RVing is an art. Every RVer develops an individual style. For some full time RVing is the best option. For others, frequent, but short weekend trips bode better for their personality and their way of life. Still others will find that the RV is most advantageous when used for extended solo trips. The versatility of the recreational vehicle is what makes it so popular. It’s like the medium chosen by an artist. The more versatile the medium is, the less limited the artist becomes. The more limits an artist breaks, the more memorable and universal their art becomes. RVing, and traveling in general, can be seen as an art. As such, there are no hard and fast rules because in the world of art, rules are meant to be broken. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t guidelines, techniques and suggestions that can aid RV artists as they experiment in finding their own traveling “style.”

One aspect of traveling that can almost always be improved is the packing. So many people over-pack for fear of under-packing. It’s a balancing act that many RVers have decided they can’t quite master. Today mastery is within grasp of any RVer. The trick is in utilizing hints and tips that others before you have already proven to be useful.

5 Helpful Packing Tips for RVing:

1. Less Clothing and More Money: After the initial planning, put half of the clothes laid out for packing back in the closet. Once that is completed, consider the amount of cash planned for the trip and double it. If RVers only stick to one suggested packing rule, this should be the one.
2. No Books, CDs or Movies: All of these take up too much room. Indulge in the digital age. Take a digital device that allows you to carry a few books and a well thought out library of music in the palm of your hand. Many digital devices even allow you to add a few movies. This will drastically cut back on storage and the possibility of damaging books, CDs or movies while traveling. For extended trips, carry a hard drive with your complete music and movie library included. Most TVs now have hookups directly to a laptop/computer that allow access of digital music and movie files for viewing/listening.
3. Go with “Light” Clothing Options: If you can make do with layers instead of jackets or coats – do it! Jackets and coats are heavy and bulky and they take up more than their fair share of space. Of course, if you’re spending some time experiencing winter in Alaska, any amount of space required by your biggest Parka is going to be completely “fair.” Jeans are another heavy clothing item, RVers would do well to avoid when possible. They absorb dirt and “smells” more than other materials. They’re bulky. And they take dry slowly. Lighter materials are much better suited to traveling so RVers who aren’t irrevocably attached to their favorite blue jeans should opt for khakis.
4. Mixing and Matching: RVers who plan each day’s outfit down to socks and hats with no clothing reused throughout the trip are going to find that they have burdened themselves with a lot of extra clothing they could have done without. Instead, plan on mixing and matching clothing from day to day. That pair of khaki pants can be worn on Tuesday with the black shirt AND on Friday with the yellow T-shirt. Those black sandals can be worn with every outfit instead of bringing a different pair for each day. Some might find that they simply can’t embrace the “mixing and matching” philosophy, but it makes a big difference in the size taken up in the recreational vehicle by all the clothing.
5. Calm Down: This is the most important tip of all. Calm down – if you forget something you can buy it. It’s not that big of a deal. It doesn’t have to destroy the entire trip because shampoo wasn’t in the bathroom caddy when the RV rolled out onto the highway. The RV can simply roll off at an exit; stop at the nearest grocery store, mall or gas station. Any necessity is going to be available for purchase.

Making RVing a personally gratifying experience isn’t difficult if RVers can simply remember to sit back and enjoy the ride. It’s not about perfection. It’s about loving every minute. No one expects perfection in his or her day-to-day life and they’re doing those things every day. So why in the world would anyone suddenly expect perfection during a vacation or road trip? Of course, things won’t be perfect. But RVers know better than anyone that plans are just that. They’re a plan regarding how to handle expected events. They aren’t set in stone. They’re not even really set in sand. They’re constantly changing and adjusting. It’s just another guideline. It gives RVers looking to make their RV lifestyle into a work of art a solid starting point. And while a good beginning is key, the good stuff is what comes after that.