RV and Camper Tips/Tricks

Many people are turning to RV’s as their preferred choice of transportation and lodging all in one for their vacations. Whether renting the RV for the week or weekend, or even purchasing one to have as their own for these getaways it has become very popular. There is also a large amount of those that have chosen an RV or camper to function as housing if they work in a job that requires them to travel away from their normal residence. For instance, many construction workers and also traveling nurses/physical therapists/healthcare workers must travel around quite often and move from job to job that can last anywhere from one month to a year or more and instead of finding a short term apartment or long term hotel, it is much more cost effective and practical to stay in their own RV or camper. 

With this in mind, whether you have been RV’ing for a long time or are new to the RV world we have found a really helpful article “20 RV Tips and Tricks Every Camper Should Know” from RVLife.com that we hope you find helpful! If you are looking for a place to call home for a few months or more permanently we invite you to reach out to us! www.treesidemhp.com

1.  Use an RV departure checklist 

There is nothing like getting on the road and finding out that you forgot to unplug your shore power cord.  There are a lot of things to remember before you pull out. 

A visual checklist, either printed or on your smartphone, will help to ensure you don’t forget anything.  Print out this free RV Departure Checklist and keep it somewhere easy to access.

2.  Know the height of your rig

Find out how high your rig is.  Write the height on a label or piece of masking tape, and put it on your dashboard.  Watch for low-hanging branches and take note of the height of overpasses before you proceed. Use an RV-safe GPS to make sure you have a safe route.

3.  Level your RV before filling your freshwater tank 

Leveling your RV before filling your tank will ensure that you are really getting a full tank.

4.  Mount towel bars (and other things) on your walls with exterior grade Gorilla mounting tape

Exterior grade Gorilla mounting tape adheres to RV walls much better than Command strips or anything else we’ve found.

5. Use Command broom holders to hold flashlights or wrenches

3M Command broom holders are great for keeping flashlights and wrenches handy in your basement storage areas or inside the RV.

6. Replace your RV showerhead 

This trick will help to conserve water, while still having decent water pressure.  The Oxygenics showerhead makes it possible to enjoy longer, better showers in the RV. Read more about replacing your RV showerhead from Do It Yourself RV.

7. Use an Instant Pot Pressure Cooker

The Instant Pot pressure cooker will allow you to make almost effortless, delicious meals in a lot less time than traditional cooking methods.   

You simply put the ingredients in, set it, and the Instant Pot takes it from there.  Bonus: You can vent the Instant Pot outdoors, so cooking won’t add to the humidity levels in your RV.

Get recipe inspiration from Do It Yourself RV

8. Bring a basic tool kit

Be prepared to make minor repairs if you need to by having a basic tool kit with just the essentials. This includes a screwdriver or cordless drill, a few different bits, some screws, an electrical tester, and wrenches like a torque wrench.

9.  Pack a hairdryer

A hairdryer can be used for more than just giving you good hair.  You can use a hairdryer to thaw frozen pipes or to blow warm air onto cold kindling when lighting a campfire.

10. Pack some pine cones

What? Pine cones? 

Yes! Pine cones aren’t just for Christmas decor.  Pine cones are also nature’s perfect firestarter and readily burst into enough flames to start kindling when you put a flame to them.

11.  Plan an RV-safe route

Use the RV LIFE App and RV Trip Wizard to plan your route and find amazing camping spots that are perfect for your camping style. Get RV-friendly directions, read reviews, and find important campground information, all in one convenient tool.

12.  Turn the propane valve off before you travel

Traveling with your RV’s propane valve open is crazy.  Our rolling rigs are subjected to shaking equivalent to an earthquake as we travel.  This shaking causes many things to loosen or even come apart, and propane connections and lines can come apart as we travel.  This definitely presents a fire hazard in your RV.

13.  Pack a first aid kit 

Be prepared for emergencies (including the four-legged family members) by packing a first aid kit for both humans and pets. 

14. Bring a collapsable storage tote or two

Collapsible storage totes can be used to tote campfire supplies like s’mores ingredients, napkins, glasses, and beverages, and make decent impromptu tables to put campfire essentials on.  

15. Bring board games and other activities for family fun

Board games will help your family enjoy time indoors if the weather gets too ugly to play outside. Here are a few great board and card games that you can easily play in the RV.

16.  Pack a pizza stone 

A pizza stone will help to even out the heat in your RV’s propane oven so you can bake amazing meals.  And of course, you can always use it to make pizza!  Pizza stones do break, so be sure to protect them by wrapping them for travel.  

Find more tips for cooking in your RV oven

17.  Repurpose your dishwater

When you are boondocking, your time off-grid and unhooked will be much better if you don’t run out of water.  Washing and rinsing dishes uses more water than anything besides your RV toilet, so it makes sense to repurpose your dishwater.  Use a basin to wash your dishes, and then use gray water to flush your toilet.

18.  Make sure your campfire is really out before leaving it

Abandoned campfires are one of the leading causes of forest fires. Not all of these fires were intentionally left smoldering.

Campfires heat the ground underneath them hot enough to reignite anything combustible in your firepit hours later.  No one wants to be “that guy/girl” so use lots of water or dirt to thoroughly smother your campfire when you are done with it. 

As a rule of thumb, you should be able to put your hand comfortably on the ground in your fireplace before you leave.

19.  Make a headlamp into a lantern

Strap a headlamp (light side in) to a 1-gallon jug of water to make a lantern that lights up your campsite.  Opaque, white jugs work best for this camping hack.  

20.  Wash your clothes as you travel

This camping trick from Travels With Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck is so simple and effortless we’ll be using it all the time. 

Put dirty clothes, water, and laundry soap into a five-gallon bucket with a tight lid.  Make sure the lid is on snug because if it isn’t it makes a huge mess.  Find a place in your rig where you can make sure the bucket will stay firmly in place.  If you have a place to secure it, even better.

Every bump you hit and turn you take will agitate the clothes in the bucket as you drive, just like a washing machine does.  After an hour or two of driving, your clothes will be perfectly clean, ready to be rinsed and hung to dry in the fresh air.  

To learn more about Treeside RV Park and Campground, visit or RV page here