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4x4van's avatar
4x4van
Explorer III
Aug 24, 2021

Umbilical cord markers/reminders

I've been RVing for about 35 years now, and like most of us, I have a routine for packing up. Usually it works well, but as most of you can relate to, if something happens that disrupts that routine, things can get overlooked. Last year, I was nearly done packing up when my son-in-law asked me to help him with his WDH. That's all it took to disrupt me, and I hopped in my RV (after helping him) and pulled out...still plugged in to the power pedestal.

But I've come up with a great backup that has been working well for me. I purchased a package of "Slap Bracelets" on Amazon for about $7. I then used a P-Touch label machine to label them; Water, Sewer, Elec, TV Ant. These are stored on their respective units (i.e. the ELEC is attached to the cord end, the WATER attached to the city water inlet, etc). When I hook anything up, I take that slap bracelet and put it on my wrist. Once fully set up, I take them all off my wrist and put them on my steering wheel.

Now, when packing up, I move all of the bracelets from the steering wheel to my wrist, and then put each of them back on their respective units as I disconnect each. If any are still left on the steering wheel or wrist when I get ready to leave...I know that I am still attached to something.

Just thought I'd share.
  • Good idea! I’ve been using a 3x5 card with tasks in order for departure. I go through it twice.
  • I never use any hookups except the occasional electricity. In the cubby with the cord, I keep an old yellow plastic margarine cup. That cup goes onto the driver's seat when I plug in to the pedestal and gets put away when I unplug. Free, lightweight, and foolproof.
  • similar to what we used to do as a visual reminder to lower the TV antenna. what we've been doing is a written checklist. my wife reads the checklist and I respond. i know what you mean about being interrupted but so far our 2-person checklist works well.
  • No matter how distracted I get I ALWAYS do a walk-around before I get behind the wheel. Perhaps a simple, "did you do a walkaround?" on the steering wheel will suffice.

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