RV TOURS
a 2016 Jayco Travel Trailer gets a modern remodel
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you click through and make a purchase those featured in this post may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
about this RV renovation
Type of RV: 2016 Jayco Eagle 338RETS
Renovated by: Thuy and Ray Ellison / Budget: $5,000 / Timeline: 7 Months
Thuy (Twee), her husband Ray, and their goldendoodle, Rainer, recently moved from their first starter home, into their remodeled Jayco travel trailer, so they can have the freedom and finances to travel more often.
She’s a middle school teacher planning to transition to online teaching and he recently got out of the military and is working for a non-profit organization that requires him to travel.
Thuy (Twee), her husband Ray, and their goldendoodle, Rainer, recently moved from their first starter home, into their remodeled Jayco travel trailer, so they can have the freedom and finances to travel more often.
She’s a middle school teacher planning to transition to online teaching and he recently got out of the military and is working for a non-profit organization that requires him to travel.
Before Photos
What led you to tiny living?
Our passion is to travel. In fact, we had a destination wedding in Hawaii and it was travel themed. We bought a home but only used half of the space and were gone most of the time going on trips. Also, Ray’s job requires him to travel quite often. I would get so jealous when he would arrive in an amazing location and longed to be with him enjoying the experience, but instead, I had work obligations that prevented me from joining him. We are young and we spent a lot of time apart due to military deployments during our first years of marriage. We wanted that time together and what a better time than now to do it. TIny living allows us the flexibility and the finances to gives us what we were lacking, so we took a leap!
How long did it take to remodel your Jayco Travel Trailer?
We spent 7 months remodeling. We were only able to work on it during the weekend because of work and school obligations. During this time, Ray traveled a lot for work, so I had to work in alone at times in between school and work.
What project made the most difference?
We absolutely hated our dining table that came with the RV, but it was good quality and well constructed so I decided to make it work for us. I refinished it and changed the base to metal hairpin legs and now it’s not only functional, but our style and beautiful! I love being able to refurbish old furniture and seeing the transformation makes me appreciate the piece so much more!
What led you to tiny living?
Our passion is to travel. In fact, we had a destination wedding in Hawaii and it was travel themed. We bought a home but only used half of the space and were gone most of the time going on trips. Also, Ray’s job requires him to travel quite often. I would get so jealous when he would arrive in an amazing location and longed to be with him enjoying the experience, but instead, I had work obligations that prevented me from joining him. We are young and we spent a lot of time apart due to military deployments during our first years of marriage. We wanted that time together and what a better time than now to do it. TIny living allows us the flexibility and the finances to gives us what we were lacking, so we took a leap!
How long did it take to remodel your Jayco Travel Trailer?
We spent 7 months remodeling. We were only able to work on it during the weekend because of work and school obligations. During this time, Ray traveled a lot for work, so I had to work in alone at times in between school and work.
What project made the most difference?
We absolutely hated our dining table that came with the RV, but it was good quality and well constructed so I decided to make it work for us. I refinished it and changed the base to metal hairpin legs and now it’s not only functional, but our style and beautiful! I love being able to refurbish old furniture and seeing the transformation makes me appreciate the piece so much more!
Where’s your favorite place to shop for décor?
My go to places are Home Goods, World Market, Marshalls, Amazon, and Ikea. Pretty much everything in the RV are from those places.
What project was the most challenging?
Painting and flooring were the most challenging. I say painting was also my most challenging because we messed up and had to scrape and repaint some areas. The flooring was challenging because it’s such a big project and I didn’t have any experience in flooring. This project seemed to last forever. The cuts were difficult at times. I took butcher paper, cut it to the size of one plank, created a template to trace onto the actual plank, then cut and fit. What I thought would be the most challenging was the electrical and plumbing, but those projects went surprisingly smooth.
is there anything in particular you’ve learned about yourself since going tiny?
I didn’t grow up with a whole lot and this whole process has made me realize how emotionally attached I get to things. I think I get scared that if I let it go, that I will never have the means to acquire it again. I also associate things with people who gave them to me and it’s hard for me to let them go even if I have no use for them. I learned to prioritize, but this is also who I am and I love this quality about me, so I also learned how to make it work for me.
what paint colors did you use?
Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace and Winters Gate.
Where’s your favorite place to shop for décor?
My go to places are Home Goods, World Market, Marshalls, Amazon, and Ikea. Pretty much everything in the RV are from those places.
What project was the most challenging?
Painting and flooring were the most challenging. I say painting was also my most challenging because we messed up and had to scrape and repaint some areas. The flooring was challenging because it’s such a big project and I didn’t have any experience in flooring. This project seemed to last forever. The cuts were difficult at times. I took butcher paper, cut it to the size of one plank, created a template to trace onto the actual plank, then cut and fit. What I thought would be the most challenging was the electrical and plumbing, but those projects went surprisingly smooth.
is there anything in particular you’ve learned about yourself since going tiny?
I didn’t grow up with a whole lot and this whole process has made me realize how emotionally attached I get to things. I think I get scared that if I let it go, that I will never have the means to acquire it again. I also associate things with people who gave them to me and it’s hard for me to let them go even if I have no use for them. I learned to prioritize, but this is also who I am and I love this quality about me, so I also learned how to make it work for me.
what paint colors did you use?
Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace and Winters Gate.
What piece of advice would you give someone about to begin an rv renovation?
I have learned that the best way to go about when researching, is to make a list of topics or tasks in the order that you will use them, focus on one topic or task at a time, and execute a plan of action after the completion of research. When we first started, I was researching absolutely everything that had to do with RVing. Over time, all the information started to overwhelm me and when it came time to apply that knowledge, I couldn’t recall. I used a lot of blogs/youtube videos to help guide me during the renovation process. Two that I would recommend are Mountain Modern Life and This Little Adventure. They had amazingly detailed tutorials for flooring, painting, lighting, and the building of various furniture pieces within their own RVs.
What piece of advice would you give someone about to begin an rv renovation?
I have learned that the best way to go about when researching, is to make a list of topics or tasks in the order that you will use them, focus on one topic or task at a time, and execute a plan of action after the completion of research. When we first started, I was researching absolutely everything that had to do with RVing. Over time, all the information started to overwhelm me and when it came time to apply that knowledge, I couldn’t recall. I used a lot of blogs/youtube videos to help guide me during the renovation process. Two that I would recommend are Mountain Modern Life and This Little Adventure. They had amazingly detailed tutorials for flooring, painting, lighting, and the building of various furniture pieces within their own RVs.
