them.
What we'd tell someone considering it
- →It is not automatically cheaper or simpler than a house. Budget carefully and honestly.
- →Your kids will grow. Plan for more space than you think you need.
- →Community will be the hardest thing. Be intentional about it from day one.
- →You need systems. The families who thrive are organized, not just adventurous.
- →It will teach you things about your family — about resilience, priorities, and what you actually need — that nothing else would have.
- →If you're doing it to escape something, it won't work. If you're doing it to pursue something, it can be extraordinary.
Welcome to Darbees Chasing Rainbows
An introduction to our family blog where we document RV life, faith, homeschool field studies, useful builds, and the road toward Kingdom Farm.
Our 12-Item RV Launch Checklist
The short, hard-earned list we walk every time we pull the slides in. Twelve items, two minutes, zero forgotten coffee mugs.
What We Pack First in the RV
Our short, honest list of the things that go in the RV before anything else — not gadgets, but the few items that always end up earning their space.