It's A Haigood Life!: RV Q & A - How long does it take to pack up and then set up the RV every time you travel?

The answer to this question is kind of complicated:) When we first started out last November, I think it took us anywhere around 1 1/2 to 2 hours to set up camp or pack up to move to our next location. After lots of practice, (and getting a little wiser - ha ha!), we now can leave in as quick as 20 minutes, but the average time for us now is close to 45 - 60 minutes to pack up & leave, and about 30 minutes to set up after we arrive.

So- what are all the steps we take? We actually have made up a checklist to help us remember everything and make sure we don't forget anything either!

To load up and leave, some of the duties include straightening up things in the RV, putting away items in cabinets, locking/securing cabinets & doors, emptying tanks, disconnecting the water hose, unplugging the electricity, bringing in the awning & slide outs, putting 2 car seats in the RV from the van, setting up seat belts, loading up bicycles in the van, hooking up the dolly to the RV, and loading up the van securely onto the dolly.

The boys love it when we move the slide outs:) Alan (or one of the older boys) pushes a button to bring in the sides. The largest slide out can scratch the floor just a little bit sometimes, so we try to "help" it by lifting up the top section.

Micah helps lift up the other side and makes sure nothing gets caught while it is moving...

In the back of the RV, there are two slide outs that come in. One is the wardrobe, and the other side has 2 bunk beds. It is kind of hard to see from the photos below, but this is what the back room looks like when everything is in.

After everything is done inside, then Alan lifts up the jacks before we drive to a level spot to load up the van. It takes around 20 or so minutes for us to set up the van securely onto the dolly. Most of the time I drive the van up the dolly while Alan helps guide me to make sure it gets on straight. After 8 months and a couple of mishaps, I pretty much decided I was done with that job! Alan now drives the van onto the dolly while I guide him from the outside.

Once the front of the van is loaded, Alan secures it with chains and straps...

While on the road to our next destination, we do make a few stops to check on the dolly just to be sure the straps are on securely. It gives us peace of mind just in case!

Once we reach our destination, we unload the van, unhook the dolly and make sure the RV is level. There are times that we have to use levelers under some of the RV wheels because the site is uneven...

Sharon Ave. Baptist Church Parking Lot

Once the RV is level, Alan puts the jacks down with a push of a button. Sometimes it requires a little more leveling by moving the individual jacks.

Then, while Alan hooks up the water, sewer, and electric on the outside, the boys and I set up things on the inside. After we put the slides outs back out, its funny how it always makes us remember how much more space we have!! Though it is still a small area, the slide outs seem to add so much more room and we are sure grateful for that!

The front area is a multi-purpose room. The dinette is our dining room/homeschool area. Next to the dinette is our living area/master bedroom. Every night, Alan unfolds the sofa bed for us to sleep on. Then, in the morning we fold it back up to be a couch. This job only takes a few minutes each time.

The back room is the boys' bedroom and with the slide outs, it has enough floor space for a play area. We have a few tubs of various toys and games that are stored under their beds.

When we first purchased our RV, the back bedroom was the master bedroom with one queen sized bed, a desk and a vanity. Alan remodeled the room by taking out the furniture and then making four custom bunk beds. This way the boys had their own room and each boy would have their own "space" in the room. I am sure grateful Alan is so good at "do-it-yourself" projects!! This set up has worked very well for our family!