Consistency

Why would consistency be important for RVing, OHVing, or camping?  Isn't doing the same thing over and over kind of boring?   Perhaps...but there is also a value and joy to sharing familiar activities.  We camped in the same handful of staging areas and rode the same trails in the Mojave Desert for 30 years and it NEVER got boring.  Over time it was fun to breeze through a pretty technical section of the trail and remember how difficult it first seemed.  It also gives you a chance to become familiar enough with the area to be able to comfortably negotiate your own rides without a guide.  Before long, you may find that YOU are the experienced expert!   I once found myself out with a some of our regular Desert Rat riding group when we encountered some newbies looking for directions.  As we discussed trails and options I was quite surprised to discover that I was the the most experienced rider in our group!   I still thought of myself as one of the new kids, but in reality I'd been riding the area for somewhere around 20 years and knew it better than I thought I did -- and better than any of my companions, who'd only been in the group a few years.   Consistency in where you go gives you a level of familiarity and comfort that can keep the stress levels down.   After all, we go camping for fun!

Where consistency REALLY makes a difference is in routines that ensure comfortable camping and safety.   Consistency in preparing and maintaining your rig, your ride and/or your gear makes sure everything you need makes it on the trip and is in good condition and ready to use when you get there.  Consistency in storing things in your RV or your camping storage bins pays great dividends when you need to find something in a hurry.  In fact, consistency probably takes precedence over logic when things have been in a certain place for some time.   Hopefully there was some logic for how your organize your gear and supplies in the first place and re-organizing things from time to time is not necessarily a bad thing to do, but you'll need to give yourself some clues to help you remember where you've moved things to.  Having them "where they've always been" might override "having them where they should be" when it comes to finding them the next time you need them.   Of course, if you really want the best of both worlds, start off with things where they should be and then make sure they stay there.  "A place for everything and everything in its place" is more than an just an over-quoted platitude and does not necessarily signify obsessive-compulsive disorder.  It is a very good rule for any kind of camping activities.  If you have things in illogical places, it is certainly OK to move them to better locations.  Just keep track of what you moved and where you put it and be SURE it is a more logical place so you can find stuff when you need it.   And when you're done with something, ALWAYS put it back where it belongs.

Establishing consistent routines for pre-trip preparation, setting up camp, breaking camp, and post-trip cleanup is essential to keeping your equipment in top shape and ensuring the success of your outings.  I find pre-trip checklists especially helpful to make sure nothing gets left behind or goes undone.  Some folks find checklists useful for setting up and breaking camp too but having developed a procedure I use consistently, I haven't felt the need for a setup checklist.  If you've ever driven off with the step down or an awning extended you might benefit from a departure checklist.  It doesn't have to be elaborate.   Just a few crucial items on a 3x5 card on your visor will do the trick. Some things to always check before any departure, in addition to steps and awnings, is to make sure the refrigerator doors are secured, leveling jacks and/or blocks are retracted or stowed, and tires are all properly inflated.  Check to see that all exterior doors, cabinets as well as access doors, are securely latched and your awnings are properly rolled and locked.  If you're towing a trailer, make sure the hitch, safety chains, and electrical connections are secure.  Checklists aren't just for sissies.  Airline pilots and astronauts use them regularly and religiously and they're about as macho as it gets!

My family has accused me of being OCD over putting my tools away.   But I've found it simplifies things if I keep my tools properly stored between uses.  That way they don't get lost or stolen and I can find them the next time I need them.  Same thing with riding gear.  It may seem like it takes more time put things away correctly, but ultimately it is time well invested when it comes times to use them again.  I have organized the riding gear in our enclosed motorcycle trailer with all of my gear on one side and my wife's gear on the other side, grouping various items in the same logical order on each side so it is easy to find -- jerseys hung together; pants hung together; jackets hung together; helmets always in the same place (I also store gloves and goggles inside the helmets so I can find them quickly).

Consistency among family members may be harder to achieve but is still a valuable practice.  If everyone stores their personal belongings in a similar way it will be easier for everyone to keep track of their stuff and everyone can help each other out.   Each person should at least be consistent in how they pack and store their personal gear from trip to trip. The idea of "a place for everything and everything in its place" will save a lot of headaches, frustration, and lost time.  Consistency in what gear and alternate clothing you bring along will ensure being comfortable if you get hit by bad weather or damage some of your clothing.  Being able to change your shirt or your jeans as needed without having to change your entire outfit is handy.

Be consistent!