Inside Tasks

Just as there are several outside tasks that need to be accomplished before you depart, there are also many inside taks that should be done.

Stow the Small Items. The person doing the “inside chores” should walk around the interior of the RV and make sure that all the loose items have been stowed or placed so that they can’t slide around.

The soap dispenser and the glass in the bathroom can safely ride in the bowl of the sink, but be sure that all personal grooming items have been put in a drawer or cupboard. And remember to put down both the toilet lid and the seat.

A flower vase full of flowers rides very nicely in the kitchen sink, and surrounding it with a dish towel helps to keep it from sliding around too much.

Interestingly, I put a non-slip mat under my coffee pot, and it rides very well right on top of the dinette table—even over very rough roads.

If you use an electric clock in the bedroom, remember to put it in a drawer, and remember to pick up any water glasses that you might have had on the bedside tables.

Our laptop computer travels very happily in the seat of the recliner.

Remember that anything that can fall off or slide around in a moving RV is going to do just that—so make sure that everything is ready for the next leg of your journey.

Put refrigerator Bars in Refrigerator. If you don’t want everything in your refrigerator to come tumbling out the next time you open the door, remember to put refrigerator bars across the front of each shelf.

Use double bars for tall items like bottles, but single bars work well for most shelves. They only take a minute to put in, but can save you lots of grief when you get to your next stop and open the refrigerator door. (Having to clean up a broken jar of mustard or mop up the remains of a bottle of soda or orange juice is not a pleasant task.)

Lower Vent Lids. The vent lids in both the kitchen area and the bathroom should not be left fully open when you are traveling down the road, because they can easily catch too much wind and break off. It is OK to have them open about an inch or so. Because the bathroom vent is usually behind a closed door, it is very easy to forget it—so please check before you drive off.

Secure all Loose Kitchen Items. Usually there are all sorts of dishes, pots, pans, glasses, and silverware in the kitchen area, so be sure that they can safely travel wherever you put them. And remember to close the lid of the stove, so that it doesn’t come crashing down while you are on the road.

Make Sure All Cupboards are Securely Closed. Make sure that heavy or bulky items are not pressing on the cupboard doors—causing them to possibly pop open when you are on a rough stretch of road.

Close Windows. It is best to usually travel with your windows closed, especially if you want to avoid the less-than-pleasant smell of your Black tank being sucked into your windows.

Tie Back and Fully Open Front Side-Window Curtains. This is an obvious must-do, but the driver will appreciate that he doesn’t have to tie back the curtains in order for him/her to clearly be able to see out the side windows and the mirrors.

If you have one of the newer, quite expensive RVs, then this task can often be accomplished by simply flicking a switch—but most RVers don’t have that luxury.

Lower TV Roof Antenna. If the clothes pin is still on your TV antenna crank, lower the TV antenna and then put away the clothes pin. Before cranking down the antenna, make sure that the little indicator arrow on the directional disc (closest to the roof) is pointed toward the rear of the RV. (If the indicator is not pointing to the rear of the RV, the antenna is not going to crank down all the way.)

Sometimes these antennas tend to stick or jam when they are not really all the way down. It is always a good idea to step outside and double check that the TV antenna is fully stowed and is lying flat on the roof of the RV.

Lower Roof-Mounted Satellite Dish Antenna. If you are one of the ever-increasing number of RVers who have a roof-mounted satellite antenna, remember to lower it and put away your “antenna up” reminder.