RVs Seem to be the Vacation of Choice During a Pandemic!

The Chicago Tribune reported on May 5th that Midwest bookings are up 30% over the same time last year and an MMGY Global Survey for the US travel Association found 68% of people felt safe in a personal vehicle while only 18% felt safe on a domestic flight. The Boston Globe wrote that “RV Share, The Airbnb of RVs, reported a 1,000% increase in bookings since April 1.”

If you are ready to take your first RV vacation, take these steps to enjoy your trip now! Remember pandemic tensions are already high, you want to alleviate stress not add to your load.

Step 1. Plan your Route.

It is tempting to set out and see where your adventure and whims take you but especially in this now busy season, you are going to need campground reservations so you don’t end up in a Walmart parking lot with no water, sewer and electric hookup! Curbed.com wrote 38 Must Have Apps for Summer Camping and Road Trips and I picked out the highlights. You can find campsites that meet your specific destination needs and criteria at Reserve America, AllStays or HipCamp. Once you know where you are going to stay, InRoute can give you the best travel route and Roadtrippers can provide the craziest roadside attractions (largest ball of yarn anyone?)

*Pro Tip: Koa recommends no more than 300 miles or 4 hours between stops and keeping an eye out for truck stops when your gas tank has about ¼ tank so you can pull in where you can pull through.

Step 2. Pack what you need but don’t go crazy (remember you can pop into Walmart, you just don’t want to be stranded overnight in the parking lot!).

There may be a tendency to overpack, especially if you spring for a luxury RV with a lot of storage space. Remember it’s a lot of work to load and unload and you don’t want to feel overcrowded in your space. It is OK to wear the same outfit twice or drink red and white wine out of the same sized glass.

Download my recommended packing checklist click here.

Step 3. Load and Organize.

I recommend loading one section at a time based on your list. Check things off as they go in the RV to be sure you don’t miss anything. In the main cabin, there are cabinets but you are likely to need nearly every inch of cabinet space so use bins to segment categories.

*Pro Tip: Professional Organizer and RV owner, Donna Kuper recommends placing tension rods in cabinets where you store bottles or tall items that will tend to shift while driving and fall towards you when you open the cabinet. The rods hold items in place! Small items can go in bins that accomplish a similar function. I recommend Our Boxes from The Container Store as they come in a variety of sizes, have snap on lids and are a great price.

For the under RV Storage, use a medium to large clear bins and load by category. For example, a bin for the supplies you need when you get to your camp, one for outdoor games, one for grilling etc. Label the bins on the top, front and side so you can see what you have even when it is pushed well into the undercarriage. Put things back in the same place each time so you know which compartment to open to find what you need.

*Pro Tip: Another tip from Donna is to have a checklist of all the things you have to do when you arrive at a campsite and before you leave. That way you don’t forget to unplug a hose or secure your countertops.

Step 4: Hit the road and enjoy.

No time to get ready for your vacation? Call Imagine Home Organization and we can load and organize your RV for you! 727.251.6449