When you arrive at the campsite, the last thing you want to do is a bunch of chores. But with the proper RV set up, your entire stay will be much more enjoyable and comfortable. Here’s a quick RV camp set up guide to get you started.
Your RV Camping Checklist
Before the fun and games can begin, you need to make sure that your RV is properly set up, safe, and secure. Here are a few ideas to put on your RV camping checklist:
- Parking your RV. Set a parking brake and chock the wheels.
- Remove from tow. If towing your RV, disconnect the towing vehicle and install any stabilizing jacks.
- Check hookups. After your hookups (see below), you’ll want to check your systems to ensure there aren’t any problems.
- Place mats. To help keep your RV clean, consider placing mats down before people step into the RV.
Hooking Up Your RV
One of the best parts about bringing an RV to a campsite is that it can give you plenty of comfort—especially with all of the proper hookups. Here’s what you’ll need to know about hooking up your RV to the amenities at the site:
- Electric: Invest in a surge protector if your RV doesn’t already have one. Before you plug in anything, make sure the breaker switch at the outlet is off. Making sure that you’re plugging in the proper amp/voltage as well. Consider investing in an adapter for common RV campsite plugs so you can adapt to any amp/voltage. Plug it in and flip the switch.
- Water: Some RV experts recommend hooking up with a flow restrictor, as you won’t know what the water pressure will be. Think of it as a “water adapter.” You may choose to use a water filter at this point as well. Some people also invest in RV water softeners to ensure that their water systems are well-protected.
- Cable: If your RV site allows you to watch cable, this is one of the easier connections to handle. The process is pretty much the same as you would do it at home with a TV. Using the appropriate RV cable, you should simply connect the RV with the cable outlet at the site.
- Sewer: Connect your hose at the RV first, then take out the sewer plug from the camp’s sewer connection. With the sewer hose base in, you can secure the hose through.
A word of warning: it’s always a good idea to get out of your RV or have someone assist you as you pull up to the amenities, just so you can get a good handle on where you need your RV parked to manage all of these connections without overlap.
Enjoy Your RV Camping Experience
Our rv set up guide wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t encourage you to bring everything you would want to have for comfort at home. This includes things like plates, bowls, silverware, pots, pans, grilling equipment, etc. You’ll also want to bring everything you’ll need to clean up the RV site after you enjoy it. This will help ensure that your experience is comfortable, easy, and just like you imagined it. It doesn’t hurt to pack some extra RV cleaning products to ensure that your RV is in top shape for every adventure!
