One thing I would add, prior to unplugging the power cord, you always want to shut off your ac units inside the rv and let them cycle off. Cutting the power while they are running is very hard on them.
KARL! BUDDY! PAL! When you turn the valve on the hose splitter to shut off the water to the pressure regulator, instead of just disconnecting and getting sprayed as you disconnect from the spigot, open one of the other valves on the splitter to relieve the pressure first. Tip from the Hinks 😂
TIP: On my round wall clock I attached a small piece of Velcro on the bottom side. Once I hook the top on the screw then I press the bottom to center it. Easy to remove to change batteries or adjust and it never bounces off the mount. One less thing to secure on travel day!
Omg, the trash flying and being caught! I appreciate the cinematic value as I imagine how long that scene must have taken to film. And for such a great laugh - thanks Hanks for the quality hilarious video. Keep them rolling !!
Kyle, when ever you leave your gray valves open. Make sure to put a p-trap in it at the edge of your slinky, this keeps water in the line so fruit flies and any other flying things can’t come up the pipe. Safe Travels 😎
We pull our shades down because they vibrate themselves down anyway. Keeps it cooler and people can’t see the way things are packed as you drive down the road. 😊
Just a cautionary tale: we were pulling our brand new 40’ Montana home and left the blinds down. By the time we got home I guess they got to swinging pretty well and 2 of the blinds pulled completely off the roller (they are basically just glued on). Needless to say, there is no way to get them back on neatly. We had to order new ones and the shipping charge was expensive. We’ve never left them down again.
Hey Hanks. I have a tip I use when checking the exterior lights when your doing it alone. I set my phone in the front of the rig recording all the lights. Then go inside and test the lights and turn signals. Then set the phone recording the back lights and go inside and test the brake lights and turn signals. Then watch the video to see if everything works. It works great.
We added pieces of water pipe insulation to our blinds and leave them down to keep as much heat out as possible while driving. The insulation pieces keep them from creating damage and they have adhesive built in to keep them in place.
Museum putty your utensil crock and soap dispenser. Mine never move. And mine is stone with A LOT of utensils. And no museum putty never stains. We also alien tape our paper towel dispenser - stays put on the wall - and museum putty all our greenery. Never any issues. I even leave my ninja foodie on the counter with nothing holding it down - gasp. Never an issue.
Save yourself from slide toppers…our full wall slide still gets water underneath if it has rained (have to ‘kneel’ the rig…and heaven help you if its a windy night. Those things squeak, rattle and roll, and not in a fun way. I know many RVers who have to pull slides in so the toppers don’t keep them awake. As to shades…down. They help keep sun out on hot days, and if it’s cold out, stop it radiating in.
Hey Kyle, we’re semi full time. We travel 10 months a year. I don’t like heights, nor do I think it’s good to be on the roof to often. So… we purchased a Greenworks battery operated blower and a 12’ collapsable ladder. On travel days I simply pop up the ladder and blow off the slide-outs with the blower. Easy. Think about it. Safe travels, keep up the good work. We enjoy your Thursday videos very much.
@@storeowner56 Same here! I don’t like heights! 👎. My wife won’t let me on the roof because I had total hip replacement last year. I need to find that 12ft collapsible ladder.
That external Valterra valve on the sewer is worth its weight in gold. I had a leak with the interior valve and didn't know it. Unscrewed the cap and got about 2 gallons of, well... You know come right at me under pressure. Funny thing is since I've had the Valterra valve, I've never seen leakage again. But better safe than sorry!
Let me attest to that.. NEVER EVER walk away when flushig your black tank. GO sit and look at the talk Level. DO nothing else. File Nails? NO, REtie your shoe laces? NO. DO nothing but look at that level indicator or else your comode will overflow in your RV.
@@markreynolds9570, the warning is there for the dumbs. It works best when you close the valve, filled it up, and dump again. Just have to be smart about it.
I put a water meter on the black tank hose. I tend to go by gallons. First couple of times I will put 10 gallons or more in and do that 3-4 times. Then do a view smaller fills.
I'm just saying...we just starting watching you kids. My husband and I absolutely love ya'll. We recently bought a fifth wheel and have learned a lot by watching ur videos. Thank you for the info and the entertainment ❤❤
I use museum putty at home to keep things from getting knocked over when the schnauzers get zoomies or decide to play king on the mountain. It has never stained or damaged the furniture.
One thing I can recommend adding to your checklist: charge up EVERYTHING. (Make a list) Oh, and we have small inflatable beach balls in the fridge. VERY flexible,
Thanks Hanks You Guys NEVER fail to entertain!!! USE your bumper to help roll up the electrical cord makes it smaller therefore easier to store!!!! We leave our Blinds down-- Our Thoughts are- it keeps the sun and road grime or dust down, yes our windows are closed but you know things are as tightly sealed on the RV as in a Sticks and Bricks. We also LOVE our electric blower for the roof and our rugs ((since we have 3 dogs)) helps to keep the dirt out of the camper. Love the Hooks idea. Always look forward to Thursdays. Be Safe.
I use clear museum gel on a lot of breakable decor. Our cats love nothing better than pushing a vase full of flowers onto the floor. Once it "sets," nothing moves it. So far, I haven't had any staining from the gel, and I've used it on all types of surfaces.
GREAT OPENING! 👍 Y'all ARE the BEST COMEDY TEAM around & love that your theme is RV LIVING! I'm van dweller & same principles apply for travel day. My big thing is making sure cups & dog bowls of water are emptied... In Jan, my 2.5gal water jug fell off its stand & saturated carpet & flooring. Took 3 wks to get dried & install new flooring. Fortunately, i was host at Devil's Lake/Lincoln City & Park mgr let me stay in yurt while fixing. Keep up the great videos! Happy Trails, Ms. CharLee👵, Nicolas🐶 & Angel🚐
Make sure you know each others "jobs"! My husband got hurt and was taken to a hospital 2.5 hours away. I had to get the whole rig (small Motorhome with Jeep towed) ready to go. I had never done any of the outside stuff, had never hooked up the Jeep, and the worst...had never driven on the highway! Thankfully, there were some really nice people who pitched in to help. Not knowing how to do this stuff made a very stressful situation WAY more stressful. Once my husband is able to, we are going to go through the entire process! We will also make a checklist with directions!
My husband and I have a 45 ft Motorhome and we flat tow a Jeep behind it and our packing procedures are very similiar to yours. The one thing we use to check turn signals and brake lights are walkie talkies.
We always ensure glass jars or any glass containers are not next to each other. We always put some plastic container between them so the don’t break during travel. We also cover one shelf we have nothing but bottles, soda cans and jars on, with a hair towel. That’s what my wife calls it, NeNe will know what that is. It keeps them from tipping over.
To stop the rubbing on your desk get clear plastic edge/corner protectors. They stick on with clear adhesive. We use them because we have bins in our pantry that we slide in and out and they were rubbing the finish off the edges of our pantry frame. We stuck then to the corner edge and totally fixed the problem and the best thing is you can't even see the protector. We purchased two 8 foot strips at Home Depot for less then $10 each.😊
Thanks Hanks, great video. I have a suggestion. A pet tracker on the collar. I lost my cat 3 months ago. He never really left the backyard and mostly stayed in the house. He disappeared in the middle of the day. It was a hard lesson to learn. After it happened i recommend it to another youtuber and offered my spare one. My advice was not taken and he lost one of his cats a week ago. It was the hard lesson i had to learn. I hope that this post will help save someones loved furbabby in the future. I always look forward to your videos. Maby a boondocking video in the near future 😊.
@@KateHungerford-nh3rq I have the galaxy smart tag 2. I am extremely happy with it. It has many options even tracks my dog walks. I bought pack of 4 for 40 dollars on ebay unopened. 👍
Ol, 89 C class, since I have a bedroom in the back I use the front top sleeper as storage and I also put my 52'' tv, fits perfectly. All that to say that when I'm about to leave, I start from the front to the back. Grab the tv and bring it on the bed in the back, next I unplug the computer and tie it down with bungees, then everything that's on the kitchen counter (Coffee maker, block of knives and pitcher of water go in the sink. Now for outside, pull the black tank, grab bike and bring it inside, put the stairs away, lock the side door, go upfront, unlock the 2 doors, start Francine up(my rigg), go out shut the water off and loosen the hose a bit, close black tank, open grey tank, unplug the electric and put the extension cord on the floor passenger side. Unhook the hose+ filter, close the grey tank, unhook the tube, take hose and pour water down the tube WITHOUT THE HOSE TOUCHING THE TUBE to make sure it is well rinse. Grab the tote out of Francine and put tube in it, unhook the hose + wrap it up and put away, but tote away next. Pop the hood and check all lubes, add accordingly if at all, get back in Francine get my USB key out and put in radio, get my phone out go on the map app and get my trip that I put in the night before and we're ready to Rock n Roll!! Takes me (because I'm alone) 30 minutes to do all of this.
We’ve been using 3m Velcro and sticky hands for items we want handy but have a home when not using: tv remote, usb charging cables, toothbrushes. And I’m too lazy to constantly putting things in and out of a sink or on and off a bed, so I’ve got a home for every appliance and item and make a point of putting these things away when I’ve finished using them. Instant pot, air fryer, food processor, tea kettle, coffee pot etc. when everything has a place that is safe for travel it cuts down on time on travel day 🙂
Alien tape is on everything in our RV. We remove the glass plate from the microwave. I personally enjoy working from the bedroom forward to the LR. As I finish each room I close the curtains and lock the doors in the open position. Tip... We keep a plastic disposable shower curtain on the inside so that I don't have to spend our vacation time scrubbing a shower door. Once the inside is done it's my job to help hubby hook up. Then I stand at what I call my stations. If he sees me standing by the power pole he knows his next step is to cut the electric. I'll stand at the back of the RV and wait for him to finish his list as his reminder to plug us in and I'll verify if lights are working etc etc...
I keep the blinds down on travel days and I put foam pipe insulation for 1/2 inch pipe and cut it to fit so it doesn't bang. It's black, so it's not that noticeable
You two are spot on with your analysis of CT. I'm a lifelong resident and purchased a Brookstone fifth wheel last year and I pull it with a GMC much like your own(2021). Received my property tax bill in July for the two, and my residence town wants $3700 for the year! Just crazy. Safe travels, Hank's and I love your page!
Sweet People you've mentioned many times that you keep your Grey OPEN all the time. You must realize the black and Grey dump goes into the same drain; right? The FUMES are still coming into your unit through your sink drains. Be smart and get a new Habit Please, pull your Grey drain either every evening before bed or whatever time you like. Except KEEP your Tanks closed! STAY HEALTHY!
Thanks guys... Great reminders for us because we are getting ready to head out on our first adventures after sitting stationary for 10 months while prepping & selling the house and retiring. We're not sure we even remember how to use the leveling system! Lol
I bought a separate 15ft 50amp cord that I use when the pedestal is close to the RV plug. Much lighter and easier not having to drag out the 50 ft cord every time!
All great points. We are also full time and have very similar systems to those you use. I agree about getting on the roof. I'm in my 70s and it gets harder every year to get up there. I have started using an extending pole, zip tied to a selfie stick. I can extend the pole as far as I need to, set my phone to record a video on the selfie stick, then raise the pole so I can video the tops of each slide. I bought a drone for that purpose but it's getting harder and harder to legally fly them and this system ends up being easier anyway. If I'm only dealing with a leaf or 2, I don't believe it is worth climbing on the roof. Also, (you may have said it but I missed it) but it is important to sweep the floors thoroughly before running in the slides. A single pebble on the floor can destroy your flooring. Keep the videos coming.
I use shelf liner under my air fryer and it stays put every time. I use museum putty under my soap dish in the bathroom and under my spoon rest in the kitchen. Stays put every time. Also use the microwave for storage all the time for bread, chips, peanut butter, and paper towels.
Where your book shelf is marking your corner table, I have used smaller colored chair leg cushions for such things. My medicine cabinet hits the shower curtain rail. With one of these it helps to cushion the cupboard door. No one noties it as it is very close in color of the shower rail.
For coiling your big fat electrical cord, look up a video of an audio engineer or ham radio operator demonstrating the “over-under method” for coiling coaxial cable - the same process applies for hefty extension cords.
I have mini blinds, I know they are not what I want. So travel with them up. It keeps them from bending. Banging agents the window crank bends them. And we all know mini blinds once bent, no flattening back.
What we used to do on travel days for windows, blinds up, 3m velcro with reflectix in every window. Also have rv vent insulator for every vent. Really helps to keep the temps down on travel days.
Being new to RVing, in our first Class A we took a 2000 mile trip. I learned that you should not buy beer in glass bottles, and if you do, don’t put them in the bedroom cabinet on a shelf. Got cut off on a 90 degree corner and bang. Beer was up to the stairwell before we got to the gas station 2 miles away. It takes forever to get ALL the glass! Good advice in the video.
Now that we ? Packed up our stuff And checked everything, Let’s head to Sedona, Arizona ? I miss the beautiful views. Why would I need an RV ? If I could live carelessly through you guys. So let’s get in the truck ? And take me there.
To avoid the power cord not wanting to roll up, make one loop in one direction and the next in the opposite direction. A trick I learned with EKG leads.
Our 50A cord is 36’ long. Unfortunately, the manufacturer of our travel trailer provided a power cord that resists rolling up unless the ambient temperature is roughly 85 degrees or higher and the cord is fully exposed to the sun. We plan to purchase a new power cord during the off-season. Until then, I wrestle the cord into a general resemblance of a coil and use a sideways sling-it move to get it over the tailgate of the truck. That is a much less frustrating solution than trying to wrestle the stiff octopus of an electrical cord into a storage crate in the pass through.
I’ve owned large yachts in the plus 155 foot category and museum Putty is a staple in this industry, it’s used in all areas, it doesn’t stain, it’s clear. When we started RVing I brought museum putty with me to that lifestyle. I also us bungee’s on my rolling dining room chairs like you do
Use scoot guard small pieces between every other glass dish/ bowls. They never move and my dish cupboard is basically at the back of trailer. Have been doing this for years
It looks like Dexter’s little house that he sleeps in in the RV with smoosh just beautifully in his travel cage, so he could feel like he’s in his little house while he’s in his travel cage
Thank you for this video. My wife and I are weekend warriors; however, we still want to do things correctly. I'm going to try double sided tape for things that we want to leave out and secured. The towel in the wet bay is a good idea. I would like to make a suggestion; My wife was cut by the bed frame in the bedroom. I looked and the side pushes the mattress. So, when we set up, I always move my mattress back over for her. Please keep the videos coming. I'm always learning. :)
We have a routine to set up and then reverse it to pack up. We check on each other to make everything is safe and secured before leaving the campground.
While paying to replace the largest blind in the trailer the manufacturer lady taking the order chuckled, “that’s why you should travel with them closed”. Convinced us to change our ways.
As a couple who have a travel channel (albeit soooo much smaller than your own, we laughed at the chewing tobacco vs lens cap confusion. We can absolutely relate! Wonderful content. Thanks.
Wow, that is a lot for a travel day. We did that for a short time and decided it wasn't for us. We traded it for a class C, then a class B. So much less work. I'm glad you have a good system to get it all done.
Your best video yet !!! I don't know about museum putty, but we use Alien Tape (aka Nano Tape) for holding stuff in place... including pictures and the clock on the wall. It does not stain surfaces. We pinch one of the bed pillows between the refrigerator doors and the kitchen island. That keeps the frig from getting dented & scratched & holds the doors closed.. Extending the slideouts is a 2-step process. I move the slides out `1/2 way and visually check behind the slideout frame for stuff that fell into that space. We had stuff fall back there, and the motors ripped the slide frame apart. After I see the space is clear, I go ahead and open the slides all the way out.
When rolling hoses and power cords, learn to do an "over under roll." It's a technique for rolling cables (and hoses and rope) that prevents kinking and makes a nice roll.
I think the roller shade debate started before most rvs have the pull down shades, when I was a kid they all had mini blinds and you pulled them up so they didn't destroy themselves going down the road.
Great video!! Looks like you guys got it down to perfection. We use alien tape vice museum puddy because someone gave us a roll of it. I am also a stickler about never letting either end of my freshwater hose touch the ground. I have seen too many people mess up dumping tanks and getting it all over the place, so my water hose ends don't go near the ground on that side of the RV if I can help it.
Before unhooking the water hose turn the water off at the spigot then open the empty valve on the splitter. That will allow the pressure from the hose to release therefore avoiding the spray when unhooking.
We have slide toppers. Once a bird got caught between the top of the slide and the topper. We didn’t know until it smelled like death at our front door. Husband cleaned it up. Fun times.
I use museum putty for everything and never had a stain. On the walls, on the stove, on the fake wood shelves under the tv and the dresser. All good. It does dirty of melt off the wall in really high heat. Happened in Moab.
We do so many similar packing techniques. When your camper is a pull behind you really have to lock everything down since our storage spaces are very limited.I like the Museum putty. Great idea.
For the power cord, look for a video on flip coiling or audio coiling cables. It keeps the cable from getting kinked up and coils into a much smaller neater coil to pack up. The other thing one can do is to coil the cable into a storage tub, then it's a bin to handle, not a big floppy mess. Once your cable gets permanent kinks into it, these methods don't work so well, as the damage is done.
I would recommend using a pool noodle ,cut to size and put a slit on one side. Put it in you desk,were the bookcase. It will keep it from rubbing the edge of the desk. Just a thought
I used to have to put so much away when we towed. So nice to not have to do that with our class c! Even my ice maker sits on the counter with no issues!
Hi, Gotta give myself a shout-out as we've been RVing more than half time for the past 7 years and haven't forgotten the water running into the black tank yet. (yet!) I routinely set a timer on my phone. When it goes off, I make a beeline to open the valve again (often I complete my other tasks before the timer goes off and I may open the valve early). I also don't plan to fill beyond 70%. It's worked for us, so far.
One thing I would add, prior to unplugging the power cord, you always want to shut off your ac units inside the rv and let them cycle off. Cutting the power while they are running is very hard on them.
@@donbright721 Good point! Ensure EVERYTHING is turned off before turning off the pedestal circuit breaker and unplugging.
KARL! BUDDY! PAL! When you turn the valve on the hose splitter to shut off the water to the pressure regulator, instead of just disconnecting and getting sprayed as you disconnect from the spigot, open one of the other valves on the splitter to relieve the pressure first. Tip from the Hinks 😂
TIP: On my round wall clock I attached a small piece of Velcro on the bottom side. Once I hook the top on the screw then I press the bottom to center it. Easy to remove to change batteries or adjust and it never bounces off the mount.
One less thing to secure on travel day!
That opening clip was hilarious!!!!!😂 thanks for good laugh
Omg, the trash flying and being caught! I appreciate the cinematic value as I imagine how long that scene must have taken to film. And for such a great laugh - thanks Hanks for the quality hilarious video. Keep them rolling !!
We use a selfie stick and take a pic of the top of slide to see if debris is up there.
Hey guys, thanks for the tips. To protect that furniture bc the shelf just cut a pool noodle and put it on there! That should help!! Pats to Dexter! ❤
Kyle, when ever you leave your gray valves open. Make sure to put a p-trap in it at the edge of your slinky, this keeps water in the line so fruit flies and any other flying things can’t come up the pipe.
Safe Travels 😎
If you pull your sunshades down on travel days, it’ll greatly reduce the amount of heat that collects inside of the RV during travel.
That is what we do - shades are all down.
We pull our shades down because they vibrate themselves down anyway. Keeps it cooler and people can’t see the way things are packed as you drive down the road. 😊
Just a cautionary tale: we were pulling our brand new 40’ Montana home and left the blinds down. By the time we got home I guess they got to swinging pretty well and 2 of the blinds pulled completely off the roller (they are basically just glued on). Needless to say, there is no way to get them back on neatly. We had to order new ones and the shipping charge was expensive. We’ve never left them down again.
Hey Hanks. I have a tip I use when checking the exterior lights when your doing it alone. I set my phone in the front of the rig recording all the lights. Then go inside and test the lights and turn signals. Then set the phone recording the back lights and go inside and test the brake lights and turn signals. Then watch the video to see if everything works. It works great.
The Truly’s all over the counter 😂. Glad to know we’re not alone…
I can remember when you weren't a sitcom! Some really funny stuff! Thanks for all the laughs!!!
We added pieces of water pipe insulation to our blinds and leave them down to keep as much heat out as possible while driving. The insulation pieces keep them from creating damage and they have adhesive built in to keep them in place.
I do that...
We have string style Roman shades so we keep them down to keep the sun out and they don't flop.
Museum putty your utensil crock and soap dispenser. Mine never move. And mine is stone with A LOT of utensils. And no museum putty never stains. We also alien tape our paper towel dispenser - stays put on the wall - and museum putty all our greenery. Never any issues. I even leave my ninja foodie on the counter with nothing holding it down - gasp. Never an issue.
Same here I use museum putty on anything on a counter
Great idea! Thank you!
Alien tape is fantastic!
Agree…no staining from Museum Putty…whether on Corian, wood, metal.
Save yourself from slide toppers…our full wall slide still gets water underneath if it has rained (have to ‘kneel’ the rig…and heaven help you if its a windy night. Those things squeak, rattle and roll, and not in a fun way. I know many RVers who have to pull slides in so the toppers don’t keep them awake.
As to shades…down. They help keep sun out on hot days, and if it’s cold out, stop it radiating in.
Hey Kyle, we’re semi full time. We travel 10 months a year. I don’t like heights, nor do I think it’s good to be on the roof to often. So… we purchased a Greenworks battery operated blower and a 12’ collapsable ladder. On travel days I simply pop up the ladder and blow off the slide-outs with the blower. Easy. Think about it. Safe travels, keep up the good work. We enjoy your Thursday videos very much.
@@storeowner56 Same here! I don’t like heights! 👎. My wife won’t let me on the roof because I had total hip replacement last year. I need to find that 12ft collapsible ladder.
That external Valterra valve on the sewer is worth its weight in gold. I had a leak with the interior valve and didn't know it. Unscrewed the cap and got about 2 gallons of, well... You know come right at me under pressure. Funny thing is since I've had the Valterra valve, I've never seen leakage again. But better safe than sorry!
The former owner put a Valterra gate on the sewer exit & weirdly they put the handle so you pull it up instead of sideways.
Same here, only thankfully, it was gray water. Bought an external valve right away.
Let me attest to that.. NEVER EVER walk away when flushig your black tank. GO sit and look at the talk Level. DO nothing else. File Nails? NO, REtie your shoe laces? NO. DO nothing but look at that level indicator or else your comode will overflow in your RV.
Never flush with the outlet valve closed. Like what the warning label says.
Use the timer on your phone to sound an alarm for six minutes. Just keep your phone on you and when it goes off, you can pull the valve open.
@ATLJonathanH brave of you to assume I have any idea where my phone is at any given time. 😂
@@markreynolds9570, the warning is there for the dumbs. It works best when you close the valve, filled it up, and dump again. Just have to be smart about it.
I put a water meter on the black tank hose. I tend to go by gallons. First couple of times I will put 10 gallons or more in and do that 3-4 times. Then do a view smaller fills.
Your opening was FANTASTIC! When Nay Nay jumped up and spit out water made me jump😂😂😂
Hahaha! We are so happy you enjoyed 😊 Thank you for your amazing support and for watching our videos. We couldn't do it without you!
You two are more entertaining than most of what is on TV! Thanks for making us laugh!
I'm just saying...we just starting watching you kids. My husband and I absolutely love ya'll. We recently bought a fifth wheel and have learned a lot by watching ur videos. Thank you for the info and the entertainment ❤❤
I use museum putty at home to keep things from getting knocked over when the schnauzers get zoomies or decide to play king on the mountain. It has never stained or damaged the furniture.
One thing I can recommend adding to your checklist: charge up EVERYTHING. (Make a list)
Oh, and we have small inflatable beach balls in the fridge. VERY flexible,
Thanks Hanks You Guys NEVER fail to entertain!!! USE your bumper to help roll up the electrical cord makes it smaller therefore easier to store!!!! We leave our Blinds down-- Our Thoughts are- it keeps the sun and road grime or dust down, yes our windows are closed but you know things are as tightly sealed on the RV as in a Sticks and Bricks. We also LOVE our electric blower for the roof and our rugs ((since we have 3 dogs)) helps to keep the dirt out of the camper. Love the Hooks idea. Always look forward to Thursdays. Be Safe.
When you make bigger loops, electrical cords will last longer, not twist or kink.
I use clear museum gel on a lot of breakable decor. Our cats love nothing better than pushing a vase full of flowers onto the floor. Once it "sets," nothing moves it. So far, I haven't had any staining from the gel, and I've used it on all types of surfaces.
I put a Moryde cord reel in my storage bay. Makes it so much easier to wind up that heavy 50 amp cord, especially when it is cold and stiff.
GREAT OPENING! 👍 Y'all ARE the BEST COMEDY TEAM around & love that your theme is RV LIVING! I'm van dweller & same principles apply for travel day. My big thing is making sure cups & dog bowls of water are emptied... In Jan, my 2.5gal water jug fell off its stand & saturated carpet & flooring. Took 3 wks to get dried & install new flooring. Fortunately, i was host at Devil's Lake/Lincoln City & Park mgr let me stay in yurt while fixing. Keep up the great videos! Happy Trails, Ms. CharLee👵, Nicolas🐶 & Angel🚐
Make sure you know each others "jobs"! My husband got hurt and was taken to a hospital 2.5 hours away. I had to get the whole rig (small Motorhome with Jeep towed) ready to go. I had never done any of the outside stuff, had never hooked up the Jeep, and the worst...had never driven on the highway! Thankfully, there were some really nice people who pitched in to help. Not knowing how to do this stuff made a very stressful situation WAY more stressful. Once my husband is able to, we are going to go through the entire process! We will also make a checklist with directions!
I’m crying. Great opening.
Thanks Lenny!! We appreciate you being here 😃
No thank you guys. Best laugh of the week. You 2 are always fun to watch. ❤ ya’ll.
I subscribe to a lot of RV channels. Your kids are my favorite.
What a husband! You do laundry and even the dishes! Can't let my wife see this video. lol
My husband and I have a 45 ft Motorhome and we flat tow a Jeep behind it and our packing procedures are very similiar to yours. The one thing we use to check turn signals and brake lights are walkie talkies.
We always ensure glass jars or any glass containers are not next to each other. We always put some plastic container between them so the don’t break during travel. We also cover one shelf we have nothing but bottles, soda cans and jars on, with a hair towel. That’s what my wife calls it, NeNe will know what that is. It keeps them from tipping over.
To stop the rubbing on your desk get clear plastic edge/corner protectors. They stick on with clear adhesive. We use them because we have bins in our pantry that we slide in and out and they were rubbing the finish off the edges of our pantry frame. We stuck then to the corner edge and totally fixed the problem and the best thing is you can't even see the protector. We purchased two 8 foot strips at Home Depot for less then $10 each.😊
Thanks Hanks, great video. I have a suggestion. A pet tracker on the collar. I lost my cat 3 months ago. He never really left the backyard and mostly stayed in the house. He disappeared in the middle of the day. It was a hard lesson to learn. After it happened i recommend it to another youtuber and offered my spare one. My advice was not taken and he lost one of his cats a week ago. It was the hard lesson i had to learn. I hope that this post will help save someones loved furbabby in the future. I always look forward to your videos. Maby a boondocking video in the near future 😊.
@fiskydingo5370 what device did you buy and are you satisfied with it.
@@KateHungerford-nh3rq I have the galaxy smart tag 2. I am extremely happy with it. It has many options even tracks my dog walks. I bought pack of 4 for 40 dollars on ebay unopened. 👍
Ol, 89 C class, since I have a bedroom in the back I use the front top sleeper as storage and I also put my 52'' tv, fits perfectly. All that to say that when I'm about to leave, I start from the front to the back.
Grab the tv and bring it on the bed in the back, next I unplug the computer and tie it down with bungees, then everything that's on the kitchen counter (Coffee maker, block of knives and pitcher of water go in the sink.
Now for outside, pull the black tank, grab bike and bring it inside, put the stairs away, lock the side door, go upfront, unlock the 2 doors, start Francine up(my rigg), go out shut the water off and loosen the hose a bit, close black tank, open grey tank, unplug the electric and put the extension cord on the floor passenger side.
Unhook the hose+ filter, close the grey tank, unhook the tube, take hose and pour water down the tube WITHOUT THE HOSE TOUCHING THE TUBE to make sure it is well rinse.
Grab the tote out of Francine and put tube in it, unhook the hose + wrap it up and put away, but tote away next.
Pop the hood and check all lubes, add accordingly if at all, get back in Francine get my USB key out and put in radio, get my phone out go on the map app and get my trip that I put in the night before and we're ready to Rock n Roll!!
Takes me (because I'm alone) 30 minutes to do all of this.
We’ve been using 3m Velcro and sticky hands for items we want handy but have a home when not using: tv remote, usb charging cables, toothbrushes. And I’m too lazy to constantly putting things in and out of a sink or on and off a bed, so I’ve got a home for every appliance and item and make a point of putting these things away when I’ve finished using them. Instant pot, air fryer, food processor, tea kettle, coffee pot etc. when everything has a place that is safe for travel it cuts down on time on travel day 🙂
Alien tape is on everything in our RV. We remove the glass plate from the microwave. I personally enjoy working from the bedroom forward to the LR. As I finish each room I close the curtains and lock the doors in the open position. Tip... We keep a plastic disposable shower curtain on the inside so that I don't have to spend our vacation time scrubbing a shower door. Once the inside is done it's my job to help hubby hook up. Then I stand at what I call my stations. If he sees me standing by the power pole he knows his next step is to cut the electric. I'll stand at the back of the RV and wait for him to finish his list as his reminder to plug us in and I'll verify if lights are working etc etc...
I keep the blinds down on travel days and I put foam pipe insulation for 1/2 inch pipe and cut it to fit so it doesn't bang. It's black, so it's not that noticeable
You two are spot on with your analysis of CT. I'm a lifelong resident and purchased a Brookstone fifth wheel last year and I pull it with a GMC much like your own(2021). Received my property tax bill in July for the two, and my residence town wants $3700 for the year! Just crazy.
Safe travels, Hank's and I love your page!
I love how well y'all work together and how organized you both are.
Sweet People you've mentioned many times that you keep your Grey OPEN all the time. You must realize the black and Grey dump goes into the same drain; right? The FUMES are still coming into your unit through your sink drains. Be smart and get a new Habit Please, pull your Grey drain either every evening before bed or whatever time you like. Except KEEP your Tanks closed! STAY HEALTHY!
P traps stop fumes from backing up the drain.
My wife cut thin “foam board” the size of each cabinet door and puts the board in place across the front on travel day.
Beginning was hysterical! Well done!
Thanks guys...
Great reminders for us because we are getting ready to head out on our first adventures after sitting stationary for 10 months while prepping & selling the house and retiring. We're not sure we even remember how to use the leveling system! Lol
I bought a separate 15ft 50amp cord that I use when the pedestal is close to the RV plug. Much lighter and easier not having to drag out the 50 ft cord every time!
Dexter's little camper tent is sooo cute
All great points. We are also full time and have very similar systems to those you use. I agree about getting on the roof. I'm in my 70s and it gets harder every year to get up there. I have started using an extending pole, zip tied to a selfie stick. I can extend the pole as far as I need to, set my phone to record a video on the selfie stick, then raise the pole so I can video the tops of each slide. I bought a drone for that purpose but it's getting harder and harder to legally fly them and this system ends up being easier anyway. If I'm only dealing with a leaf or 2, I don't believe it is worth climbing on the roof. Also, (you may have said it but I missed it) but it is important to sweep the floors thoroughly before running in the slides. A single pebble on the floor can destroy your flooring. Keep the videos coming.
I use shelf liner under my air fryer and it stays put every time. I use museum putty under my soap dish in the bathroom and under my spoon rest in the kitchen. Stays put every time.
Also use the microwave for storage all the time for bread, chips, peanut butter, and paper towels.
You two do an amazing job with your videos. Definitely one of our favorite channels.
the intro was pretty accurate representation of when a full hook up site came available at a campsite we were staying at
I use a Black and Decker cordless rechargeable leaf bower to blow of the roof and slides. Works great
I use a blower with my step ladder to do the slide tops so I don't get on the roof much.
Great opening - very creative! No matter how long you have been RV'ing, there is always a new tip or two.
Love nano tape for those things I want to anchor!
And shades down when we travel- keeps interior cooler when it’s hot!
Where your book shelf is marking your corner table, I have used smaller colored chair leg cushions for such things. My medicine cabinet hits the shower curtain rail. With one of these it helps to cushion the cupboard door. No one noties it as it is very close in color of the shower rail.
In the very old days, we stuffed pillows, folded towels, sheets, blankets, etc, in our cabinets to avoid breakage. Really easy solution.
For coiling your big fat electrical cord, look up a video of an audio engineer or ham radio operator demonstrating the “over-under method” for coiling coaxial cable - the same process applies for hefty extension cords.
Pool noodles to avoid scratching! Slice and slip on any edge you need to protect!
I have mini blinds, I know they are not what I want. So travel with them up. It keeps them from bending. Banging agents the window crank bends them. And we all know mini blinds once bent, no flattening back.
Great tip on keeping the blinds up while traveling to avoid bending! Thanks for the insight, and for watching our videos!
What we used to do on travel days for windows, blinds up, 3m velcro with reflectix in every window. Also have rv vent insulator for every vent. Really helps to keep the temps down on travel days.
Get pool noodle (cut to size) you can split and put on that counter edge that that small book storage boxes is rubbing the finish off during travel.
Such a great idea, Darlene! Thanks for sharing with us 😊
We devide chores between the two of us .when the inside is done we move to the outside
We do a walk around in both directions
Shades are always a good question, but we tend to leave them up. I have fooled myself into believing it is easier on them. LOL
Haha, totally get that! Thanks for sharing and taking the time to watch! ❤️
Being new to RVing, in our first Class A we took a 2000 mile trip. I learned that you should not buy beer in glass bottles, and if you do, don’t put them in the bedroom cabinet on a shelf. Got cut off on a 90 degree corner and bang. Beer was up to the stairwell before we got to the gas station 2 miles away. It takes forever to get ALL the glass! Good advice in the video.
Now that we ?
Packed up our stuff
And checked everything,
Let’s head to
Sedona, Arizona ?
I miss the beautiful views.
Why would I need an RV ?
If I could live carelessly through you guys.
So let’s get in the truck ?
And take me there.
To avoid the power cord not wanting to roll up, make one loop in one direction and the next in the opposite direction. A trick I learned with EKG leads.
I have slide toppers and still had a frog, yes a frog get in when I was putting the slide in!
I use our air blower to clean off the top of the slides. Works great!
I love that!!
I throw my 50 amp hose into the truck bed. Easy peasy.
Our 50A cord is 36’ long. Unfortunately, the manufacturer of our travel trailer provided a power cord that resists rolling up unless the ambient temperature is roughly 85 degrees or higher and the cord is fully exposed to the sun. We plan to purchase a new power cord during the off-season. Until then, I wrestle the cord into a general resemblance of a coil and use a sideways sling-it move to get it over the tailgate of the truck. That is a much less frustrating solution than trying to wrestle the stiff octopus of an electrical cord into a storage crate in the pass through.
🤣Too funny. We are "now" the opposite. Very organized and calm. I do the outside stuff and my wife takes care of the inside and even feeds me breaky!
Also I use velcro at the bottom of my clock along with the screw. No need to remove it when travelling but can be to change the battery.
I’ve owned large yachts in the plus 155 foot category and museum Putty is a staple in this industry, it’s used in all areas, it doesn’t stain, it’s clear. When we started RVing I brought museum putty with me to that lifestyle. I also us bungee’s on my rolling dining room chairs like you do
❤ The Hanks Trio😎🇺🇸 Twist as you roll cords and hoses😉
I’m prepacking my Rv the night before unhooking and leaving while I watch this 😅
Use scoot guard small pieces between every other glass dish/ bowls. They never move and my dish cupboard is basically at the back of trailer. Have been doing this for years
It looks like Dexter’s little house that he sleeps in in the RV with smoosh just beautifully in his travel cage, so he could feel like he’s in his little house while he’s in his travel cage
Thank you for this video. My wife and I are weekend warriors; however, we still want to do things correctly. I'm going to try double sided tape for things that we want to leave out and secured. The towel in the wet bay is a good idea. I would like to make a suggestion; My wife was cut by the bed frame in the bedroom. I looked and the side pushes the mattress. So, when we set up, I always move my mattress back over for her. Please keep the videos coming. I'm always learning. :)
You have a splitter for your water, why not open one of the unused ones to release the pressure before you disconnect? No spray.
We have a routine to set up and then reverse it to pack up. We check on each other to make everything is safe and secured before leaving the campground.
That opening scene is your best yet. I've watched it at least six times and haven't stopped laughing yet. Outstanding!
Toaster oven on the counter for three years and no problem getting it off cleanly! No stains!
While paying to replace the largest blind in the trailer the manufacturer lady taking the order chuckled, “that’s why you should travel with them closed”. Convinced us to change our ways.
As a couple who have a travel channel (albeit soooo much smaller than your own, we laughed at the chewing tobacco vs lens cap confusion. We can absolutely relate! Wonderful content. Thanks.
Wow, that is a lot for a travel day. We did that for a short time and decided it wasn't for us. We traded it for a class C, then a class B. So much less work. I'm glad you have a good system to get it all done.
Agree, this seems like a ton of work. A good example for keeping things simple.
Your best video yet !!! I don't know about museum putty, but we use Alien Tape (aka Nano Tape) for holding stuff in place... including pictures and the clock on the wall. It does not stain surfaces. We pinch one of the bed pillows between the refrigerator doors and the kitchen island. That keeps the frig from getting dented & scratched & holds the doors closed.. Extending the slideouts is a 2-step process. I move the slides out `1/2 way and visually check behind the slideout frame for stuff that fell into that space. We had stuff fall back there, and the motors ripped the slide frame apart. After I see the space is clear, I go ahead and open the slides all the way out.
I have a plastic milk crate that I coil my power cord into and store it in my pass-through
For the roller shades, we’ve put chair cushions on the bar. No noisy rattling.
When rolling hoses and power cords, learn to do an "over under roll." It's a technique for rolling cables (and hoses and rope) that prevents kinking and makes a nice roll.
I think the roller shade debate started before most rvs have the pull down shades, when I was a kid they all had mini blinds and you pulled them up so they didn't destroy themselves going down the road.
Great video!! Looks like you guys got it down to perfection. We use alien tape vice museum puddy because someone gave us a roll of it. I am also a stickler about never letting either end of my freshwater hose touch the ground. I have seen too many people mess up dumping tanks and getting it all over the place, so my water hose ends don't go near the ground on that side of the RV if I can help it.
It is interesting that nearly all campgrounds have the water and sewer supply right next to each other. 🤔
Before unhooking the water hose turn the water off at the spigot then open the empty valve on the splitter. That will allow the pressure from the hose to release therefore avoiding the spray when unhooking.
We have slide toppers. Once a bird got caught between the top of the slide and the topper. We didn’t know until it smelled like death at our front door. Husband cleaned it up. Fun times.
I use museum putty for everything and never had a stain. On the walls, on the stove, on the fake wood shelves under the tv and the dresser. All good. It does dirty of melt off the wall in really high heat. Happened in Moab.
Wow! I'm so glad that I have a simple 18' TT.
We do so many similar packing techniques. When your camper is a pull behind you really have to lock everything down since our storage spaces are very limited.I like the Museum putty. Great idea.
For the power cord, look for a video on flip coiling or audio coiling cables. It keeps the cable from getting kinked up and coils into a much smaller neater coil to pack up. The other thing one can do is to coil the cable into a storage tub, then it's a bin to handle, not a big floppy mess. Once your cable gets permanent kinks into it, these methods don't work so well, as the damage is done.
I would recommend using a pool noodle ,cut to size and put a slit on one side. Put it in you desk,were the bookcase. It will keep it from rubbing the edge of the desk. Just a thought
I used to have to put so much away when we towed. So nice to not have to do that with our class c! Even my ice maker sits on the counter with no issues!
❤❤ I loved your intro on this one ❤❤ you guys are so fun ! 😊 and Dexter's little Travel Trailer, sweet !
museum putty, yes. Found also at art store and hardware stores.
Hi, Gotta give myself a shout-out as we've been RVing more than half time for the past 7 years and haven't forgotten the water running into the black tank yet. (yet!) I routinely set a timer on my phone. When it goes off, I make a beeline to open the valve again (often I complete my other tasks before the timer goes off and I may open the valve early). I also don't plan to fill beyond 70%. It's worked for us, so far.