What to do within the week before 1st trip

[SDRS]

Need tips on what we need to do within the week before our 1st trip. Husband just wants to get the trailer out of storage Friday, throw our bags in and leave--I know we'll need more time than that, and I'm sure there are things I won't even think of that need to be done/brought.

Maintenance-wise we just got it all 'summer-ized', new tires, and various mechanical things done to it.
:h

[DE88ROX]

First trip of the year, we basically reload it with everything that stays in the trailer during camping season. 4 Rubbermaid totes worth. After every trip the fridge is emtpied and all food removed from the trailer.

Just reloaded this past Memorial Day weekend while I had it home to de-winterize wash and wax and seal the roof seams with some eterna-bond.

[Pinstriper]

Our TT lives at the barn, 400' from the house. I bring it up sometime during the week before a Friday departure. Thursday night the fridge gets turned on.

Bedding and housewares live in the rig year round. Some clothing we have just for camping and lives there, too. This all comes in for laundry and goes straight back out.

Some foodstuffs are shelf-stable and go in at the start of the season, comes out at the end. The only thing we have to pack for the trip is perishable food, and a daypack each for clothes. We give ourselves a day to do all that - Friday morning usually. I work a short day and we try to hit the road by 4 or 5.

First trip of the year is to a state park about 20 miles away, so if something catastrophic goes wrong with the trailer we can abort the trip and be home. If it's something dumb like forgetting a new water filter, etc. we just get it where we are.

Once you have a few trips under your belt, you don't need a checklist anymore. At least we don't, with our system there's just very little to do.

[suprz]

There are two essential things to bring on any rv trip....
1- a credit card
2- a sense of humor

[dave54]

I also crawl underneath with a flashlight and mechanics mirror. Inspect every nook and cranny, looking for loose wires or bolts, sticks or nests jammed into obscure spaces, unusual wear and tear, etc. Don't forget the air in the spare.

Remove all the accumulated excess junk from last year, like that extra roll of duct tape you or your partner threw in a drawer, the old magazines, et al.

[jplante4]

SDRS wrote:
Hey, how do I get that cool little US map were you can color in which states you've been to??

Google states visited map

Even the smallest one they let you create is too big for a signature here. You'll need to open it in Paint or some photo editor and resize it. I just added the map to my rig picture and made is small enough for the forum to accept it.

[IAMICHABOD]

SDRS wrote:

Hey, how do I get that cool little US map were you can color in which states you've been to??

Here try this

[captnjack]

malexander wrote:
I forgot to mention.....start buying/stocking beer.:B

Best answer yet!

[captnjack]

I'll go in the other direction from most. If the rig has been checked out and is mechanically sound then just bring what you think you need and have fun. It all works itself out. It's only camping after all.
All these "lists" and "checking" sound like they could make this into too much work.

[SDRS]

"Well, if he's not listening to you, he sure as hell won't listen to a bunch of strangers on a web forum"

Actually, you'd be surprised. He will listen to people who have experience.

All went well, no problems. Forgot to bring just a couple things. No issues with the trailer itself.

Thanks for the suggestions all.

Hey, how do I get that cool little US map were you can color in which states you've been to??

[malexander]

I forgot to mention.....start buying/stocking beer.:B

[ReneeG]

Lwiddis wrote:
Let's see -- check propane, check fridge outside including vent for wasps etc., confirm fridge is cooling, sanitize fresh water system - 6 hours minimum time, fill fresh water, check battery fluid levels and terminals, charge batteries, clean hitch & apply fresh grease, check all 12 volt and 120 volt lights, plugs and appliances including trailer lights - stop, running and signals, check TV and TT tire pressure day of leaving, check television antenna by extending and retracting, check radio, check sewer hose for leaks, insure dump values are still moveable, clean windows at least maybe entire outside of TT, check that water flows to all sinks, the shower and toilet, check water heater...there are more. Better to know in the driveway than the campsite.

This is what we do too! We call this the pre-season shakedown. In addition, we always have our tires inspected and this time, the hubs will be lubed in preparation for the camping season.

[myredracer]

Not to worry - if something is going to break or stop working, it'll be out on a trip, and more than likely a long way from home. Much less like to happen at home, but it can happen. 🙂

Day before we went out on our first trip this season in April, I go to hook up the TT to the truck. The Ultrafab jack would not work. No problem, I'll just use the backup/emergency method - a socket wrench on top and do it manually until I fix it. Then I find that the motor is frozen solid and not even a 2' breaker bar would budge it. Ended up spending the rest of the day taking it apart and rebuilding it with parts from old damaged one I still had in the shed. Always cover on the jack and a cover on the TT over the winter too. Would never get another UF jack ever again. :M

[Bmach]

I have to agree with turbojimmy. To me it is not a big deal to it all in an afternoon. Start the fridge, make sure it I starting to cool then pack it. By packing it it cools down faster as the cool items you put in help to cool it and they take up space so the fridge has less space to cool.

[NYCgrrl]

Merrykalia wrote:

We used thrift shops, Salvation Army stores, Goodwill, yard sales, etc. to equip our RV. I have an unmatched set of All-Clad SS cookware that I have put together for the RV that was purchased at different times (thus, unmatched) for about $25. The other kitchen gadgets were purchased the same way. It didn't break the bank and we have everything we need. I even have a couple of crockpots that live in the RV, also purchased at a garage sale for $2 and $4 each.

I'd be lost without those resources:c