Before-and-after photos show how a mom transformed an RV into a dream vacation home for her family
- Rachel and Jake Oldenburger bought an RV in 2019 for $10,000 with the intention of renovating it.
- Rachel renovated the entire RV by herself, changing every inch of the space.
- Before-and-after photos show how Rachel transformed the RV into a modern and comfortable vacation home for her family of four.
- Rachel also started an RV renovation business to help others make the most of their mobile homes.
Rachel Oldenburger's son Shea was born with an aorta missing in his heart.
Shea had to have open-heart surgery four days after he was born, as well as an additional surgery five months later.
The surgeries were successful. "He'll always have limitations, but he's doing amazingly well now," Rachel said of her 4-year-old son.
The experience made Rachel and her husband Jake reevaluate their lifestyle.
Rachel had been teaching full-time until Shea's birth, and after his surgeries, she decided to quit and pursue her passion for custom signage by working from home.
"His whole miracle story really has impacted our lives," Rachel told Insider. "Just go for what you want."
A few years later, after the Oldenburgers had their second son, Rachel was able to renovate her home work space after winning money on an episode of "Flea Market Flip" in 2018.
She really enjoyed the renovation process, so when her husband brought up the idea of buying an RV Rachel could fix up, she was all for it.
In 2019, the Oldenburgers bought a Salem Cruise Lite RV.
The RV cost about $10,000, which is a lot cheaper than the cost of a stationary vacation home.
Rachel started to work on the RV in earnest in April 2020.
"Since I had the whole skill set from running my own business, I just did it all by myself," Rachel told Insider.
The renovation started with the demolition process.
The RV is mostly made of one large room, which features the master bedroom, living room, and kitchen.
The space was full of dark furnishings before the renovation, which made the RV seem even smaller than it is.
Rachel wanted the RV to have an inviting feel. "Modern farmhouse would be the design style," she said.
One of the biggest changes Rachel made was the flooring.
Before the renovation, the RV featured a dark tile.
Now, a light wood covers the entire mobile home, giving it a modern look.
Rachel said that the flooring was the hardest aspect of the renovation.
"We chose really long, plank flooring, which looks great because it makes a little trailer look a lot longer," she said, adding that their choice in flooring also made for a time-consuming project because of how many little notches they had to cut out.
Green cabinetry and white walls brightened the kitchen.
Before the cabinets could be painted, they had to be sanded.
"Sanding is a huge thing in RVs," Rachel told Insider. "Everyone paints their cabinets, but you have to follow the right process to do it correctly."
The kitchen features an oven, a stove, and a refrigerator.
Butcher countertops and a farmhouse sink make a statement in the space.
Rachel said it still surprises her how much she can get done in the kitchen despite its small size.
Being able to cook in the RV allows her family to save money as they travel.
The patterned wall behind the bed is one of the RV's standout features.
The green matches the kitchen cabinets.
Storage sits underneath the bed, allowing the Oldenburgers to bring more things with them as they travel.
The RV also features a bunk bed for Rachel's sons.
Rachel updated the bunk bed to turn it into a play area for Shea.
It features glow-in-the-dark stars and curtains that allow him to play make-believe.
Rachel said her kids love the RV. They play in it together even when it's just parked in their driveway.
The bathroom sits next to the stacked beds.
Rachel wanted the home to have shiplap on the walls, but she was worried about using actual wooden boards because of how heavy they are.
"When you're towing it, if you go over a certain weight capacity, it's obviously harder," she said of RVs.
She instead used a shiplap wallpaper throughout the RV, getting the effect she wanted without adding to the weight.
The bathroom sink is Rachel's favorite part of the RV.
"I just love that whole little corner," Rachel said. "I feel like every design is just all consolidated in that little, little corner."
"It's nicer than my actual house bathroom for sure," Rachel joked.
Rachel told Insider that the renovation cost about $6,000.
Building everything they needed inside cost around $4,000, and the Oldenburgers spent an additional $2,000 on furnishings and decor.
The family still has a few small details to add, but the project is mostly complete.
They've already been doing small trips in the RV, and they love it.
Rachel actually turned her RV experience into a business.
RV Family Renovators offers virtual design consulting, room renovations, and entire RV renovations.
She would also be interested in renovating another RV for her family.
"We're already talking about, maybe in a couple of years, upgrading to a bigger trailer and doing it again," she said.
Rachel said people who are new to renovating an RV should "start small."
"Paint is awesome," she gave as an example of a quick upgrade people can do.
She also said to bring in a professional if you have absolutely no design experience, as it can help ensure you don't waste money on unnecessary projects.
You can follow Rachel on Instagram here and learn more about RV Family Renovators here.
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