Friday, February 28, 2020
Welcome to another edition of RV Travel’s Daily Tips newsletter. Here you’ll find helpful RV-related and living tips from the pros, travel advice, a handy website of the day, tips on our favorite RVing-related products and, of course, a good laugh. Thanks for joining us. We appreciate you. Please tell your friends about us.
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Today’s thought
“One, remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Two, never give up work. Work gives you meaning and purpose and life is empty without it. Three, if you are lucky enough to find love, remember it is there and don’t throw it away.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Floral Design Day!
Tip of the Day
Do-it-yourself RV storage organizer
By Jim Twamley
No matter what type of RV you own, storage will always be an issue. I’ve used everything from elaborate storage compartment organization units, to stackable plastic storage bins, and cardboard boxes — because they work.
For RV newbies, I suggest starting off with plastic bins and cardboard boxes until you determine what works best for your RV camping style. To help organize your gear, put masking tape on each container and, using a Sharpie, label the contents. Otherwise you will end up pulling everything out trying to locate one item. Continue reading.
Do you have a tip? Submit it here.
City water inlet regurgitates – Help!
Chris Dougherty, certified RV technician, received this question from a reader while he was serving as RVtravel.com’s technical editor: “I have an issue with the fresh water from my fresh water holding tank shooting out the city water inlet connection when I turn on my freshwater tank pump. There is a trickle of water coming to the faucets. However, when the city water connection is hooked to an external water source, everything seems to be OK. Do you know what might be causing this, and can it be corrected fairly easily?” Read Chris’ response.
Yesterday’s featured article: Wash your rig with dish soap?
You may have missed these recent popular stories…
- KOA to open new park: RVs not welcome
- The truth about Butt Wipes and RV holding tanks
- Readers reveal their favorite mods and add-ons
- Reader abandons plan to buy another RV
Reader poll
Readers tell us
Do you buy plastic water bottles in bulk? Find out how many RVers do, and take a look at some RV water filters here.
Best-selling small-space organizers
It can be hard keeping everything organized in a small space like an RV, right? Here’s Amazon’s list of best small-space organizers so you can keep everything in check. You’ll find everything from under-the-sink kitchen organizers, to clothing and closet organizers, to tiny bookcases. Explore these helpful items here.
Helpful resources
• NATIONAL TRAFFIC AND ROAD CLOSURE INFORMATION.
• ROAD AND TRAFFIC CONDITIONS ACROSS THE NATION.
• WEATHER ALERTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
• CURRENT WILDFIRE REPORT.
• LATEST RV RECALLS.
Quick Tip
Simple custom-sized trash cans
Finding suitably sized trash cans for RVing can be a hassle. Visit the plasticware section of your local discount store and pick up a plastic cereal storage container. The same bag the cashier packs it in (if they still use those at your store) fits great for a trash can liner. If it threatens to slide around, use double-stick Velcro tape on the bottom.
WiFi endoscope lets you peep where your eyes won’t go
Ever wondered what the inside of your black water tank looked like? Is that “tank blaster” really doing the job? You can’t just eyeball the inside of the tank – or can you? With a flexible endoscope, you can run a tiny camera down for a “look around,” and get an eyeful of information on your tablet or phone. It’s pretty handy to have in the RV so check it out here.
Random RV Thought
RVers are always looking ahead to get to their new destination(s). But RVers live in the present moment too, maybe more than most people, absorbing their new surroundings.
Website of the day
How to stop condensation in an RV
A helpful article by the folks at Full-Time RVing about stopping mold in its tracks by not letting any condensation into your RV. They have some other helpful articles too.
Clubs and useful organizations
PLEASE NOTE: We may receive an affiliate commission if you join any of these.
• Harvest Hosts: Stay free at farms, wineries and other scenic and peaceful locations for free. Save 15% on membership.
• AllStays: The best website for RVers! Your membership will become your RV-bible.
• Overnight RV parking. Directory of more than 14,000 locations where you can stay for free or nearly free with your RV. Modest membership fee.
• Boondockers Welcome. Stay at homes of RVers who welcome you in their driveways, yards, farmland or other space on their private property. Modest membership fee.
• Escapees. Best Club for RVers: All RVers welcome, no matter what type of RV, make or model.
No more sticky windows!
An RVtravel.com reader recommended this white graphite powder as the perfect fix for sticky windows. Frames can contract in cooler weather, making things tight. He said his fix is lubricating the window tracks with a simple “puff” of white graphite powder. Why the white? “It doesn’t make a mess like the black stuff!” he explained.
Trivia
Avocados do not ripen on trees. They have to be picked first.
How do platypus feed their babies? It’s not at all how you think… Read yesterday’s newsletter to find out.
Leave here with a laugh
When someone tells me “You’re gonna regret that in the morning,” I sleep until noon because I’m a problem solver.
Today’s Daily Deals at Amazon.com
Best-selling RV products and Accessories at Amazon.com. UPDATED HOURLY!
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RV Daily Tips Staff
Editor and Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Managing editor: Emily Woodbury. Senior editor: Diane McGovern. Advertising director: Jessica Sarvis. Financial affairs director: Gail Meyring. IT wrangler: Kim Christiansen.
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Everything in this newsletter is true to the best of our knowledge. But we occasionally get something wrong. We’re just human! So don’t go spending $10,000 on something we said was good simply because we said so, or fixing something according to what we suggested (check with your own technician first). Maybe we made a mistake. Tips and/or comments in this newsletter are those of the authors and may not reflect the views of RVtravel.com or this newsletter.
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NONE of the listed Holidays…..They are so commercialized, that it leaves me to think it is ALL about the MONEY for the commercializers…..Big box stores etc.
RE: Today’s thought..IMO Hawking was no philosopher, but he was REALLY GOOD at stating the obvious!
The “4th of July” is a date, not a holiday. Same as we don’t celebrate the Twenty-fifth of December. The holiday is Independence Day.
What holiday do I like the most? Am 70 years old and every day for me is a holiday so my answer is none of them My truck. My trailer and a great place with a wonderful view is an everyday holiday for me!!
The only holiday that should be recognized and schools shut down is Halloween. Awesome holiday. Everything else is over rated and expensive.
I’m unable to Download the condensation site.
Sorry, Nikki. Not sure why it won’t work for you. I don’t think anyone else has had problems with that link. But here’s the link again to see if it works for you here: https://fulltymerv.com/f/how-to-stop-condensation-in-an-rv—stop-mold-in-its-tracks —Diane at RVtravel.com
My DW and I had our first on Valentines Day 50 years ago and have been celebrating Valentines Day ever since.
I choose Thanksgiving. Only day anymore that isn’t advertised starting in July until Dec. No Kids around anymore. Just eat then watch football.
There’s something very peaceful and somber, and inspiring for introspection, when you spend a holiday alone, or just the two of you. It definitely gives you the necessary time to reflect on the meaning of the holy days.
God bless,
I picked Halloween because its a holiday that isn’t wrapped up in a lot of expectations. You can have fun decorating for it, and its just a fun time for the kids.
Halloween isn’t a holiday… neither is Valentines Day.
I don’t trust any water anywhere. I bring my own 5 gallon containers using my own home filtered water when camping, but after the house is sold…yeah….. and I am in an RV full time I will buy the Big Berkey with the additional filters. Not cheap but it is one of the best high end filters on the market.
We save 1 gal. Jugs and buy water in Walmart, it’s filtered and have been using it for 4 yrs. it costs between $.26 & $.29 per gal. and we’ve never had a problem and it tastes good. Most places in FL have a sulfur taste in their water that we can’t stand, so Walmart saved the day. It’s the same water that’s sold in most grocery stores also but is usually 2-5 cents cheaper, we usually use about a gallon a day for coffee, ice maker, and drinking.
LOL! I don’t remember posting this…..
Oh, I didn’t!
But I could have.😉 Counting down the days with you, Sharon…..!
regarding holidays…first thought was ‘none of the above’.
except for Easter, turkey day is the least commercialized of them all. the 2-hour commercial disguised as a parade being the exception.
Easter is just another Sunday for me but for many it’s a deeply religious and significant day. IMO it doesn’t belong in the same list as the made up silly v-day. i tell my wife of 50-years that i love her every day..,several times a day in fact.
other than mattress sales july 4th is a close second for non-commercialization. we love the fireworks and appreciate the meaning behind them.
for a super majority Christmas is just Santa and not Jesus. after 50-yrs and no kids we focus on just spending time with friends and close family. but we do reach out and express our thanks and gratitude to those that touch our lives in the form of small gifts to the postman, garbage/recycle pickup crew, lawn/snow guys, housekeeper, etc.
I marked 4th of July, and was shocked and disappointed that not many more did. That low result tells me that perhaps all of our generations have not been properly schooled on that day, and how this nation got to where we are today. Not talking politics here; I’m talking The Shining Light on the Hill for the rest of the world. That didn’t happen by chance.
The words of our Star-Spangled Banner tell the story in a poetic and moving way. But there’s so much more to it, and since.
Hopefully by the time this poll runs again, more of us will have considered the deep impact of that day on our lives. I cry when I see the old soldiers, marching proudly in our local parade, when I hear our National Anthem.
Is it a “holy day”? Maybe not by definition, but it most definitely is to me by history.
Easter is next, for much the same reason.
God bless America. Is there any more beautiful sentiment than that?
I used to like the 4th of July, but where I live now fire crackers start all night the night before, all night the 4th and the following night. Drives me nuts.
Really? Independence Day – all men are created equal – the big American War Machine… something to be proud of.
Halloween is not a holiday. Reminds me when I was taking a college class, years after my initial degree, a young whipper-snapper in the class asked if there was going to be class on Halloween? Duh’!! Us older folks got a kick out of the question. Any excuse to miss a class.
Halloween may not be a holiday, but it is the occasion I most enjoy decorating for!
City water leakback can be stopped easily with one of these plugs.
Camco 3/4 Inch 22103 Hose Plug & Cap-3/4″ Male, Carded.
From the tip of the day quote “Work gives you meaning and purpose and life is empty without it”. I am a retired RV owner and have lots of “purpose” and I am definitely not “empty without work”. LOL
I’m with you on that.
Ditto!!!
Best career move I ever made was to retire. Now every night is a Friday night and every day is a Saturday. That’s the most fulfilling feeling. If your life feels empty without work, get a life.
Purpose comes from productivity… so if you are a follower, work gives you a leader to force you to be productive.
If you are a self starter (like me), you can’t make yourself be idle, and traditional “work” gets in the way of better productivity.
This concludes your Randian philosophy lesson for today.
Hawkins is not talking about work as some are taking it to mean. It is not a go to a job type of meaning. His work is being productive, moving and keeping the mind sharp type of work. Like the saying “learn something new everyday”. He also is reinforcing that However bad life is or how bad you feel, there is always something you can do, and succeed at.
Your nose is always so high in the air when you post – how do you see to type the words?
Darrel: That was rather mean to Cheryl, whom I think restated the same point as I quite well. WorkADay is not the only work or the most fulfilling. I value my weekends and time between contracts as better “life,” even if the clients pay for that time. Being part of a team while “working” is fulfilling and some people have trouble finding meaning outside that.
I believe Hawking was advising against idleness, not career-work (which may overlap). Don’t give up feeling you built or learned something every day, whereever you find those.
Sorry Wolfe, but notice how a reply is indented? So Darrel’s reply was to YOU, not Cheryl… Just sayin’! 😉
LOL!!
Here’s the thing: When I was working – and I retired only this past June – I found that my “work” kept getting in the way of my Life……
I have things to do, places to go, and people to meet!