Caravan Set Up Tips

One of the most important things you will do to prepare for a great time away is to get your caravan set up on-site properly. While there is a variety of caravan makes, models, styles and sizes, there are some aspects of setting up that are important to consider no matter what your caravan is like. Whether you’re new to caravanning or a seasoned traveller, here are some handy tips that could help make your next trip that little bit easier… or a lot!

Why is Setting Up a Caravan Important?

Ultimately, propper caravan set up is about enjoying yourself, but it can have some other benefits; ensuring everything is set up efficiently and as quickly as possible means you ultimately have more time to relax, but it can certainly improve the quality of time for the rest of your trip and – importantly, prevent damage. 

Our Caravan Set Up Tips

We have compiled this list following our time caravanning, and it is based on things that have become important to us, either as a result of making some mistakes (everybody has and will forget something at least once – even you) or just through the desire to get things done as effortlessly as possible. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list, rather a handful of items we would recommend having high on your list of priorities. They are also in addition to any general and specific setup required for the actual caravan you are using.

Selecting your site

This is a big one. Wherever you’re staying, there will be sites that suit you and ones that don’t. Often the choice of site is not offered or possible but even if you’ve booked in advance and been allocated a particular site, it can be beneficial to have a look around the campground or caravan park before checking in. Most caravan park staff will happily provide a map and let you walk or even drive around if you ask. Things to consider when selecting a site include size and ease of access, shade and ground-cover, overhanging branches (mess from birds or bats can often be avoided), proximity to other campers, amenities and other facilities such as camp-kitchens, ablution blocks, swimming pool, play areas etc. Even something like where on a site a concrete slab (if any) and connections for water and power can make one site more suitable for you than others. Take time to consider these things if you can – whereas campsite staff often don’t mind letting you choose your site and re-allocating you in their system, once most campers have their caravan set up, they usually won’t move again.

Approaching your site

One of the most stressful parts of getting a caravan set up on site, for many people, is reversing it into place. Whereas this job can always present challenges, it can be made easier with some planning. In larger parks, even finding your way from the entry to your site can be tricky and while maps and directions will often be provided, it is ultimately up to you to choose a path that is wide enough and without obstructions like low branches, tight corners and other cars or vans. Your path will also determine whether you end up needing to reverse into your site “from the left” or “from the right.” This is also important to plan – sometimes the shape of the site or surrounding features will determine which side you need to approach from, but other times you might have a choice. In these cases you might decide that reversing in from the right (driver’s side in Australia) as the view from your side mirror and out the driver’s window is much better than when reversing from the left and having to use the passenger-side mirror and window. Whichever side you use, remember the blind spot on the far side and at the rear of the caravan. It is a good idea to position someone outside the car who can see what you can’t, within earshot (winding windows down can help) to alert you to any danger of impact.

Follow the instructions

Caravan manufacturers and owners generally provide very clear and step-by-step instructions for how to actually get your caravan set up done correctly. Make sure to follow these, especially if you are at all unsure. For hirers, a quick phone call to the owner is usually welcomed rather than risking damaging something, in the event you are really unsure of something.

Open the windows

Even during a short drive, the interior of a caravan can become quite warm and uncomfortable. On longer trips, unpleasant odours can also build up in the caravan. One of the first things you can do upon arrival at site is to quickly open some windows, in order to start the airing-out process. This can be a good job for a smaller member of the family, if you have some.

Chock and lock

As part of the unhitching process, it is a good idea to use wheel chocks and a towball lock. Even if a site seems perfectly level, even a small undulation or depression in the ground can cause some small movement after the caravan is unhitched. Even slight movement can cause injury or damage to the tow vehicle. To avoid this, ensure at least one wheel is chocked prior to unhitching (in addition to applying the park brake). A tow ball lock can be important for security and insurance purposes, especially if you will be away from your site for any length of time during your stay.

Caravan levelling

Getting a caravan set up level is very important for your enjoyment of the space for the duration of your stay. It can affect how the sink drains water away and the general feel of being inside and moving around your caravan. Getting the caravan level can involve specialised levelling ramps on one or both sides, depending on the slope of your site. The jockey wheel also plays an important part here so the job of levelling can only be done after unhitching. When establishing whether the van is level, you might have a small, bubble-type levelling indicator but be aware that not all sinks are level with their bench-top, not all bench-tops are level with the floor and believe it or not, not all parts of the floor are parallel to the chassis. It is up to you to decide how to set the van. You might put some water in the sink or use the spirit level, but another way is to take a few steps from the front to the rear and back again, to get the feel of the floor. 

Stabilisers

Don’t forget the stabilisers! Most caravans feel stable even without the legs extended so they are an easy item to forget about, but they are important items to use every time you detach from the tow vehicle to camp. From a safety perspective, preventing the van from tipping backwards if there is too much weight behind the axle (kids playing stacks-on on the back bunks, everyone crowding around the fridge at once, grey-water tank getting fuller and fuller…) From a comfort perspective, they can make a big difference in reducing the small movements and noises that result from moving around – this can help when some people are trying to sleep, or when there are spillable items out, etc. 

Power

Getting your caravan properly connected to mains power (if camping at a powered site) is important, so it should also be high on the list of priorities. If your caravan is equipped with a battery, it will continue to deplete if your mains power is not connected and may not recharge at all. Without mains power, many accessories won’t work at all. Ensure the mains plug is inserted fully – they are notoriously difficult to push on all the way. One way of testing mains power is working is to look at a microwave display or try switching on any appliance that only works on 220v such as the air conditioner (if fitted). If power is not coming through, check the circuit-breaker inside the caravan as sometimes these can trip when the plug is first connected. Often the power outlet on the site will have its own switch and circuit breaker which is worth checking if you don’t have power even if your power cord is connected. Finally, ensure your fridge is switched to the AC supply, so you don’t end up wasting gas, battery or having food spoil.

Water

Connecting to mains water is good as it often means you will have better water pressure and it should mean you won’t need to refill the water tank as often. It is a good idea to connect the tap-end first (usually you need to screw on your own tap-adapter and remember to take it with you when you leave) and to let water run all the way through the hose before connecting it to the caravan. This prevents air being pushed through the plumbing when you do turn the pressure on, which can result in mess or even internal plumbing bursting off from connections. After the hose is connected and you are ready to turn on the pressure, it is a good idea to have at least one tap in the caravan turned on, again to help purge any air straight away out of the lines, and do so slowly. Once bubbles have stopped, close off the caravan tap and finally check for leaks from any of the hose fittings. Even a small leak can add up to a lot of water wasted over a few days or more. Finally, make sure any waste-water is either being drained through the sullage hose to the right place or collected in a bucket. There will be different expectations depending on where you are camped, but the last thing you want is your dirty-dishes water draining running out all over your site!

Muck-mat

One of the essential items to get down early is some kind of door-mat on the ground outside the main caravan door. Even if you’re on a relatively clean site, every bit of dirt you can trap here is one less piece you won’t have to clean out from the caravan floor during your stay. 

A place for everything

Caravans are typically much smaller than most family’s living spaces and whereas there is typically less “stuff” to deal with while staying in a caravan, they can easily get untidy and feel cramped. One key to avoiding this is to decide early on a “home” for every item in the caravan. From then on it is still a matter of (sometimes training yourself and others to get good at) putting things away as soon as they are done with. This can include cleaning a cup or plate as soon as it is used and putting it away rather than letting piles build up. Things like allocating a cupboard for shoes and one for dirty clothes can go a long way to helping you enjoy the space you’ve worked so hard to get ready for your stay.

Learn more about setting up your caravan

There are many other great resources available to help you prepare for getting your caravan set up well – YouTube is full of helpful videos and most caravan manufacturers also have technical guides for other important aspects of setup. The key is to get the maximum amount of enjoyment during your caravan stay by doing the important jobs well and only once. Check out our reference on how to set up your awning here.

Explore caravans for hire

Last but not least, place a call-to-action at the bottom of your blog post, leading readers to the van listings page.