You’re so close you can almost taste it: the life of a full-time RVer. You’ve picked the best RV for full-time living. Your RV is road-ready. Your stuff is either in storage or given away. And you’ve scored a remote job that lets you work from anywhere. Now, the time has come for you to embark on your journey as a digital nomad, living on the road and working from your RV.
I’ve been working from my 38-foot Sprinter travel trailer for 3 years now, and I’ve learned a thing or two along the way.
One of those things is that for this to be an enjoyable journey, you need an “office” that works for you. A place where you can…
- Focus
- Create
- Be comfortable
- And take calls with your team
Who said you have to compromise the amenities of a traditional home office when living on the road? You can still do all of these things from the comfort of your RV (otherwise known as your home on wheels).
So, let’s find what type of office best suits your work style. We’ll provide some of the best examples of home RV office setups (for a little dose of inspiration).
What Type of RV Office Ideas Fit Your Workstyle?
Before you look at office ideas, you should know what you need to work efficiently. This, of course, will depend on the type of remote work you’re doing.
Are you a personal assistant, graphic designer, freelance photographer, writer, or illustrator?
While you may be tempted to think you can write from anywhere and you don’t need an office, research shows that even creatives are more productive when they have a habitual space to work in.
You should always be honest with yourself and consider how you work best.
- Do you need a distraction-free space, or can you focus on the task at hand, even with others moving around in your peripherals?
- Do you need silence or white noise?
- Does clutter distract you from working?
How to Create Your Ideal RV Office in Other Rooms (No Renovation Required)
One of the easiest ways to carve out a dedicated office space in your RV is to create dual-purpose zones–which is when you use your dining room for more than just eating, your bed for more than sleeping, the bathroom for more than just…okay, maybe the bathroom should just remain the bathroom.
So, let’s see how you can create your ideal RV office space in other rooms. This strategy works well if the only things you need to get your work done are a laptop and a notebook.
Pro Tip: When you create your office in spaces meant for something else (like a kitchen), it needs to be 100% mobile/collapsible. That means you bring it out and pack it up when work is over. Nothing is left out.
Option #1: Use Your Dining Room Table
Work Type: You appreciate white noise and are not easily distracted
Works Great For: RVers with office setups that don’t need a lot of space or privacy
Difficulty Level: Easy to set up and take down
Your dining room table already has seating and a tabletop. Now, to make sure it’s functional…
For example, have a place nearby to store your work supplies so you can easily stow them away when it’s mealtime.
Option #2: Find Desk Space in the Front Seat
Work Type: You appreciate white noise but are easily distracted by the motion/noise.
Works Great For: Remote workers that crave a little more privacy and have office setups that don’t require a lot of space.
Difficulty Level: Easy to set up and take down
If you have a motorhome, then you have a front seat that you can transform into a comfortable desk space. (Some motorhomes even have it built in.)
Depending on your vehicle, you may need to place a small stool under your feet. Otherwise, your feet will be left dangling your entire eight-hour workday. However, with the help of a stool, your feet can rest flat on the ground.
Because there (likely) won’t be room in your motorhome for an under-the-desk treadmill, you can engage your core in other ways, e.g., adjust the seat so that you’re tilting just a little forward. Not only does this work your core, but increases your focus, too.
Finally, you’ll want to buy a good lap desk that allows your shoulders and wrists to relax while you type.
With space under or next to your seat, you can easily store your laptop or notebooks away when you’re done.
Option #3: Work in Bed
Work Type: You’re easily distracted and appreciate seclusion and quiet (wherever you can get it).
Works Great For: RVers with office setups that don’t need much space or permanent setups.
Difficulty Level: Easy to set up and take down
If you’re a digital nomad exploring the country in a small camper (like a teardrop camper) or a Class-B RV, you don’t have a lot of options. Because your bed takes up more than a third of your camper, let’s make good use of it.
Two options for creating a workspace in your bed are the good old lap desk that we’ve discussed and a foldable desk.
A foldable desk can either fold around you wherever you set it up or be built into your camper wall and folded down.
But working from your bed has its drawbacks. Your brain is conditioned to react to its surroundings. So, if you find yourself falling asleep when you’re trying to work, there’s no mystery as to why.
Pro Tip: To avoid giving your body mixed signals, make your “work” position different from your “sleep” position. You can do this by working on one side of the bed and sleeping on the other.
Renovating Your Way to an RV Office Space
Some remote positions call for a permanent office setup. You may need a dedicated space to take calls in private (distraction-free), or you might work with multiple monitors. In either case, a bed setup just won’t do.
Because recreational vehicles have been used for…well…recreational purposes (until recently), including a home office wasn’t a priority for manufacturers. This is where an RV renovation comes into play.
With a little DIY creativity and elbow grease, you can convert several places in your RV into an RV workspace.
Renovation Idea #1: Convert an RV Bunk into an Awesome Workspace
Work Type: You need a designated workspace where you can spread out and get work done.
Works Great for: RVers needing permanent office setups with room for two designated workspaces.
Difficulty Level: Moderate to Difficult – depending on how ambitious your design is.
Photos courtesy of RVinspiration.com
If your RV has bunk beds – and you don’t need one of them – you’re sitting on a goldmine of potential office space. By removing the lower bunk you can install a custom-built desk to safely house your PC and monitors while traveling.
You’ll also have space for books and office supplies at your desk without having to move things every day. And you can easily keep an ergonomic office chair tucked under the desk. This setup also works great if your partner also needs office space. If you keep your workspace minimalistic, you’ll have room to work side-by-side.
Renovation Idea #2: Upgrade your Fifth Wheel’s Garage
Work Type: You need a dedicated space that’s quiet and separate. You like space to spread out.
Works Great For: RVers who need permanent office setups with enough room for two.
Difficulty Level: Moderate to Difficult – depending on how ambitious your design is.
If you have a toy hauler with a dedicated garage, then you’ve got an easy upgrade on your hands. Why? Because there’s no demolition necessary. You have a large, open space that you can turn into a functional office.
Don’t worry, you won’t have to sacrifice much of your toy storage space. If you still need to use the space for hauling, I’d suggest mounting your computer monitor to the wall of your RV and constructing a desk that will fold up in front of the monitors and protect them from any accidental bumps.
Renovation Idea #3: Create a Custom Secretary Cabinet
Work Type: You need a dedicated space that’s free of distraction.
Works Great For: RVers who want a permanent office setup that’s easy to close up and hide.
Difficulty Level: Easy to Difficult – depending on if you buy it or design it yourself.
This was my first option when we renovated our RV. My dad happens to make cabinets—convenient, I know—so I sketched what I wanted, and he built it. It functions as both a bookshelf and a work cubby with a fold-down door that I use as a desk.
I love it because when I’m done working, I can close my laptop, put it back in its cubby, and close the door. Poof! Work is out of sight.
Renovation Idea #4: What About An Outdoor Office?
Work Type: You like white noise while you work and a nice view (that offers a reprieve from the blue light of a computer screen).
Works great For: People who live in mild climates and have workspaces that are easy to pack up when the work is done.
Difficulty Level: Easy
Make an outdoor office.
I’m not going to lie. After three years of working from my camper, an outdoor office is now my default. Because of the limited space inside (and the circus I have to share this space with), it’s easier to take my office outside.
The sounds of birds and the creek provide the perfect amount of white noise. The green scenery is the best counterpoint to staring at my screen all day. Plus, I have space to think.
All I need is a table, a chair, and, occasionally, an extension cord to charge my computer. And yes, I take video calls like this. Most people think it’s a tropical background. (But, then again, I do live in paradise).
Summary
Go on now! Drive off into the sunset and enjoy every minute, knowing that you can maintain your productivity on the road while still enjoying the freedom and flexibility of being a digital nomad.
Now, there are times when a digital nomad comes home. Whether those stays are brief or prolonged, you want to ensure your camper is safely stored under cover to protect it from sun and storm damage.
You’ve got a lot of memories wrapped up in it, after all, so take care of it.
If you need help finding a temporary, inexpensive place to store it, then check out Neighbor.com.
Neighbor is a peer-to-peer RV storage marketplace that offers RV storage (for RV types ranging from fifth wheels to pop-up campers) that’s up to 50% cheaper than traditional storage options. With Neighbor, you can find RV storage options in all 50 states. So, no matter where you decide to stop, you’ll find safe storage near you.
