Hitting the road in your RV should be a fun and relaxing time, after all, your RV provides everything you need in one place. But it’s not always relaxing, especially in the beginning when you haven’t figured out everything you need to know to make RVing simple. Most people rely on trial and error to figure out what they need to know for their first trip. We here at RVs and Boats for Less know that experience is valuable, so we decided to share some of our experience to help make your trips easier. Read on to learn how we get ready for a trip. When you need parts or services for your RV, stop by and let our talent team of technicians provide you with everything you need. We’re located in Pocatello, Idaho, and we proudly serve Salt Lake City, Logan, Idaho Falls, and Twin Falls, Idaho.
Planning
Trips in an RV require organizing several different components, and the more planning you can do ahead of time, the easier your trip will be. With a normal vacation, you usually end up outsourcing some of the normal parts of life to someone else. If you stay in a hotel, someone else cleans your room. If you eat in a restaurant, someone else plans and cooks your meals. If you take a flight, the pilot worries about fuel and route. But on an RV trip, you need to think through all those things for yourself.
It’s helpful to make packing lists for all these different aspects of life. Try to include transportation, lodging, food, personal hygiene, recreation, and any other factor that might apply. Breaking them up into groups will help keep your lists organized and will help make sure you bring along everything you need.
Packing
Packing is where planning becomes real. When you’re planning, it’s easy to imagine that you basically will have all the space you need to bring everything you need, but this often isn’t the case and we’re forced to make tough decisions about what can and can’t be brought. It’s also important to remember that RVs, especially travel trailers and fifth wheels, are subject to weight restrictions. You’ll need to keep the total weight of your trailer, tow vehicle, cargo, and passengers below the gross combined weight rating, or GCWR. You can make sure you are in compliance with this by visiting the first weigh station on your way out of town.
Organizing
If you can’t find what you brought on your trip, you might as well have not brought it. How many times have you thought something like, “I could have sworn I brought that can opener!” Organization is key for making the most out of your space and making sure you are bringing everything you need. If, like many campers, you choose to keep some basic supplies in your RV throughout the offseason, make sure to take stock of them before leaving on your trip. That way, you’ll know exactly what you have.
The more time you spend in your particular travel trailer or RV, the more effectively you will be able to organize it. A few simple plastic organizers or totes can help to keep supplies in the right place and in good condition. Supplies meant for organizing college dorm rooms can often come in handy in RVs, since you will probably be dealing with similar types of space restrictions.
Finding Time to Relax
As you progress in the planning, packing, and organizing on your trip, make sure you are taking time to relax and enjoy yourself. Adding some leisure time to your schedule is key if you want to remember having an enjoyable trip. Whether you prefer reading a book, watching TV, or going out on an adventure, the time you spend relaxing will pay off in overall quality of experience.
With the right approach, you can have an amazing trip, even if it’s your first time. Hopefully these tricks will help you do so. Give us a call here at RVs and Boats for Less when you need a new RV or you need parts and services for your current one. We’re located in Pocatello, near Idaho Falls and Twin Falls, Idaho, as well as Salt Lake City and Logan, Utah.
