All Blog Posts
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Make a LIST and check it twice February 2, 2026 Whether you are taking a weekend camping trip, an annual vacation, or living the RV life full time, you will benefit from a list. Or two. Or three. I can't IMAGINE not having lists in my life. I have had to-do lists for as long as I can remember. I have had homework assignment lists, chore lists, shopping lists, wish lists, Christmas card lists, and so many more.
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Winter Storm 2026 January 24, 2026 It's day one of Winter Storm Fern (Jan. 24, 2026). I was prepared ahead of time, so we, of course, started eating our stash of Snow Day food early. Bought sugar cereal for the husband and now the milk is nearly gone. (We had been eating pretty healthy for the last month. Oh well.) So far it's only super cold temps (for Maryland, that's single digits overnight and teens during the day). Not a snowflake in sight. But for some reason I only crave pizza, cookies and chocolate...and coffee. Please tell me someone else relates!
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BEAUTY January 11, 2026 I grew up in Pennsylvania and New York state. There is a LOT of beauty in the mountains, hills, farmlands, lakes, and in the snow that covers them in winter. I traveled some, and lived in a couple other states in my adult life, and found equal beauty in those places. But I wanted to see more. I wanted to see even bigger mountains, and deserts and plains and wildlife that I’d only seen before in books.
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EXPECTATIONS January 4, 2026 We all have basic expectations in life. We expect to get wet if it rains. We expect to get paid for our work. We expect stores to be open according to their advertised hours. These are all reasonable.
Make a LIST and check it twice
Whether you are taking a weekend camping trip, an annual vacation, or living the RV life full time, you will benefit from a list. Or two. Or three. I can't IMAGINE not having lists in my life. I have had to-do lists for as long as I can remember. I have had homework assignment lists, chore lists, shopping lists, wish lists, Christmas card lists, and so many more.
When we bought our RV and anticipated nearly-full-time living in it, I began searching Amazon for checklists for packing, set-up and tear-down on travel days, maintenance, and US States and National Parks to visit. Amazon has a huge selection. It's also fun to browse these items in bookstores. I have had two "log books" so far where I keep track of the campgrounds we visit. I'm still on my first RV Checklist book for packing, set-up/tear-down and maintenance. This one has premade lists, but also blank lists so you can tailor to your needs. (It's no longer on Amazon or I'd link it.) Even though I have committed much of these lists to memory after 3 years, I NEVER travel without checking off each and every item. It's that ONE TIME that you get in a hurry or get distracted that something is missed and leads to calamity. My advice to anyone starting out on a camping journey of any kind is to take time to sit and THINK. Think about where you are going, what equipment you will be living in (tent, cabin, rv), what weather you can expect, how many meals you will need, what activities you will enjoy, and what comforts you just can't live without. After thinking, grab a tablet (paper or electronic) and start making categories. Equipment, clothing, footwear, creature comforts, toiletries, emergency supplies, groceries. Have an entire page available for each category. Make a full, generous list at first. After you believe you've thought of everything, you can begin to pare it down based on how much room you have and what you really want to burden yourself with. Don't forget things like sunscreen, bug spray, cleaning supplies, extra towels, and emergency phone numbers. To condense your lists into something more manageable, I recommend a few options. For the creative, try making a bullet journal style checklist, with each of the categories separated, but not taking up a full page each. Maybe you would prefer just typing up a condensed list on Google Drive or something similar and printing it out. Again, keep the categories, but try to condense the space you are using. A very basic way is to just have a spiral tablet big enough for each list to fit on a page, but small enough to carry with you. Even if you choose to purchase pre-made lists, going through the thinking and planning process brings to mind all the things that are unique to your needs. For groceries I recommend a completely separate page/entry that is easier to use/retrieve when shopping. Don't be that person blocking the aisle with lists flying, pens dropping and coupons spilling all over. This seems like a long process, but once you've done it you can re-use these lists over and over. You could print out extra copies, or laminate them. For those of you planning several stops, or a longer journey, you will also need to make lists unique to your camping and living style. What needs to be done to prepare your equipment for travel? What items need to be kept at-the-ready in your vehicle while you travel? What maintenance will your vehicle need during this time? Take the time to think it all through, write it down, edit it, and make it permanent. You won't regret it.