Simplify Your RV Parking Experience with This Affordable, Effortless Trick Each Time
RV travel, with its promise of freedom to drive across the country, take in stunning scenery, and make unforgettable memories, is growing increasingly popular. According to the RV Industry Association's Summer Travel Intentions Survey, approximately 44 million Americans plan to go RVing this summer. However, RV travel involves costs such as fuel, campsites, maintenance, insurance, food, and the cost of the RV itself.
To help navigate the challenges of parking an RV, especially when it comes to extending slide-out sections, a simple household item hack has emerged. This ingenious solution, gaining traction among RV enthusiasts, does not require expensive gadgets. Instead, it can be mimicked by something already in the household.
Measuring Your RV Slide-Out Width
To effectively measure your RV slide-out width using common household items like broomsticks, PVC pipes, or pool noodles, follow these steps for hassle-free parking during your trips:
- Measure the Width of the Slide-Out: Extend the slide-out fully. Use a tape measure or a broomstick/PVC pipe cut to approximate length and place it across the widest part of the slide-out, ideally from flange to flange (the outer edges of the slide-out box) for accuracy.
- Use Pool Noodles or Foam Tubing for Marking: Attach pool noodles or foam tubing around the broomstick or PVC pipe ends to increase visibility and reduce the risk of damaging the slide-out or surroundings when parking.
- Mark the Width Visually: Once you have the broomstick/PVC pipe set to the width, hold it or mount it temporarily perpendicular to the RV or parking spot. This creates a physical and visual reference for the slide-out’s width, helping you avoid tight spots and giving a spatial cue when maneuvering.
- Consider Using the Measurement as a Guide for Parking Spot Width: When parking, recall or reuse the marking to ensure sufficient clearance on either side of the extended slide-out to prevent damage during stops.
This approach serves as a simple, low-cost, and reusable method to replicate the slide-out width without complicated tools, leveraging common materials for visual and physical reference. The key is to measure from flange to flange for best accuracy, as it corresponds to actual slide-out width as used by RV accessory manufacturers.
Real-Life Applications
Facebook user RV Camping Life uses a PVC pipe cut to the exact width of their RV slide to measure the distance between campsite amenities. TikTok user rvmamaof4 uses a pool noodle as a cost-effective measuring guide to avoid hitting nearby obstacles at campsites. RV YouTubers HappilyEverHanks demonstrate how to measure the distance each RV slide extends using a broomstick.
This RV parking hack is gaining popularity among RV enthusiasts on social media platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook. By using this hack, RVers can save time and stress when parking at campsites or near electrical boxes, allowing for more time to relax during the RV trip. Whether parking near the Pacific Ocean or an RV resort with views of a Great Lake, this household item hack can help set up the perfect RV campground.
Furthermore, the use of this household item for RV parking can help maximize budget while on an RV road trip. With millions of Americans planning to go RVing this summer, this simple yet effective hack is set to make a significant impact on the RVing community.
Budget-conscious travelers planning a road trip in their RV will appreciate the usefulness of common household items for measuring slide-out widths, an essential step for hassle-free parking. This budget-travel lifestyle hack, gaining traction among RVers, involves using items like broomsticks, PVC pipes, pool noodles, or foam tubing to create a visual and physical reference for the slide-out's width, helping to save money spent on complicated tools or expensive gadgets.
Adopting this lifestyle strategy allows RVers to maximize their budget during their travel, keeping costs low while still enjoying the comfort and freedom of RV travel, as more than 44 million Americans plan to go RVing this summer.
