Did you know it’s possible for you to rip out your electrical plug if you don’t double-check your RV before leaving a campsite? Did you also know that measuring the height of your RV at a campsite won’t give you the same measurement as if it was hooked up to your tow vehicle? These are lessons that Happily Ever Hanks has learned after five years of RV living.
Happily Ever Hanks recently shared more in a recent YouTube video. Let’s see what other lessons these veterans shared with their subscribers.
Who Is Happily Ever Hanks?
The husband and wife team of Kyle and Renee have been living full-time in their RV for five years. The journey started in 2017 when they worked as travel nurses. In 2020, they began a YouTube channel to chronicle their journey and now have over 123,000 subscribers.
Happily Ever Hanks is all about fun and entertainment. They’re quirky and lighthearted, and their personalities have set them apart from other YouTube influencers.
When Did Happily Ever Hanks Move Into an RV?
In 2017, Happily Ever Hanks started traveling as ER nurses. They bought a 35-foot fifth wheel in 2019 and sold their home in Pennsylvania to travel full-time. Then in 2020, Kyle and Renee took a break from nursing and started a YouTube channel. They never returned to nursing.
They’ve been full-time content creators for the last two or three years and love sharing their travels in a comical, entertaining way.
Lessons Learned From 5 Years of Full-Time RV Living
In February 2023, Happily Ever Hanks released a YouTube video about lessons they’ve learned from five years of full-time RV living. Along with their comedic approach to their channel, Kyle and Renee use puns and jokes and make fun of their own mistakes to entertain viewers. But it’s more than entertainment; these really are great tips for RVers from RVers.
1. Check Slides Before Moving Them In and Out
When it’s time to move the RV, always check around the slides first. Make sure rugs are rolled up and out of the way. Put away toys and Lego pieces.
Ensure chairs and other furniture aren’t in the way of the slides when they retract. This could be an awful way to start a drive day if you don’t take the time to double-check the slides.
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2. Turn Off Water at Connection When Leaving for a Day
If you’ll be gone for the day, turn off the water at the source before leaving. This ensures that no running water is going through your lines. That means no flooding disaster to come back to after a day of hiking or exploring. A water disaster can immediately ruin a great day.
3. Help Stabilize Rocking Movement With Chocks
You can’t completely remove the rocking movement in an RV. But there are some things you can do to minimize the movement. Using chocks between the tires is one way to prevent the front-to-back movement.
If you have a fifth wheel, using a tripod under the hitch can also help. You’ll still feel some rocking when a kid jumps off the bunk bed, but you won’t feel like you’re on a boat.
4. Always Check Tire Pressure the Morning Of Departure
Never check tire pressure the night before your departure. The temperature can change dramatically during the night. Check the tire pressure the morning you leave for the most accurate reading. Running low or high tire pressure can have catastrophic effects on the road.
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5. Never Leave Out An Awning At Night Or During the Day When Gone
Awnings provide shade and a comfortable place to enjoy the outdoors. But they can be extremely costly to repair. Never leave out an awning overnight. If the weather turns windy, you could have a major problem on your hands in the middle of the night.
If you can’t keep an eye on the awning, like when you’re away for the day, always bring it in. It’s not worth leaving it out when just one strong gust of wind could rip it off. You’re not there to enjoy the shade, so retract it.
6. Always Carry “Extras”
You never know what type of campsite you’ll find at various campgrounds. Sometimes the sewer dump is twenty feet behind the RV. Sometimes the pedestal is on the wrong side of the RV. Using the hookups can be challenging when they’re not in great positions.
Always carry extra cords and hoses to give you added length if you need it. A 10-foot sewer hose isn’t going to do much good when the dump location is 20ft from your RV.
7. Complete a Walk-Around Before Leaving the Campsite
Always complete a walk-around before your departure. Maybe do two walkarounds. Although it won’t happen frequently, you never know when you might leave the electric plug in the pedestal, have a sewer cap dangling, or see a wheel chock still underneath a tire.
Before you get into your RV and drive away, make sure you pack everything correctly.
8. Take Measurements When Connected on Level Ground
Knowing the exact measurements of your RV is critical when traveling. You don’t want to be guessing when you reach a low clearance sign at a bridge. But when you take those measurements, make sure you’re connected to your tow vehicle and positioned on level ground.
It doesn’t matter how tall you are at a campsite. It matters how tall you are when your truck is going down the road, and you need to go underneath a 13-foot 6-inch bridge.
9. Don’t Unhook Before You Look
When you arrive at a campsite, pay attention to low-lying limbs, the distance to the pedestal, and other rocks or trees that may be near the RV. If you have slide-outs, you don’t want to unhook and start leveling until you know those slides have room to fully extend.
The last thing you want to do is get the stabilizers down, unhook from the tow vehicle, and get fully leveled to find out you’ll have to do it all over again to move over 2 inches.
10. Utilize the Bed for Travel Day Storage
Many people take items off the walls during travel days. But where can you put TVs, pictures, and other decor? Utilize the beds for storing larger items that have no other place.
Lay down the canvas art prints, the baseball caps, the coats, and whatever else just doesn’t have a good storage place on the bed. It won’t move around much, and it will provide a cushion for breakable items.
Where Else Can You Follow Happily Ever Hanks?
If you’re interested in following Happily Ever Hanks, you can visit their website to read their story and stay up-to-date with their blog. You can also follow them on Instagram or Facebook.
Their YouTube channel will provide a weekly laugh and positive entertainment. It’s a great place to get to know Kyle and Renee and see their fun personalities shine through.
Happily Ever Hanks has been traveling in their RV for five years. They’ll probably have more lessons to share after this sixth year of RV living.
Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you’d like to share?
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