The Division of Duties

Carleen

Well-known member
I travel in our Bighorn Fifth Wheel with my Lovely Mother :eek:. We RV together and have needed a system to delegate duties so we don't step on each other's toes. Keeping in mind, we are both A-type personalities, we both like to take control. Therefore, delegating duties before the trip makes life much easier. We also change it up regularly so both of us know how to do everything. The last thing we wanted is for one of us to get hurt and have the other one not know how to handle the rig.

Generally, I do the towing and setting up of leveling, utilities, and outside fun stuff. She will go inside and run the slides, turn on AC, and get the kitchen/living room ready. The same thing goes for packing up at the end of the trip. She will clean up the inside, I will prep everything on the outside. Then on the next trip, we swap duties so she knows how to do all the outside functions and I know how to do the inside ones. It actually works well!

We also alternate who does the meal planning and shopping. We each have input on what meals we would like to eat on the trip, but the responsibility goes to one of us to make sure everything is purchased and loaded. It is a great way to divide the task because neither of us like to go to the grocery store.

Last but not least, we don't argue. We have a code word for when things start to get heated. When that word is said, we both have to check our attitudes at the door and take a breather if needed. The word is Peaches- tends to make us giggle in the worst of moods. The last thing we want is to be yelling at each other in the camp ground. It also can ruin a trip if you do nothing but snap and yell the entire time. We also have a skit we play when we hear other people yelling over silly things like hooking up the trailer or at the dump station. We talk about what they could do different and how they can use code words. We have fun coming up with code words for them based on their situation like "Kittens!" or "Jelly freak'n Doughnuts!"

Share some of your ideas and ways you work with your partner to make it all happen!
 

Crumgater

Well-known member
Sounds like you divide the duties similar to how we do. Inside -vs- outside seems like a natural division point. We do the same for cooking... I do inside cooking and Dave does outside cooking... for the most part. We also switch things up on occasion, although, probably not as much as we could.
 
I do everything while my four year old gets in the way and asks over and over again to go to the pool, playground, etc. He gets to crank the stabilizer jacks. That's it. That's my whole system. When I get mad at myself, my code is the sound of a beer can opening. Seems to work so far.
 

diesel_doberman

Active Member
Wifey and I split the setup and breakdown. I'm out side she is in. I do the slides and awning also. We now have a 3 month old little boy. I assume our shifts will change through the years now.

When it comes to cooking. I handle the cooking. ALL OF IT! I love it and she likes my meals. We make list and check it with our camping buddies. Certain meal make the cut every trip. Homemade biscuits and gravy always makes the cut. Haha
 

Rockin_Dollar_B

New Mexico Chapter Leaders-retired
He does the outside and I do the inside for now, then we check each other's work before we pull away. One of these days we will have a checklist but for now we both seem to be able to catch anything the other misses. We both do the slides together as we had one incident that thankfully was covered under warranty, (the recliner opened and jammed the slide process). I like the code word thing as I would not want to have our dirty laundry hung out to dry in the campground but we hardly argue anymore. I am still struggling with the food/meal process. It seems I am very ambitious when thinking/planning our meals but when we get under way I just want to relax and would prefer no cooking, lol. I struggle with food allergies now (mainly gluten) and so quick and easy casseroles and such don't work for us. But I'll come up with a plan sometime, meat and veggies are just fine, just have to simplify it more.
 

klindgren

Retired Virginia Chapter Leaders
We pretty much do the inside - outside split. I take care of all the outside duties while she takes care of all the inside ones. I like the idea of switching jobs occasionally, but we really haven't done that. We'll have to try it on this trip coming up. We pretty much plan our meals together. If we are traveling that day, we each make our own bagel for breakfast on the road and a sandwich for lunch. She pretty much packs the cooler to go in the truck. When set up, for the most part she cooks indoors, and I cook outdoors (grilling). There are certain "favorites" that, when on the menu, we know who's cooking. I would never try to make spagetti and meatballs because she is so good at it. She loves the way I cook bacon and grilled cheeze sandwiches so I know those are my responsibility.

Our system certainly wouldn't work for everyone, but for us it is the ideal situation. We don't have "code word" because I can't remember a situation where we needed one. When you are camping with your best friend, things just seem to go smoothly.
 

Garypowell

Well-known member
Starting 20 years ago I wrote up a list for departure. Certainly have modified it over the years with different rigs but we use it religiously.

We we each have our set parts we do individually but before we move the rooms in we stop and double check.

We move the rooms and hitch up together as those can be the most problematic. After we do the pull test we do the light check and I pull off the site while Linda walks it to insure we have left nothing behind.

We we had an incident last week where we were an hour down the road and I suddenly thought I had forgot to put the power cable in. Stopped and looked and there it was in its place. It is interesting how when we do something so repetitively we can't recall doing it. Hence the list......stowing the power cable will probably be added.
 
Top