Making Your RV Checklists

Owning an RV is always a great experience for a family. Having the ability to take off and go off to the mountains, or anywhere else for that matter, and bring all the comforts of home with you is invaluable to your chances of enjoying the world around you. Being an RV owner isn't without its responsibilities though. Keeping your recreational vehicle properly maintained is necessary to not only avoid mechanical breakdown issues when you're far from the nearest service station, but to keep your family, friends and other guests safe between Point A and Point B on your adventure map.

To maximize the RV experience, you need to become familiar with using checklists. Checklists are a great way to make sure you have everything you need, and that your RV has everything it needs, before you pull out of the driveway and head down the road. The first checklist is the mechanical needs. Making sure the tires are properly inflated, checking fluid levels, making sure the brakes are in good shape, etc... This can be done by you, if you have the grease monkey chops for it, but most RV service centers offer pre-trip checklists and can ensure that all the work is done professionally every time.

The second checklist you'll need is the RV interior equipment. Check the refrigerator to make sure it works, the RV stove and other electronics, even make sure that all the water and other fixtures are functioning properly. Once you've taken care of the RV lists, it's time to prep for the trip. It's easy if you break the supplies down into three separate checklists. A camping supplies checklist could contain items like extra propane tanks for the camping stove, chairs and camping tables, fishing and hunting gear and more. Don't forget the little things like pots and pans, paper towels, aluminum foil and cooking/eating utensils. A personal supplies checklist would contain things like packing the right clothes for the activities you plan on taking part in, plus basic items like toiletries, a well-stocked first aid kit, bug spray, sleeping bags and deodorant. You may not feel like you need to use some of those things while actually roughing it, but trust us when we say that your co-adventurers in the RV will appreciate it if you do.

The final checklist is for food, beverages and other consumables. If you read our post on the versatility of the sandwich cooker, you know that bringing bread and other sandwich stuffable materials is a great staple of the campsite, but you also need diversity in your food, so don't forget the vegetables, desserts and other snacks that you and your family normally enjoy. Keeping a little of the familiarity of home is important, especially to children and other RV novices, to avoid Nature-shock when they get out of their normal surroundings. Bring lots of extra bottled water, unless it will be available at your camp site. Getting away from it all is easy when you have an RV, and getting it right when getting away from it all is easy when you have a few simple checklists to follow. Since RV Shop has over 14,000 RV and camping parts, accessories and supplies on our shelves, you can probably check off most of those boxes without having to go anywhere else!