Yahoo Finance RV Freelancer: Set Up Your Office on Wheels in 5 Easy Steps
One of the best things about being a freelancer is the ability to work wherever you want. But if you’re really into freedom and love to travel, have you thought about using an RV as a mobile office?
Just imagine if you could hit the open road whenever you pleased, working from some of the most interesting parts of the country? It's possible, though it requires some effort and forethought.
With all of that in mind, we’ve prepared the five main things you’ll need to do before you can use an RV as an office on wheels.
Why make an RV into an office?
Many people associate the RV way of life with retirees who are ready to explore the nation. And while there's some truth to that, the modern world of internet freelancing has allowed people to use RVs for much more.
After all, as a freelancer you can invoice from anywhere on the planet, as long as you have an internet connection. You can work and travel wherever you want.
In order to do this, you’ll need to carefully set up your office on wheels. Here are the steps you'll need to take.
1. Set up your computer
OK, so most freelancers use laptops, simply because they’re so easy to carry around and place anywhere they want to work. But if you’re going to be in your RV all day working, there’s no reason why you have to settle for a smaller keyboard and screen.
You can set up a laptop docking station inside your mobile home. That way, you’ll be able to easily hook up your laptop to a bigger monitor, and a keyboard and mouse. Within a couple of moments, you’ll have what basically amounts to a desktop setup.
Best of all, you still have all of the versatility that a laptop gives you. It takes only a second to detach the laptop if you decide to work somewhere outside.
But be careful; there are plenty of areas where the air quality is so poor that you may not want to spend a lot of time in the outdoors. Find out about the air where you plan on planting yourself.
2. Make your workspace ergonomic
When you’re preparing yourself for RV freelancing, there’s an almost endless amount of stuff you can buy for your mobile office. In fact, the setup can become very costly.
Still, you should spare no expense in making your RV office as comfortable as possible. Remember, you’ll be spending as many as 40 hours each week in here — and if need be, maybe even more.
So, you want to have furniture elements that are as ergonomic and comfortable as possible. Later on, we’ll get into the specifics of getting a good desk and chair for your RV.
3. Guard your privacy
If you’re working on an important project, you’ll likely want to keep your RV office as private as possible. After all, you’ll probably be making some crucial phone calls. In such a situation, you’ll need to ensure the privacy of your work area inside the RV.
This depends mostly on whether you’re sharing the RV with anyone. If you’re traveling alone, and have only occasional guests, a simple curtain behind your desk will probably suffice.
Conversely, you may be traveling with a companion or a family member. In that case, think about pulling a tiny trailer behind your RV as a solution to the privacy issue, if you need to keep some things locked up.
4. Make sure you’ve got enough space
One of the challenges of making an RV into an office is the simple fact that RVs were not built for that. Thus, you may find it challenging to fit everything you need into such a cramped environment.
If you don’t take care of this on time, you may find yourself sore and fatigued down the line. So, you will have to adjust the interior of the RV so that you can always achieve two things: sitting down comfortably; and standing up completely straight.
That way, you won’t be dealing with any back pain. With that in mind, make a list of all the things you require for your mobile office, and then measure all of the space you have inside the RV. After that, you can start putting in elements that are of adequate size.
5. Find the right office furniture
Now that you’ve taken all of the required measurements, you can proceed to find the most comfortable chair. And as mundane as this may seem, it actually can make a world of difference. After all, spending your days in a chair that’s not comfortable or ergonomically correct will truly make you miserable.
Sure, a tiny stool would do you best in terms of space, but it would be terrible for your back.
You’d be wise to get an office chair that’s specifically built for a small space. That may require more money, but it’ll be a worthy investment. Find a chair that has proper lumbar support, a high backrest and comfy armrests.
Also, you will need to get a good desk for your RV office. Depending on your RV, a store-bought table might fit the bill.
However, chances are that you’ll have to come up with a homemade design of your own, if you want to maximize the usable space in your RV. And once you’re done with the desk, your RV office should be ready to use.
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
