HELP! Very, VERY small living space needs to be more...liveable.

sarahtrg · July 2014

My fiance and I are trying to save up as much money as possible for our May 2015 wedding and we've taken an ultimate step by giving up the expensive apartment and trading it in for my parents traveling RV. It's fully equipped with kitchen, dining area, separate bedroom, etc but it's still an RV and it's still small even compared to a studio. BUT we will save THOUSANDS extra that can be put towards our big day and our first year as newlyweds. We are going to try and make the best of it at least until May and we are going to have to live with the bare minimum of things.

But it still will be my "home" and so I'm looking for suggestions on how to make it more homey and warm. I've brought in some candles and I'm going to attempt to change the hideous curtains, etc. I'm trying to find good ways to organize things since we don't have much room and decorating ideas to make it feel like a home rather than an RV...

HELP PLEASE!

musictchr25 · July 2014

Take advantage of vertical storage and dual purpose items. Put storage options on doors and behind doors, and if you are able to store items under the bed or under the seats on the bench in the living area, get some stackable clear containers so that you can see contents and easily access them. Get rid of as many things as you can that you don't need on a daily basis.

Make the space personal - hang pictures (using command hooks if you can't put holes in the walls), change out the fabric on the cushions and curtains, get colorful towels for the kitchen and bathroom. If you're really adventurous, you could always use vinyl adhesive tiles on the floor to change it up a bit and make it a little more fun and personal. If you can paint, paint, but if you can't, you could always use some removable/temporary wallpaper or vinyl decals to change up the design a little bit.

MommyLiberty5013 · July 2014

Hhhmmm ditto use vertical space. Are you on your parents property? Can you use their garage or home for storage of non essential items?

Honestly, I'd save the thousands of dollars and put some toward a modest wedding and then the rest use for an emergency fund and a down payment on a house.

Sjoukje82 · July 2014

When I was younger my family used to live in a caravan for almost two years, somehow it was one of the best times of our lives. We really bonded while we lived there, althought it clearly still was a caravan. Living in a situation like that makes you understand how little you actually need in order to be happy. Sometimes the most sober situations can make you feel richer than Bill Gates.

I think one thing that helped me feel more at home was a little shed my father build as an entrance way (on the outside). It wasn't much, but instead of using one of those steel steps to enter a caravan, we had little stairs and an entrance way that included a doormat, coat rack and shoe storage (coats do take up a lot of space!). It would give us more space inside, but also gives a more inviting feel to it.

If the bed in your bedroom isn't stuck to the floor you could try putting in a murphy bed or a loft bed. This will change the bedroom into a multi-purpose room where you can make it more personal & add extra storage space. (we had both a loft bed and a murphy bed, creating space to walk around, cook, study, etc.)

For storage I agree with the others: use vertical space. There are many ideas on pinterest for this, so maybe you can check it out.
Also you might be able to use the walls, like using magnetized strips to store (available at Ikea) kitchen knifes, little memo's, tweezers, etc. Using hooks that go over the doors for clothes, towels, bathrobes (personalizes it as well). Maybe a magazine holder against the wall.
For the bathroom a shower curtain with pockets might be a great space-saver.
If it's for long term I would definitely change the curtains. Maybe place some cushions here and there.

In my experience it's better not to try and hide the fact that it is an RV. It will never be a house like any other, so instead of trying to make it look like a regular house I would recommend to embrace the fact that it is an RV and make it your personal "adventure" or "unique pre-marital life experience".

Here are some pictures:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20118174/
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20202083/
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/232498399483381871/
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/326018460494986812/

veelondono · August 2014

You definitely need pieces that pull double duty. I like this wall unit that also divides the room. You can use the drawers from either side! https://krrb.com/posts/83952-midcentury-wall-unitroom-divider-w-secretary-desk

HELP! Very, VERY small living space needs to be more...liveable.

Re: HELP! Very, VERY small living space needs to be more...liveable.

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