If you live in an area that experiences seasonally frigid winters, you more than likely have to pack up your RV until the Spring thaw. Even though the winter weather isn’t exactly conducive to camping, you can spend those off-season months making some simple upgrades to your camper. Check out these super easy RV upgrades that you can take care of while you’re dreaming of warmer temps and nights around the campfire!
Every fall as we winterize our camper, we do so with a tinge of sadness. We’re always grateful to have logged some more camping memories under our belts. But when the RV is readied for the harsh winter months, we know that it will be awhile before we hit the road again.
If you’re like us, camping trips usually involve conversations about what upgrades we’d love to make in our camper. We also discuss what our “dream camper” would have to have if and when we were to trade in our current model for something new(er).
Winter is a great time to make some of those upgrades to your home away from home!
We have rounded up our favorite easy RV upgrades that you can complete during the off season. These upgrades range from improving comfort and convenience, to adding some style and comfort to your living quarters!
1. RV Mattress Upgrade – I know. I know, I know, I know. If you have followed this blog for pretty much any length of time, you know I love to mention our camper mattress upgrade. But I’m telling you: IT WAS THE BEST THING WE EVER DID FOR OUR CAMPER! It’s true! We went from painful, sleepless nights on our original mattress to trying pillow tops and egg crate mattresses that still didn’t cut it. Finally when the first winter arrived, we broke down and made the purchase. And we slept soundly and comfortably forever and ever. The end.
But really, just upgrade the dang mattress. You can find comfy RV mattresses at almost every price range. Read all about our upgrade experience here.
2. Revamp Your Bedding! Have you ever bought yourself a new set of sheets? Or how about a new comforter? Pillows? How about new curtains for a window? These items sound so simplistic, but sprucing up your space with some new colors and patterns can really improve the mood and tone of your living area! Many campers come decorated in a muted array of earth-tone color palettes. Our camper seems to be almost entirely made up of brown and tan interiors. Just by tossing a new comforter on the bed, replacing our shower curtain, adding colorful throw pillows, etc our camper really started to feel like a warm and inviting home.
Check out some other ideas for easy ways to make your camper feel like home.
3. Add a new appliance (or 3)! Don’t overlook the small luxuries and conveniences in adding some small appliances to your RV. Individual preferences play a big role in which appliances you might have in your camper, but reader favorites include: countertop ice maker, electric griddle, air fryer, slow cooker and a coffee maker!
You can check out our full list of recommended small appliances to consider adding to your camper here.
4. Add a motion sensor nightlight to the bathroom. This one is so easy, it’s a no-brainer! You can add a simple motion activated light to your bathroom (or any space) that will give enough light in the middle of the night, without waking up the entire camper.
5. Install a New Couch – Most campers tend to come with a factory-issued couch or a convertible couch that turns into a bed. There are MANY high-end options that you can upgrade to if you’d like. You can opt for a plush couch with recliners, or ditch the couch and install captain’s chairs. Just because your RV came with a piece of furniture doesn’t always mean you are stuck with it forever.
Bonus idea: If you have storage space under your RV bed that is hard to access, consider installing a prop rod to keep it lifted. Then you can access the storage space with both hands, instead of holding the mattress up with one hand.
It’s a lot of fun to make upgrades to your RV during the off-season! This is a great time to take advantage of the lack of travel and put that time to good use.
Bottom line: when trying to decide on what upgrade(s) to make, think about your most recent camping trips. What were things that could have been comfier, easier, more convenient or more enjoyable during those trips? Did you find yourself at your campsite saying, “I could really use an XYZ in the camper” or “This feature would be better if XYZ?” If so, winter is the perfect time to cross some of those items off of your wish list!
If you end up using any of these suggestions, let us know how they worked out for you! Do you have more suggestions to add to our list? We’d love to hear about them! Drop us a comment below!
