Choosing a fifth wheel for a family of six to live in full-time is not an easy decision. Especially when 2 of our 4 kids are teenagers with long bodies that don’t fit in small bunks.
Originally, we thought we’d go for a rear bunk model, with 4 bunk beds in the rear of the trailer, living space in the middle, and the master at the front. Then we went and looked at one at an RV dealership and realized there was very minimal storage in the bunk room and living area. And the living area felt tight and cramped.
So we found a rear living fifth wheel with a mid-bunk room and a loft. Online it looked great. We figured Ella and Bennett (our almost full grown humans) would share the bunk room and Griffin and Grady could sleep in the loft.
Anthony and Ella went to look at it and realized the mid bunk room had a very short bunk area and there was no way they’d fit in there.
Now what? We felt like we had to start our search all over again. What kind of 5th wheel would be perfect for our family?
The truth is, there isn’t a perfect option out there. We just had to pick one and figure out how to make it work for us.
So, we decided on the Jayco North Point 377 RLBH. We bought a used 2017 model from the nicest people, complete with a full warranty. We made some style changes to it and Anthony used his handy skills to reconstruct the mid bunk room so Griffin and Ella could sleep in there.
(More on that soon.)
There are so many pros and cons for each option. Basically, for us it came down to figuring out our top priorities and figuring out which model worked best for our family.
Storage
Even though we pared down our possessions in major ways, there are still six of us and we still need storage.
We got rid of so many clothes and shoes and toys. But even then, we still need clothes for both warm weather and cooler weather. Swimsuits and jackets. Flip flops and tennis shoes. Hiking boots and church shoes. It’s a tricky thing to plan for (unless you are a boy who doesn’t think about such things and never cares what shoes you wear…)
And even though much of what is done for homeschooling is now on the computer, we still have books. And paper. And supplies. And although I tried to make it as minimal as possible, it still requires storage space.
Then there is all the kitchen supplies and food storage because 6 people eat a lot and I don’t want to have to run to the store every other day.
So basically, storage is essential. And many RV’s don’t have much storage. The main place I would look when determining this was the kitchen. The Jayco North Point had the best storage options out of all the fifth wheels we looked at.
Living Space
Rear living space is pretty amazing in my mind. It definitely makes the RV feel more wide and open.
Windows on all sides make such a difference.
Additionally, it’s nice to have more than one couch and an eating area that is separate. (Some kitchen options involve setting up the table in front of the couches at meal time. My kids basically eat all day long and this layout wouldn’t have been ideal for us. With the table out, you lose a lot of space. And I love our space. It means we are less likely to touch each other. And by that I mean fight with each other.)
When I walked through the fifth wheel with a rear bunk that we originally considered, I realized how small and poorly lit the living space was. Sure, the kids maybe would have liked that model in terms of the space gained in their bedroom area. But even then, the storage was so limited it wasn’t ideal.
Space for each kid
We wanted each kid to have their own space. Somewhere they could go for a bit of privacy. (Or as much privacy as possible in less than 400 square feet.) If we are going to drag our kids on this crazy adventure we wanted them to have their own space to hide when the decide they hate all of us. (Trust me, there are plenty of opportunities to hate each other living a life like ours.) This doesn’t mean their own room (no RV is that big) but at least their own bed.
Even though many RV’s offer a variety creative sleeping options, we didn’t like the idea of having to transform the couch or some other random spot into a sleeping area come bed time every day. Aside from the master, the North Point has a loft area for 2 kids and a mid-bunk room for 2 kids. And while it’s not perfect, it works great for us.
So what advice would I give someone trying to choose an RV for full-timing? Consider how you live and what meets your family’s needs best. If you have littler or fewer kids than me, there are probably far more options for you. But if like me, you have several adult size humans to fit into a very small space, the Jayco North Point is a truly great option. (See our tour here.)
(Also, Jayco in no way sponsored this post. I wish. That would have saved us a lot of cash.)
And yes I do think that Jayco should give donate several thousand dollars to your ministry for this great story that you shared when they didn’t sponsor you
First off,, your trailer is very clean for 6 people! ‘m glad you are enjoying your Jayco. We’ve had one for 5 years now and are ready for a change. So many live in rvs that you would think they would incorporate more storage. I always say, let a woman do the inside design and we would find lots of spaces that need to do double the work. Enjoy! Safe travels.