Guest Author - Evanne Schmarder

Whether you love it or hate it, the time to break camp eventually arrives. Perhaps you’re traveling to another fabulous destination or perhaps it’s time to pack ‘er up and head home. Either way, it’s not as simple as doing all the setup steps backwards. Creating a checklist and following a routine will ensure you don’t miss a single important step.

Some couples split the duties with “him” handling the outside and “her” handling the inside. Although my husband and I have “usual” duties, every once in a while we swap them around so both of us know how to handle everything – always a good idea. We travel in a 5th wheel so our list departure checklist may differ from a motorhome – please adjust accordingly.

Inside jobs consist of making sure the cupboards and drawers are securely closed, the refrigerator and freezer doors are latched shut, pocket doors, mirror closet doors, etc, are in travel mode, windows and vents closed, microwave empty (have you ever wondered where that cup of coffee went to??), water pump and heaters off, a/c and/or furnace off, TV antenna down (hang a hat or other such visual reminder on the handle) and antenna boost switch off, snacks packed (if in a pull behind), slides and bars secured, and garbage ready to go out.

Meantime, outside all sorts of stuff is happening. I’ll not mention the obvious – awnings, furniture, etc. We pack up in this order: close propane tanks (there’s a big debate on whether to travel with them on or off – I’ve totaled an RV and was plenty grateful they were off – that’s now how I travel every time), dump holding tanks – black first then gray(s) and disconnect, add a little bit of fresh water to fresh tank for restroom stops along the way, disconnect TV and telephone cables, disconnect water hose(s), check tire pressure and adjust as needed (you can air up the night before if desired but always check them before you roll), lube the hitch pin/ball if needed, raise the back stabilizing jacks, check hitch connections/hardware (bolts, pins, s-hooks, chains, etc.), hook up – locking the hitch (so you don’t drop your 5th wheel on your truck), attach umbilical cord and break-away switch, raise front landing gear, remove chocks, do a tail light check, go inside and turn the fridge off, lock the door and put the steps up (that’s our sign that the inside is secure and ready to travel), turn off the electrical breaker and unplug the power cord, do a thorough walk around – locking outside storage doors if necessary, pull out of site with a spotter on the ground and walk the site making sure you’ve not left behind anything (pressure regulator, connection devices, etc.) on the water spigot, power box, etc.

It’s possible I’ve forgotten something so please use your common sense. Again, this is our method and routine RVing in a 5th wheel. To make sure we hit all the points all the time we’ve created two half-page printable lists – the inside one is taped to the inside of a cupboard door, the outdoor list to the inside of an outdoor compartment – just because. When we are in “traveling” mode we rarely use the list but still, after 7+ years, we appreciate them when we’ve sat for a month or more.

Use this information as a starting point for your personal checklist. Copy and paste what is pertinent to your situation on an 8 ½ x 11 Word doc, print and tape. Check and double check – it never hurts!! A final (and critical) tip – don’t rush – that’s when those stupid mistakes happen. Argh!!!