6 Amazing RV DIY Ideas for the Off Season

The cold has arrived, and that means we are officially in RV off season. For us camping enthusiasts, this is a major bummer and it leaves many of us feeling restless and looking for ways to fill our time. Our suggestion? Have some more fun in your RV!

No, we’re not necessarily suggesting you go winter camping, although that is an option if you want to brave the cold or head south. Instead, we suggest doing fun little projects to make your RV even better than it already is. This gives you a way to fill time and makes looking forward to next camping season even more fun. 

Not sure how to begin making improvements to your RV? Try one of these fun RV DIY projects that will help make the RV off season fly by in a flash. 

Cover Your Furniture

One of the easiest ways to give your RV a whole new look is to cover up the old upholstery. While most people are not upholstery professionals, the vast majority of us can use a staple gun just fine.

It turns out that a staple gun and some quality upholstery fabric will get the job done just fine. Basically, you pull the fabric over the piece of furniture you wish to cover and then staple in place on the bottom. This works especially well when covering dinette cushions, but you’ll need a piece of underlayment wood to staple into. 

Another option is, of course, to purchase stretchy cushion covers. This allows you to cover furniture that has seen better days and add a bit of color to the rig without putting in much effort at all. 

Spruce Up the Walls

Are your RV walls looking a little drab? You can change that with a quick and easy project that will only take an afternoon and will give your home-on-wheels a fresh new look. 

The magic key that makes this possible? Peel-and-stick wallpaper. This stuff is absolutely perfect for quick renovation projects and can be used by anybody who knows how to use scissors. All you have to do is cut the paper to size using regular scissors, peel off the backing, and stick the paper in place. Just make sure to stick slowly and carefully in order to avoid bubbles!

One of the coolest things about this paper? It can be peeled off! This is great because it means you can easily change the look of your RV down the line.

Another super easy wall makeover option? Peel-and-stick tiles. These are a little more permanent (they cannot be easily peeled off), but they are perfect for adding a backsplash behind your kitchen and bathroom sinks, giving your RV a bit more color and character. 

Change Out Your Hardware

If your rig is on the older side, you may find that the door knobs and cabinet/drawer pulls are a bit outdated. Replacing these simple things can actually give your RV an entirely new look, and doing so only requires a screwdriver and a few hours of your time.

Start by counting the number of door knobs, cabinet pulls, and drawer pulls you need. If your drawer pulls are held in place by two screws, measure the distance between them and then head to the hardware store to find hardware that will both fit your drawers and improve the look of your rig. 

From there, all you have to do is take the time to install the new hardware and enjoy the updated look that these simple bits give your little home-on-wheels. 

Update Plumbing Fixtures

With a few rare exceptions, factory RV faucets and shower heads are pretty terrible. They are flimsy and can break incredibly easily, and the shower heads tend to offer very little water pressure while also somehow eating through water. On top of that, older factory shower heads have a tendency to shoot water out in all directions.

The solution, of course, is to replace these plumbing fixtures—something that makes a perfect project for the RV off season. 

Not sure what to buy? You can actually replace any RV faucet with a typical household faucet. Just make sure the holes in your countertop match whatever holes the faucet requires and you’ll have a relatively easy DIY project on your hands. 

As far as shower heads go, you can choose pretty much anything you like, but we highly recommend the Oxygenics brand. These shower heads use air to increase water pressure, offering a more pleasant RV shower experience without using up all the water in your fresh tank or your water heater. 

RV DIY Storage

One major issue almost all RVers run into at some point? A perceived lack of storage space. Fortunately, this problem is relatively easy to solve, and doing so during the winter while all your clothes, dishes, and food are out of the camper is absolutely ideal. 

Below are some of our favorite ways to improve upon RV storage.

Add Shelves

Tension shelves like these are perfect for adding shelving to pretty much any cabinet, making it easy to use all of the vertical space, even in the tallest of cabinets. 

Use a Hanging Organizer

A hanging organizer in your RV clothes cabinet can help you make the most of your clothes storage space. To make it easier to find the clothes you want, try rolling items rather than folding them before placing them in the organizer.

Hang Some Hooks

Scotch Command Hooks are a great way to increase storage options in your rig. They are easy to stick in place, easy to pull down without damaging the wall, and can hang everything from jackets and hats to bags. 

Add a Drawer

Most RVs have storage space under the bed and under the dinette. The problem? Many don’t provide a cabinet door or drawer for getting into that space, making it much more difficult to use than it really needs to be. Add a drawer to either or both of these spaces for more usable RV storage. 

Build a Storage Step

If you find that you truly don’t have enough cabinet space even after employing some of these hacks, it might be time to add more spots to put your stuff. One option is to add a hollow step next to your bed. This makes it easier to get in and out of bed while also giving you a bit more storage space. 

Get Crafty

Prefer to stay at home this winter? There are lots of little crafts you can do without even leaving the house that will allow you to spruce up the RV once the weather warms up.

From a clever solar lantern craft that will light up your campsite to a handmade rug that is full of personality, we’re sure you’ll enjoy doing these crafts while staying warm and cozy and dreaming of spring (and all the camping trips that come along with it).

Solar Lantern

This adorable solar lantern is absolutely perfect for putting out in your campsite at nighttime. We love that it is powered by the sun so you don’t have to worry about plugging in or replacing batteries. 

Yarn Wall Art

Want to add something special to the wall of your RV? This adorable yarn wall art is inexpensive, easy to make, and a great way to add some color to your rig. 

Pyramid Painting Wall Art

Another awesome wall decor idea, this pyramid painting wall art is super easy to make and doesn’t require any painting skills whatsoever. Best of all, it looks amazing when finished. 

No-Sew Throw Pillows

Need some new pillows for your RV couch or bed? These no-sew throw pillow covers are super cute. Just add some plain pillows or stuff them and sew them shut, and you’ll have some custom throw pillows that’ll make your rig look complete. 

Braided Rug

If you want to give the floor a makeover without replacing flooring, this braided rug can help. It’s a fairly easy craft project and the end result is beautiful, useful, and completely custom, so you can make it fit whatever color scheme your rig has. 

As you can see, there are plenty of ways to pass the time during the RV off season while still immersing yourself in the RV lifestyle you so love! Will you choose one of these projects or do something totally different?

Whatever RV projects you tackle during these cold months, we hope you have an amazing time making your home-on-wheels your own so you can enjoy it to the fullest once camping season rolls around again!