I wonder how long it takes you to get your Van ready for going away.My better half takes just about every thing out when we come home. And its taken me four days to get the van ready for our trip tomorrow
neilnruth said
02:07 AM May 16, 2012
We leave all plates, cutlery, sheets, towels etc in van so I would say it takes us 2 days to pack (plus doing the everyday stuff in the house) - one day for fresh food and making up the beds, another day to pack clothes and the car. Doesn't make sense to us to take everything out. All the things I wash when we get home go straight back to the van for the next trip. Enjoy your trip when you finally get away.
Gerty Dancer said
02:51 AM May 16, 2012
We take out whatever needs washing/sorting out, but except for clothes most of it goes back into the caravan. Even so, it still takes us a couple of days to get ready. A lot of housework is needed, cant let the house-sitters move into a messy house!
Smokeydk said
03:12 AM May 16, 2012
I say the longest part is cooling down the fridge......rest except the food stays there .clothing etc washed and placed back....fill water tank and jerry cans..load vehicle.......if I cant do it under 3 hours theres something wrong......add coupling up van to vehicle .extra 20 mins....then on the road
Peter_n_Margaret said
03:53 PM May 16, 2012
While we were still working, the MH was always packed and ready to go (it was also my 'daily driver'') and the fridge never got turned off. So for a weekend away on Friday afternoon with no prior planning, 3 minutes.
No kidding.
Grab a few perishables out of the house fridge, lock the door and go. As we drove down the street, we would decide North, South, East, or West? Get to the edge of town, stop for a few groceries and maybe some fuel and never look back.
Cheers, Peter
neilnruth said
12:12 AM May 17, 2012
I haven't got enough clothes to leave a set in the caravan!!
Scotty01 said
02:03 AM May 17, 2012
My MH is already packed, some clothes, linen etc. Only have to turn fridge on and add perishable food stuffs and away I go. can be up and gone in an hour or so. I fill the water tank and drain grey water and empty/clean toilet at end of each trip be it long or short.
Cruising Granny said
03:35 AM May 17, 2012
The fridge is on in the car all the time. The suitcase is packed with my work clothes, enough for a week, camp kit and fresh food packed, books, lap top, restock roadhouse/toilet bag, handbag, phone, blue tooth, key in the ignition and go. Nothing hard about this travelling thing.
Two Strays said
05:27 PM May 18, 2012
Everyone has their own ideas and methods. For what its worth here is ours:
On the morning of the last day the following occurs:
1. The sheets and pillow cases get changed and the bed is made.
2. All rubbish, unwanted foodstuff,dish sponges etc is disposed of.
Upon returning home the following is the routine:
1. The power is connected to maintain the batteries.
2. Remove all usuable foodstuffs from fridge, shut off fridge.
3. Wife removes the majority of her clothes from the cupboards. The van sighs relief. I conduct an audit of mine and adjust. I have enough for a week, wife has enough for six months. The clothes/linen in the clothes basket are washed and returned to the van the next day.
4. The water tanks are filled and the tyres, gas bottles and overall van are checked. Then I wash it.
5. The electric switch on the HWS is tuned off.
48 hours before leaving the fridge is turned on using gas first, once working switch across to electric (240).
Day of leaving:
1. The wife repacks her clothes. Van says Oh No not again.
2. All necessary fresh food is put in the fridge. We have enough food in the van for four days. Just in case.
3. I check the van again, including the tyres.
Hope this is of some assistance.
aussietraveller said
09:09 PM May 18, 2012
Like most couples there is always the discussion regarding the amount of clothes the wife wants to put on-board, we normally empty the fridge and remove things for washing on return home and just prior to departure usually 2-3 days we make the bed restock food cupboard give the van and tug a good check over then I wait while the lady in my life ensures that all clothes are in matching sets.
Cruising Granny said
06:13 AM May 19, 2012
There's always a discrepancy about the wardrobe. I use both, one for summer clothes and one for winter clothes, which take up much more room. Then there's the matter of dress up shorts and dress down shorts, dress up winter clothes, and dress down winter clothes. Living in a van in a park all the time means I dress down when I'm home. When I go away on the job I have to take work clothes for all climatic contingencies and something a bit dressier in case I go out for dinner with friends along the way. It fits into a relatively small suitcase. Then there's the shoe thing. There are fashion expectations in this regard. Summer shoes, winter shoes, walking shoes, shopping shoes, dress up shoes, dress down shoes, driving shoes, and slippers of some kind. It's quite scientific, isn't it girls? You blokes just don't understand this fashion stuff, and I'm not even a trend setter I still like to dress appropriately for the occasion. You fellas wouldn't want the woman in your life to dress like a slob when she's in your company, would you? I'm not talking high maintenance and high fashion here, just respectable attire.
Happywanderer said
01:36 AM May 20, 2012
I took me 3 days to pack last week and 1 hour to unpack today when I got home. Once everything sorted and washed, it will go back in the van so it doesn't take me so long next time. Want to go into Bundy at end of this week for a look around.
beiffe said
03:53 PM May 20, 2012
I am fussy with shoes as well.
I have bare feet for driving , bare feet for walking, crocks for shopping and fancy stuff.
I have a pair of work boots for when I have to for OH&S and I have the dancing shoes for weddings and my funeral if they find me. LOL.
I am full time so always packed and ready, Shopping once or twice a week for what is needed or what I remember anyhow,
When I worked at a job I had the bus packed full time and just topped up the food etc. Clothes were washed when I got home and repacked straight away.
Similar to my working life as I was on call 24/7 to be on a plane in two hours so I came home from a job and put the clothes in the machine and went to work and hoped I did not get to ship out the same day so the clothes could dry. Twice they went away wet and dried in the motel room when I arrived. These trips were usually 6 weeks at a time so I got used to living out of a case.
The more you do the pack the quicker if becomes.
Regards Brian
cannylass said
06:25 PM May 23, 2012
I have but my foot down and told my husband all things taken out for a good wash has to be put back I found out we forgot the tea spoons I never keep clothes in the van or linen as we only seem to use the van over the winter months to go North
I wonder how long it takes you to get your Van ready for going away.My better half takes just about every thing out when we come home. And its taken me four days to get the van ready for our trip tomorrow
A lot of housework is needed, cant let the house-sitters move into a messy house!
So for a weekend away on Friday afternoon with no prior planning, 3 minutes.
No kidding.
Grab a few perishables out of the house fridge, lock the door and go.
As we drove down the street, we would decide North, South, East, or West?
Get to the edge of town, stop for a few groceries and maybe some fuel and never look back.
Cheers,
Peter
My MH is already packed, some clothes, linen etc. Only have to turn fridge on and add perishable food stuffs and away I go. can be up and gone in an hour or so. I fill the water tank and drain grey water and empty/clean toilet at end of each trip be it long or short.
Nothing hard about this travelling thing.
Everyone has their own ideas and methods. For what its worth here is ours:
On the morning of the last day the following occurs:
1. The sheets and pillow cases get changed and the bed is made.
2. All rubbish, unwanted foodstuff,dish sponges etc is disposed of.
Upon returning home the following is the routine:
1. The power is connected to maintain the batteries.
2. Remove all usuable foodstuffs from fridge, shut off fridge.
3. Wife removes the majority of her clothes from the cupboards. The van sighs relief.
I conduct an audit of mine and adjust. I have enough for a week, wife has enough for six months. The clothes/linen in the clothes basket are washed and returned to the van the next day.
4. The water tanks are filled and the tyres, gas bottles and overall van are checked. Then I wash it.
5. The electric switch on the HWS is tuned off.
48 hours before leaving the fridge is turned on using gas first, once working switch across to electric (240).
Day of leaving:
1. The wife repacks her clothes. Van says Oh No
not again.
2. All necessary fresh food is put in the fridge. We have enough food in the van for four days. Just in case.
3. I check the van again, including the tyres.
Hope this is of some assistance.
Living in a van in a park all the time means I dress down when I'm home.
When I go away on the job I have to take work clothes for all climatic contingencies and something a bit dressier in case I go out for dinner with friends along the way. It fits into a relatively small suitcase. Then there's the shoe thing. There are fashion expectations in this regard. Summer shoes, winter shoes, walking shoes, shopping shoes, dress up shoes, dress down shoes, driving shoes, and slippers of some kind.
It's quite scientific, isn't it girls? You blokes just don't understand this fashion stuff, and I'm not even a trend setter
I still like to dress appropriately for the occasion.
You fellas wouldn't want the woman in your life to dress like a slob when she's in your company, would you? I'm not talking high maintenance and high fashion here, just respectable attire.
I have bare feet for driving , bare feet for walking, crocks for shopping and fancy stuff.
I have a pair of work boots for when I have to for OH&S and I have the dancing shoes for weddings and my funeral if they find me. LOL.
I am full time so always packed and ready, Shopping once or twice a week for what is needed or what I remember anyhow,
When I worked at a job I had the bus packed full time and just topped up the food etc. Clothes were washed when I got home and repacked straight away.
Similar to my working life as I was on call 24/7 to be on a plane in two hours so I came home from a job and put the clothes in the machine and went to work and hoped I did not get to ship out the same day so the clothes could dry. Twice they went away wet and dried in the motel room when I arrived. These trips were usually 6 weeks at a time so I got used to living out of a case.
The more you do the pack the quicker if becomes.
Regards
Brian