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Planning and preparation for your caravanning trip is part of the build up of anticipation and excitement of your travels. It is actually really exciting to spend countless hours reading blog posts, flicking through book pages, looking at maps and deciding where you will go, what you will need and building the momentum of your trip.

Even if planning isn’t one of your “things” and you are looking forward to just travelling wherever the wind and inclination takes you, there is some comfort and security in planning at some stages. Our most important planning tool was one which we lovingly called “The Marriage Saver”. It got this name once we were on the road because we relied on it so heavily, each and every time we packed up for the first 3-4 months of our trip. We often smugly smiled at each other when we overheard the conversations or plain arguments between other couples or families who didn’t have one of these planning tools to assist them with their moving day pack up routines.

Essentially our “Marriage Saver” was a checklist that I had printed on paper and laminated. It lived in the glovebox of the car and everyone knew where it was. One side outlined the pack up procedure to enable a smooth hitch up and lock down of the caravan, the other side the instructions were outlined in reverse to enable a smooth unhitch and estabilising camp set up.

As soon as we pulled up somewhere, I would grab the “Marrriage Saver” and go through the checklist making sure that everyone had their jobs to do in the correct order. Caleb was in charge of winding the legs of the caravan down but he couldn’t do this until he could get the handle out of the tool box. The toolbox had to be unlocked with the key from the car keys but these also had the key to the caravan door on them. There was a system that had to be followed in order to maintain camp set up order and to avoid frustrations after many hours of travel when everyone just wanted to sit and relax with a cold drink. As you can imagine, after a few months, we had the whole process automated and the checklist was left in the glovebox, only once forgetting to close the bathroom ceiling vent (my fault) and not check the cupboards (Caleb’s job) which resulted in some broken plates.

In order to set up your very own “Marriage Saver”, you will need to run through your set up routine either at home or during your first shake down trip. Take a pen and paper (or digital means) and write down the order in which you perform the tasks.

You might include:

• engage caravan brake
• attach jockey wheel
• turn on gas
• unlock toolbox
• grey water hose/bucket
• extend legs/levelling block
• put out matting/doormat
• unlock van
• remove chairs/accessories from van and set up
• open bathroom vent/windows
• unpack car
• lock car
• hang up keys in caravan

We made it Caleb’s responsibility to check out the amenities block upon arrival at caravan parks and campgrounds. He reported back with cleaning times so we knew when the amenities would be closed, how many showers and toilets there were (in both mens and ladies). His age allowed him access to both male and female toilets so our report was quite comprehensive! He even told us how many washing machines were available and the coins required for their operation. He would often find the playground too and have made fast friends and brought them back to the caravan to introduce them to us before we had even put the chairs out!

Equally important is the pack up routine. I actually think this is the procedure that has to be executed properly because you are about to hit the open road and safety is at the forefront of your mind. When you are setting up camp, you always have more time to do the few things that the kids may have forgotten, or not entirely done properly. On a pack up procedure, this isn’t so and this is where frustrations can build.

As well as including the items from the list above (because you will be doing these in reverse), you might also include:

• Secure cupboards (check contents for movement)
• Check windows are locked
• Unplug kettle and secure in sink (with tea towel)
• Put travel supplies in the car
• Last toilet stop
• Secure children in the car
• Check site – as car pulls out
• Return any swipes/keys to office
• Return Marriage Saver to Glove Box/retrieve map

In addition to making your set up and pack up routines fast and organised, families will achieve a sense of working together to achieve the same goal. You can even time yourselves to see how fast you can become over time to get the job done quickly and efficiently.