Much like everything else in our lives, our RVs can start to accumulate, for lack of a better word, “junk”. If you use your RV regularly like we do, over time you are going to start building up a mass of items in your RV that you probably can do without. In fact, I’ll bet if you dig deep enough you’ll find items that you’ve been missing for years. I know I did the last time I cleaned out my fifth wheel.
The question you need to ask yourself is, “Do I really need to fill every available space in my RV”? The answer is obviously, “No”. The fact of the matter is that you probably don’t need 3 sets of silverware, 15 coffee mugs and a nearly complete wardrobe including shoes, bathing gear and that winter coat you almost never wear. Of course, these items are just the tip of the iceberg in regards to what may be occupying valuable space in your RV. I pulled out water filters, 3 hoses, bags and bags of chem drops for the toilet and enough bug spray to kill legions of flying critters. Apparently, when you are hauling half of your house with you gas mileage suffers too. Who would have “thunk” it?
The only way to reclaim your RV is to stop the madness, get some large rubber tubs and take action. I did it, and lo and behold, I filled 7 “expedition” sized containers with all of the “junk” I didn’t need for my next trip. I regained my living space, improved my gas mileage and it took a lot of stress out of packing for my next trip. Believe it or not, it also made my rig a little easier to handle since I also ended up shifting weight around. Overall my RV was more balanced. That’s right, with just 7 large tubs of stuff removed, I actually improved the feel of my tow. Weight really adds up and if you aren’t careful, you can throw the weight of your RV off and cause a driving hazard. Now, if you have a packed RV does it mean you are driving with unsafe weight conditions? Probably not, but why take that chance?
At the very least, cleaning out your RV more than once a year will keep the people at the sites you visit from thinking that you should be on that Hoarders show. You can thank us later for that one,
So, when was the last time you really cleaned out your RV?
