🚐 RV Downsizing Guide: How to Simplify & Declutter Before Moving into an RV
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🚐 RV Downsizing Guide: How to Simplify & Declutter Before Moving into an RV

  • Jordan Concannon
  • Apr 25
  • 5 min read

✂️ Ready to Cut the Clutter?


Downsizing for RV life isn't just about packing fewer pairs of shoes or swapping your couch for a camp chair—it’s a full-on transformation of how you think, live, and prioritize. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the piles of stuff, emotional attachments, and decisions ahead of moving into your RV, you're not alone. We’ve been there—sorting through closets, wondering how on earth everything would fit in 200 square feet.


The good news? You don’t have to give up everything you love. You just have to get intentional. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the practical and emotional side of downsizing. From RV tech-approved gear lists to clever storage hacks to mindset shifts that make letting go easier, we’re covering it all.


So grab a donation box, take a deep breath, and let’s simplify your life—one bin at a time.


This post may contain affiliate links. If you click and purchase, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we personally use and trust.

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🗂 Click to Skip Ahead:

  • Why Downsizing Is the Hardest—and Most Rewarding—Part of RV Life

  • The Emotional Side of Letting Go

  • Step-by-Step Downsizing Method

  • What to Keep (And What RV Techs Recommend Ditching)

  • Storage Hacks for Sentimental Items

  • Tips for Families, Pet Owners & Remote Workers

  • What Our RV Looked Like After Downsizing

  • Final Thoughts: Simplifying for Freedom



🎒 Why Downsizing Is the Hardest—And Most Rewarding—Part of RV Life


Downsizing is a rite of passage for future full-time RVers.


You might think the hardest part of transitioning to RV life is leaving behind your favorite coffee shop, navigating dump stations, or learning how to back into a campsite. But the real emotional work happens before you hit the road—when you're staring at a pile of “keep, donate, sell” boxes, wondering how your entire life will fit in 200 square feet.

We know this firsthand.


When we moved into our camper full-time, it was with a toddler, a dog, a cat, and enough power tools to fill a small garage. We had to sort, sell, donate, and emotionally detach from stuff that once felt essential. But what came next? Freedom, flexibility, clarity. And no more junk drawers.



💔 The Emotional Side of Letting Go


You’re not just getting rid of “stuff.” You’re letting go of:

  • Gifts from relatives

  • Baby clothes

  • Sentimental collections

  • Projects you swore you’d finish

  • Tools for hobbies you don’t do anymore


And that’s okay.


Here’s a mindset tip: Let go of the version of yourself you’re not anymore. You don’t have to carry past identities into your new RV life. Your home on wheels is a clean slate.

If it doesn’t serve your life now, it doesn’t need to come with you.



🗃️ Step-by-Step Downsizing Method


Here’s the process we followed (and recommend) when downsizing for RV life:


1. Start Early—Like 3-6 Months Before

Don’t wait until moving week to start purging. Downsizing is best done in layers. Each round gets easier. You’ll make tough decisions and then realize, “I didn’t even miss that thing.”


2. Sort Room by Room

Kitchen, bedrooms, garage, storage bins. Go one area at a time. Use categories:

  • Keep

  • Sell

  • Donate

  • Trash

  • Store (if you have a small storage unit or leave stuff at a family home)


3. Measure Your Storage in the RV

Know your RV storage limitations:

  • Cabinets

  • Under-bed compartments

  • Exterior bays

  • Fridge/freezer space

  • Closet rods

Buy plastic bins that fit exactly in these spaces and label everything.


4. Digitize What You Can

  • Scan important papers to cloud storage

  • Take photos of sentimental items

  • Convert DVDs to digital

  • Use apps like Google Drive, Dropbox, or Evernote


5. Sell or Donate Strategically

Host a garage sale, use Facebook Marketplace, or donate to:

  • Thrift stores

  • Women’s shelters

  • Schools (books, crafts, learning tools)

If something has value but won’t sell, donate it joyfully. You’re giving someone else a chance to use it.




⚙️ What to Keep (And What RV Techs Recommend Ditching)


As RV techs, we’ve seen countless rigs overloaded with non-essentials.


Here’s our guide on what’s worth the weight—and what’s not:

✅ Keep:

  • Tools & essential gear (see our RV tool kit post)

  • Compact kitchen appliances (Instant Pot > Crock Pot)

  • Multi-purpose clothing

  • Outdoor chairs & collapsible table

  • Solar panels, surge protectors, water filters

  • First aid kit

  • Spare fuses, bulbs, extension cords

  • Digital nomad gear (if working remotely)


❌ Ditch:

  • Bookshelves full of books (keep a few favorites + Kindle)

  • Heavy dishes (switch to Corelle or melamine)

  • Holiday decor bins

  • Excess linens (2 of each is enough)

  • Large kitchen gadgets (waffle makers, etc.)

  • Old hobby gear you never use

  • Random cables & chargers


💡 Pro Tip: Overweight RVs are a safety hazard and can damage your suspension, brakes, or tires. Stay under your GVWR!



📦 Storage Hacks for Sentimental Items


If you’re holding onto memories, not functions, consider:

  • Shipping keepsakes to a relative to store

  • Renting a 5x5 climate-controlled unit for under $50/month

  • Creating a digital memory book with scanned photos & journal notes

Let your RV hold what’s useful, not just nostalgic.



🐾 Tips for Families, Pet Owners & Remote Workers


👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Families:

  • Rotate kids’ toys monthly to reduce clutter

  • Use stackable bins under beds

  • Choose nesting or dual-use furniture (e.g., ottoman = toy chest)


🐶 Pet Owners:

  • Hang leashes near the door

  • Store pet food in airtight bins under dinette

  • Use collapsible food & water bowls

  • Keep pet documents in a labeled envelope


💻 Remote Workers:

  • Mount a fold-down desk or use a lap desk

  • Invest in compact tech: portable monitor, Bluetooth keyboard

  • Keep all cords in a single tech bag

  • Add blackout curtains for midday Zoom calls



🚌 What Our RV Looked Like After Downsizing


When we finished, here’s what we had:

  • One wardrobe rod each

  • 3 bins of kid clothes/toys

  • 2 shelves for pantry

  • 1 bin for toiletries

  • One drawer for tools, fuses, RV-specific items

  • All tech and remote work gear in one overhead cabinet


And we still had room to breathe.


It was cozy—but peaceful.




🎯 Final Thoughts: Simplifying for Freedom


Downsizing is never easy, but it’s the foundation of RV freedom. Every item you let go of creates space—not just physically, but mentally and emotionally.


As you prepare for full-time RV life, remember: You’re not giving up a home. You’re gaining the whole country.

Need help figuring out what gear is essential? Check out our blog for free checklists, product guides, and seasonal RV living tips.


Or schedule an RV tech consult—we’ll help you design a streamlined, functional setup that keeps you rolling smoothly.


Until next time,

Jordan @ Rolling Rabbit RV Repair

"Keeping you rolling, wherever the road takes you."


📍 Omaha, Nebraska

📞 (Text/call 402 - 699 - 4053 to schedule a service!)

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