7 Things I’m Doing Before Hitting the Road
The dream of RV life didn’t happen overnight.
For years, I’ve talked about traveling more, simplifying life, and spending less time rushing and more time living. While I’m not quite ready to pull out of the driveway and head toward the sunset, I am taking steps now to make that dream a reality.
One of the biggest things I’ve learned is that RV life doesn’t begin the day you buy an RV. It begins long before that.
Here are seven things I’m doing right now as I prepare for life on the road.
1. Simplifying My Stuff
If you’ve lived in the same place for years, you know how quickly things accumulate.
Closets fill up. Cabinets overflow. Drawers become storage units for things you forget you owned.
One of my biggest goals is learning to live with less.
That doesn’t mean getting rid of everything I own. It means becoming intentional about what I keep. Every box I donate and every closet I clean brings me one step. closer to the freedom I’m looking for.
I’ve started asking myself a simple question.
“If I were living in an RV tomorrow, would I bring this with me?
The answer is often no. And that’s okay.
2. Learning to Be a Better Traveler
Travel isn’t just about the destination.
It’s about becoming comfortable with the unexpected.
Over the last few years, I’ve been making travel a priority whenever I can. Whether it’s a weekend getaway, a road trip, or a bucket-list adventure, every trip teaches me something new.
I’ve learned how little I actually need to enjoy myself.
I’ve learned that experiences are often worth more than things.
And I’ve learned that some of life’s best memories happen when plans change.
3. Creating New Income Streams
One thing I’ve realized is that freedom feels a lot better when it’s supported by a plan.
That’s one reason I started Coffee, Carts & Campfires.
This blog allows me to share my journey, connect with others who dream about travel and RV life, and hopefully create an income stream that can travel with me.
I’m learning about blogging, Pinterest, affiliate marketing, and online business one step at a time.
It’s a learning curve, but every article and every pin is a step forward.
4. Building My RV Bucket List
The list keeps growing.
National parks. Small towns. Mountain views. Coastal drives. Hidden coffee shops. Farmers markets. Campgrounds beside lakes.
I may not know exactly when I’ll visit them all, but I know I want to.
Creating a bucket list keeps the dream alive and gives me something exciting to work toward.
Sometimes I find myself daydreaming about watching the sunrise over the mountains with a hot cup of coffee in hand. Other times it’s a quiet campground under a sky full of stars.
Either way, I’m ready.
5. Practicing Slow Living
One thing that attracts me to RV life isn’t just travel. It’s the lifestyle.
I want slower mornings. More sunsets. More conversations. More time outside. More moments that aren’t scheduled down to the minute.
The truth is we don’t have to wait until retirement or until we buy an RV to slow down. We can start today.
For me, that might mean enjoying a coffee shop without rushing, reading a book instead of scrolling on my phone, or taking a walk simply because the weather is beautiful.
6. Learning What I Actually Need
The internet makes it easy to believe you need hundreds of gadgets and accessories before you can travel.
The reality is much simpler. I’m learning to focus on what I’ll actually use rather than what looks good in a social media post.
Comfortable walking shoes. A great coffee mug. A good travel backpack.A reliable cooler. A notebook. A camera. The essentials matter more than excess.
This mindset is helping me make smarter purchases and avoid filling my future RV with things I don’t need.
7. Enjoying the Journey Before the Journey
This may be the most important lesson of all. It’s easy to become so focused on the future that we forget to enjoy today.
Yes, I dream about RV life. Yes, I think about campgrounds, road trips, and destinations I’ll visit someday.
But I don’t want to spend the next few years wishing my life away.
I want to enjoy the season I’m in right now. The coffee dates. The family gatherings. The vacations. The farmers’ markets. The simple moments that make life meaningful.
Because someday, when I’m sitting beside a campfire watching the sunset from a campground somewhere, I want to look back and know I enjoyed every step that brought me there.
Final Thoughts
The road ahead may still be a few years away, but that’s okay.
Every closet cleaned out, every trip taken, every lesson learned, and every blog post written is bringing me closer to the life I’m building.
For now, I’ll keep dreaming, planning, simplifying, and sharing the journey.
And when the day finally comes to hit the road, you’ll be coming along with me.
Thanks for being here.
— Amanda
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