Every trip is different and the time of year always makes preparation time different too.
Getting read for the first Spring outing usually takes some thought as we've pulled everything out of the camper over the winter months, clothing, food, different supplies. Sometimes, it takes 2 or 3 trips out to finally feel comfortable we have everything back in the camper that was stripped out over the winter.
By the end Fall, the camper is ready to go at a whim's notice. We literally live in the camper all Summer long in the drive way. Why air condition a 2800 square foot house when we can get away with about 270 square feet? Besides, we enjoy the camper much more than the house. So, there is always food, clothing and water in the camper.
I also have the truck prepared all the time. Unless I need to haul something in the back of the bed of the truck, the bed always has our camping stuff in it (blue tote, water hoses, sewer hoses, fire wood, tool boxes, blocks, stablizing blocks for the jacks, extra water tank, air compressor. In the side tool boxes in my truck bed shell, I keep (always) an electric drill, 100 foot long extension cords, more wood for leveling the camper, jumper cables, floor jack, rope, bungee cords, straps, tent pegs, hammer, stuff like that.
So, basically, on a whim we can just "go."
Except for an extended stay trip (like a week to 2 weeks), we plan our next outing about 6 days in advance, making reservations. Mostly because we both have jobs that all over the charts and could demand our time at any time, day or night. It's hard to plan ahead much more than a week.
But we do plan our 1 or 2 week trips, almost a year a head of time. Getting reservations to our final destination points and then planning out the path to get there and making reservations for all stops along the way getting there. We do this a year in advance. And then plan ahead as the time approaches closer for what we might need or want on that trip thats different than everything or any else we might have been to. The week-end jaunts helps prepare for the big trips of the year. I say trips (plural), because we usually do 4 one week trips over the course of the entire year (including Winter) or 2 two week trips.
Winter trips take a bit more planning, as there is often de-winterizing the water system involved, and packing warmer. But we plan ahead.
Do we still forget "stuff"? Absolutely yes! All the time, there seems to always be something we wish we had that we left behind. It's never 100 percent perfect. But... there's usually a WalMart near by. And then every 2 years we clean out the camper from all the excessive "junk" we've accumulated.
Your next question should be; After you own your camper for 2 years, how much time does it take you to get rid of your excessive hoard of accumulation you never use?
Enjoy your camping. Don't over think it. Just have fun with it. If you didn't bring "it" along, improvise. That's part of the fun too you know.
