Every once in a while, people tend to forget that the R in “RV”
stands for “recreation.” That’s when it’s time to take the RV out for a spin,
heading out on the road for an extended trip that reminds you why you invested
in the RV in the first place. If it’s been a long time since your last extended
RV trip, it’s time to shake the rust off. With this RV Packing & Travel
Checklist, you’ll be sure that you won’t forget any of the essentials.
Step #1:
Packing for the Trip Itself
An RV trip is largely spent in the RV, but you still have to pack
like it’s a real trip. Plan your travel checklist conservatively—if you have
excess space, it’s better to be over-prepared than pull over looking for stores
along the way.
- Toiletries.
Toothpaste, toothbrushes, dental floss, toilet paper, shaving cream, razors,
soap, shampoo, hairbrush—anything that you can think of that you need in your
bathroom should come with you on the trip. - Travel
accessories. Makeup, sunscreen, lip balm—if it’s something you’d take with you
in your everyday life, it’s going to be an essential on an RV trip. - Food and
drink. There’s no shortage of fast food on American roads, but you don’t
have to repeat burgers and fries for every meal. Bring along some prepacked
food like sandwiches or even ingredients for cooking on the road, and be sure
to prepare the ingredients in advance. - Clothing
(times the amount of days). Treat each piece of clothing as an individual
part of a daily outfit, and plan your clothing accordingly. Factor in any
laundry you can do along the way—for example, if you can get one load of
laundry in, three outfits can last six days.
Now you know about packing for trips. What about packing for the
RV itself?
Step #2:
Packing for Your RV’s Well-Being
Your RV should be fine on most trips, but it doesn’t hurt to have
a bottle or two of dedicated cleaning and maintenance products around just in
case the worst should happen. Here’s what you’ll need:
- A cleaner. Suds is a general-purpose RV cleaner that
will address debris and basic spot cleaning without harming the exterior of
your RV. - A sealant.
If
your RV springs a leak and it starts to rain, you’re going to need a
quick-curing sealant for easy
repairs. It’s better to be prepared than to be wet!
Generally, you won’t do any of your major restorative work until
you’re back home or can at least park the RV somewhere where it can be left
overnight. Your RV should already be cleaned and waxed before you head out on
the open road, so it won’t be necessary to bring those supplies with you. However,
if you keep them in the RV for safekeeping, you can still bring them out for
emergency purposes.
It’s not difficult to plan for an extended RV trip once you put
down a checklist to paper. Keep the essentials handy and you’ll free up more
time for enjoying the open road. And while you’re planning for your trip, why
not plan for the long-term enjoyment of your RV by keeping it in tip-top shape
with a full range of cleaning and
maintenance products.