If you own a RV or travel trailer & even some toys like a boat, quads, and trailer,  you will need to find a spot to park them during the months of the season that they are not in use.  If you are lucky enough to have additional land or a relative that does, you will not need to concern yourself with storage fee’s. However you might think about how secure are my belongings? It can get real expensive quick when either vandalism strikes or even perhaps your stuff is stolen. Think also of the neighborhood you may live in and ask yourself if they have stipulations on street parking. Sometimes the city ordinance conflicts with your ability to store a vehicle that is not in consistent use. Insurance costs are often lowered if you can show that you are parking at a storage facility with fenced and secure parking.

Picking a storage facility is often a daunting task. More than not you find that the more services the facility has, then more coin you shell out to them. Not so at Storage Oregon check out our web page at Storage Oregon 10 free service or our proven lost cost.

Preparing for the storage of your recreational vehicle is just as important, if not more so than picking the facility itself. There are many checklists that one can procure on the Internet.

The consensus is that the following should occur for storage. All batteries should be disconnected for a long stay. This includes fire alarm detector, carbon monoxide  detector, house batteries and the likes if your particular trailer or RV has them. Removal of flat screen tv’s as cold weather can damage them. The water system needs to be flushed and drained. As well as waste water tanks thereafter. Shore power leads can be dressed up with Emory cloth or fine sand paper and dialectical grease applied. Chocks for the  tires need to be at the rear and front of tires.  Awnings should be checked , cleaned and dried before putting away tightly to keep out the elements. Clear out all food items, clean cupboards, clean refrigerator and leave all doors open. Vacuum as needed. Remove all non vacuumed sealed linen.  Turn off propane on the outside and cover up opening from the inside. Always be prepared to check out the RV or Travel trailer through out season you have it parked for “critters” such as mice and verify that no leaks have appeared. You may also wish to move your vehicle forward or backward to change the position of your tires so that no flat spots appear.  In all of this consult your owners manuals to obtain the information on how to do each of these tasks per their recommendations.

    Of course some of your pre-trip checklists can be done as your storing your RV or Travel trailer such as providing the bathroom with essentials like a tooth brush and toothpaste, cleaning supplies ect. A full list is provided below of various items you may want to take to make the trip more enjoyable. Of course you will wish to make it more your own and add & subtract items for your personalized list. Most of these items can stay through cold storage without fear of contamination.

RV & TRAVEL TRAILER CHECKLISTS

Kitchen and Bath Inventory

  • Aspirin/Ibuprofen/Tylenol/Naproxen    Seasoning/Sugar/Condiments
  • Baking soda                    Serving bowls
  • Bath towels                    Shampoo
  • Can opener/bottle opener            Sponges
  • Cleaning supplies                Sunscreen or sun block
  • Coffee Pot                    Table settings (plates, cups, silverware)                    Toaster
  • Deodorant                    Toilet paper
  • Hand lotion                    Toiletry kit
  • Hand soap                    Toothbrush/Toothpaste
  • Holding-tank chemical            Trash can or trash liners
  • Insect repellent                Insect spray or pest strips
  • Knives                    Lip balm
  • Measuring cups                Napkins
  • Paper towels                    Peroxide or antiseptic
  • Personal items                Plastic wrap and foil
  • Pot holders                    Salt and Pepper

Basic Trailer Equipment

  • Barbecue supplies                    Garden hose
  • Battery jumper cables                Good set of tools
  • Barbecue tools                    Leveling blocks or boards
  • Campground directory                Matches or lighter
  • Emergency road kit with approved reflectors
  • Extension cords                    Rags
  • Extra bulbs                        Extra fuses
  • Fire extinguisher                    First-aid kit
  • Flashlight and batteries                Folding chairs
  • Hydraulic and/or scissors jack suitable for weight of your vehicle’s heaviest tire
  • Rubber gloves                    Sewer hose with hookup fittings
  • Shovel                        Spare fuses
  • Tire-pressure gauge                Water hose (designed for
  • Wheel chocks                    drinking water)

Pre-Trip

  • All lights and fans off                Awning secured
  • Cabinets closed and locked            Check lights/turn signals, tires
  • Chocks removed and stowed            and engine oil
  • Disconnect CATV/Phone                Drain/fill hoses stowed, caps on
  • Dump and reset black and grey tanks        Electric disconnected and cords
  • Empty and stow trashcans                stowed
  • Furnace and A/C off                    Hitch locked and secured
  • Jacks up and locked                    Lights and brakes checked
  • Lower TV antenna/satellite dish            Prepare refrigerator for traveling
  • Pressure regulator                    Pull off levelers and stowlevelers
  • Retract slides and install braces            Secure all loose items
  • Secure all windows and ceiling vents        Stow folding chairs and other
  • Stow shower and bathroom supplies        outside items
  • Stow TV and TV shelf                Turn off propane
  • Water bottle for truck                Water heater off
  • Water pump off                    Wheels torqued
  • Check roof rack or storage pod            Retract entry step
  • Shut off all gas pilot lights                Be sure inside weight is evenly
  • Check Mirrors For Backing                distributed

NEVER, EVER BACK TRAILER WITHOUT FIRST POSTING A LOOKOUT WITH RADIO!

Gadgets and Cockpit Extras

  • Alarm clock                    Playing cards/games/toys
  • Ax                        Pocket knife
  • Bungee cords                Rope
  • Extra extension cords            Rubber bands
  • Eyeglass repair kit                Tape, electrical or duct
  • Paper clips                    Wire
  • Pens and pencils                Hand Held CB Radios(2) With Batteries

Troubleshooting Tools

  • 1/2 inch drive socket set                Extra hoses
  • 3/8 inch drive ratchet set with sockets        Flashlight
  • Clean rags                        Hammer
  • Combination wrenches                Jumper Cables
  • Common sizes of screwdrivers            Locking pliers
  • Duct tape
  • Electrical circuit checker                Motor oil and automatic
  • Electrical test light or digital multimeter        transmission fluid – a few quarts
  • Extra cotter pins                    Needle-nose and regular pliers    Extra fuses and light bulbs                Spark-plug socket
  • Spare electrical wire in several gauge sizes, a wire crimper, butt connectors and wire splicers

check list supplied by http://www.trailerlifedirectory.com/plan/travelchecklist.aspx

It is our hope that this article has been helpful to you. We do encourage of course that you read and follow all your owners manuals to maintain any warranties you may have. The verbiage above is only to stir your mind as to what you might look for to make your ownership more enjoyable and not to be construed as advice. Storage Oregon will not be held liable for any actions acted upon that cause property or personal damage, likewise real or imagined.