Setting up your camper trailer at a campsite can be a tedious process, but with the right strategies, it doesn’t have to be, even if you are a beginner. Over the years, certain hacks have been proven to cut setup time by half for me. These tricks are not only simple but also effective—yet they are often overlooked by RV experts and YouTubers.
Here are five powerful camper setup time-saving hacks that will streamline your camping experience
1. Pre-Check Your Campsite for the Perfect Parking Spot
A common rookie mistake is backing into a campsite without assessing the area first. This can lead to a frustrating experience trying to level your camper after it’s parked. To avoid this, always walk around your campsite and look for the flattest area to park your camper. By taking a few extra minutes to find the best spot, you’ll save time on leveling once you’re parked.
– Tip: Look for spots where the natural terrain already does some of the leveling work for you.
– Outcome: This simple step can reduce your leveling time from 20 minutes to just 2 minutes.
2. The Hookup Reach Test: Prevent Extra Setup Time
Nothing is more frustrating than setting up your camper only to discover that your hoses or electrical cords can’t reach the hookups. This mistake can force you to unhook your trailer and reposition it, adding unnecessary time to your setup. To avoid this, always double-check that your water hose, sewer hose, and electrical cord can reach the hookups from where you plan to park.
– Hack: Before unhooking, physically pull out the hoses and cords to verify their reach. This quick test ensures you won’t have to re-hitch and waste time later.
– Outcome: By testing your hookups in advance, you can avoid potentially hours of frustration and additional steps.
3. Stick-On Bubble Levels for Quick Adjustments
Gone are the days of running back and forth inside your camper with a regular bubble level. Stick-on bubble levels can be strategically placed on the outside of your camper to instantly check if it’s level. One bubble level at the front will show side-to-side balance, while another on the side will indicate front-to-back balance.
– Hack: Place two stick-on bubble levels—one on the front and one on the side—for easy, quick checks.
– Outcome: With this setup, you can visually check the level at a glance, eliminating the need for constant back-and-forth adjustments.
Oh man, these little bubble levels are a GAME-CHANGER for leveling your camper! 🙌 I stuck them on mine, and now I can get perfectly level in seconds—no more guesswork or running back and forth. If you’re tired of the leveling struggle, grab these!
4. Upgrade to Curved Levelers
Leveling blocks are an RV camper’s headache—whether they are wooden blocks or plastic leveling blocks, both can be cumbersome and time-consuming to use. Curved levelers, however, take the guesswork out of leveling your camper. Simply drive onto them, and adjust the camper’s height by driving further onto the ramp.
– Hack: Use curved levelers for precise and efficient leveling. The design lets you control the lift amount by simply adjusting how much you drive onto them.
– Outcome: This one tool replaces the need for multiple blocks and speeds up the leveling process dramatically.
These curved levelers make leveling your camper stupid easy! 🚐✨ No more stacking (and restacking) those annoying plastic blocks—just drive up until you're level and chock it in place. BOOM, done! Faster setup means more time to relax by the campfire.
5. Use a Power Drill for Stabilizers
Manually cranking your stabilizers after parking your camper can be exhausting, especially after a long drive. Instead of spending minutes cranking by hand, use a power drill with a socket attachment to quickly lower your stabilizers. Keeping this drill in your camper storage ensures it’s ready to go at every campsite.
– Hack: A power drill with a socket attachment can lower stabilizers in seconds, reducing manual effort and saving significant time.
– Outcome: This hack can speed up stabilizer setup by 30 times, making it a game-changer for efficiency.
Ditch the manual crank and save your arm! 💪⚡ This power drill makes raising and lowering your stabilizers effortless—just zip them up or down in seconds. Less cranking, more relaxing!
Conclusion
Implementing these five time-saving hacks will drastically reduce your camper setup time and make your camping experience much more enjoyable. From pre-checking your campsite for the perfect parking spot to upgrading your leveling tools and using a power drill for stabilizers, each of these tips will save you valuable time and energy. Next time you’re gearing up for a camping trip, remember these simple hacks, and you’ll have more time to enjoy the great outdoors instead of spending it on setup.
