10+ Essential RV Checklist Before Leaving Nobody Forgets

Skip the intro · jump to the list ↓

Too many checklists online, right? Half of them are three items long and the other half read like a pilot’s manual. Not helpful when you’re standing in the driveway wondering if you forgot something important!

So this list keeps it real. No fluff, no fifty step process, just the things that actually matters before you pull out of the driveway.

These ten were picked after digging through way too many RV forums and camper blogs, honestly. The goal was to keep only the tips that are simple, budget-friendly and actually work for a weekend trip or a month on the road.

Whether this is your first tow or your fiftieth, a little structure never hurts. Who wants to find out the awning was still open forty miles down the highway? Not me!

From tire checks to packing tricks, this covers departure day and the first setup at the campsite too. Use it as a starting point and tweak it for your own rig.

Grab a coffee, print this out if you want. Let’s get your rig road ready.

RV CHECKLIST BEFORE LEAVING

Tire Pressure Check Before Departure

Cold tires tell the real story, so check pressure before the rig sits in the sun. A ten degree temperature swing can shift your reading more than people expect.

Underinflated tires overheat on the highway. That’s not a risk worth taking for a weekend trip, lol!

Awning Secured And Locked

An unlocked awning at highway speed is a nightmare nobody wants. Give the arms a firm tug and check the travel lock clicks into place.

Some rigs have a strap too, so double check that as a backup.

Steps Retracted And Latched

Retractable steps look harmless until they scrape pavement at forty miles an hour. Most rigs have an indicator light for this, so glance at the dash before shifting into drive.

No indicator light? Walk back and check manually every single time. That thirty seconds beats the sound of metal on asphalt, I promise.

Printable Pre Departure Checklist

A printable version of your checklist beats trying to remember everything from memory. Stick it to the fridge or the dash so it’s part of the routine.

Laminate it if you want it to survive coffee spills and greasy fingers. This is the these most people wish they’d made years earlier.

Customize it once and reuse it every trip after that.

Leveling Blocks Under Wheels

Leveling blocks are non negotiable once you hit the site. An unlevel rig throws off the fridge, the sleep and honestly your patience too, lol!

Drive up slowly and check the bubble level before you commit. This is step one of any solid rv setup checklist campsite routine, so don’t skip it.

Hooking Up Water Hose

Hooking up the water hose sounds simple until you’re standing there without a pressure regulator. High campground water pressure can blow a line without one, so keep it in the same bin every trip.

A drinking water safe hose matters more than people think. Not all garden hoses are created equal here!

Packing Cubes For RV Storage

Packing cubes turn a chaotic RV closet into something you can actually find things in. Sort by person or by category, whichever makes more sense for your setup.

They compress soft items like towels and jackets too. Fewer wrinkled shirts, fewer wasted cubic feet.

Weight Distribution Packing Tricks

Weight distribution matters more in an RV than most people realize. Heavy items go low and toward the axle, not stacked up front by the door.

Uneven loading can affect handling on curves. These rv packing tips help keep the rig stable so it doesn’t sway on the highway.

Check your total weight against the rig’s rating too. Overpacking is a real thing. It sneaks up fast.

Final Walkaround Before Driving

A final walkaround catches the things a mental checklist misses. Walk the whole perimeter, check the hitch, check the propane, check under the rig for anything left behind.

This step takes maybe two minutes. Two minutes beats turning around twenty miles later, haha!

Mirrors And Brakes Check

Mirrors get bumped during setup more often than people admit. Adjust both sides before pulling out, not while merging onto the highway. If you were hunting for rv essentials first trip, this one is a keeper!

Test the brake lights and turn signals with a helper if you can. This last stretch of the rv departure checklist is quick but it matters.