This post was written by Janine Pettit, Editor-in-Chief of Girl Camper Magazine.
The camping season is coming to a close in the northeast but not for my Outdoorsy rental unit, Laissez-Faire! I purchased a 2021 Keystone Hideout in the spring to outfit as a rental unit on Outdoorsy. I parked it on a seasonal site at beautiful Normandy Farms in Foxborough, Massachusetts for the ultimate glamping experience. My idea was that I would invest in a unit and let someone else pick up the tab by putting it up for rent on Outdoorsy.
Once it’s paid off, I will have a few options:
- I can continue renting it and keep the income for extra travel dollars.
- I can sell it and upgrade to a larger model.
- I can buy another one and start building an Outdoorsy fleet to keep increasing my income.
What’s a girl to do? I don’t have to decide that right now because the camping season is far from over down south. I am moving my unit to Texas for the winter season for continued renting as well as for my personal use.
Moving to a warmer climate
Most of us folks up here in the chilly northern half of the country just pack the camper up at this time of year. It’s sad to see the camper covered up in the driveway for 6 months when it could still be used in a warmer climate. I began exploring the idea of not only continuing to rent it but putting it in a place where I could treat it like a seasonal home that I could escape to when the cold winds blow here in New Jersey. I love the Texas Hill Country and there are so many Girl Camper events going on down there that I want to sneak away to. A winter getaway in my Hideout just might be the ticket to surviving northeastern winters.
When I began exploring the idea of a rental unit for income, one of the features I loved about Outdoorsy was the flexibility it offered to owners. I have the option of taking it off the listing calendar when I want to use it myself. I will admit that I did this quite a bit to enjoy Normandy Farms, and I will probably do it again this winter. That’s okay because although it may take a few months longer to pay it off, I am enjoying the use of it. Also, when I am using it myself, I get to experience it as my renters would and it helps me fine-tune my listing so that those who do rent it have a great experience. I got so much help from my Outdoorsy listing agent when I first placed it on the site and now with user feedback, I am making my listing better all the time.
Updating the listing
When I move her to Texas, I am including a few new things that I have and love using in my personal trailer.
Little Red Campfire
I’ve been using the Little Red Campfire for a few years now and I love that I can turn it on for 20 minutes, enjoy the flames and warmth, and then hit the sack. No waiting for a wood fire to go out. I am imagining my guests might arrive after hours when it is too late to buy firewood and will appreciate this option.
Camco refrigerator
I am also including my little Camco refrigerator. I can store this in the outside cabinet of the Hideout which has a plug in it. My guests can keep their extra beverages in there and not have to keep going in and out of the RV. It has a 12V plug so if they take a day trip, they can throw this in their car and carry drinks and lunch with them.
Tote bags
I am also adding some new tote bags for laundry, trips to the shower house, or groceries. It’s something I always forget to pack, so I am supplying them for my people.
List your RV south this winter!
This has been such a great experience, but I am just getting started. If you have ever thought about how you could use your RV to make some extra dollars, I encourage you to make an appointment with an Outdoorsy listing coach. They will answer all your questions, help you create a great listing, and walk you through the process.
You can click here to find out more. In the meantime, check out my listing that the Outdoorsy team helped me put together! And if you’re looking to move your rig to warmer places, you have options, like RV consignment.
Happy renting!
