RV Tip #2 - The Checklist

Our second segment in a series of (to be determined number of) tips is the CHECKLIST! Doesn’t that just sound SO exciting??

I’m copying a picture that I found on Pinterest at the end of our post...(speaking of which, you can follow our board there too @ (Trailblaising Adventures)...it shows you a SERIOUS checklist for all of those specific components...but for this segment, we’re going to just cover the basics…

Walk the perimeter. There are lots of things to check on the outside of your camper before hitting the road:
Secure your awning
Check your brake & turn signal lights. “It takes two to tango” (thank you Ray Charles)...& to check your exterior lights
Check your wipers & wiper fluid
Make sure all storage doors are secure
Lower antenna
Retract stairs
Load water (depending on needs)
Check the generator
Check tire pressures
Check oil level
Check propane levels. This isn’t always an easy fill. We recommend loading up at campgrounds or other places along your travels that provide this service. This is not an option at every site, but we are finding that more and more are making gas available...
Walk the inside. You think things are ready to be “heading out to the highway” (thank you Judas Priest)? Have your hubby take a quick turn or hit the brakes unexpectedly hard...you’ll find that some things aren’t secure…
Secure interior doors. I’m infamous for not latching the bedroom door.
Store appliances and items kept on top of kitchen counter
Store all other items normally kept on flat surfaces
Be certain items in the fridge are upright or stable
Latch all interior drawers/storage doors
Check to make certain that smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly
Make a comfy bed for your dogs (okay, that’s one of OUR checklist items)
KNOW WHERE YOUR FIRE EXTINGUISHER IS & MAKE SURE IT WORKS!!! I have a story about this. On our first trip to NY we experienced a TON of problems around Columbus, OH. Everything...and I mean everything seemed to be going wrong. We finally pulled into a rest area and Scott was on the brink of telling me that we were going to have to rent a car, leave the RV and go back home to Indiana. I was devastated. He literally pulled the interior hood off of the engine...AND IT WAS ON FIRE!!! (No one tell this to my dad!!!) Anyway, our fire extinguisher did NOT work and we had “FIRE FIRE FIRE!!!” (thank you Goldie Hawn in Overboard!)...but thankfully Scott put the fire out. To make a sad story happy...a stranger and his girlfriend not only stopped by to offer their help, they drove down the highway to buy us oil, drove back, helped pour it in and after putting his hand on our RV and praying for it, he & Scott FIXED OUR PROBLEM with twine that I had stored as a “maybe needed item” in the Swinger! We made the rest of our trip to NY & back to Indiana thanks to that couple. I SO wish we had taken their information so we could thank them. MAYBE they’ll read this blog!!!
Gas station load up. You’re ALMOST ready to be on your way! Scott and I have a gas station literally up the hill from us (thank you Sunmart Truck Stop). Their tanks are slow loading, but they’re convenient...so you’ll often find us there just before we start “heading out to the highway” (thanks again JP!)
Gas. No brainer...unless you use diesel...but they DO have that too!
Ice. Besides gas, this is the ONE item we buy the most. We highly recommend buying a portable ice maker (our last one just bit the bullet so we’re shopping for a new one if you have suggestions on that).
Snacks. Scott is a HUGE snack guy. He’s not huge...he just loves LOTS of snacks...so we grab a bunch.
Newspaper. This fills my first hour of every trip. We don’t subscribe to the newspaper...it kinda feels like a waste of money with the internet, however on the road? It’s a great time-filler. Once I read it through, the crossword is a nice distraction...Scott however, does NOT like crosswords. He purposefully tells me wrong answers...it annoys me, but it passes the miles! THEN you can use it as a fire starter...win, win, win!
Be certain your packing list is complete (see previous Tips post)!

This is not a super long list, but it IS important. The RV life is a wonderful life, but it no doubt requires a ton of work. The outside checklist most generally falls upon Scott & I do my best to follow the inside list so that we complete them quickly at the same time & it then of course eases up the chores on him. Regardless how you do them, take the time to do them right. You want your trip to be fun and as painless as possible! If you do the work beforehand, you will reap the rewards and be able to relax the rest of the time...which is why you’re doing all of this in the first place.

Until next time, safe trails!

Scott & Natalie