First Time Seasonal Camping

[mroseto]

hello all,

This will be our first time seasonal camping, we have always stored our trailer after every trip. Any suggestions or helpful tips on what to do or not do?

I can't wait for this weather to break so we can get out there and actually enjoy the trailer.

Thanks

[richk88]

sounds like you got it pretty much covered,now enjoy

[sask934]

Great thread, keep the advise coming as not only am I a rookie TT owner but going to be seasonal as well.

Thus far I have learned that I need a surge protector, a regulator for the water and a filter system. Use an ice cube to determine if my fridge loss power. Turn the fridge on to auto, turn water heater off and water off. Bring in my awning, put wood under tires. Use blocks to put under stabilizer jacks so that they are not extended to much.

Most importantly ......bring beer.

I guess I will need the following:

Camp Chairs
Flashlight
Axe
Matches

Any recommendations are appreciated.

[yeabuddy]

mroseto wrote:
You guys have given me a lot of great advise. What about stabilizing your trailer. Do you buy extra jacks to help support it? What about the slideout? I have seen mixed reviews on placing a support under it. We are on an asphalt pad, so once I get it solid, i'm not expecting it to move much.

Thanks for all the help, and keep the advice coming.

Welcome and congrats on the site. Love this topic as I am seasonal as well. Just asked an admin to create a Forum for us again so as to ask and answer these types of questions and of course just a general place for us to gather.
Anyway... I just posted these things recently... hope it helps.

We leveled ours on 2x8 stacks of treated lumber. We also lowered stabilizers onto a small piece of lumber placed on top of cinder blocks. Stack them as high as possible, the less distance between the blocks and the frame, the less bounce and more stable the trailer will be. We stack cinder blocks topped with treated lumber under the frame in front and back of the axles for additional support as well.

If the campground allows it, use pvc pipe and rubber couplings to plumb the tanks to the sewer.
We also leave the camper plugged in so we can keep the refrigerator on. Water heater is turned off and water turned off at the spigot.
Buy a vent cover so you can keep the vent open a couple inches for circulation. A couple buckets of Damp Rid can help with moisture too.
We also filled any gaps with Great Stuff to prevent critters from getting in. Try to crawl under the trailer at night with all the lights on inside. Have someone use a flashlight to shine in the corners and under cabinets from the inside while you're down there too, there can be gaps where the gas and water pipes enter and exit underneath. If you see light shining through, fill the gap with the foam.
We use some of the old wives' tales like dryer sheets for pest prevention too. Ant and glue traps as well... even between trips.

Best Wishes and keep us posted on your setup. Would love to see pictures too.

[GaryWT]

Do not put anything under your slide. We were seasonal for 11 years and we used bricks in the corners and in front of the wheels, worked great. Not all campground allow that and depending on how mobile you want to be, then just the normal extras might be good.

[LeBout]

I can't imagine why you would need extra support under your slide out.

[mroseto]

You guys have given me a lot of great advise. What about stabilizing your trailer. Do you buy extra jacks to help support it? What about the slideout? I have seen mixed reviews on placing a support under it. We are on an asphalt pad, so once I get it solid, i'm not expecting it to move much.

Thanks for all the help, and keep the advice coming.

[colliehauler]

trnfla wrote:

GaryWT wrote:
First off enjoy. Leave it plugged in and leave stuff in the fridge.

Make sure to leave the fridge set on "Auto" to protect your food if you lose power. Also, I would recommend placing a popsickle in the freezer in a tray and check it everytime you return to see if it melted. Don't want to get sick from bad food.

Have fun.

I would never leave perishable food in the frig. I came back after 30 days to the most rank smell you could imagine. The gardener had accidentally unpluged the trailer when weed eating. The frig switched to propane until the battery went dead. It was all could do not to puke when cleaning this mess. I stop by the store and get fresh food when I get there.

[Bucky_Badger]

S'more campers wrote:

trnfla wrote:

GaryWT wrote:
First off enjoy. Leave it plugged in and leave stuff in the fridge.

Make sure to leave the fridge set on "Auto" to protect your food if you lose power. Also, I would recommend placing a popsickle in the freezer in a tray and check it everytime you return to see if it melted. Don't want to get sick from bad food.

Have fun.

^^^ Genius!

I use loose Ice cubes in a bowl, After all, we all use them anyways

[S_more_campers]

trnfla wrote:

GaryWT wrote:
First off enjoy. Leave it plugged in and leave stuff in the fridge.

Make sure to leave the fridge set on "Auto" to protect your food if you lose power. Also, I would recommend placing a popsickle in the freezer in a tray and check it everytime you return to see if it melted. Don't want to get sick from bad food.

Have fun.

^^^ Genius!

[trnfla]

You caused me to have a flash back to my childhood. We use to have a seasonal trailer at Evergreen Campground at Wild Rose WI This was forty + years ago.

It is great to see it has survived after all of these years. I think we were in the 500 row of permanent trailers.

I need to visit when I go back to WI.

[trnfla]

GaryWT wrote:
First off enjoy. Leave it plugged in and leave stuff in the fridge.

Make sure to leave the fridge set on "Auto" to protect your food if you lose power. Also, I would recommend placing a popsickle in the freezer in a tray and check it everytime you return to see if it melted. Don't want to get sick from bad food.

Have fun.

[GaryWT]

First off enjoy. Leave it plugged in and leave stuff in the fridge. Shut the water off when you leave as well as the water heater. Lower your awning and tie it down or close it when you go home. Lastly, enjoy.

[Wiscampsin]

We're going on our 7th year at a seasonal site. Couple things you might want to consider.

Buy a good surge protector if you don't already have one.

See if there is a local LP place that will take care of your LP needs. We use more LP in the spring and fall with the furnace going and got tired of refilling our 30 lb tanks. Found a place that rented us a 100 lb tank for $1 a year and charges alot less than the campground or local gas stations per fill. They even did all the hookup work for free.

See if the campground sells firewood in large quantities instead of the small bundles which are fine for overnight campers. We can buy a front end loader bucket full for $25.

Park the tires on a couple roof shingles that are laid down over pressure treated wood.

Come fall be ready to mouse proof the heck out of your camper by sealing up the smallest hole or void in the underbelly.