Our new motorhome was roomy, had a nice master bathroom, and came with a residential refrigerator. However, we knew we would be making changes before we signed the paperwork. Just like a stick and bricks home, we wanted to personalize our motorhome with special touches.
Office Space
Our new motorhome didn’t have a desk so we used the dining table as our workstation. Which meant we needed to clear everything off when we wanted to eat.
On the slide with the TV, there was a small sofa. We only used it when we had visitors. Otherwise, it became cluttered with our stuff. We decided to remove it and convert that area to our office.
Before removing the sofa, we needed to find it a new home.
When the resort we were staying at announced a patio sale, we saw our opportunity to donate the sofa.
We disassembled it, set it outside, and put it back together in under an hour. After placing it at the front of our site, we taped a ‘FREE’ sign to the front cushions. By late afternoon, the sofa was gone.
New Wall and Floor
After removing the sofa, we discovered vinyl flooring that didn’t match the ceramic tile floor in our coach. The paneling also had a taped seam that was coming off. After a quick visit to Home Depot, we installed self-adhesive vinyl squares with a color and pattern that matched our floors.
We also purchased a 4′ x 8′ sheet of paneling to replace the original piece. Before installing it, Andy attached reflective insulation on the back wall with a spray adhesive. He also shortened the duct hose.
Using the existing paneling as a pattern, Andy cut the new sheet to the needed size and carved out a hole for the heating duct.
The Desk
Before removing the sofa, we’d been shopping around for a desk. Since we couldn’t build one as we had in our 5th wheel, we checked online sites and visited the local IKEA store.
The desk needed to fit on the slideout, hold both our computers and monitors and be short enough so we could still watch TV.
We found our perfect desk in the most unlikely place. While shopping at Home Depot for the tile and paneling, we saw an adjustable work table in the clearance area.
It was the right size, already assembled, and very sturdy. We can work sitting or standing, and the desk can be lowered enough so the computers do not block the TV.
To secure it in place, Andy removed the wheels and drilled holes through the foot and the slide-out, attaching the desk with a couple of bolts. This was necessary because we found that it bounced a bit when the motorhome was traveling down the road.
Reclining Theater Seats
Opposite the new home office was a slightly larger sofa bed.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t comfortable. It felt like sitting on a hard bench.
Also, we like to put our feet up when watching TV.
After moving into our coach, we bought an ottoman to rest our feet on and, as a bonus, keep our printer inside the storage compartment. However, even with the ottoman, we still wanted more comfortable seating.
We found exactly what we wanted on the Rec Pro website. After placing our order, the theater seats arrived in three large boxes about a week later.
The first step was removing the sofa. Once again, Andy took it apart so we could remove it easier. The sofa found a new home with our next-door neighbor in the RV park.
Resizing Window Valance
After removing the couch, our next step was removing the left-side valance on the small window beside the sofa. The new recliners are taller than the couch and the seat back would hit the valance.
We shortened the side valance a few inches by pulling back the covering and exposing the particleboard. Andy used a Sawzall to remove the excess board. After cutting the material to the correct length, and stapling it to the board, the valance was ready for hanging.
It was easy to assemble the seats by snapping the backs into place; however, connecting them and fastening the whole piece to the floor was challenging. However, it only took a couple of attempts to get it right.
We liked our new seats so much that we became affiliates. If you are looking to replace your uncomfortable or worn RV furniture, check out RecPro and use our downsized life as your referral code at checkout. We don’t receive much, but it helps to keep our website going.
A Place for the Pot and Pans
The day we moved into our new home, I realized organizing the kitchen was going to be a challenge. After moving the pots and pans several times, I was frustrated and missing our 5th Wheel’s storage space.
While shopping for a desk at IKEA, we got the idea for our hanging racks. When we were ready for that project, the stores were closed due to Covid-19. Luckily, we were able to order them from IKEA’s online store.
We decided to mount the racks on a piece of shiplap. After cutting it to the needed size, Andy fastened it at the ends and in the center, where he had located a stud.
We completed the wall with peel & stick wallpaper, purchased at Walmart. This pattern is ‘Weathered Planks.’
Here is our remodeled kitchen, with the pot racks and an island. We left the wheels off the island and put two self-sticky pads under each leg. This allows us to slide the island to the center of the coach when we bring in the slides. We didn’t like the open back of the island and used leftover paneling from the desk project to enclose it. This keeps our appliances from falling out while traveling.
A Few More Kitchen Additions
Because I wanted my spices and other frequently used flavorings easy to access, we purchased these counter spice racks.
There is no counter space for a knife block and no drawer space for our knives.
We used a magnetic strip in our previous RV and decided to do the same in our new home. They are easy to access and do not fall off while traveling.
Keeping It Cool
As many RV’ers do, we use reflective foil in our windows to keep out the heat from the sun. The window on the door side, next to the passenger seat needed a little more than just fitting the foil into the window.
Adding the Velcro makes it easier to attach and remove the foil as needed. A slit was added at the bottom for the handle.
Hanging Shelf
The front of the loft over the cab was boring so we used some of the leftover paneling from the desk project to add a little pop. Then, Andy installed a floating shelf we picked up on our IKEA visit.
I am sure we will be making more modifications the longer we live in our coach. In fact, the blue sticky notes in the above picture of the shelf are inspirational words that I will be stenciling soon.
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Peggy Staver, the author of this blog, is a freelance copywriter specializing in outdoor recreation and hospitality. You can contact her at PSCopywriting.com. The majority of photos are taken by Photography by Andreas.
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