Download the checklist here: Checklist-pdf

CHECKLISTS

A checklist may seem like “just another piece of paper” and an unnecessary chore, but when you can’t level your van because you forgot the levelers behind the shed, you’ll be wishing you took that 5 minutes to go through a checklist (experience talking here 😊)

Checklists take the second-guessing out of packing – of course no two people will use identical checklists – you may be traveling with children or pets, a trailer or a caravan – any base checklist you start with needs to be tweaked and adapted to your specific needs.

The other benefit to a checklist is that it helps with organising and storage – if your list is very long and your storage space is very small, you know you need to re-look at what you’re taking.

Also, bear in mind your packing strategy – you don’t want to have to unload the entire car to get out the air compressor because you have a flat – things you might need on the road should be easily accessible while you’re on the road.  Once you get to your destination, they come out first and can get packed out of the way.

Essentials

There a few absolutely – and not always obvious – essentials to have in your car when embarking on a road trip. The best example being cash – you need to have enough cash to cover toll fees in the event there is a problem with the credit card system or if the E-Tag system goes down and enough for some fuel. Load shedding is a reality that affects cell towers – the fuel station may not be able to accept cards when the towers are not working. Double and then treble check you have your Driver’s Licence.

The Vehicle Checklist

The basics of what you need for your vehicle – remember that when travelling to other countries you may need more than just car papers, but reflective stickers, vests etc.  Part of “happy camping” is having done your homework before you leave.

The Van/Trailer Checklist

As this App looks to cater for people utilising a car and a tent, a caravan, motorhome, campervan or trailer, one checklist cannot satisfy all those different options – we offer some of the basics, but you will need to tweak, add and delete to suit your particular situation. There is a separate list for off-grid 4x4 adventurers.

Household Checklist

A list of the day to day basic items – again, tweak to your needs – if you’re strictly on a keto diet, ditch the toaster.  If you’re going entirely off-grid, ditch the toaster and pack a grid to make toast on the fire.

Entertainment Checklist

Sometimes the rain or the cold interfere with us having a great day in the outdoors – make a list of what to pack for those days that suits your interests.

Setting Up & Breaking Down Checklist

This is the basic checklist we use for our campervan – you will have a different procedure depending on your type of vehicle.

And a last thought…

WEIGHT! Everything you’ve laid out to pack, everything you’ve squeezed into a space has the consequence of adding weight – weight impairs the performance of your car and adds to the fuel consumption. Try pack light and don’t pack “just in case I might want that” – pack what you know you need.