Road Trip Checklist
Road Trip Checklist
You've got your RV for the summer, or maybe you're looking to buy one, but either way, you've got a lot of vacation spots to visit and a lot of scenery to enjoy! Nothing's better than camping in a travel trailer, but before embarking on this journey, you're going to want to create a checklist for packing. At Herold Trailer Sales, we provided some preliminary steps and information to put on your checklist, so you can be comfortably prepared for your next vacation. If you don't own an RV yet, and want to get ready for the summer, you still have time! Check out our selection of trailers, including Coachmen Ultra-Lite models, at our dealership serving Indianola, Des Moines, Clive, and Ankeny, Iowa.
Planning for Packing
Before even moving stuff into your travel trailer, you should think about how the weight is already placed throughout the RV. Pre-existing weight from holding tanks, appliances, and major storage areas will already have their own set positions, so you'll want to load your items in a way that balances out all that weight. If you have a bunch of heavy appliances, for instance, in the front of the trailer, you should load some extra stuff in the rear to balance out the axles. The same applies for the sides, so if you have a lot of weight in the storage room and water tank on the left side of the trailer, pack most your weight on the right. No matter how you pack, though, it's also very important to put heavy items closer to the floor and lighter stuff higher up. If you put heavy items to high, the center of gravity will shift, which can make driving the trailer much more difficult.
What to Bring and Leave
Organization is key in making sure you have everything you need, and nothing you don't. Instead of making a checklist for everything at once, you should categorize by "rooms" or sections of the RV, and make a list for each one.
For the Kitchen
No matter what you do to prevent it, things tend to move around a lot when driving an RV. Maybe you took a corner a little too fast, or perhaps the bumpy ground started shaking stuff up, but the point is, you should anticipate this, and load your kitchen up with non-breakable dishes and utensils. To save space, it's also not a bad idea to get dishes that fit inside each other, so you can store multiple pieces in one area. You should also get all your necessary household cleaners and chemicals to put under the kitchen sink, including dish soap, glass cleaner, and an all-purpose cleaner for countertops and tables.
For the Bathroom
There might a lot of stuff in your house's bathroom or shower, but believe us, you don't want to try taking it all. All those extra bottles of perfume, shampoo, and conditioner are a hassle to keep track of, and if you aren't using them every day, bringing them on board is a huge waste of space. If there's something you think you might only use once, try bringing it in a travel-size container to preserve storage. Also, be sure to bring any needed prescription or over-the-counter medication, as well as RV toilet paper and bathroom cleaning supplies.
For the Bedroom
The bedroom is one place you don't want to skimp on comfort. You're traveling an RV because you want a nice place to sleep at night, so bring comfortable pillows, sheets, and blankets to put on your bed. To save closet space, bring just a few sets of clothes that you can wash easily, and also stick to simple clothes that you can mix and match to make different outfits.
Needed Tools
Last but not least, you'll need some tools. You should always prepare for the worst, and the best way to do that is to pack tools for repairing any damaged parts. Bring a toolbox with several different sizes of wrenches and screwdrivers, pliers, a hammer, and you should also probably carry an extra hose for your water tanks at all times when in your RV.
It might seem like a hassle, but packing your RV properly is key to ensuring a stress-free vacation. In fact, when you're preparing all the stuff needed for a successful trip, you might even find that you enjoy the packing process! With this checklist, you should be able to get your vacation underway, but if you still need help, or just want to look at our selection of Coachmen Ultra Lite trailers, come on into Herold Trailer Sales in Iowa!