The Free RV Travel Day Checklist

Free printable + Notion template

The travel day checklist we never skip.

Every step of our fifth-wheel teardown and hitch-up, in the exact order we do it. Water, tanks, propane, Starlink, jacks and the hitch checks that matter most.

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This list was born out of a travel day that almost wasn’t. One rushed step, one thing we assumed was done, and the whole day could have gone a very different way.

Now we run this exact checklist every single time we pull out, in the same order. It takes the guesswork (and the arguing) out of moving day, and it means nothing gets skipped when we’re tired, distracted or racing the weather.

What’s inside

Teardown, step by step

Water, tanks and sewer hose, propane, Starlink, slides and X-braces.

Jacks and hitching

Rear jacks, raising the front, lining up and the pin check we call “most important.”

Final walk-around

Setting the weight, the tug test, chocks and wedges, plus a notes page for your rig.

You also get a free Notion version you can duplicate into your own workspace and check off on your phone.

The checks we never skip

• The pin and the “D” clip. The pin goes through the arm, and the clip gets clicked over it. Every time.
• Eyes inside the jaws. Fully closed around the pin, with the puck under the jaws.
• The tug test. Trailer brake on, and a check that the hitch pin is securely locked in.
• A second hitch check. Right before we pull out, not just when we connect.

This is our routine for our rig, a fifth wheel with a jaw-style hitch and an auto-leveling jack panel. Your controls may work differently, so always follow your own RV, hitch and leveling-system manuals and adjust the list to match.

Planning the trip, too?

Our free Simpler Way RV Trip Planner covers the rest: hub planning, campground scouting, budgets and packing.

More from the road

Get the free Travel Day Checklist