From Full-Time RV Life to Finding Home: The Feel Great Mom’s Inspiring Journey

Imagine packing up your entire life, selling your home, and hitting the road with your family, embracing the unknown with nothing but an RV and a dream. Sounds exhilarating, right? For many, full-time RV travel is an adventurous fantasy, but for The Feel Great Mom, it became a life-changing reality.

What started as an unexpected twist in their journey turned into over two years of exploration, growth, and invaluable life lessons. In this interview, we dive deep into the highs and lows of full-time RV living, the impact on their children’s education, and what led them to transition back to a stationary lifestyle.

Get ready to be inspired by a story of resilience, adaptability, and the pursuit of freedom.

1) Can you introduce your family and share what inspired you to start full-time RV life?

My husband and I have three young boys, and when we began our journey, we were living in Georgia. Full-time travel wasn’t something we had ever considered until December 2020, when my husband unexpectedly lost his job.

That year had already been challenging—with our church closed and very little sense of community, as most people were keeping their distance. We realized that if there was ever a perfect time to embrace full-time travel, it was now.

We sold our house surprisingly quickly, found a truck and an RV for sale, and within four months, we hit the road as full-time travelers.

2) What were some of the biggest challenges and most rewarding moments of full-time RV life?

The most rewarding part was watching our boys grow closer. They had each other to play with every single day, and because we chased good weather, we spent most of our time outdoors, exploring together.

As for challenges, RV repairs were by far the toughest. They were constant. The dealership that sold us our RV wasn’t honest about its condition, and we ended up dealing with numerous unexpected issues.

We quickly learned the hard way how crucial it is to get a third-party inspection before purchasing an RV—it would have saved us a lot of time and money.

Another struggle was the lack of a solid community. The first year was fantastic, but moving to a new place every couple of weeks made it difficult to build deep connections. We started to really miss our church community and longed for that sense of belonging again.

3) You recently transitioned from full-time travel to a more stationary lifestyle. What led to this decision, and how has the adjustment been for your family?

We couldn’t be happier with our decision to settle down. Our 2.5 years of full-time travel were incredible, filled with memories we will cherish forever, but we knew when it was time to stop.

Everything fell into place perfectly—it felt like a God-given sign when we found our home in a beautiful, unique city in California. The confirmation that we had made the right choice was immediate.

Our boys now have plenty of space to play, their own rooms (which they had been asking for), and the opportunity to attend a charter school, which has made homeschooling much easier.

The state funding covers their curriculum, supplies, and extracurricular activities, which has been a huge help.

4) How did full-time travel shape your children’s education and personal growth?

It felt like we lived a whole extra lifetime within our lifetime. Our kids have now traveled to 26 states, visited several national parks, and experienced more in their young years than many adults do in a lifetime. It has made them more social, adaptable, and curious about the world.

On a personal level, full-time travel strengthened our marriage. It forced us to problem-solve quickly, rely on each other as best friends, and communicate more effectively. We pushed through the hard times together and came out stronger.

5) What are some of the most valuable life lessons your family learned from living on the road?

One of the biggest lessons we learned was to always do thorough research before making life-changing decisions. We assumed RV living would be much more cost-effective than it actually was. Financially, it became overwhelming, which was a major factor in our decision to stop.

We also became much more appreciative. Living with less helped us find joy in the little things, and that mindset has stayed with us even now.

6) How do you maintain a sense of community and social interactions for your kids, both while traveling and now in a more settled life?

On the road, building a community required a lot of intentional effort. We would meet amazing families, but since everyone had different travel plans, we often had to say goodbye after just a few weeks.

Now that we’re settled, maintaining friendships has become much easier. Our boys are involved in church, music lessons, and sports like parkour, jiu-jitsu, and baseball. My husband and I also serve at our church, attend a marriage small group, and have made local friends through our kids’ activities.

7) What’s the biggest misconception people have about full-time rv life as a family?

People often assume that full-time travel is like an endless vacation, but that’s far from reality. You’re still living real life—just in a smaller space. And while you do get to explore incredible places, challenges will inevitably arise. It’s important to be mentally prepared for that.

8) Do you still plan on taking extended travel adventures? What’s next for your family?

My husband and I have always loved traveling, and we’re definitely open to future adventures. Right now, though, we don’t have any immediate plans for extended travel.

One trip we’re hoping to take is to Yellowstone National Park—it’s been at the top of our bucket list for a while. Until then, we’re enjoying our new home in Southern California and making the most of all the local adventures we can.

9) What advice would you give to families considering full-time travel with kids?

Make sure everyone has their own space—kids and parents alike. Choosing an RV with separate areas for everyone can make a huge difference.

Also, always get a third-party inspection before buying an RV, and read reviews from other full-time families to understand what to expect. Lastly, be prepared for repairs—they are inevitable. Set aside a dedicated repair fund so unexpected expenses don’t catch you off guard.

10) If you could go back in time, would you do anything differently in your travel journey?

The only thing I wish we had done was visit the Midwest—we never made it there. But overall, I wouldn’t change a thing. Every step of our journey led us to where we are now, and where we are now is exactly where we’re meant to be.

Conclusion

A huge thank you to Feel Great Mom for sharing her incredible journey with us! Her family’s story is a testament to resilience, adventure, and embracing life’s unexpected twists.

If you want to keep up with their journey and see how they continue to thrive, be sure to follow them on Instagram. Who knows? Their story might just inspire your next big adventure!