Hopefully, the weather is warming up in your area and it’s time to get the RV back out on the road!

Of course, there are things that have to be done in order to ensure your RV is camp-ready. Some of these tasks must be saved until the weather warms up and you’re about to head out on your first trip, but a few are things you can be working on right now. Doing these tasks now will help pass the time while you wait, and more importantly, will save you time later when you’re itching to get on the road once again.

Not sure what you should be doing during the off-season to prepare for the next camping season? Here are some of my favorite tips.

Make Repairs

First and foremost, you will want to use the downtime of the off-season to make repairs to your RV. While you’re just sitting around anyway, you can…

• Send your rig to the shop now and take advantage of these months you aren’t using it.
• Make all DIY repairs while the weather is dreary in preparation for spring.
• Replace appliances and broken parts.
• Reseal things.
• Replace filters.
• Change oil where needed.
• Perform any other maintenance tasks you’ve put off.

Doing these things now will help you pass the time until you can finally camp again, and they’ll help you get on the road as soon as possible when the sun starts shining again.

Clean Up

You probably don’t want to wash the outside of your RV until the snow has finished falling. That said, if you didn’t deep-clean the interior of your RV before putting it in storage, now is the perfect time to do just that.

Parking in the middle of nowhere really does a number on an RV’s interior. Dirt and dust get carried in left and right, and try as we might to keep up with a broom and dustpan, that day-to-day cleaning can’t possibly keep up. For this reason, we recommend using the winter months to clean things like curtains, carpets, furniture, window screens, and all the nooks and crannies you don’t necessarily worry about while out camping.

Doing so will leave you with a bright and shiny camper that is nice to stay in when you finally do head out on your first trip.

Update Your Look

If cleaning isn’t enough to make your RV feel inviting, you might consider using this time to make some updates to the interior of your home-on-wheels.

Even simple things like changing out the bedspread or shower curtain can make a big difference. New window coverings can also add a nice pop of color, while rugs can cover stained floors, and peel-and-stick wallpaper or tile can cover ugly brown or gray walls.

Making simple but colorful changes to your rig will make it feel more at home so you can fully relax while out on your RV adventures this spring and summer.

Plan Your Springtime Adventures

Believe it or not, now is the best time to start scheming and planning for the spring and summer months. Where will you take your RV? Where will you stay while you’re there? When will you go and what route will you take?

Make these decisions now and start booking campgrounds and attractions. Because camping has become so popular, some camping reservations are very hard to get unless you’ve booked in advance. On top of that, some attractions (such as national parks) require timed entry tickets, which also must be booked far in advance.

De-Winterize Your RV

Finally, as the days get warmer and hard freezes become a thing of the past, you will want to start de-winterizing your RV. You can choose to do this all in a single day or spread it out over several days. Just make sure you get it done before you hit the road.

The most important de-winterization tasks include:

• Recharging and reinstalling your RV batteries.
• Replacing alarm batteries and testing the alarms.
• Testing all appliances.
• Testing RV lights.
• Checking tires for damage and adding air to them if necessary.
• Refilling and reconnecting propane tanks.
• Checking all seals and resealing anything that needs it.
• De-winterizing RV plumbing by connecting to city water, running all faucets until the water runs clear, filling fresh water and repeating the process using the pump, flipping the water heater bypass to open, and allowing the tank to fill again.

You may also want to clean the exterior of your RV, sanitize your fresh water tank and lines, change your water heater anode rod, and do any other maintenance tasks that are due to be taken care of.

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About the author: Chelsea Gonzales

Chelsea has the amazing opportunity to take part in full-time RV living and traveling with her tiny tribe. She homeschools her five-year-old son as they travel, and takes full advantage of their unique situation by using the entire world as her son’s classroom. A group of total Disney fanatics, Chelsea and her family often find themselves in the Orlando area in order to visit the Disney parks, but they have also visited over 25 of the 50 states with plans to see many more along the way. No matter where her travels take her, Chelsea enjoys riding bikes, gazing at beautiful sunsets, finding new coffee shops, Irish dancing, and sitting around a campfire with her family.

You can join her adventures through her blog, Wonder Wherever We Wander.

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