Our family is getting packed and ready for our Summer 2021 RV Road Trip, and we often get many questions about how we prepare for such ventures. When approaching a road trip, these are the things that we do to prepare. You will surely find that planning and organization will make for a much smoother trip for everyone involved. After all, you can always stop along the way for what you might need, but making stops takes away from opportunities for adventure, AND isn’t always easy in an RV!
PACK
First things first, you will need to pack! Lucky for you, we’ve created a simple and easy to navigate Packing List, that will ensure that you prepare with all critical necessities.
The beauty of traveling in an RV is that you can pack all of your items directly into the drawers and cabinets of your vehicle. I usually just fill our laundry baskets with our stacked and folded clothes and take them to the RV, putting them directly away in the compartments of the vehicle. Done!
The same can be done with any kitchen items and groceries you plan to take on our journey. Nothing is easier than making a grocery run and putting the items directly into the RV Refrigerator and cabinets! I usually like to meal plan about a week out, to ensure we’ll have everything we need for at least 7-8 days without having to stop for groceries, and I often bring a few freezer meals as well for ease of cooking on long driving days.
If you are traveling with kids, taking time to pack essential activities is also recommended. We’ve put together a great list of many of our favorite ways to entertain kids on road trips, which may be a helpful review as you pack.
ORGANIZE
As you can imagine, organization is key when traveling in an RV, as space is at a minimum. We make sure that everything in the RV has a “home.” Whether this is a specific compartment you use to store particular items, or use each drawer to house unique goods, these “homes” will ensure that you are not frantically searching the entire RV every time you are looking for something critical. Our family relies on plastic Tupperware bins to help keep things organized on the road. Having a variety of sizes of bins with lids that can live in your interior or exterior compartments is a great way to keep items accessible and easily recognized. Labels can also aid in this.
In addition, keeping your organization systems in place while on the road is critical. Every time you return from a hike or an excursion, make sure to return items from your backpack or bag to its home, to ensure it’s there the next time you need it.
HAVE A GAMEPLAN
We always have a gameplan. I am sure that travel will become easier and more fluid when children are not involved, but traveling with four kids means that having a solid itinerary and reservations ahead of time makes for a smoother, more enjoyable journey. We typically create a spreadsheet for each trip, on which we lay out each day of our journey. These sheets also delineate where we plan to stay each night, what we plan to do, any associated excursions that are planned, or ideas/recommendations from others. These spreadsheets are our “playbooks” for each trip, and we refer to them frequently. Having a plan laid out also allows Mom and Dad to enjoy the journey in between destinations, instead of frantically searching for resources and coordinating while in route.
In addition, if you are looking for resources to help you determine your exact game plan, consider using Roadtrippers to create your itinerary, and Campendium to coordinate lodging reservations.
KEEP AN OPEN MIND
This is probably the most critical step in traveling on a road trip. Keeping an open mind, and remaining flexible is absolutely necessary, ESPECIALLY in an RV. Things can, and likely will not go according to plan 100% of the time. Justin and I love to look at each other in the midst of a stressful, unplanned scenario, and just laugh. Remember, it’s all about the journey!
Discover some of our organization tactics and preparation methods.
