Have you ever headed off down the road and before long the lovely dinner you have prepared for tonight is on the floor as you forgot to lock the fridge? Or forgotten to pick up your step and then run over it. Both of these unfortunate events have happened to us. You will hear the story from many a campground owner who has had to repair the power pole as someone has driven off without disconnecting.

There is always a number of things you need to do before you head off on the road and we need to make sure the vehicle is safe and in the right condition to be on the road. Depending on how long you have parked will dictate how long and involved the list actually is. To overcome this problem we have a check list made up for each vehicle. Make up your own depending on you vehicle.

The following is a list of some of the things that may want to include on that list. Some cupboards and doors may have automatic locking and these really are a blessing and do make this part of the journey easier.

Outside
Unplug the power
Unplug the water
Disconnect the grey water hose
Lock all the external bins
Lower the satellite dish or TV Ariel
Roll in the slide outs
Put in the step
Pull up the levelling jacks
Turn off the gas bottle
Walk around the vehicle to ensure everything is tight and secure

Inside
Lock all internal cupboards and doors
Lock the fridge
Move any items off benches that are not locked down
Close roof hatches
Ensure toiletries are not left in shower
Turn off the 240 volt power
Turn fridge onto 12 (24) volt mode - unless your fridge is an auto select model
Turn off any gas appliances
Secure any curtains that may cover the windscreen.
Lock swivelling seats in the forward driving position.

Then when you think you are ready, move forward then look back to see what you have left behind.

Use the list you make and do a pre-flight check each time you go on the road