5 Work from Home RV Office Spaces to Give You Inspiration
With working from home becoming the norm, people are discovering that work can be mobile. While living and traveling in an RV, one week the office can be the beach and another week you can do your work in the mountains.
Being able to work while traveling is the biggest advantage of having your own RV office space.
I’ve been doing it for a while now and I’ve not only been able to see the country, I’ve also been able to keep work fresh and fun at the same time. There are tons of different setups out there, from elaborate, post-lot constructed office spaces, to simple, stowable spaces.
Let’s explore some RV office space builds that I’ve found and see if we can find one that suits your needs. But first, let’s talk about some things you need to keep in mind before creating your own mobile work environment.
4 Things to Consider Before Creating Your RV Office
Size of your RV
The size of your RV will limit the things you’ll be able to do to the interior. For instance, if you’re traveling and working out of a 24 foot RV the amount of space you can dedicate to an office varies greatly over someone driving around a 40-foot motorhome.
A bigger RV provides ample room to go all out and create the perfect work from home office space with all the extras you could think of. Someone with a smaller RV might need to sacrifice a few things here and there to make it fit seamlessly into the smaller space.
Number of people living in your RV
If you’re solo in the RV, then the space is yours to do what you want with it. If you’re living with other people you have to think about how a mobile office space could affect them.
When living in a small space with multiple people, it’s imperative you aren’t encroaching on your living partner’s space in creating the space you desire. In a situation like this, it would be a good idea to go with a setup that isn’t as intrusive to the limited space you share or something that’s versatile in its uses.
If you’re willing to renovate your RV
There are quick and easy office setups that can be achieved without any renovations, but some of the more elaborate and visually appealing builds require a bit of renovation to complete. Most RVs don’t have studs in the walls so attaching desktops, wall-mounted computer screens, shelves, etc., will require a bit of creative thinking or even require you to pull down walls and add studs in yourself.
If you’re not willing to get your hands dirty to do some renovations, your options for that perfect RV office space will be limited to simpler setups.
Amount of time you have to renovate your RV
Renovations aren’t something that you can snap your fingers and be done with, especially if you’re doing the renovations yourself. Depending on the amount of time you have, renovations can take anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks.
If you’re living out of your RV while renovating it, even more complications arise as you’re living in a construction zone, and keeping things organized can be difficult while finishing the project.
Another option to DIY renovations is outsourcing the work to someone else. This will usually lessen the time of the renovations, but cost you significantly more. If your RV is a side project that lives in the driveway most of the time, outsourcing the project might be a good option for you. If you live out of your RV full time, sending your ‘house’ to the shop would require you to find a place to stay while the renovations finished.
Type of work you’ll be doing out of your RV
Depending on the type of work you do out of your RV will determine what kind of RV office space you’ll want to go with. If you’re an artist and need a lot of desk space to create your artwork, your build will be vastly different from that of a software engineer who needs a lot of screen real estate to write code.
Each type of work will require different amounts of power, desk space, computer screen real estate, etc. It’s important to dial in what type of work you will be doing before going about creating that perfect RV office space to ensure you don’t end up creating something that isn’t practical to use.
Now that we’ve talked about all the things to consider before embarking on the journey of creating your perfect RV office space, let’s take a look at some real-life examples and tell you all about what it might take to create these spaces for your own use!
5 Real-Life RV Office Examples for Inspiration
The Joyfully Growing RV Office
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At first glance, this RV office space may look pretty similar to one you’d find in a house and you’d be right! RVs offer plenty of room to add all the bells and whistles to make your RV office space feel like one you’d find in a house.
One thing to keep in mind about this RV office space build is the amount of work it will take to prep this space for driving. You can see glass shelves, plant pots, and a rolling chair around this RV office space.
While this gives it a very homey feel, all of those things will either have to be taken down or strapped down for storage while in transport just to set up again to go about your workday.
As far as renovations go, this RV office space doesn’t need a whole lot added to your standard RV setup. Most of the furniture in the space is free-standing, meaning no need for installing studs, brackets, etc. into the walls!
The only piece of construction you’d need to do to get yourself a space like this is put some brackets attaching the shelf holding the standing desk/shelving to the floor and walls.
Project Trek’s Mini Office
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This little RV office nook is perfect for someone looking for something less intrusive than dedicating an entire section of the RV to an office. Small and compact, this space is perfect for the employee that can do all their work from just a laptop or tablet.
Small but mighty, this office space requires a bit more renovation than you’d initially expect.
Some RVs don’t come standard with studs, so wall mounting shelves, tack boards, etc. can be a little tricky. Since you can’t securely connect things straight to the walls, you’ll have to strip off the standard wall material and frame out your own studs to attach the floating shelving and tack board.
Once the studs are in you can safely and securely create all the floating shelving, desks, and storage that you need after securing plywood, or your choice of wall material to the studs.
The nice thing about an RV office space like this is that the setup and take down for travel is super simple. There are only three things you’d need to secure for travel: the chair, the lamp, and the trash can!
Tiny Shiny Home’s Hypermobile Standing Desk
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Talk about mobile! This work station consists of a total of two things! A camera stand and a piece of 1-inch wood. Those who are in a very small space, or those who prioritize mobility, will love this setup. Bonus points: it’s a standing desk which means you aren’t stuck sitting all day at the office and can get up and stretch those legs making yourself a mean, lean working machine.
This particular build requires zero renovations as it just free stands wherever you want in your RV. Take down for travel takes literally seconds! Just grab the camera tripod and unfold it, next thing you know, you’re typing up your next analytics report or editing your most recent batch of photos from your camera.
RV Love Travel’s Steering Wheel Office
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If you thought the last one was an easy setup take a look at this one step RV office. No tools, parts, or renovations needed! Just three pieces of flooring that slide together like puzzle pieces draped over the steering wheel and you’re all set to become the next employee of the month!
Talk about easy storage for travel, too. Slide this three-piece section of flooring behind one of your seats or just place it on the ground, then you’ll be off and driving to your next destination.
Wandering RV Outlaws’ Ready to Go Office
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If you’re looking for something to plug and play, look no further than this style of office setup. Using nothing but the standard kitchen table that comes in your RV, as it should give you plenty of space to work from home.
You might need to share that space with family, pets, and food, but you can be up and working for no additional costs to the current RV situation you’re in now.
Ready to Make Your Own RV Office?
If you’re ready to take the leap and create your own RV office there’s plenty of options out there. You can go all out and create the perfect workspace, or you can work with what you have available off the lot. Either way, you won’t be disappointed when you can take your office anywhere with you.
Erin is rooted in South Dakota, but wanders every chance she gets to see the beauty that nature holds. From hiking to climbing, there’s not an adventure she’ll turn down. After renovating her 1976 Airstream Argosy, Erin knows the ins and outs of living life on the road and trailer maintenance. Whether she’s on the road with her dog and partner or at home curled up with a good book, Erin is always planning her next adventure because life is meant to be lived outdoors.
