Full-timer taking Airstream into Mexico - Help!

I also am a full-timer. Almost everything I own is in my coach. That includes enough tools to outfit a woodshop and all kinds of electronics, including O-scopes and meters. When I first got my 10 year permit (in 2005) I attached a list of every major piece of equipment in the coach (2 pages) to the form and no one even looked at it. In the last 9 years no inspection station has ever said a word about all that equipment.

Now if it was new in-the-box, I'm sure it would be another story altogether.

If you are just going down the Baja, you won't need a TIP (Temporary Import Permit for your vehicle), just a FMM, (sort of a visa).

Don't sweat the small stuff. As stated above, very high end coaches enter Mexico all the time with lots of great stuff.
Just review the rules as to what you can re enter the US with, and you are covered. Believe the rules for re entry, just because the meat, booze, whatever was purchased in the US and taken down with you DOESN'T mean you can just re enter with it.
Have a great time, don't worry about the small stuff-it's all small stuff!

Thanks for this advice. I see they have customs rules - one laptop, one sheet set, etc. We have 3 laptops, an iPad and 2 cellphones. We have more than one digital camera and about 40 music CDs, which are outside the limit too. Somehow does having all this stuff in a trailer supersede the individual list of things. But if I fill out this TIP form, it will be ok to take it all into Mexico, including all our tools, dishes, food, lawn chairs, and bikes? None of it is wrapped up in packages, all of it is used. I just don't want to get stuck at the border realizing I owe customs hundreds or thousands of dollars for the things we use in day to day living. Then there is security. Is an Airstream, kept locked and within the eye of a security camera, vulnerable to certain vandalism, if I am just driving down to La Mision, north of Ensenada?

with $300,000, $400,000 and half million dollar diesel pushers crossing year after year, an airstream is going to be given hardly a glance.
the food thing is a political game. The US will not allow some products from Mexico (and Canada) into the US, in return Mexico stops products from the US. Technically I think the embargo is for commercial shipments but sometimes they get a bit overzealous. Not a big deal unless you feel the need to import 200# of beef to last the winter.

there was a form where you list everything you have in trailer.

Surely not everything.

Form I filled out just wanted any major items - TVs and such.

When you applied for your TIP, there was a form where you list everything you have in trailer.
Most travelers have all sorts of stuff with them. No one has ever asked to see the paper or question what we bring. Plus all the discussion on another post about food. It is only going back to USA that you need to follow USA rules, they will search. Going into Mexico other than the Lukeville crossing, no one ever looked at my food.

The question is what "stuff" are you talking about. If you have a lot of electronics or other items in their new boxes - you might be charged a duty. But we take everything out of its box and make sure that things look like they belong with the RV to prevent any questions.

If you have Christmas packages (gifts) I would avoid wrapping them because there are military checkpoints and they may want to see the contents of what you are bringing. But the military checkpoints are not concerned about duty - only checking for guns going south or drugs going north.

Our RV (5th wheel) has a nice flat panel TV, we carry three laptops, have our appliances, furniture and more and we never get asked to pay a duty. We do get asked if we are bringing alcohol or cigarettes for duty; guns or drugs by the military.

You should be fine unless you've got a lot of merchandise in nice pretty new boxes.