The wide variety of RV floor plans that are available for nearly every type of rig these days can make choosing the best one for your RV lifestyle daunting. Knowing what will suit you before you have the opportunity to live in it is challenging, on a good day. Making the right choice from among the vast array of RV floorplans is super important when you’re about to spend what it takes to buy a recreational vehicle.
In this post, we give you 10 key points to consider when deciding on your next RV floor plan.
How to Choose the Best RV Floor Plan for Your RV Lifestyle
Whether you’re a full-time RVer, a snowbird, a weekend warrior, or anything in between, your choice of floor plan can impact your family’s overall comfort level… and, ultimately, your enjoyment on the road. To make the best decision with your RV lifestyle in mind, begin by considering your unique needs and preferences, including the following 10 factors.
Travel Style
Your travel style and purpose are key factors in choosing the ideal floor plan for a motorhome, fifth wheel, or travel trailer. For example, if you’re a solo traveler or a couple with a small pet heading out for summer weekend camping trips, you may find a smaller RV with a compact floor plan sufficient. On the other hand, if you have a larger family, plan to travel with guests, or live in your RV full-time, then you may be happier with a spacious floor plan with separate sleeping and living areas. And if you intend to travel with recreational gear like an ATV, jet ski, motorcycle, etc., you’ll likely want to consider a toy hauler.
This RV floor plan – a Grand Design Momentum M-Class fifth-wheel toy hauler – shows the large garage that allows you to carry “toys” like ATVs, motorcycles, personal watercraft, and more. (Photo source: Grand Design)
When people ask for our thoughts on RV size and floorplan, we always suggest buying the smallest RV you think you can be comfortable in. Bigger isn’t always better, because larger rigs are more expensive to both buy and maintain, are more challenging to maneuver, and may not fit in smaller campgrounds or campsites. For some travelers, large Class A motorhomes or 5th wheels are the perfect fit (case in point, see our post on diesel pusher motorhomes). But if you can be happy traveling in a smaller rig, there are many advantages to doing so.
Sleeping Arrangements
Consider how many people will be sleeping in the RV and what type of beds or sleeping areas you need. As you’re thinking about this, consider whether you might be traveling with grandchildren, other family members, or friends in the future.
Some RVs come with a master bedroom, bunk beds, convertible sofas, or convertible dinettes. If you have children, grandchildren, or frequent guests, planning your designated sleeping areas as you’re choosing an RV floor plan can be very helpful. How much space and privacy does each person require to be comfortable? The grandkids may be OK with sharing sleeping space with friends or relatives of any age or gender. But Grandma? Maybe not so much. 😆
If you travel full-time or frequently, it’s especially important to consider your own sleeping comfort and privacy. For example, you may want to look at floor plans that include things like a king-size bed or a bunkhouse model.
Kitchen & Dining Area
When you’re thinking about what’s important to a floor plan for your RV, consider the layout and size of the kitchen as well as the dining area. If you enjoy cooking, look for a floor plan with a well-equipped kitchen and sufficient counter space. Also, consider the dining area, how you’ll use it, and how many people can sit comfortably.
Consider the amount of space you’ll have in the kitchen for meal prep. Our new 19′ travel trailer has a whopping TEN FEET of it!
In smaller RVs, dinettes or dining tables often pull double duty. Will you need to work at the dining table? Do you have kids who’ll need to do schoolwork or arts & crafts? Consider all the ways you’ll need to use the dining area beyond meal times and social gatherings.
If space in your RV becomes an issue for working, remember that there are ways to enhance your ability to work on a sofa, outside, or even on a bed. For example, a lap desk can offer a space to write or work on a laptop computer or tablet.
- Spacious Design: Measuring 21.1" wide and 12" deep, our lap desk comfortably fits most laptops up to 15.6". Extra room for accessories ensures...
- Enhanced Functionality: Packed with handy features, including a 5x9" precision tracking mouse pad and a built-in phone slot for seamless work or video...
- Fits Laptops up to 15.6”: Solid 17.3" x 13.3" surface gives you a stable workspace for laptops, tablets, or notebooks anywhere.
- Ultra-Portable Design: Weighs just 2.01 lbs with a built-in carry handle—perfect for travel, remote work, or small spaces.
Bathroom Facilities
Depending on the size of your RV, an RV bathroom can range from a compact RV wet bath to more than one spacious bathroom. Full-time RVers often prefer larger bathrooms or more than one. Occasional travelers may be content with more compact options. When choosing the best RV floor plan for your family, consider your preferences and needs for bathroom space and privacy.
Storage Space
The amount of storage space on the interior and exterior of an RV is often overlooked when choosing an RV floor plan. But take it from us (with 20+ years of living full-time on the road): RV living requires good organizational skills. Having sufficient storage space for your style and duration of travel can make life on the road so much easier to manage.
Regardless of the size of the RV you’re buying, focus on floor plans with as many spacious cabinets, closets, and exterior storage compartments as possible to accommodate your gear. For some good organizational ideas, see our post on RV storage ideas.
Living in an RV calls for some heavy-duty organizational skills so that when you need something, you’ll know right where to find it.
If you want to know how we were able to find things on board when we had our big rig, check out this video:
Slide-Outs — Do You Want Them? If So, How Many?
This one may be a bigger deal than you think. You probably know that slide-outs are extensions that expand the interior living space of your RV when it’s parked. They can really increase the feeling of roominess inside a rig, but as we note in our post on RV slide-outs, they have their share of pros & cons. So, when deciding whether to purchase an RV with slide-outs, keep a couple of important points in mind.
First, slide-outs add to the weight of an RV, and they also add to your maintenance concerns.
Maybe even more important, if you do decide you’d like an RV with slide-outs, be sure the rig’s layout works for you, with slides IN as well as OUT. There are many floor plans with poor layouts in this regard, making it difficult (or even impossible!) to get around inside the RV when the slides are retracted/in. This is something you want to know before you buy. Avoid getting an RV you’ve only been in with the slides extended.
Always ask to tour it with all slides retracted so you’ll have a good grasp of the space that’ll be available whenever you can’t extend your slides. This can be very important if, for example, you’re overnighting in a Walmart parking lot or at a rest stop, since you should avoid putting your slides out in those situations whenever possible (see our post Can You Camp In Walmart Parking Lots? for more information).
When spending the night in a Walmart parking lot or a rest stop, you’ll need to be comfortable WITHOUT your slides extended.
Interior Layout
We suggest that the top three most important considerations when RV shopping are floorplan, floorplan, floorplan! After you figure out the size range you’re interested in, there is absolutely nothing more critical than the floor plan. The interior layout of your RV impacts flow and functionality. Look carefully at the layout and consider how well the various areas are set up to determine whether it suits your needs.
For example, some travelers prefer distinct rooms with private spaces (like having a side-aisle layout that separates the sleeping and living areas from each other), while others prefer an open layout that connects the kitchen, dining, and living areas.
Size and Maneuverability
The size of an RV and its maneuverability are crucial factors to balance when you’re considering any rig. Large RVs such as Class A motorhomes and big 5th wheels offer much more living space. However, they can also be challenging to maneuver, especially in tight campgrounds or on narrow roads and city streets (check out our posts on backing up a motorhome and how to back up a trailer).
Maneuvering narrow roads or city streets, or backing into a tight campsite can be challenging in a larger RV.
Smaller RVs are easier to drive and park, but they also have less interior space. It’s an important balance to consider when choosing an RV that aligns with your travel plans and your comfort level while driving and parking.
This is yet another reason we always advise people to choose the smallest RV they think they can be comfortable in. Not only do you need to be comfortable living in your home-on-wheels, but you also need to be comfortable driving it down the highway, maneuvering it in tight spaces, and backing and parking it.
With large RVs, you need to be especially good at things like how to adjust RV mirrors and how to drive an RV with off-tracking and rear overhang. With smaller RVs, the learning curve is considerably less, as is the need for space when maneuvering and parking.
Weather Considerations
Many people, especially those new to RVing, might not consider this when looking at potential RVs. Consider the type of weather you plan to travel in and what will be important in all kinds of weather in those areas.
For example, if you plan to travel in extreme weather conditions (very hot or very cold or both), consider the rig’s insulation rating and its heating and cooling capabilities. Some RV floorplans, with features like double-pane windows, insulation upgrades, and very efficient climate control systems, are better suited to four-season camping.
Budget
And as always, budget is a key factor when selecting an RV floor plan, so you’ll need to consider both build and price. Larger, more luxurious rigs come with a higher price tag and are generally more expensive to operate and maintain. Determine how much you can comfortably spend on your RV, balancing your desires and preferences with your financial comfort level.
In general, your travel style and your personal needs and preferences should guide your choice of RV floor plans. It’s always best to work this out in advance and carefully consider factors such as those laid out above when seeking the perfect RV floor plan for your home on the road.
A ways back we made the following video to share how well (and why) our former RV’s floorplan worked for our needs, even when we had guests on board. Stay tuned to the end of the video for some special surprise guest stars!
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Jay
Monday 27th of October 2025
We have only had motorhomes, 4 of them. The one with the most functional floor plan is not our current one but the prior one, a 43' Travel Supreme. RVs are not just for driving and living, but for maintaining. The CEO of our current coach's manufacturer is quoted as saying, "We build them to sell them, not to fix them." In our Travel Supreme, there was a cedar closet that ran the full width of the rear of the vehicle. Inside it was hinged flooring that gave full and easy access to the top of the engine. Access to this area in their current coaches requires ripping out the tiled flooring - really! In addition, the inclusion of king size beds translates into less space for the kitchen and dinette. Don't forget to ask how to get access to the back of that residential fridge when it's time to service it.
Anthony
Monday 27th of October 2025
Another consideration when choosing the type of Motorhome you want is your licensing requirements for operating a particular class of motorhome, (particularly large and / or heavy vehicles) in the state or province, where your vehicle is to be registered For example, in the past we operated a large, heavy, diesel pusher licensed in Ontario, Canada. At the time we were required to hold a licence the same as intercity “semi” truck/trailers. This required us to get training and to take a written test to qualify. Maintaining this licence also required us to provide an annual medical checkup.
In addition, because our motorhome used air brakes, an air brake endorsement was required ( also requiring training and testing) and we had to be retested whenever our drivers licence was renewed
This year Ontario has changed licensing requirements for operating motorhomes so the above requirements may have changed, but the point is this has to be considered when selecting your motorhome.
Even if your state or province has not had a requirement for special drivers licences in the past It is worth checking for requirements before you purchase.
In our case, our home province license requirements had a significant part to play in our later decision to downsize our motorhome.
I have occasionally heard RVers stating that Police rarely check the class of licence you hold if they pull you over for some reason, so the risk of not having the proper licence is low.
This may or may not be factual but if you are involved in an accident your insurance provider may not fulfill any claims made as a result of the accident, because you are not properly licensed.
Connie
Monday 28th of October 2024
Always love your comments and your insight. We are retired and weekend warriors. We usually do 15 to 17 trips a year those trips Range from four days to two weeks. Right now we have an alpine fifth wheel that we totally love. We bought a brand new. We’re looking at upgrading to something a little bit different. Something with either a mid bunk or a bunk room but still want to remain in the small fifth wheel class small meaning 36 feet or less, if you had any recommendations or any of your readers have any recommendations we thank you so very much and I hope you everybody is doing well
Neal Davis
Tuesday 31st of October 2023
These daily installments are extremely well done, giving the reader an easily understood review of a common question or problem along with a systematic presentation of information pertinent to the reader making an informed decision. The order of presentation does not imply order of importance; the reader should choose that. I do think that manufacturer is the paramount consideration. An RV that hits all 10 points for a buyer but is made by a manufacturer with a poor reputation for quality is a high-risk purchase. I settled on Newmar because I think that they produce the best non-bus conversions available. Once that was settled, then we honed in on models, floorplans, tank sizes, and other features in light of our travel style and budget. Having said all that, thank you for another excellent presentation of an aspect of RVing!
Betty
Monday 30th of October 2023
This another very good article! I’ve been a full time traveler for 10 years now made more enjoyable by your great posts. So a heartfelt thank you. But before full timing I traveled 6 months a year. Then a concern for me was where to park the Rv the other 6 months.
TheRVgeeks
Thursday 2nd of November 2023
Awww... thanks so much, Betty! Love the idea that going full time could be the result of not having a place to park/store the RV! 😉