Take a Peek Inside my Camper Makeover!

My husband and I recently purchased a 2013 Skyline Nomad. We decided to name her Norma since we were watching a lot of Bates Motel and “Norma the Nomad” seemed pretty fitting. Everything inside was like new (except the rotted out wall in the back that we weren’t aware of) and my husband didn’t want to change anything.  I on the other hand saw it as something to decorate and update :).  The “50 Shades of Brown” look isn’t really my thing so he begrudgingly went along with my re-decorating.  The first thing we did was rip down the corrugated wall to discover the extensive water damage (yikes). Then we had that repaired, placed down the small amount of vinyl flooring that we needed in the bathroom and started painting. I guess technically we painted the bathroom, then put down the flooring, then painted the rest of the camper but you get the picture.

 

Here’s the before and after and yes, that is carpet in the first picture (eww!).  I had a hard time deciding paint colors.  I went with a light gray and at first it looked white.  I had to go back and get the color adjusted.   I used a primer first and then used a paint with primer in it to make double sure my paint wasn’t going anywhere (there were a lot of complaints about paint not sticking properly on the RV interiors Facebook group I was following).

Here’s the bathroom all finished with a shower curtain (from TJ Maxx) and wall shelf (from Hobby Lobby). Here’s a link to the vinyl planks I used if you want to check them out: http://amzn.to/2xpxm0L

Next, I bought some table cloths from Walmart and recovered the cushions with them (I used fabric glue because I may be good at a few things but sewing isn’t one of them). Then I used granite film I bought off Amazon to cover the table.  I think it brightened it up a lot, don’t you?

 

I also bought inexpensive foam mattresses for the 3 beds (for the bunks I bought a queen and cut it in half with an electric knife, it was much cheaper than buying 2!). Then new bedding for the big bed and a few rugs and little decor items. This is the mattress I bought, it actually sleeps really well: http://amzn.to/2gLzooL

 

I bought a new faucet that my sweet husband installed for me.  I initially bought one that didn’t fit from Walmart (oops!).  I ordered this one from Amazon and it’s held up pretty well so far. I love how it instantly updated the small “kitchen” area! Sorry it’s different angles but I had this picture on hand already. Find this faucet here: http://amzn.to/2gFtcv3

 

I also painted our little refrigerator with black chalkboard paint to break up all the brown.  Here’s a before and after view of the camper looking from the front to the back. Although I don’t “hate” the flooring, I think adding these cute little rugs breaks up all the brown.

 

We took Norma to a campground near Columbus, Georgia for her maiden voyage.  It was an adjustment to figure out how to make everything work and how to find a comfortable temperature between freezing with the A/C on full blast and sweltering when it wasn’t up high enough but it was lots of fun! Here’s a picture of the outside. I loved the little string lights!  They are plastic and made for outdoor use.  Get them here: http://amzn.to/2y7o51M

*Disclaimer* I do get a teeny tiny commission if you buy something from Amazon through a link on my site, but these are tried and tested products approved by me.  I would not recommend anything that I don’t personally love, although I can’t be held responsible if you don’t love it too Lol. If you need a little something extra to throw in your cart to get free shipping, I also love these nesting bowls: http://amzn.to/2iacMfn.

Thanks for checking out my camper makeover! Ya’ll let me know if there’s anything camper/ RV related you want me to talk about, maybe a packing list, essentials you should buy to stock or something similar? If you liked this, please take a sec to subscribe to my blog or check me out on my other Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

 

Disney World Cheat Sheet

I watched hours of YouTube videos, researched countless Disney websites, combed through Pinterest and spent months researching my Disney trip.  Here are some of the tips that I found most helpful.

 

1. Each Disney park has a first aid station. They have band aids, and medicine that they will give you for free.  We had to utilize the station at Epcot and I got headache medicine for both me and my daughter (they had liquid for the littles).  The employees are super friendly.
2. Get to the parks before opening!  They will be at their least crowded so you’ll be sure to get to walk on a few rides, you’ll also get a fairly close parking space if you’re driving and it’s great for less crowded photos. We always get there early, leave around or right after lunch and return in the evening. We get a chance to rest during the busiest and hottest part of the day and come back when crowds are lower.
3. Go to a Disney Outlet. If you want Disney souvenirs with a significant savings, check out the Disney Outlets aka Character Warehouses. There are 2 near Disney World, one is located right next to Disney Springs and one is a short ride down the highway next to Universal.                                                                                                                               They are located at: 8200 Vineland Ave. Orlando, FL (near Disney Springs) and 4969 International Dr. Orlando, FL (near Universal). I went to both, the one near Disney Springs, before we went to the parks (I wanted to get autograph books for the kids and they luckily they had some really cool ones for cheap) and I went to the one near Universal right before we left Orlando.  My tip is to go to the one near Universal if you only want to visit one.  It is easier to get in and out of because you can park in front of the store and walk right in (unlike the Vineland Ave one where you have to park in a lot and wander until you find it.)  and the one near Universal was much less crowded when we went.
4. Bring Ponchos!  If you carry a backpack (which I highly recommend bringing one, you can take it on all the rides and it’s great to store your water bottles, snacks etc.) buy a few ponchos from the dollar store or Walmart before you go (I’ve heard you can even get Disney ponchos at Walmart near Disney World for pretty cheap) It almost always downpours at least once during a trip and you will be prepared and won’t have to spend $10 a piece for the ponchos at the park. It’s also a good idea to pack a plastic grocery bag to stuff all the rainy, wet ponchos in.
5. Visit Disney Springs.  Especially if you have some non park days planned.  It’s beautiful and has so many great shops and activities.  You can go to the movies, go bowling at Splitsville, take a ride in a hot air balloon, create your own snack at Goofy’s Candy Co., dine at one of the amazing restaurants or just relax at a table and take in the beautiful scenery.  Here are the stores I put on my “Must go to” list: Basin (has bath bombs and soaps, similar to Lush but actually cheaper and they have Disney themed items!)                                                                                              Uniqlo (Similar to H&M, they have quality clothes for a great price include really nice Disney shirts for around $15 for adults and $10 for kids)                                   World of Disney (because who would want to miss out on the biggest Disney store?)                                                                                                                                 Goofy’s Candy Co.(here you can customize your own caramel apple or rice krispy treat, pick out a cute Disney themed cake pop or cupcake and spend your remaining dining plan snack credits on bags of treats to take home.
6. Research Dining Options. Disney has some amazing food (and surprisingly some of it is very reasonably priced). Research what dining options there are in the park and see what you might be interested in trying.  I had several items on my “must try list” like the Carrot Cake Cookie at Hollywood Studios and “The Grey Stuff” at Be Our Guest in  Magic Kingdom . I also kept a list of potential restaurants for each park and would pick from the list depending on which restaurants we were close to when the kids got hungry.
   

   

   
7. Hydrate! Disney will give you free ice water at any of their restaurants or snack stations as long as it isn’t one that only has bottled items.  Bring a reusable water bottle to fill in the morning as you go into the park and so you can save anything leftover after a food stop.
8. Buy your own glowing items from the dollar store or other discount store.  When it gets dark in Disney, the very expensive glow things appear and everyone wants one.  The Dollar Store even has Disney brand glow wands/bracelets etc. that you can sometimes find.  Make sure to pack some to bring out for fireworks and night time fun.  Bonus, it helps you keep up with your kids or others in your party in the dark.
9. Wear comfy broken in shoes. Bring and extra pair in case they get soggy and aren’t able to dry overnight (we learned this the hard way). It’s also helpful to “train” for Disney.  We averaged almost 10 miles a day so it’s good to be prepared by doing some walking with the family to prepare for your trip.
10. Check the schedules. The first time we went to Disney World, I had no idea when the parade was, what time fireworks started or that certain night time shows were offered.  There’s all kinds of fun free shows that are put on in every park on a daily basis.  It’s impossible to make it to everything but it’s good to check the schedules for the park on the day you are going so you don’t miss out.
11. Have fun but remember to relax! Make a plan but don’t be too rigid or no one will have fun. Schedule in time to go to the resort pool and time to just rest. We had park days every day we were there but I wish I had planned one down day to relax at the resort.

I hope these tips were helpful and maybe some are new and helpful to you.  Let me know if you have any tips I left out and have a magical day!