By Cheri Sicard
Carrie did not replace her Sprinter van. She added a cheap toy hauler trailer and solved the problems the van could not. In the video at the end of this post from Cheap RV Living, she shares her story.
After years on the road in her van, Carrie wanted less driving, more room to work, and a real shower. That led her to a used toy hauler that gave her extra space without giving up the van setup she already liked.
When Carrie first shared her van life setup, she was living on the road full-time. Now she travels about four to six months a year, and her daily life looks different. She is driving less, moving more, and making room for exercise and full-time remote work.
That shift pushed her toward a 2012 Sportsmen Classic toy hauler by KZ, nicknamed “Sporty Spice.” The trailer is about 17 feet long, with a 14-foot box. Because it is a toy hauler, it starts lighter than many standard trailers, which matters when a Sprinter is doing the towing.
Inside, the big win is open space. The van is still her bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and home for a 12-volt fridge. The trailer gives her a living room, office, workout area, and a place to host friends. The opposing benches can seat around eight people, even though she admits they are not comfortable.
The shower and setup changed daily life
The biggest upgrade was a shower. For someone who spent six years in a van, that changed a lot. The trailer has a standard RV bathroom with a conventional toilet and shower. Still, Carrie prefers the composting toilet in her van because the RV toilet pulls in extra water with each flush. That matters when fresh water is limited.
Her favorite upgrade is the Geyser shower system. It holds about 0.8 gallons, uses a 12-volt pump, and can heat water. She said she can wash her hair, face, and whole body with that amount. A normal RV shower would use at least 3 gallons, then fill the gray tank faster.
The trailer has a 5-gallon black tank, a 10-gallon gray tank, and an added 15-gallon fresh tank mounted behind the axle. Carrie moved water weight back there because the trailer was front-heavy, and she wants the tongue weight close to 10 percent for stable towing.
Power, cooling, and a better workday
Carrie also built the trailer around work. She removed the propane fridge to save weight and free up room. The microwave and propane stove are still there, though the stove is mostly backup for cloudy days.
A 13-year-old window A/C cools the trailer well and pulls about 750 watts at max. For power, she installed a 100Ah lithium battery on the tongue for lights, the fan, and a bit of furnace use. But she relies more on portable systems because the trailer wiring is, in her words, spaghetti.
Her fold-down desk may be the smartest part of the build. It clears the mounted 34-inch monitor, covers the old fridge vent openings, and gives her a proper place to work. The couches also fold into a king bed, though she mainly keeps them as seating and guest space.
Final thoughts
For $5,000, Carrie got what the van could not give her on its own: room to spread out, a better work setup, and a shower that uses very little water.
The trailer is not perfect. It bounces, cushions move, and gear still needs better tie-downs. Even so, this setup shows how a small, older toy hauler can add a lot to a full-timer’s quality of life, without starting over from scratch.
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