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We do everything we can to the inside of our RV to make it our home. We travel in comfort and have the luxury of home anywhere we park. While sitting on our couch or table area, there is only one stark difference and that is the front windshield. Although we may be used to large picture windows in our permanent home, we may not always want the view while in our traveling home. It would be easy to draw the drapes in our home if we want privacy or want to keep the sun out, however there are other things to consider when in your RV home. I know of four options available for the RV front windshield and each will do the job it was made for with some exceptions. When deciding on front windshield coverings, there are few things you should consider. Depending on your needs and priorities, you will probably decide on one of the four options below. The things to consider are ease of installation, frequency of use, Security and Privacy, and overall functionality.  The first option is the outside mounted windshield cover. This cover helps protect the inside form UV rays as well as helping to provide privacy. You will feel a sense of privacy from people not being able to look in, however you lose your sense of security by not being able to see out. The drawback to this is, they are hard to install and there may be times when you just need a quick shield for a short length of time. Most people would not want to take out a ladder to install this shield for only a short time.  The second option is the customary window curtains. These are very easy to pull across the front windshield. They help block the sun and they provide privacy. They can enhance the inside look of your RV and be custom made. Although, they provide privacy, they do not provide security because you are not able to see out from the inside and there may be reasons you would want the ability to see out. They are extremely easy to use and once installed, there is nothing more for you to do except dray them open or closed as needed. The type of fabric and/or lining you chose could determine the amount of sun that is let into your RV.  The third option is the roll up type sun shields. These are somewhat easy to install, however they could become cumbersome. They are extremely good for keeping out the UV rays and for privacy of people looking in, however you would have no visibility looking out. If they are not custom fit, you might also have a problem with them staying in place. The fourth option, which is my personal favorite, is the RV Quick Shade. This shade has it all. It is a quick and easy inside installation so it can be installed at anytime and very fast and easy. No ladders or tools required. Installs with special suction cup installation. This shield protects the interior of your RV, and helps in reducing the inside temperature. The unique material of this shield will withstand the sun's rays for years and it carries a 10 year warranty. Many people like the inside curtains to match their RV, this shield comes in a variety of colors that will compliment any RV from the inside or the outside. One of the biggest features is the way it provides privacy while still allowing you to see out. Everyone has different needs and priorities, Thank you for taking the time to read my article, I hope this helps you to prioritize and gives you options to think about.
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 We are in a very unusual time with the Covid-19 pandemic. Our way of thinking and re-acting seemed to change overnight. It almost felt like we had no warnings that our lives were going to be changed. We have seen death and suffering. We have seen the desperation in everyday things. We can no longer take for granted the simple things such as buying toilet paper. With all the uncertainty, we might be wondering what we can do to help.  First and foremost, of course, we need to help family and friends. After, our family and friends are safe. We can help our community and economy as a whole. The easiest and most effective way is to buy local. With the changes in social distancing and stay-at-home orders, we have become accustomed to shopping online. For some of us, this is something totally new. A new way of thinking so now there are a few things to think about. It is easy to shop local when we can travel and have the liberty to drive around; the challenge is a little bit more when we are shopping from our home We all know the big box retailers and re-sellers, and they are very easy to buy from. However, there are also a few re-sellers that cater to local and small businesses such as Etsy and eBay. Buying from these two sites is a great way to help support small businesses in the US. Many local and US small businesses are turning to these sites because they cannot compete with the big business on other sites. We saw this same trend with big-box retailers moving into neighborhoods and causing the smaller stores to go out-of-business.
 Buying locally and from American based companies will help in many ways. This could help our economy as well as our community. There is much discussion on “opening” our states to boost the economy. Our communities are hurting due to many businesses being shut down and many people out of work. If we each do our little part by buying locally, we can contribute in a positive way to both issues. If we are not able to actually go to the local store down the street, we can still help our country by buying from sites that promote local business. Not only will this help our immediate communities, but it will also help our nation as a whole. We are all in this together so let’s stay together and help each other in the little ways we can.
It started with a thought. I never knew how easy it would be changing the whole look of my RV. My wike and I have enjoyed countless trips in our motor home. Unfortunately, over time, the wear and tear on all of the seats had become very noticeable. Not only where my front captain’s chairs were worn, my dinette and sofa had also seen better days. As with any home, there comes a time when you need to make the decision about upgrades to existing furniture verses replacements. I had to take several things into account including cost and comfort.
The front captain’s chairs were probably the most worn with the seat cushions, armrests and backrests all worn with cracks and tears. Of course, I wanted everything to match and therefore, this could be a huge job.
To my surprise, everything went very smoothly. What started off as a daunting project, proved to be extremely easy and timely. I contacted Active RV Upholstery and requested an estimate to have all pieces re-upholstered on 1/7/20. I chose the fabric and colors I wanted and received the estimate back the very same day. I decided to go with a Chestnut color with Buckskin inserts. I imagined my choice was going to change the whole look of my RV since my original color was vanilla. I was very excited about my decisions and approved the estimate, received the invoice, and put down my 50% deposit on 1/9/20.
I explained to Daniel at Active Upholstery, that I had a deadline and although my deadline seemed to be a bit aggressive, the project was completed on 1/21/20. From my first contact with them to finish was a total of 14 days. It is amazing that I have new upholstered captain chairs, dinette, and loveseat in such a short amount of time and better yet, they look amazing. The color scheme with the offset color inserts brings a certain type of luster to the overall décor. I couldn’t be happier and I would refer anyone to them!
If any of you RVers out there are interested in upgrading to a new RV, I would suggest saving your money and do complete makeover instead. They made it so easy for us. Here is the link to where we started the process.
Best Regards, Mr. & Mrs. Hurd https://www.activervupholstery.com/request-a-custom-quote-on-rv-reupholstery.html  Your furniture can be an extension of your personality and sometimes it is time to change. With many reasons to change, there are also many things to consider. Is your furniture outdated, worn out, no longer needed, or are you just tired of it? Do you love the style, but hate the color? Is it perfect, but just not comfortable anymore? Maybe you have considered getting rid of your old furniture but there is a special attachment you have or you just can’t afford to buy new furniture. Think about the pros and cons of throwing out your old furniture vs. re-upholstering.  Landfills and incinerators are probably where your old furniture will end up if you decide to throw it out. In either case, you would need to consider the size and how you are going to transport it. Please also consider the negative effects this could have on our environment. Our landfills are already very full and the size of a piece of furniture could drastically make an impact. Although there are some companies that will pick up and compact furniture, there is still a negative and real impact on the environment. It is a known fact that greenhouse gas emissions contribute to global climate change. Each piece of furniture may have different types of raw materials that will contribute to our overall problem in different ways. Regardless if you use a landfill or incinerator, the effects are real. Some concerns include Toxic gases being emitted over a period of time which will greatly affect our future generations as well as vermin and diseases that can multiply within a landfill. So what is the alternative?  Re-Upholstery is a great alternative to throwing out your old furniture. There are many benefits, the greatest being how re-upholstering can help our environment. With all the negative reasons to avoid throwing your furniture in a landfill or incinerator, there are positive effects to re-upholster. You can bring new life to an old piece of furniture by simply changing the fabric and color or add renewed comfort by replacing the foam. Either way, you would be helping your pocketbook as well as the environment. While the average life of a piece of furniture maybe 7-15 years, you can greatly extend that life by these simple replacements. If you think about the average decomposing time for a painted board is 13 years, it makes sense to extend the life of your furniture while also extending the life quality of future generations.  Express yourself with newly upholstered furniture and help the environment and our future generations at the same time.
No pet Left Behind!Your pets are with you for life, we can't imagine a world without them.. why not take them with you!  Our pets are part of our family and sometimes leaving them behind when you go on a trip is just not an option. There are many things to consider when traveling with your pets. Regardless if they are big, small, furry or have feathers, traveling can be stressful for your family pets. Before starting any trip we all plan for our needs, but what about the needs of your family pet? We must consider all options and possibilities since they can’t speak for themselves. Consider the space they will be traveling in, their time needs, and the atmosphere they may not be accustomed to. Space could be a big issue depending on the size and needs of your pet. Suddenly you are in a more confined space which may have several people sharing that space. Your pet may be overwhelmed by the constant movement of people. Just think, at home chances are each family member could be in a different room at any given time and now you are all together in what is basically one room.  A larger animal may not feel like he/she has enough room and may tend to jump on or over furniture that they would not otherwise do. A smaller animal may feel like they are being trampled and feel the need to hide, and our feathered pets may fly into walls, etc. if they are allowed to fly out of their cages. For all these reasons, it is a good idea to plan a place for your pet where they can feel safe and that they know is their place. You might consider a blanket under a table for a larger pet or a dash cover on your dash for a smaller pet (although you should remember this is not a safe place while moving), and maybe a time for your feathered friend to fly when there is not a lot of commotion.  Keep in mind that your pet cannot tell you their needs and they may be off their normal schedule so it is a good idea to establish a schedule for them to go outside and for potty breaks. As we all know, our pets are very smart and it won’t take long at all for them to adapt to the new schedule. It is best to try to keep the schedule as close to what they are used to as possible. Take some time to think about your pet in all your excitement. Remember the size of your RV may be much smaller than what they are used to and therefore, the noise may be much louder. What may be excited for you, could be scary for your pet. Your traveling home may also be subject to more outside noises that may be stressful for your pet. You will need to plan ahead for any weather change and/or elevation change that your pet may not be used to. Safety comes first. Remember to NEVER leave your pet unattended in your RV. Keep your pet in a carrier or on a leash when you are outdoors with them. Be sure you have updated information on their ID tag and if possible, include information on where you are traveling to. Anything can happen and you want to be sure your pet is always taken care of so be sure to take any medical records that a veterinarian may need in case of emergency.  Thank you for reading I really hoped you enjoyed the article!
If you need to update your upholstery or add a dash cover to help make your living space a bit more comfortable, contact Active RV Upholstery for options available.
Without Wasting 10's of 1000's of Dollars buying a newer RV Before you spend tens of thousands of dollars upgrading to a new motor home why not think about upgrading what you already have. Regardless if your RV is your home or your home away from home, It is your unique residence. There are many reasons to buy a new RV and there are just as many reasons to upgrade your existing home. Regardless if you think of your RV as a permanent home or a vacation home, there are ways to customize it to make it uniquely you. Think about it... When you purchase a new home, you go through a process of picking out everything from the flooring, to the style of cabinets you want. Even after you have moved in, you continue the process by designing each room to your specific likes and taste. When you first look at your new RV, you fall in love with it. It is absolutely beautiful. There is nothing you would change in it. And rightly so, almost every RV is set up with beauty and functionality built for a traveler and usually, we accept this and don't do a thing to make it our own with our own style and design. Just as you would pick the color of your walls or cabinets or the type of flooring in a new home, why wouldn't you do the same for your RV; after all, this is your home. If you didn't care to have your own home while you are traveling, wouldn't you have just settled for staying in hotels or a B & B? There are many things you can do to give your RV that homey feeling. Here are 10 things you can easily do even on a budget, from the very simple changes to more extravagant changes.
1) The most expensive change might be in the furniture. If your furniture is worn and you just want to replace it, or if it is outdated and it needs a make-over, or if you just want to add your own style and colors, there are many options. You can purchase completely new chairs, tables, and sofas, which may be the most expensive option. You can also have your pieces re-upholstered with your own choice of fabric and colors. There are upholstery shops that are very experienced in helping with your RV furniture such as Active RV Upholstery Center.
2) If your captain’s chair has an ugly worn and/or damaged look, you could consider covering them with sheepskin covers. These would be an alternative and less costly solution to cover the chair bottoms and armrests without having to replace the entire chair.
3) Consider sitting for a nice family dinner and your dinette cushions are very uncomfortable. Your back hurts after sitting for just a short time. You can replace the dinette RV foam with high-quality grade RV foam. It will make a world of difference and you will thank yourself after. This is an affordable way to create a comfortable eating environment. These should also be available through an upholstery shop.
4) Make your bedroom, yours... Create the feel you want by choosing a bedspread or comforter that expresses your style. You can always change the curtains to match. Use organizers for your closet and drawer space to make the best of the smaller spaces available. Keep your bedroom, your bedroom and try not to use it for miscellaneous storage space. This is your personal space...keep it that way.
5) You are not stuck with the floors you have. If you have wood floors and prefer carpet, why not change it...if you have carpet and prefer tile, go for it. You can add your own throw rug that adds some of your own dimension and style. This can be a do-it-yourself project with supplies from places like Home Depot or Lowes. 6) You also do not have to feel stuck with the walls. You can always paint them to bring more color. You should consider hanging personal photos on the walls or other framed pictures. These can be added in the living space, in the restroom or in the hallway. Personal photos will always create a sense of family and unity. This is another do-it-yourself project and can make your interior feel and look totally different at a very low cost.
7) It’s all about making your family comfortable….so what about your family pet. Many pets like to sit on the front dash while traveling. Why not cover your dash with a custom dash cover. The cover will help with glare and heat and will keep your family pet comfortable.
8) Change the lighting to create the moods you want to feel. You can change or add lighting to any area. If you don't already have one, you could even add a skylight to allow more natural lighting. These are fairly inexpensive from $70 and up and you can find videos on YouTube for easy installation.
9) Since you will be driving your home, you should consider a steering wheel cover. Long hours on the road and after your RV has been sitting in a hot spot can make your steering wheel very hot to the touch. A simple cover can make a world of difference.
10) RV windshield curtains are sometimes an eyesore. They end up getting those nasty un-cleanable stains and you don’t even know where they came from. You can’t wash them and it is impossible to replace them because of the custom sizes and ship of each window. You just have to live with them right…nope guess again, Active RV Upholstery Center can make RV curtains the same size and shape as yours because they use your old curtains as a pattern. You can pick the fabric and color. Just send your old curtain in from anywhere and they will be made and sent back to you. Many of these customizing projects can be do-it-yourself jobs, however, for those projects that you may need just a little bit more help, you can visit Active RV Upholstery Center's website by clicking the button below. Have fun customizing and enjoying your new home environment.
What exactly is an RV bra? RV bras are designed to cover and protect the front section of the motorhome and are customized specifically for your RV’s make, model, and year. They are not permanently attached to the front, although they will have to be fixed in place with provided twist locks. They cover the front to protect it from bugs damaging the paint, but many purchase our RV bras to cover damage caused by the 3M diamond shield clear RV bra material. RV Bras can cover up cracks if your motorhome already has them. Our RV bra come in many colors - all choices provide the same protection from UV rays. What about fit to my motorhome's front section? For example Active Rv Upholstery Center make their own patterns and do it by working directly on the frnt section of a motorhome. Thier design philosophy is to fit the bra geometry for protection coverage, install properly and to give a rich look. The design is part science and part art. They take into account for all the headlights, sensors, fog lights, windshield wipers, cameras, grill openings etc. They do not design patterns to cut corners on material or labor. They strive to make the best looking, best fitting RV bra for each motorhome. The bra fastens to your motorhome using twist fasteners across the top and along the sides. The bottom edge is secured with hooks. After the first application, the hooks never have to be reshaped What type of material do they use? Every RV mask is cut and sewn. The nautolex coated fabric with a soft felt backing has been engineered for the most demanding outdoor environments. nautolex UV-resistant fabric is formulated with special pigments When will the RV Bra Ship and How long will it take to get to me? They make all the RV bras to the order in their shop so nothing is in stock at the time you order. With hundreds of patterns, each with options, and 12 choices for colors, making to the order is the only practical way to work. It typically takes 10-15 business days to make and ship an order. Then you have the transit time for delivery on top of our manufacturing time. The estimated transit time info comes from that shipper and is not a guarantee. They do not consolidate orders over a week or two for manufacturing planning nor do they have them made in another country like some other companies! What if my Motorhome already has existing snap/twist locks installed on them? They are still able to make the bra for you and match the eyelets to your existing fasteners in 1 of 3 ways. After the order is placed they will verify by viewing your photos if the existing Rv bra was in fact made from their pattern, if it was, the fasteners will match up nicely, if not and you have the existing old bra, they would ask if you can ship it to them and they will be able to match the location of your fasteners with your old bra. If the old bra does not match our pattern and you no longer have the old bra, then they would send you a schematic of the front of your coach and request measurements on where those fasteners are located. Check Out Other RV Products Made by: Active RV Upholstery Center RV Dash Covers - RV Sheepskin Seat Covers - RV Steering Wheel Covers- RV Furniture - RV Curtains/Drapes RV Dinette Cushions/Foam & More
You're Ready to Hit the Road. All the comforts of home are nicely packed in your RV, your home-away-from-home. You have considered everything from your food to your bedding. You may have even made sure you have everything you need for your family pet. Have you considered your comfort while driving? For some reason, this is one comfort that is often forgotten. Think about it, you will be sitting in the same seat for hours, so shouldn't this be as comfortable as possible? Why not consider sheepskin seat covers! Below are 6 Benefits to Sheepskin Captain Chair Seat Covers 1) Most RV captain chairs are leather yes, the leather chairs are beautiful, however, on a long ride, your legs tend to stick to them, especially if it is warm outside. For this reason, you may decide you need to wear long pants rather than comfortable shorts. The soft, plush feel of sheepskin VS the hot sticky feel of leather... need I say more? 2) It is said that sheepskin activates blood circulation and the immune syatem which contributes to a more relaxed body for the long ride. 3) Sheepskin is hypo-allergenic and contains lanolin and therefore, it is very gentle against your skin and believed to help soothe and reduce rashes on sensitive skin. 4) You will not get that sting of electrical static charge when you get in and out of your RV seat since sheepskin is resistant to flame and static electricity. 5) Sheepskin will help you stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter. 6) Sheepskin helps deter dirt and bacteria.
It only makes sense that you should want to be comfortable with motorhome sheepskin seat covers while you are driving. Active RV Upholstery offers custom made sheepskin seat covers for any RV. All you need to do is complete the measurement form and send a couple of photos and your custom seat covers will be made especaily for you.
How to Sell Used RV's To Millennials Fast and Easy! If you are looking for a new approach to selling your used RVs, we have a new technique for you won't cost you a cent. A no-cost no-obligation partnership with Active RV Upholstery just might be the solution you have been waiting for. Imagine trying to sell a used RV that you clearly know has some issues. How do you address those issues without leaving a negative impression on the buyer? You offer a solution! The concept of this technique is to offer a low-cost solution to some easy fixes and possibly offering a discount to cover the fixes. Millennials are Looking for honesty and someone they can trust By working directly with Active RV Upholstery, you will be able to offer these qualities to your customer. Your customer will know upfront what any repair and/or replacement would cost and they would see there is no markup just to make the sale. Trust leads to future sales. Active RV Upholstery can help with your referrals or in direct partnership with you. Depending on the situation, you can offer these directly to your customer as an easy and convenient way for them to get exactly what they want or you can offer to handle any of the options to upgrade their motorhome prior to them picking it up. Here are 8 Ways We Can Help You Sell to Millennials 1) Get a free estimate quote from us within 24hrs on many replacing/reupholstering jobs. You can use this as a selling advantage. Remember your customer is anxious to get their new home, so you can provide them with a quick and easy way to know what it's going to cast them to change/upgrade all features to make it the perfect home they are looking for. 2) Offer a quick turn-around for replacing old dinette/sofa cushions covers and even the foam. All you need to do is send us the eyesore damaged/worn cushion covers and we will make and send your reupholstered items. Estimated time is only 1 week. 3) If your customer wants to personalize the interior with their own fabric and color choice, Active RV Upholstery is able to reupholster the dinette, sofa, chairs and even make new drapes to color coordinate 1-2 weeks.
4) Offer our services as a way to simply guide them to a solution by referring them to a reputable RV upholstery company that can help them with all their upholstery needs, This will give them the peace of mind they need to move forward with the purchase by knowing the issues can be solved quickly and by knowing they are able to contact us directly.
5) An RV bra/mask is the perfect solution for covering the unsightly damage to the front of the motorhome and also offers protection from further damage. This can be purchased and installed prior to the sale or offered as an option directly to your customer. 6) If your customer wants to customize the inside of their new home, they can order any furniture unit such as sofa, dinette, recliners, captain chairs, just to name a few. Any of these pieces can be replaced and Active RV can offer it in any color material/type of their choosing. we will ship this directly to their doorstep or even better you might want to offer to install the pieces. Estimated time is only 1-2 weeks 7) Active RV has a solution for your customers with pets. RV dash covers are the perfect solution for pets that like to claw and scratch the dash vinyl/plastic. We have custom-fit dash covers that will protect the dash from the elements and pet claws. 8) We offer a upholstery repair for your warrantied items. If you have any issues that are upholstery related, we can offer warranty work to save you time and money. We Offer RV Dealer Discounts on all our Products & Services Become a Dealer Today and Recieve a Free RV Dealers Package!  RV living has its own set of challenges We can imagine the challenges of a much smaller living space. You may need to downsize in everything from clothes to your dishes. You will need to plan meals more efficiently and manage time to keep everything in order. Planning has become a big part of your life as you plan your trip from point A to point B and all the stops in between. You probably prepared yourself for these types of changes in your lifestyle, however, you may not have given any thought to the callenges you may face when living with someone while in an RV. It is human nature to need space Just think about how uncomfortable you fell while in a line and someone stands to close to you or how you feel in a crowded elevator. We all need our space. When living in an RV your space is limited not only for your material things, but you are also always near to the person you travel with. Maybe you did'nt plan on this aspect of living out of your RV. At first, it probably seemed like it would be romantic and/or a time to spend together. RV living is the perfect way to spend time together and experience a whole new world, however, people are only human and therefore, there may be those times when you just feel like you need your space. This should be something you plan for, while planning all the other aspects of RV living. A good place to start would be to consider your likes and dislikes as well as your individual time needs. Plan trips and stops for all involved If you have a few people traveling with you, you may need to schedule bathroom time, nap time, or TV time. If you only have one TV and or radio, you may want to be sure to have headphones available. It is a bit harder to stay out of each others way so you may need to plan or at least think about personal space and how to accommodate everyone, especially if you have children/teens with you. Another thing to consider is chores. A smaller living space tends to create the need for chores to be done more often. We all know that it is easy to get upset with someone over a little matter if you are already mad about something else. Don't let your lifestyle get in the way and cause problems that would not have otherwise been a problem. These are only a few suggestions and hopefully, they will help you plan all aspects of RV living. RV living could and should be an exciting way of lifeRegardless if it is a lifestyle or vacation style. With the right preparation and planning, this way of living could contribute to healthy relationships based on trust and sharing. To be able to share your life with someone is the best feeling in the world and living an RV life can prove to be an experiance like no other. I hope you enjoyed the article, and thank for reading it until the end. If you would like to read more stories from Active RV Upholstery Center please follow us on any of the social media platforms or visit our website. |
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