19 Winter RV Projects You’ll Actually Want to Tackle This Season
12/19/2024
The cold season has begun, and most RVers have stored their RVs until spring rolls back around. Meanwhile, many full-time RVers (like my family) have gone into winter travel mode, which involves much less active traveling and more sitting still. In both cases, this time of year is a good time to tackle some winter RV projects.
If you’re not moving your RV much during the winter, you will have more time to take care of all those little to-dos that are otherwise harder to get done between travel days. Taking care of these things during the cold season will ensure the rig is in tip-top shape once the camping season rolls around again.
#1 Deep Clean
First, I recommend using this season to do an RV deep clean. Yes, you probably clean your RV regularly through the year, but using the winter to really scrub the tub, spray the tanks as clean as they’ve ever been, vacuum and wipe storage bays, and thoroughly mop the floors certainly isn’t going to hurt anything. Put on some gloves, play your favorite tunes, and get that RV sparkling clean!
#2 Organize
While you’re deep cleaning, you can also work on organizing things in the RV. You can have the best intentions in the world, but there will still be cabinets and drawers in your RV that lose any sense of order as you travel over the camping season.
The winter is the perfect time to break out the storage totes, drawer organizers, and other organization tools and give everything a proper place once again.
#3 Inventory and Restock Supplies
Another thing you can do during your cleaning and organizing spree? Take inventory of what you have in your RV, purge things you no longer use or need, and make a list of items that need replenishing.
These might include things like kitchen essentials, cleaning supplies, and first-aid items. You can then pick these things up now—during the off-season—so your RV is stocked up in time for your first camping trip of the new year.
#5 Do Maintenance
I’ve never met a person who enjoys doing RV maintenance tasks. Nevertheless, because your RV is likely sitting still in winter, the cold season might just be the perfect time to do them.
#6 Reseal Seams
Checking and resealing the seams on the roof and sides of your RV is a super important part of RV maintenance in order to prevent leaks and water damage. Make sure to use RV-specific sealant, which is crucial for this key winter RV project.
#7 Clean the Water System (tanks, lines, and water heater)
Clean your water system to keep your family healthy while out RVing. You can clean the water heater with vinegar, the waste tanks with special chemicals and a good back spray tool, and the fresh tank and lines with water mixed with a small amount of bleach.
#8 Check on Solar Panels
Check up on your solar panels. Check wires for fraying and bad connections, clean the panels themselves, and make sure everything is still securely attached to the roof.
#9 Do Battery Maintenance
If you have flooded-cell RV batteries, winter is a good time to check the fluid levels. If they are low, use a sterile turkey baster to top them up with distilled water, being careful not to get any debris in the fluid.
#10 Repack Wheel Bearings
Trailer wheel bearings need to be repacked regularly. You can do this job yourself, but if you aren’t feeling up to it, many tire shops will tackle the chore for you.
#11 Do Engine Maintenance
Check all fluids under the hood, top up anything that needs it, and change the oil so your motorhome is ready to go next season.
#12 Check Tires
Your tires are a super important part of your RV. You should check them regularly, and winter can be one of the times you do so. Look for worn tread, uneven wear, bubbles, punctures, and other such issues.
#13 Service the Brakes
Obviously, your brakes are pretty important, too. Use the winter to do routine maintenance on your brakes to ensure they are in good condition for the spring.
Having trouble staying on top of RV maintenance? The RV LIFE Maintenance app is the perfect thing to help you keep track of what tasks need to be done and when. It’ll even send reminders so you don’t forget a thing!
#14 Make Repairs
All those little repairs you’ve been putting off? Now is the time to take care of them.
Replace those non-functional drawer locks, broken hinges, and missing stove knobs. Fix the bits and pieces that are being held together by duct tape, patch the awning fabric, and find replacements for the torn-up cushions.
Whatever issues you’ve been meaning to repair but just haven’t gotten to, get to them now.
#15 Check Equipment
Check all of your equipment during the off-season, making sure it is ready for next season. This includes smoke alarms, propane detectors, and CO detectors, as well as your entire hitch setup and propane system.
Anything that might need attention—especially things that could be dangerous if left unchecked—should be checked out and repaired/replaced before you head out again in the spring.
#16 Upgrade Systems
Once you get through all of the necessary cleaning, organizing, maintenance, and repairs, you might also consider upgrading your rig. This will make camping even more fun next season, and if you’re looking for ways to pass the winter anyway, one of the projects below might be the perfect thing.
LED Lights
Switching to LED light bulbs is super easy and should definitely be added to your list of winter RV projects. Doing so saves energy and creates a better ambiance. They’re cooler, more efficient, and perfect for off-grid adventures.
Extra USB Ports
Add USB ports near beds or seating for easy device charging. This is a simple, modern upgrade and one of the easiest winter RV projects. Best of all, it will keep everyone powered up on the road.
Water Filtering System
Ensure clean, safe drinking water with a filter system. This upgrade is great for reducing contaminants and improving taste wherever you fill up. The Frizzlife Under Sink System is popular with RVers.
Solar Power System
Solar power systems let you charge your batteries off-grid, reducing generator use and increasing travel freedom. Installing an entire solar power system can be a bit daunting, but instructional videos are helpful.
#17 Spruce Up the Interior
You might also consider upgrading the look of your RV, especially if your RV is on the older side. There are many ways to go about this, so you can pick and choose the projects that are right for you.
Add a Backsplash
You can easily add backsplashes to both your kitchen and bathroom using peel-and-stick tile. This is the perfect winter RV project.
Change Window Treatments
If your RV window treatments look outdated, worn out, or unsightly, you can replace them with regular blinds or curtains. You may have to hem curtains to fit. If you don’t sew, hem tape can do the job.
Re-cover Furniture
RV furniture can be recovered for a totally new look. You can use stretchy covers on cushions for a nice, tight fit. For frames, consider using a staple gun to staple new fabric in place on the underside of the furniture.
Change Furniture
You could also change out the furniture entirely. For the most part, using regular household pieces in an RV is perfectly fine as long as you can get them through the door (and you have a plan for securing them during transit). IKEA is good for this because many pieces are not assembled when you buy them.
The one exception to this rule involves any piece of furniture you plan to buckle into while a motorhome is in transit. In these cases, it is best to use RV-specific furniture.
#18 Update Flooring
Updating your RV flooring can give the space a whole new look. This will require pulling up old flooring, but that tends to be pretty easy to do in an RV. Many people like luxury vinyl planks for their RV floors.
#19 Paint Walls or Cabinets
Lastly, I must mention the option to paint your walls and/or cabinets. This will brighten the space, cover imperfections, and allow you to express yourself in your RV. There are many approaches to this, but we opted to tape everything off, sand down the surfaces we wanted to paint, and then apply a paint-and-primer combination. We used two coats, but there are one coat options.
Wrapping Up Winter RV Projects
These winter RV projects will ensure your rig is ready and in top condition when it’s time to hit the road again, and they help pass the slow winter season while you wait to get back out on the road with your RV again. I know which projects I’m going to tackle. Which ones will you jump on first?
If you would like to reserve a stay with us and enjoy the Williamston, Greenville, Washington and Eastern NC area please give us a call 252-943-1699 or visit our website: Treeside RV Park
To reserve a spot, give us a call 252-943-1699