RV owners?

[WTMCassandra]

So. We bought an RV yesterday. We are total newbies at this. We borrowed the IL's RV once for a 10-day trip many moons ago, but that's the only experience we've got.

 

Help?!

 

Advice on the best message boards? Books? Membership organizations? (Good Sam?)

 

What are your indispensables to be sure to have with you? Tools? Household things that you wouldn't normally think of but come in really handy?

 

The unit we bought is a 29 ft. 1996 Minnie Winnie.

[NavyWifeandMommy]

I took box with all the basics like hammer, wrenches, screwdrivers. Duck tape, hose clamps, zipties, disposable gloves (when emptying the tanks). Stuff to change a tire, you car one will not work.

I kept a bin of dishes in the RV, stocked up on the can goods for those last minute lets go. Just stop at the store for the cold stuff and yu are on your way.

Kept towels and outdoor toys in the RV. Toys is different for everyone. We started with toddler toys and now we have pool stuff and baseball gloves, soccer ball and stuff to dig in the dirt. I also have basics for drawing/coloring.

Oh there is also a box of bedding for the beds.

This is what we always have in the RV.

[WTMCassandra]

Disposable gloves! That's a great idea.

 

Are you saying we need a special tire jack to change a tire?

 

What are the zip ties for?

[newbie]

I havent gotten to this point yet. But, to have the motor home fully stocked at all times, is the best idea. I think you can find motorhome packing list online.

 

It is a total pain to take things out and in for every trip.

[MaMa2005]

Lots of 2x4's for leveling and securing the wheels. They are indispensable on muddy campsites and you will make quick friends with neighboring RVers when they see those lovely pieces of wood.:hurray:

 

Zip ties are good for everything. If duct tape doesn't work, reach for the zip ties!!!

Edited February 5, 2010 by MaMa2005

[MommyOwl]

www.rv.net (check out the forums) has a wealth of information and I found it very useful when we first started - I still visit when camping season returns. Have a blast! We are heading out on our longest trip yet - 5 weeks out west leaving in May. I'll drive our rv out (my parents will caravan with me in their own motorhome) with two of the boys, my husband and oldest son will fly out and spend three weeks doing the National Parks with us before flying home and then my parents and other two kids and I will drive home. I can't wait :auto:

 

Congrats - I love every minute we're out on the road (or parked in campsite specifically!)

[HerdingCats]

Congratulations! We have really enjoyed ours and wouldn't go back to vacationing any other way. The Escapees has a good forum. Lots of retired people on there who are full-timers, so they have a wealth of information and expertise. My best tips would be:

 

*Freeze meals ahead of time in ziplock baggies flat and stock your freezer. That teeny thing can actually hold a lot. This makes your vacation a lot more "vacationier" :) when you don't have to spend too much time in the kitchen.

 

*Don't forget to slant one side of your awning down further than the other side. This looked kind of janky so we didn't do it at first, but the first heavy rain made a big giant puddle in it and warped the roller. Oops.

 

*Make sure you fill your black (toilet) tank at least one-third full of fresh water after emptying and before you use it and flush each time with lots of water. You can get build-up otherwise (ew! and expensive to fix) and it also cuts down on odor. Also keep the sewer valve closed when not emptying. TP should be flimsy so it dissolves and doesn't clog.

 

*Get some of the giant sized ziplocs to label and store the different hoses in

so you never get the fresh-water hose mixed up with the sewer flush hose for instance.

 

*Make sure you get a pressure valve and filter to hook up to the fresh water line.

 

Those are the biggies that come to mind. We started out completely clueless too! We had have had to learn most things just by doing them and by the many helpful camping neighbors we've met along the way. You will get used to dealing with problems (they ALWAYS happen) as they come and feel more adept with each trip. It's an exciting, adventurous learning curve! Have fun!!

[WTMCassandra]

Congratulations! We have really enjoyed ours and wouldn't go back to vacationing any other way. The Escapees has a good forum. Lots of retired people on there who are full-timers, so they have a wealth of information and expertise. My best tips would be:

 

*Freeze meals ahead of time in ziplock baggies flat and stock your freezer. That teeny thing can actually hold a lot. This makes your vacation a lot more "vacationier" :) when you don't have to spend too much time in the kitchen.

 

*Don't forget to slant one side of your awning down further than the other side. This looked kind of janky so we didn't do it at first, but the first heavy rain made a big giant puddle in it and warped the roller. Oops.

 

*Make sure you fill your black (toilet) tank at least one-third full of fresh water after emptying and before you use it and flush each time with lots of water. You can get build-up otherwise (ew! and expensive to fix) and it also cuts down on odor. Also keep the sewer valve closed when not emptying. TP should be flimsy so it dissolves and doesn't clog.

 

*Get some of the giant sized ziplocs to label and store the different hoses in

so you never get the fresh-water hose mixed up with the sewer flush hose for instance.

 

*Make sure you get a pressure valve and filter to hook up to the fresh water line.

 

Those are the biggies that come to mind. We started out completely clueless too! We had have had to learn most things just by doing them and by the many helpful camping neighbors we've met along the way. You will get used to dealing with problems (they ALWAYS happen) as they come and feel more adept with each trip. It's an exciting, adventurous learning curve! Have fun!!

 

These are great suggestions. I didn't know that about the awning--my instinct would have been for it to be exactly symmetrical, thereby causing trouble!

 

Do you have to buy actual RV toilet paper or can you use the cheapie stuff?

 

What kind of meals do you like to take?

[Mesa]

We have a Seneca and LOVE it. I suggest you pack it with everything small and light you think you'll need for your rv. Then for your very first trip you go to.... Walmart. Yep. park that rv right there in the parking lot, or at an rv park that is very close to a Walmart. Then you can run back and forth and get all the things you realized you need.

This was suggested to use for our first trip, and it was really helpful.

 

good luck and enjoy your new toy.

[WTMCassandra]

We have a Seneca and LOVE it. I suggest you pack it with everything small and light you think you'll need for your rv. Then for your very first trip you go to.... Walmart. Yep. park that rv right there in the parking lot, or at an rv park that is very close to a Walmart. Then you can run back and forth and get all the things you realized you need.

This was suggested to use for our first trip, and it was really helpful.

 

good luck and enjoy your new toy.

 

LOL! Hey kids, for our very first RV trip, we're going to StuffMart!

[dsacco]

Congrats! We bought a travel trailer last year and have made some great plans for this year already!!

 

We took a small trip first just to see what we needed. 1st - we got a new sewer hose kit with an elbow shaped pipe that went in the hole. 2nd forks and steak knives. 3rd a can opener (no kidding - we didn't think about bringing one). I bought a collapsible colander which I have found invaluable.

 

We NEED a clothes line to hang towel out on - that's next. Also I plan on getting some stuff for the kids to pack in (plastic containers) that will fit in their "closet" area.

 

Check the mattress - we got those memory foam things to go on top because the mattresses are awful.

 

We joined: Good Sam's club - and they have a new AWESOME site directory which lists it by road (on the east coast, if we are traveling on 95 we can just follow it down and it rates the sites as we go!!)

 

My favorite thing I am getting (we only went 3 times last year and not for very long).... an address book for people we meet who we like and want to stay in contact with. My dd found a friend and we usually try and let him know where we will be in case they want to show up as well.

 

When DH retires - I plan to have us go RVing!! ;)

[Georgia On My Mind]

Hi,

RV'ers for about 2 years. The tip about lowering one side of the awning could save you a couple of thousand dollars alone. Don't leave the awning out when you leave the RV because wind and rain changes in weather happen quickly, especially in the summer and your awning is the first to go. We lost ours in a downpour with us sitting in the RV and we couldn't open the door to get out. Cost $2,000+ to replace. DVDs, Cards and board games for those times when you get rained inside. Yes, inside that small house with all those energetic, bored kids. Determine to have dedicated RV items and keep in the RV except when doing the laundry and clean up after a trip. If funds are low just buy a few dedicated items each weak at Wally World. It will make the pack up and clean up so much more simple.

 

Take some boric acid to sprinkle around inside and out for the ants. They are waiting for you in every campground and can be in your camper when you awake the first morning. Boric acid is fairly nontoxic and they won't come in if you sprinkle it around your wheels when you set up. If a few get in from the tree branch touching your camper, use the boric acid around the edge of cabinet, etc. and don't park where a tree branch can touch your RV.

 

No one mentioned a first aid kit (more complete than you carry in the car or boat). You will encounter every first aid emergency known to man in the first trip, so be prepared. Those ovens are the pits and burn everything. Get a small pizza stone or the broken one in your oven to help regulate the heat in the oven and pre-heat it before baking anything. Textured shelf liner from Walmart will keep your items from moving around on the road trip. Put them in the bottoms of every drawer, cabinet, storage ben, medicine cabinet, closet, etc. All that stuff moves around when you are moving and some will even jump out of the cabinet.:willy_nilly:

 

The forums will become your best friend. Your life will never be the same. The world looks so different from a campground - it looks and smells fresh and clean (unless you forgot to empty the black water tank) and for the most part "home-type-stress" free!

 

Oh, one tip I forgot. After you empty the black tank for the trip home, empty a large bag of ice into the black tank and it will knock loose and clean any residue, toilet tissue, poo, etc. that didn't get flushed out when you emptied the tank. After a bit, stop at a truck stop and flush again. This tip is for after you have used the RV a few times.

 

Buy the kids new camping journals each year to keep on camper and get them to journal every night before bed. They will love to read their journals when they get bored and can't think of anything to do.

 

You are in for an adventure you have yet to imagine!!!!! Have fun!!!!!

[Georgia On My Mind]

Hi,

RV'ers for about 2 years. The tip about lowering one side of the awning could save you a couple of thousand dollars alone. Don't leave the awning out when you leave the RV because wind and rain changes in weather happen quickly, especially in the summer and your awning is the first to go. We lost ours in a downpour with us sitting in the RV and we couldn't open the door to get out. Cost $2,000+ to replace. DVDs, Cards and board games for those times when you get rained inside. Yes, inside that small house with all those energetic, bored kids. Determine to have dedicated RV items and keep in the RV except when doing the laundry and clean up after a trip. If funds are low just buy a few dedicated items each weak at Wally World. It will make the pack up and clean up so much more simple.

 

Take some boric acid to sprinkle around inside and out for the ants. They are waiting for you in every campground and can be in your camper when you awake the first morning. Boric acid is fairly nontoxic and they won't come in if you sprinkle it around your wheels when you set up. If a few get in from the tree branch touching your camper, use the boric acid around the edge of cabinet, etc. and don't park where a tree branch can touch your RV.

 

No one mentioned a first aid kit (more complete than you carry in the car or boat). You will encounter every first aid emergency known to man in the first trip, so be prepared. Those ovens are the pits and burn everything. Get a small pizza stone or the broken one in your oven to help regulate the heat in the oven and pre-heat it before baking anything. Textured shelf liner from Walmart will keep your items from moving around on the road trip. Put them in the bottoms of every drawer, cabinet, storage ben, medicine cabinet, closet, etc. All that stuff moves around when you are moving and some will even jump out of the cabinet.:willy_nilly:

 

The forums will become your best friend. Your life will never be the same. The world looks so different from a campground - it looks and smells fresh and clean (unless you forgot to empty the black water tank) and for the most part "home-type-stress" free!

 

Oh, one tip I forgot. After you empty the black tank for the trip home, empty a large bag of ice into the black tank and it will knock loose and clean any residue, toilet tissue, poo, etc. that didn't get flushed out when you emptied the tank. After a bit, stop at a truck stop and flush again. This tip is for after you have used the RV a few times.

 

Buy the kids new camping journals each year to keep on camper and get them to journal every night before bed. They will love to read their journals when they get bored and can't think of anything to do.

 

You are in for an adventure you have yet to imagine!!!!! Have fun!!!!!

 

Oh! I forgot an important must have. You must have a weather radio on board. You will not be camping anywhere there isn't weather happening both good and bad.

[Pippen]

LOL! Hey kids, for our very first RV trip, we're going to StuffMart!

 

We have a pop-up ;) but I was going to mention that I used to pack everything (canned goods, soda, water bottles, groceries, etc.) back at home. Now when we go somewhere that I know we'll be near a store, I buy there. It really lightens the load.

 

For what meals you don't precook at home, the crockpot is your friend. We have a small table that we set up outside and I plug it in there and can go about the day and still have a meal ready.

 

Plastic peanut butter jars with duct tape wrapped around them make leakproof plastic containers for food.

[WTMCassandra]

Oh! I forgot an important must have. You must have a weather radio on board. You will not be camping anywhere there isn't weather happening both good and bad.

 

Oh! All your suggestions were great but this is the best. And I even have one tucked away! I just need to put new batteries in it.

 

And I love the ice suggestion, LOL. What a creative way to handle the problem!

[CamperMom]

Have your children help you pack a few of their "favorite things" from home before you leave. Whatever it is ... a favorite pillow, blanket, toy, book, game, shirt, they'll feel less homesick and will be happy travellers for a longer period of time if they have their favorite things with them.

[HerdingCats]

Do you have to buy actual RV toilet paper or can you use the cheapie stuff?

 

What kind of meals do you like to take?

__________________

 

I will take raw hamburger patties pre-seasoned and arranged in a double layer with a sheet of plastic wrap in between so they are ready for the grill. Also pre-cooked ground beef for spaghetti or tacos. Pre-cooked cut up chicken for quick additions to pastas, sandwich wraps, stir-frys and other recipes. Shredded pork that I have previously cooked and seasoned in a crock pot to use for BBQ sandwiches and carnitas (burrito wraps with salsa, cheese, and pineapple chunks, yum!), steaks/chops with marinade in bag ready for grill.

 

I do my prep and pre-cooking the week before we leave and freeze the bags as flat as possible in my home freezer. The standard sized ziplocs will fit just right in the freezer in two stacks. It is important to freeze ahead of time because the type of refrigerator/freezers in RV's do not operate in the same way. If you stock it full of room temp items it will have a hard time cooling them to the right temperature.

 

You don't have to buy special RV tp. I have generally heard that anything that is "septic safe" will work, but I have also heard that to avoid any problems one-ply cheapie tp is best.

[RobynN]

We travel in our RV 6-8 mos a year for my husbands work. Our RV (2008 Cyclone , 42 ft fifth wheel toy hauler) is fully stocked with it's own dishes, towels, bedding, food, and personal items (paper goods, make-up, shampoos, and a full medicine cabinet). When we do get to go home - we only have to unload our clothes and some items such as laptops, school books, etc.

 

My advice is to make it cozy. Nice throws on the couch, good smelling candles, rugs on the floor. Anything to make it comfortable and the feeling of home. Our RV is our 2nd home and it feels like it.